isa-normaladvance-1914-00207

Description:	THE NORMAL ADVANCE207Tours, filled with the enthusiasm of a righteous cause, fight with the valor of demons incarnate, roll back the on-rushing tides of Islams fanati¬ cism and forever kept asunder the horns of the crescent. Luther at the gate of Wittenberg greets his friends with a message of calm, de¬ termined and lofty purpose. He burns the papal bull, thereby liberating a world from the shackles of a blighting theocracy. Wash¬ ington, at the helm of Liberty cause, sweat the bloody sweat of despair, but upheld by the spirit of equality and right dares to do and leads to a triumphant Yorktown. Lincoln, the friend of his fellowmen, strives for the fuller realization of the universal spirit of man— freedom and exulting with the thought of union preserved, dies, the savior of his coun¬ try. Whether it be a Martel, a Luther, a Washington, or a Lincoln, there is one basic principle of greatness one element that exalts their name and glory, and that is the abiding spirit of the will to do—the spirit, Im going to be there.In our admiration of noble characters we must not forget the masses. The individual citizen has been playing no small role in the affairs of the world, though it has been the greater light of the leader that was propa¬ gated. As civilization advances and as man comes to a fuller realization of his inherent nature of liberty, equality and fraternity, the leader will recede just as the common man ad¬ vances. It must, however, be conceded that in the perception and revelation of truth the world has been and will continue to be greatly indebted to leaders. We are a race of imita¬ tors. The mighty men of yesterday and to¬ day become an inspiration to all that are striv¬ ing for the greater and better things in life. Who is not filled with a new valor when the martial tread of the warrior resounds through the hall of fame? Who is not thrilled with a greater zeal and mightier purpose when the eloquent appeal of the statesman, powerful and convincing sways the minds of men. Ev¬ ery great life emanates power. They becomethe idols of our worship. Our lives are but satellites of their greater glory. Some day we would be like them, hence the continued strug¬ gle for the realization of their perfection. But shall we realize it? Will our dreams come true? It matters not what others have done, our life is fundamentally an individual life. In the struggle for existence the ego and not the alter is the true reality.The ego and the will are one. Is it suffi¬ cient to carry us to our goal? The many fail¬ ures in life cause grave doubts as to the effi¬ cacy of the human will in shaping the des¬ tiny of man. A blind fatalism seems to run through the affairs of men to some it is kind and propitious, to others harsh and cruel. Many individuals who have failed to realize their ambitions find consolation in the thought of a prearranged order. It is fate, they say. But they forget that fate becomes subservient to their will if they but defy it they forget that they must dare and dare and dare again if they would succeed. This is the attitude of the man of purpose. Obstacles melt away, paths of opportunity open up and by continu¬ ous struggle he becomes like that which at first seemed impossible. When the skeptic says prove it, we need but mention the deaf, dumb and blind prodigy of the day. Helen Keller defied fate and in the lists she con¬ quered. Why cannot we?Some meet the impossible before they have completed the first lap others when they have all but finished their course. We must, how¬ ever not judge too hastily when vaulting am¬ bition totters and falls to the ground. At best we can know but the outward expressions of the inmost soul. Contemptible indeed was the plight of the boy at the foot of the hill, lack¬ ing courage to climb to the top. And yet it may have been folly for him to have striven for that ideal. The ideal, the end, must as be¬ fore stated be a rational ideal. Time and sea¬ son may be out of joint. Heredity may have foredoomed its victim and environment may have laid its chilly fingers on the fiery spirit
Source:	http://indstate.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/isuarchive/id/32671
Collection:	Indiana State University Archives

Further information on this record can be found at its source.