But if you have kept your brain power and moral health, and I shall show you how to do this, in the end you will all come to the right point――reverence and love for the great Power which controls us all.
You cannot avoid this desired point in life; it WILL come in time. Worry and impatience in your youthful days; self-questioning and a feeling that something is wrong with the world, will be your portion of man’s burden. You will see what looks like injustice, the apparent success of the evil-minded, the accumulation of wealth by the man of shady methods, and those who should be happy, miserable, and those who in your estimation should receive punishment, living in luxury, and highly esteemed.
But this vision will lose its distortion as you live on; you will then see matters in their true light. Have you ever looked down through clear water and seen rocks, even fishes, appearing queer and out of shape? When you dive down to the bottom and open your eyes, how different the true outlines of these things look to you. You first saw them through distorted rays; a false vision. It is just so with the truths of life: you have to dive down into your heart and mind to see their real shape and meaning.
I believe that every man is better for going through all the phases of doubt, irreligion, and becoming worldly wise; for when he does reach the point of seeing right he thinks right. This state causes him to be a true man to himself and to the Power which controls him.
Get all sides of a question and then think for yourself. And don’t forget that every question has FOUR sides: the right, wrong, inside and outside. When you have decided, be true to your convictions and at the same time keep looking around and INTO yourself.
We can all see the marvels of nature around us, but we can never understand until we also see the things IN us.
Deep within ourselves lie our powers. Getting them out is what brings success. These are the forces which every young man must study for himself. There are no rules we know that can be laid down for the governing or control of that thing we call conscience, soul, or whatever you care to call it. It is the vital principle――it is the power within us to DO. It varies in all men, its force, direction and application directed rightly will bring man up to marvelous deeds. No matter what your impulses are, if they are for good living and helping along the progress of man, go at them and win out. If they make for evil, or the working of injurious suggestion; go at them also, but to give them the count. Put them down and out. The first victory will be a hard one; but as the pugilist gains confidence after winning his first fight, and then goes on easily winning, so you all can in this matter of fighting wrong impulses.