THE DUTY OF SELF-DEPENDENCE.
Some people never learn to walk alone. They always lean on some one. They will never come to a decision until they have asked the advice of a friend. They do not trust their own judgment. Then they depend upon others to do things for them. They lack self-confidence, and the courage to meet life's responsibilities for themselves. Such persons never reach their best possibilities of character or achievement. The only way to grow strong is in the use of one's powers. An arm kept always in a sling would soon shrivel and wither. The blacksmith's arm has withe-like muscles because he uses it. In mental and moral development the same law prevails; only by use can strength be obtained. No doubt one will make mistakes. Many copy-book pages are spoiled in learning to write. No doubt the young man's father could do certain things better than the son can do them; but then the son would not be learning how to do them. It is better that he should begin to do these things for himself, even tho he does blunder and make mistakes, for thus he will learn to do them well by and by, and thus, too, he will be making ready to live without his father, as some day he must do. One of the common mistakes of parents is in doing too much for their children. In the helplessness of infancy it is necessary that everything should be done for them. They can not care for themselves. They can do nothing whatever toward providing for themselves. Parental love must think for them, plan for them, toil for them, must supply all their wants, must carry all their burdens. The danger is, however, that it shall continue to do all these things for them long after it is necessary to do so. Soon the child's powers begin to develop, and then the parents should begin to teach the child to do things for itself. Each month more should be put upon it, and it should be taught to take up and bear its own burden as fast as its ability and strength increase. It is real unkindness to children for parents to continue to do everything for them year after year, as if they were still infants. It is robbing them of a most important part of their education, and of the opportunity of becoming strong. A wise teacher says, addressing young people, "Insist upon yourself." The counsel is golden. No matter how much help a young man might receive, he should insist upon himself. He should learn to think for himself. He should not reject wise counsel, nor refuse to profit by the experience of others—he is a fool who turns his back upon lessons that have been learned in long years of good life; yet he should train himself to bear the burden of his own responsibility. In school he should study for himself, and resolutely refuse to accept any of the crutches for the indolent which so many students use. No one can give him knowledge—he must dig it out of the mines for himself. No one can impart mental power to him. Whatever intellectual gifts he has are folded up in his brain, and no mere process of education, and nothing any other can do for him, will bring them out. This is something he must do for himself. In all departments of life this lesson of self-dependence should be learned and practised. We must always receive help from others. We can not live independently. Thousands of people are continually doing things for us, and we can not get away from the necessity of brotherly help. But there are burdens which we should be ashamed to have others carry for us. We should train ourselves to self-reliance. Tho a young man be rich, so that in a sense he has no need to work, he should insist on doing his share of the world's work. There are two reasons why he should do this. One is that only in work can any one ever grow into strong, manly character. God has ordained that all true development, whether of body, mind, or spirit, must come thru exertion. Only by work can we grow. Another reason is, that we are not in this world for ourselves alone. We are debtor to every fellow-being. No bread is really ours till we have earned it; and, besides, we must help to earn bread for others who can not do it for themselves. The strong are set in this world to help the weak, the rich to share their abundance with the poor. Every one should do something for the world to make it happier and more beautiful—should add in some way to the forces of good and blessing in it. Those who have been richly endowed in any way may not use their gifts for themselves alone; they must use them for the good of all.—Selected.