the university of hard knocks(重击大学)-第21部分
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The University of Hard Knocks
That is success supreme。 Not 〃succeeded〃 but 〃succeeding。〃
What a difference between 〃ed〃 and 〃ing〃！ The difference between
death and life。 Are you 〃ed…ing〃 or 〃ing…ing〃？
Moses Begins at Eighty
Moses； the great Hebrew law…giver； was eighty years old before he
started south。 It took him eighty years to get ready。 Moses did not even get
on the back page of the Egyptian newspapers till he was eighty。 He went
on south into the extra editions after that！
If Moses had retired at seventy…nine； we'd never have heard of him。 If
Moses had retired to a checkerboard in the grocery store or to pitching
horseshoes up the alley and talking about 〃ther winter of fifty…four；〃 he
would have become the seventeenth mummy on the thirty…ninth row in the
green pickle…jar！
Imagine Moses living today amidst the din of the high school orations
on 〃The Age of the Young Man〃 and the Ostler idea that you are going
down hill at fifty。 Imagine Moses living on 〃borrowed time〃 when he
becomes the leader of the Israelite host。
I would see his scandalized friends gather around him。 〃Moses！ Moses！
what is this we hear？ You going to lead the Israelites to the Promised Land？
Why； Moses； you are an old man。 Why don't you act like an old man？ You
are liable to drop off any minute。 Here is a pair of slippers。 And keep out
of the night air。 It is so hard on old folks。〃
I think I would hear Moses say； 〃No； no； I am just beginning to see
what to do。 Watch things happen from now on。 Children of Israel； forward；
march！〃
I see Moses at eighty starting for the Wilderness so fast Aaron can
hardly keep up。 Moses is eighty…five and busier and more enthusiastic than
ever。 The people say； 〃Isn't Moses dead？〃 〃No。〃 〃Well； he ought to be dead；
for he is old enough。〃
They appoint a committee to bury Moses。 You cannot do anything in
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America without a committee。 The committee gets out the invitations and
makes all the arrangements for a gorgeous funeral next Thursday。 They get
ready the resolutions of respect 〃Whereas；Whereas；Resolved；
Resolved。〃
Then I see the committee waiting on Moses。 That is what a committee
doesit 〃waits〃 on something or other。 And this committee goes up to
General Moses' private office。 It is his busy day。 They have to stand in line
and wait their turn。 When they get up to Moses' desk； the great prophet
says； 〃Boys； what is it？ Cut it short； I'm busy。〃
The committee begins to weep。 〃General Moses； you are a very old
man。 You are eighty…five years old and full of honors。 We are the
committee duly authorized to give you gorgeous burial。 The funeral is to
be next Thursday。 Kindly die。〃
I see Moses look over his appointments。 〃Next Thursday？ Why； boys；
every hour is taken next Thursday。 I simply cannot attend my funeral next
Thursday。〃
They cannot bury Moses。 He cannot attend。 You cannot bury anybody
who is too busy to attend his own funeral！ You cannot bury anybody until
he consents。 It is bad manners！ The committee is so mortified； for all the
invitations are out。 It waits。
Moses is eighty…six and the committee 'phones over； 〃Moses； can you
attend next Thursday？〃 And Moses says； 〃No； boys； you'll just have to
hold that funeral until I get this work pushed off so I can attend it。 I
haven't even time to think about getting old。〃
The committee waits。 Moses is ninety and rushed more than ever。 He
is doing ten men's work and his friends all say he is killing himself。 But he
makes the committee wait。
Moses is ninety…five and burning the candle at both ends。 He is a
hundred。 And the committee dies！
Moses goes right on shouting； 〃Onward！〃 He is a hundred and ten。 He
is a hundred and twenty。 Even then I read； 〃His eye was not dim； nor his
natural force abated。〃 He had not time to stop and abate。
So God buried him。 The committee was dead。 O； friends； this is not
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irreverence。 It is joyful reverence。 It is the message to all of us； Go on
south to the greater things； and get so enthused and absorbed in our going
that we'll fool the 〃committee。〃
All the multitudes of the Children of Israel died in the Wilderness。
They were afraid to go on south。 Only two of them went on south Joshua
and Caleb。 They put the giants out of business。
The Indians once owned America。 But they failed to go on south。 So
another crop of Americans came into the limelight。 If we modern
Americans do not go on south we will join the Indians； the auk and the
dodo。
The 〃Sob Squad〃
I am so sorry for the folks who quit； retire； 〃get on the shelf〃 or live
on 〃borrowed time。〃
They generally join the 〃sob squad。〃
They generally discover the world is 〃going to the dogs。〃 They cry on
my shoulder； no matter how good clothes I wear。
They tell me nobody uses them right。 The person going on south has
not time to look back and see how anybody uses him。
They say nobody loves them。 Which is often a fact。 Nobody loves the
clock that runs down。
They say； 〃Only a few more days of trouble； only a few more
tribulations； and I'll be in that bright and happy land。〃 What will they do
with them when they get them there？ They would be dill pickles in the
heavenly preserve…jar。
They say； 〃I wish I were a child again。 I was happy when I was a child
and I'm not happy now。 Them was the best days of my life childhood's
palmy days。〃
Wake up！ Your clock has run down。 Anybody who wants to be a child
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again is confessing he has lost his memory。 Anybody who can remember
the horrors of childhood could not be hired to live it over again。
If there is anybody who does not have a good time； if there is anybody
who gets shortchanged regularly； it is a child。 I am so sorry for a child。
Hurry up and go on south。 It is better on south。
Waiting till the 〃Second Table〃
I wish I could forget many of my childhood memories。 I remember
the palmy days。 And the palm！
I often wonder how I ever lived thru my childhood。 I would not take
my chances living it thru again。 I am not ungrateful to my parents。 I had
advantages。 I was born in a parsonage and was reared in the nurture and
admiration of the Lord。 I am not just sure I quoted that correctly； but I
know I was reared in a parsonage。 About all I inherited was a Godly
example and a large appetite。 That was about all there was to inherit。 I
cannot remember when I was not hungry。 I used to go around feeling like
the Mammoth Cave； never thoroly explored。
I never sit down as 〃company〃 at a dinner and see some little children
going sadly into the next room to 〃wait till the second table〃 that my heart
does not go out to them。 I remember when I did that。
I can only remember about four big meals in a year。 That was 〃quart'ly
meeting day。〃 We always had a big dinner on 〃quart'ly meeting day。〃 Elder
Berry would stay for dinner。 His name was Berry； but being 〃presiding
elder；〃 we called him Elder Berry。
Elder Berry always stayed for dinner。 He was one of the easiest men to
get to stay for dinner I ever saw。
Mother would stay home from 〃quart'ly meeting〃 to get the big dinner
ready。 She would cook up about all the 〃brethren〃 brought in at the last
donation。 We had one of those stretchable tables； and mother would stretch
it clear across the room and put on two table…cloths。 She would lap them
over in the middle； where the hole was。
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I would watch her get the big dinner ready。 I would look over the long
table and view the 〃promised land。〃 I would see her set on the jelly。 We
had so much jellyred jelly； and white jelly； and blue jelly。 I don't just
remember if they had blue jelly； but if they had it we had it on that table。
All the jelly that ever 〃jelled〃 was represented。 I didn't know we had so
much jelly till 〃quart'ly meeting〃 day。 I would watch the jelly tremble。 Did
you ever see jelly tremble？ I used to think it ought to tremble； for Elder
Berry was coming for dinner。
I would see mother put on the tallest pile of mashed potatoes you ever
saw。 She would make a hollow in the top and fill it with butter。 I would see
the butter melt and run down the sides； and I would say； 〃Hurry； mother； it
is going to spill！〃 O； how I wanted to spill it！ I could hardly hold out
faithful。
And then Elder Berry would sit down at the table； at the end nearest
the fried chicken。 The 〃company〃 would sit down。 I used to wonder why
we never could have a big dinner b
