this same way, and it is not at all probable that this great eternal law
is going to be changed to suit any particular case or cases. Then
recognize it, put your life into harmony with it, and reap the rewards
of its observance, or fail to recognize it and pay the penalty
accordingly; for the law itself will remain unchanged.

The men and women whose names we honor and celebrate are invariably
those with lives founded primarily upon this great law. Note if you
will, every _truly_ great life in the world's history, among those
living and among the so-called dead, and tell me if in _every_ case that
life is not a life spent in the service of others, either directly, or
indirectly as when we say--he served his country. Whenever one seeks for
reputation, for fame, for honor, for happiness directly and for his own
sake, then that which is true and genuine never comes, at least to any
degree worthy the name. It may seem to for a time, but a great law says
that such an one gets so far and no farther. Sooner or later, generally
sooner, there comes an end.

Human nature seems to run in this way, seems to be governed by a great
paradoxical law which says, that whenever a man self-centred, thinking
of, living for and in himself, is very desirous for place, for
preferment, for honor, the very fact of his being thus is of itself a
sufficient indicator that he is too small to have them, and mankind
refuses to accord them. While the one who forgets self, and who, losing
sight of these things, makes it his chief aim in life to help, to aid,
and to serve others, by this very fact makes it known that he is large
enough, is great enough to have them, and his fellow-men instinctively
bestow them upon him. This is a great law which many would profit by to
recognize. That it is true is attested by the fact that the praise of
mankind instinctively and universally goes out to a hero; but who ever