“Boys and girls, begin now the formation of habits which will make you strong, honest, worthy men and women.  Sometimes you see a man who is fiery, cross, ill-tempered and surly.  Again you will find one who is fawning, over-polite, subservient and altogether wearisome because, in trying to make himself agreeable he becomes a bore and a nuisance.  Both of these kinds of men have failed to reach the right goal of manhood.  We must have backbone, firmness and stamina, but we must be willing to bend sometimes or we are apt to get some pretty hard bumps when we hold our heads too high.  Remember that you can’t please everybody.  Sometimes it is best to say ‘Yes’ when people ask you to do certain things, and sometimes a flat-footed ‘No’ is the thing.  Remember that if you agree with everybody who expresses an opinion, you have the respect of nobody.  Think for yourself, but think carefully.  If you choose to grovel at the feet of those about you, you must expect to get stepped on and run over.  Above all, cultivate a habit of being so straightforward and above-board that no one will ever doubt your sincerity.  Don’t wear a mask of sincerity when the real character is less honorable.  To do this is to cheat yourself more than anyone else, for the deception is ofttimes but thinly veiled.

“In his early life, in the year 1844, Lord Beaconsfield, said, in an address before the Literary and Scientific Institution of London:  ’A man can be what he pleases.  Every one of you can be what he desires to be.  I have resolved to hold a certain position, and if I live I will.’  It is not known to what position Benjamin Disraeli referred, but he attained to the highest position possible to any man in England, notwithstanding that his status as a Jew was a strong barrier against his progress.  On his deathbed he said, ’Nothing can resist a will which will stake even existence for its fulfillment.’

“That is determination.  Such determination will make any man what he wants to be.  It will enable every one of us to reach his highest ideal.  And may that ideal be to shun the dishonest and seek the honest life in its every element.”

WASHINGTON’S STRENGTH
    —­Washington’s Birthday
    —­Trust

Through His Great Trials He Remained Steadfast in His Hold on
God.

THE LESSON—­That trouble either adds to our spiritual strength or else casts us down, depending on the stability of our character and our hold on God.

This illustration, especially useful on the occasion of the birthday of George Washington, on the 22d of February, is adaptable to the needs of the younger boys and girls, but its significance may give hope and strength to the older ones as well.

The Talk.

“Boys, how many of you ever flew a kite?  Well, that’s fine!  You will be able, then, to answer the question I am going to ask you.  Now, listen.  If the wind is blowing from the west, which way do you run to make the kite go up?  Yes, you run toward the west, right against the wind.  If you run with the wind, the kite won’t go up at all, will it? [Draw the kite as in Fig. 84; black outline, red tail.]