Make an Effort

You who are just developing into manhood and womanhood, let me have a few words with you. Have you stopped to consider the grand possibilities and probabilities of this fleeting life? Have you measured its brevity, and pondered on its closing scenes? Have you gone farther, and with the eye of faith looked beyond the gates of death and seen the saints of God come forth with glad shouts of triumph? Have you meditated on the life eternal, and the glorious beauty and loveliness of our Father's everlasting kingdom—the earth redeemed and renewed? Have you thought of the King in his beauty, reigning in righteousness and peace, and the innumerable company of angels, and the multitude of the redeemed clothed with immortality, bearing palms of victory, and ascribing honor to their blessed Redeemer? Have you drawn the curtain over earthly scenes, and thus looked forward to the time when you might be permitted to mingle with that glorified throng and become acquainted with the good and blest of every age? And have the thoughts of these scenes thrilled you with longings to be there, and animated you with a more intense desire to do the will of your Father in Heaven?

If your thoughts have ever been thus exercised, you will better appreciate what I am about to say to you. Surely the contemplation of the Christian's hope will fill the soul with aspirations after purity of life, and nobility of character. The anxiety to make the best possible improvement of your mental and spiritual powers, not only for your own good, but for the good of perishing humanity, ought to pervade your entire being. You are passing rapidly along, and a few years will decide the entire course of your life. You may make much of yourselves, or you may remain dwarfs all through your lives. The cause of God may be greatly benefited by your efforts, or you may remain only a cipher in the work. God will lead you in a way that you know not of; if you will improve upon the talent he has given you. Stir up your dormant energies. Rouse your latent powers. Seize every opportunity to store your minds with useful information. Brush away the chaffy literature, and gather only the wheat. Think, study, investigate. Don't dream; your future depends not so much on what you hope for as what you labor for. Hopes and aspirations expressed in earnest unflagging efforts will work wonders for you. Don't be satisfied with doing as well as others; aim to do all you possibly can in the way of self-improvement.

Don't be discouraged because your present attainments are not as good as those of others. Begin at once, and if you persevere, you will soon be conscious of an increase of power and vigor in your own soul. Don't be discouraged by mistakes. Success depends in your not making the same mistake the second time. If you suffer defeat, draw a lesson from it which will pave the way for future success. Don't tie yourselves up to mere physical labor until you have spent a few months or years trying to cultivate your minds. There are men and women enough in the world to devote themselves entirely to physical employments, who have no higher aspirations. The work of God demands cultured minds, minds disciplined to think and plan for the spreading of the last message to the world. Go to school if possible. Excellent opportunities are offered. Schools are in operation designed to assist the youth to make themselves useful in the cause of God. Make an effort to attend one of these schools. If you are poor, study economy. Dress plainly; live on simple food, and attend for a little while to the inward adorning.

If you cannot possibly attend school, read and study all your leisure time at home. Among other things, buy a concordance, and devote much time to the study of the Bible. Compare scripture with scripture. Nothing will better help to improve the mind. It will develop the power to think. The great aim in education should be to so train the mind, and so store it with information that we can think systematically and connectedly. Those thus thoroughly trained are ready for emergencies, and can adapt themselves to circumstances, and they know better how to handle human nature with all its perverse peculiarities.

Young men and women, the seed-time of your life will quickly slip away. Make an effort now; don't wait till next year or next month, but begin at once to prepare to fill a larger place in the world. Try to be worth all you possibly can to the cause of Christ. Let your aim be to do all you can, either directly or indirectly, to prepare others for that kingdom, the hope of which is solace and comfort to your soul. There we shall see the results of our life-work, and enter into the joy of our Lord. Remember the "well done" will be said only to those who have used their talents. You surely have at least one talent. Don't hide it in the earth. (Read Matt. 25.) Strive to consecrate your life to the cause of Christ, and you will at last hear the "well done." May God help you.