1. "What an excellent thing is knowledge," said a sharp-looking, hustling
little man, to one who was much older than himself. "Knowledge is an
excellent thing," repeated he. "My boys know more at six and seven years
old than I did at twelve. They can read all sorts of books, and talk on
all sorts of subjects. The world is a great deal wiser than it used to he.
Everybody knows something of everything now. Do you not think, sir, that
knowledge is all excellent thing?"
2. "Why, sir," replied the old man, looking grave, "that depends entirely
upon the use to which it is applied. It may be a blessing or a curse.
Knowledge is only an increase of power, and power may be a bad, as well as
a good thing." "That is what I can not understand," said the bustling
little man. "How can power he a bad thing?"
3. "I will tell you," meekly replied the old man; and thus he went on:
"When the power of a horse is under restraint, the animal is useful in
bearing burdens, drawing loads, and carrying his master; but when that
power is unrestrained, the horse breaks his bridle, dashes to pieces the
carriage that he draws, or throws his rider." "I see!" said the little
man.
4. "When the water of a large pond is properly conducted by trenches, it
renders the fields around fertile; but when it bursts through its banks,
it sweeps everything before it and destroys the produce of the fields." "I
see!" said the little man, "I see!"
5. "When the ship is steered aright, the sail that she hoists enables her
sooner to get into port; but if steered wrong, the more sail she carries
the further will she go out of her course." "I see!" said the little man,
"I see clearly!"
6. "Well, then," continued the old man, "if you see these things so
clearly, I hope you can see, too, that knowledge, to be a good thing, must
be rightly applied. God's grace in the heart will render the knowledge of
the head a blessing; but without this, it may prove to us no better than a
curse." "I see! I see!" said the little man, "I see!"
DEFINITIONS.--l. Bus'tling, very active, stirring. Sub'ject, the thing
treated of. 3. Meek'ly, mildly, quietly, gently. Re-straint', anything
which hinders. Bur'dens, loads. 4. Con-duct'ed, led, guided. Trench'es,
ditches. Fer'tile, producing much fruit, rich. Prod'uce, that which is
yielded or produced. 5. Steered', guided, directed. Hoists, raises. 6.
Ap-plied', directed, made use of.
EXERCISES--What is the subject of this lesson? Is knowledge always a
power? Is it always blessing? Relate the several examples of power wrongly
used. If we use the powers that God has given us for bad purposes, what
will our knowledge prove to be?
LVII. GOOD WILL. (153)
By J. T. Trowbridge.--(Adapted)
1. I suppose you all, my boys, are looking for some sort of success in
life; it is right that you should; but what are your notions of success?
To get rich as soon as possible, without regard to the means by which your
wealth is acquired?
2. There is no true success in that: when you have gained millions, you
may yet be poorer than when you had nothing; and it is that same reckless
ambition which has brought many a bright and capable boy, not to great
estate at last, but to miserable failure and disgrace; not to a palace,
but to a prison.
3. Wealth rightly got and rightly used, rational enjoyment, power,
fame,--these are all worthy objects of ambition; but they are not the
highest objects, and you may acquire them all without achieving true
success. But if, whatever you seek, you put good will into all your
actions, you are sure of the best success at last; for whatever else you
gain or miss, you are building up a noble and beautiful character, which
is not only the best of possessions in this world, but also is about all
you can expect to take with you into the next.
4. I say, good will in all your actions. You are not simply to be kind and
helpful to others; but, whatever you do, give honest, earnest purpose to
it. Thomas is put by his parents to learn a business. But Thomas does not
like to apply himself very closely. "What's the use?" he says. "I'm not
paid much, and I'm not going to work much. I'll get along just as easily
as I can, and have as good times as I can."
5. So he shirks his tasks; and instead of thinking about his employer's
interests, or his own self improvement, gives his mind to trifles,--often
to evil things, which in their ruinous effects upon his life are not
trifles. As soon as he is free from his daily duties, he is off with his
companions, having what they call a good time; his heart is with them even
while his hands are employed in the shop or store.
6. He does nothing thoroughly well,--not at all for want of talent, but
solely for lack of good will. He is not preparing himself to be one of
those efficient clerks or workmen who are always in demand, and who
receive the highest wages.
7. There is a class of people who are the pest of every community, workmen
who do not know their trade, men of business ignorant of the first
principles of business. They can never be relied upon to do well anything
they undertake. They are always making blunders which other people have to
suffer for, and which react upon themselves. They are always getting out
of employment, and failing in business.
8. To make up for what they lack in knowledge and thoroughness, they often
resort to trick and fraud, and become not merely contemptible but
criminal. Thomas is preparing himself to be one of this class. You can
not, boys, expect to raise a good crop from evil seed.
9. By Thomas's side works another boy, whom we will call James,--a lad of
only ordinary capacity, very likely. If Thomas and all the other boys did
their best, there would be but small chance for James ever to become
eminent. But he has something better than talent: he brings good will to
his work. Whatever he learns, he learns so well that it becomes a part of
himself.
10. His employers find that they can depend upon Jim. Customers soon learn
to like and trust him. By diligence, self-culture, good habits, cheerful
and kindly conduct, he is laying the foundation of a generous manhood and
a genuine success.
11. In short, boys, by slighting your tasks you hurt yourself more than
you wrong your employer. By honest service you benefit yourself more than
you help him. If you were aiming at mere worldly advancement only, I
should still say that good will was the very best investment you could
make in business.
12. By cheating a customer, you gain only a temporary and unreal
advantage. By serving him with right good will,--doing by him as you
would be done by,--you not only secure his confidence but also his good
will in return. But this is a sordid consideration compared with the
inward satisfaction, the glow and expansion of soul which attend a good
action done for itself alone. If I were to sum up all I have to say to you
in one last word of love and counsel, that one word should be--Good will.
DEFINITIONS.--3. Char'ac-ter, the sum of qualities which distin-guish one
person from another. 4. Purpose, intention, aim. 7. Prin'ci-ples, fixed
rules. 9. Ca-pac'i-ty, ability, the power of re-ceiving ideas. 12.
Sor'did, base, meanly avaricious.
EXERCISES.--What is meant by the phrase "to apply himself," in the fourth
paragraph? What is meant by "a generous manhood," tenth paragraph? By
"expansion of soul," twelfth paragraph? Tell what is meant by "good will,"
as taught by this lesson. How did Tom and James differ in character?