isa-normaladvance-1915-00067

Description:	THE NORMAL ADVANCE67$a*0e££ioti TOjrougi) 3Jnbtbtbual laborHAVE you ever been aware of the fact thatyou appreciated some of your possessionsor some experiences a great deal more thanothers of an equal value intrinsically and educationally? It is apparent that it is a characteristic of the human individual that he appreciates more fully anything that he obtainedthrough his own efforts.Take a business man who has begun on thelowest rung of the ladder and step by step hasreached the culmination of his desires, a successful business career. He will never tire ofexpounding concerning his efforts, and will notas a natural thing conceal his admiration andhappiness of his attaining his purpose of life.It has indeed been a joy to see his lifeworkbased upon a small foundation or beginning,and then through his untiring efforts, care, andendeavors to expand and grow into somethingvaluable and worth while.The same thing is true of a man or womanwho overcomes many and great difficulties inobtaining an education. He will appreciate itto his highest ability of appreciation for it hasbeen-his aim and about this aim he has centeredhis thought, his future happiness and welfare.It is true nevertheless, that we enjoy things thatare given to us as gifts or by right of birth,but on the other hand we realize in a highersense the satisfaction and the beneficial development of valuable things, when we expend effortto obtain them.Another illustration of this same thought isfound in 17th chapter of Joshua. The childrenof Joseph said to Joshua, Why hast thou givenme but one lot and one portion to inherit, seeingI am a great people for as much as the Lordhath blessed me hitherto? Joshua had toldEphraim and Manasseh, the offspring ofJoseph, that they should be great but theynow have but one lot. Why was this when theywere great ? Their company had increasedgreatly in numbers and thus they found theterritory which they had inherited was notsufficient to afford them a livelihood. Theywere in need of advice concerning their welfareand Joshua said, If thou be a great people,then get thee up to the wood country, and cutdown for thyself there in the land of thePerizzites and of the giants, if Mount Ephriambe too narrow for thee. Joshua certainly spokewisdom to these people, for if they wishedgreater possessions they should set about theirlabors in order to attain their desired end.There was no necessity for them to delay for abetter opportunity in order that some othertribe might precede them and overcome the difficulties, thus making the way easy for them.They were capable of fighting their own battles.Thus it was possible for them to attain and appreciate the result of their labor.The conquest of this tribe might be comparedto that of the individual. Many persons in theworld are content to obtain their living fromthe possessions of others. These people are notcapable of working out their own salvation, andmight be considered as parasites for they donot contribute anything to society, and theworld is not bettered by their existence.Our advancement and our betterment lieswithin ourselves. We possess a capacity for accomplishing certain things in life ,and our salvation and advancement is determined by ourexercise of this gift or capacity.The easy path in the lowland hath little ofground or new,But a toilsome ascent leads on to a wide andglorious view Peopled and warm is the valley, lonely and chillthe height But the peak that is nearer the storm cloud isnearer the stars of night.
Source:	http://indstate.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/isuarchive/id/34881
Collection:	Indiana State University Archives

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