direction. From the other course our very nature shrinks; duty alone bids us take
this line, and promises no rewards except the approval of conscience. Here is the
crucial point in human experience; the supreme test of the individual; the last
measure of man's independence and power. Winning at this point man has
exercised his highest prerogative—that of independent choice; failing here, he
reverts toward the lower forms and is a creature of circumstance, no longer the
master of his own destiny, but blown about by the winds of chance. And it
behooves us to win in this battle. We may lose in a contest or a game and yet not
fail, because we have done our best; if we fail in the conflict of motives we have
planted a seed of weakness from which we shall at last harvest defeat.
Jean Valjean, the galley slave of almost a score of years, escapes and lives an
honest life. He wins the respect and admiration of friends; he is elected mayor of
his town, and honors are heaped on him. At the height of his prosperity he reads
one day that a man has been arrested in another town for the escaped convict,
Jean Valjean, and is about to be sent to the galleys. Now comes the supreme test
in Jean Valjean's life. Shall he remain the honored, respected citizen and let an
innocent man suffer in his stead, or shall he proclaim himself the long-sought
criminal and again have the collar riveted on his neck and take his place at the
oars? He spends one awful night of conflict in which contending motives make a
battle ground of his soul. But in the morning he has won. He has saved his
manhood. His conscience yet lives—and he goes and gives himself up to the
officers. Nor could he do otherwise and still remain a man.
3. STRONG AND WEAK WILLS
Many persons will admit that their memory or imagination or power of
perception is not good, but few will confess to a weak will. Strength of will is
everywhere lauded as a mark of worth and character. How can we tell whether
our will is strong or weak?
Not a Will, But Wills.—First of all we need to remember that, just as we do not
have a memory, but a system of memories, so we do not possess a will, but
many different wills. By this I mean that the will must be called upon and tested
at every point of contact in experience before we have fully measured its
strength. Our will may have served us reasonably well so far, but we may not yet
have met any great number of hard tests because our experience and temptations
have been limited.