the university of hard knocks(重击大学)-第23部分
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Nature； the Mississippi has taken over all the poison and the defilement；
he has purified it and clarified it； and has made it a part of himself。 And he
is greater and farther south！
He fattens upon bumps。 Kick him； and you push him farther south。
〃Hand him a lemon；〃 and he makes lemonade。
Civilization conspires to defeat the Mississippi。 Chicago's drainage
canal pollutes him。 The flat； lazy Platte； three miles wide and three inches
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deep； the peevish； destructive Kaw； and all those streams that unite to form
the treacherous； sinful； irresponsible lower Missouri； the big； muddy Ohio；
the Arkansas； the Red； the black and the blue floodsall these pour into
the Mississippi。
Day by day the Father of Waters goes on south； taking them over and
purifying them and making them a part of himself。 Nothing can discourage；
divert nor defile him。 No matter how poisonous he becomes； he goes a few
miles on south and he is all pure again。
Wonderful the book in the running brook！ We let our life stream
become poisoned by bitter memories and bitter regrets。 We carry along
such a heart full of the injuries that other people have done us； that
sometimes we are bank to bank full of poison and a menace to those
around us。 We say； 〃I can forgive； but I cannot forget。〃
Oh； forget it！ Drop it all。 Purify your life and go on south all sweet
again。 We forget what we ought to remember and remember what we
ought to forget。 We need schools of memory； but we need schools of
forgettery； even more。
As you go on south and bless your valley； do you notice the valley
does not bless you very much？ Have you sadly noted that the people you
help the most often are the least grateful in return？
Don't wait to be thanked。 Hurry on to avoid the kick！ Do good to
others because that is the way to be happy； but do not wait for a receipt for
your goodness； you will need a poultice every time you wait。 I know； for I
have waited！
We get so discouraged。 We say； 〃I have gone far enough south。〃 There
is nobody who does not have that to meet。 The preacher； the teacher； the
editor； the man in office； the business man； the father and motherevery
one who tries to carry on the work of the church； the school； the lyceum
and chautauqua； the work that makes for a better community； gets
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discouraged at times。
We fail to see what we are doing or why we are doing it。 Sometimes
we sit down completely discouraged and say； 〃I'm done。 I'm going to quit。
I have done my share。 Nobody appreciates what I do。 Let somebody else
do it awhile。〃
Stop！ You are not saying that。 The evil one is whispering that into your
heart。 His business is to stop you from going south。 His most successful
tool is discouragement； which is a wedge； and if he can get the sharp edge
started into your thought； he is going to drive it deeper。
You do not go south and overcome your obstacles and bless the valley
for praise or blame； for appreciation or lack of it。 You do it to live。 You do
it to remain a living river and not a stagnant； unhappy pond or swamp。
YOU ARE SAVING YOURSELF BY SAVING OTHERS。 GO ON
SOUTH！
Almost everybody is deceived。 We work from mixed motives。 We fool
ourselves that we are working to do good； when as we do the good； if we
are not praised or thanked for it； if people do not present us a medal or
resolutions； we want to quit。 That is why there are so many disappointed
and disgruntled people in the world。 They worked for outside thanks
instead of inside thanks。 They were trying to be personal saviours。 They
say this is an ungrateful world。
O； how easy it is to say these things； and how hard it is to do them！
Reaching the Gulf
But because the Mississippi does these things； one day the train I was
riding stopped in Louisiana。 We had come to a river so great science has
not yet been able to put a bridge across it。
I watched them pile the steel train upon a ferry…boat。 I watched the
boat crossing a river more than a mile wide。 Standing upon the ferry…boat；
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I could look down into the lordly river and then far north perhaps fifteen
hundred miles to the little struggling streamlet starting southward thru the
forests of Minnesota； there writing the first chapter of this wonderful book
in the running brook。
I thank God that I had gone a little farther southward in my own life。
Father of Waters； you have fought a good fight。 You are conquering
gloriously。 You bear upon your bosom the commerce of many nations。 I
know why。 I saw you born； saw your struggles； saw you get in the right
channel； saw you learn the lessons of your knocks； and saw that you never
stopped going southward。
And may we read it into our own lives。 May we get the vision of
which way to go； and then keep on going southon and on； overcoming；
getting the lessons of the bumps； the strength from the struggle and thus
making it a part of ourselves； and thus growing greater。
Go on South Forever！
Where shall we stop going south？ At the Gulf of Mexico？
The Mississippi knows nothing about the gulf。 He goes on south until
he reaches the gulf。 Then he pushes right on into the gulf as tho nothing
had happened。 So he pushes his physical banks on south many miles right
out into the gulf。
And when he comes to the end of his physical banks； he pushes on
south into the gulf； and goes on south round and round the globe。
When you and I come to our Gulf of Mexico； we must push right on
south。 So we push our physical banks years farther into the gulf。 And
when physical banks fail； we go on south beyond this mere husk； into the
great Gulf of the Beyond； to go on south unfolding thru eternity。
WE NEVER STOP GOING SOUTH。
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Chapter X
Going Up Life's Mountain The Defeats that are Victories
HOW often we say； 〃I wish I had a million！〃 Perhaps it is a blessing
that we have not the million。 Perhaps it would make us lazy； selfish and
unhappy。 Perhaps we would go around giving it to other people to make
them lazy； selfish and unhappy。
O； the problem is not how to get money； but how to get rid of money
with the least injury to the race！
Perhaps getting the million would completely spoil us。 Look at the
wild cat and then look at the tabby cat。 The wild cat supports itself and the
tabby cat has its million。 So the tabby cat has to be doctored by specialists。
If the burden were lifted from most of us we would go to wreck。
Necessity is the ballast in our life voyage。
When you hear the orator speak and you note the ease and power of
his work； do you think of the years of struggle he spent in preparing？ Do
you ever think of the times that orator tried to speak when he failed and
went back to his room in disgrace； mortified and broken…hearted？ Thru it
all there came the discipline； experience and grim resolve that made him
succeed。
When you hear the musician and note the ease and grace of the
performance； do you think of the years of struggle and overcoming
necessary to produce that finish and grace？ That is the story of the actor；
the author and every other one of attainment。
Do you note that the tropics； the countries with the balmiest climates；
produce the weakest peoples？ Do you note that the conquering races are
those that struggle with both heat and cold？ The tropics are the
geographical Gussielands。
Do you note that people grow more in lean years than in fat years？
Crop failures and business stringencies are not calamities； but blessings in
disguise。 People go to the devil with full pockets； they turn to God when
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hunger hits them。 〃Is not this Babylon that I have builded？〃 says the
Belshazzar of material prosperity as he drinks to his gods。 Then must
come the Needful and Needless Knocks handwriting upon the wall to save
him。
You have to shoot many men's eyes out before they can see。 You have
to crack their heads before they can think； knock them down before they
can stand； break their hearts before they can sing； and bankrupt them
before they can be rich。
Do you remember that they had to lock John Bunyan in Bedford jail
before he would write his immortal 〃Pilgrim's Progress〃？ It may be that
some of us will have to go to jail to do our best work。
Do you remember that one musician became de
