WHO WILL FIND HIM? by Dudley Marvin Canright

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Dec 6, 1877

WHO WILL FIND HIM?

By Dudley Marvin Canright

I HAVE traveled a great deal, conversed with thousands of people, old and young, rich and poor, high and low, learned and unlearned; yet there is one sort of individual, whom, as yet, I have never found. I should like to advertise for him. I think I could safely offer a large reward for even one man of the kind. Yes, I will risk it; and I do hereby offer a reward of fifty dollars for one specimen of the creature to which I refer. He will be a curiosity. I do not know that we could put him to any use, except simply as something to be wondered at. I should describe him in this way: A person who, after he has received a good, fair education, is sorry that he has obtained it.

Reader, did you ever hear of such a person? Did you ever read of him? Did you ever know of him? I have taken particular pains to talk with people upon this question, not only with those who had earned a living by their education, but with those who had made no special use of their mental training, and not one among them all have I ever found who has expressed one regret that he had obtained a good education. However much time or money he may have spent in obtaining it, I never heard a person say that he was sorry for it.

But, on the other hand, it is one of the most common things of daily observation to hear both men and women expressing their regrets that they had not in some way managed to get a good education when they were young. “If I could only live my life over again, how different a course I would take!” says one. “If I had only known when I was young the advantages of education as I do now, I would have worked my finger nails off to obtain it.” “If my parents had only helped me to schooling when I was young, what a different lot I might have had in the world! But all father cared for was money.” So says another. Such regrets are common, yes, too common. Children grow up to blame their parents for not educating them. Young men grow up censuring themselves for their negligence when young. Everybody hears it, everybody knows it. Every young man and woman has been told it. Every intelligent person says, “Educate yourself while young. If you do not, you will regret it by and by.” A few realize the importance of an education, and act accordingly; while hundreds think it does not amount to much, and go on until it is too late; then they lament about their mistake the balance of their life.

If ever there was an age when ignorance was inexcusable, that age is the present. Schoolhouses on every four corners; books on education cheap and excellent; free schools, or, at most, tuition but little; helping hands on every side. Young friends, what advantage are you taking of these circumstances? What use are you making of your opportunities? How did you spend last year? How do you propose to spend the year to come? Are you vainly saying to yourself, “Sometime I will do it,” but never making a commencement? Straighten yourself up to the task now. Begin at once—enter school next term. Take hold somewhere. Do not be deterred by trifles, neither by greater difficulties. Grapple with them. Rise above them. Instead of letting circumstances control you, seize hold of them and wheel them into line in your favor. Another long winter, with all its advantages of study and school privileges, is now before you. Do not sit holding your hands and idly dreaming till these moments are gone. Decide at once—now—that this winter shall tell for your advancement. Do it, and you will never regret it. D. M. C.