tle Jew
'whose bodily presence was weak and his speech contemptible,' and who
all his days carried about with him that 'thorn in the flesh.' It is not
your body that is to be strong, but yourselves.

Now the foundation of all true strength lies here, in a good, strong
will. In this world, unless a man has learned to say 'No!' and to say it
very decidedly, and to stick to it, he will never come to any good. Two
words contain the secret of noble life: '_Resist!_' and '_Persist!_' And
the true strength of manhood lies in this mainly, that, in spite of all
antagonisms, hindrances, voices, and things that array themselves
against you, having greatly resolved, you do greatly do what you have
resolved, and having said 'I will!' let neither men nor devils lead you
to say, 'I will not.' Depend upon it, that to be weak in this direction
is to be weak all through. Strong passions make weak men. And a strong
will is the foundation, in this wicked and antagonistic world in which
we live, of all real strength.

But then the strength that I would have you seek, and strive to
cultivate, must be a strength of will founded upon strong reason.
Determination unenlightened is obstinacy, and obstinacy is weakness. A
mule can beat you at that: 'Be ye not as the mule, which have no
understanding.' A determination which does not take into its view all
the facts of the case, nor is influenced by these, has no right to call
itself strength. It is only, to quote a modern saying--I know not
whether true of the person to whom it was originally applied or no--is
'only a lath painted to look like iron.' Unintelligent obstinacy is
folly, like the conduct of some man who sticks to his pick and his task
in a quarry after the bugle has warned him of an impending explosion,
which will blow him to atoms.

But that is not all. A strong will, illuminated by a strong beam of
light from the understanding, must be guided and governed by a strong
hand put forth by Conscience. 'I should like' is the weakling's motto.
'I will' may be an obstinate fool's motto. 'I ought, therefore, God
helping me, and though the devil hinders me, I will,' is a man's.
Conscience is king. To obey it is to be free; to neglect it is to be a
slave.

Is not this a better ideal for life than gathering any outward
possessions, however you may succeed therein? A thousand things will
have to be taken into account, and may help or may hinder outward
prosperity and success. But nobody can