Boys | Page 9

in knowledge and capability. You are taught in your catechism
to "do your duty in that state of life unto which it shall please God to
call you." This does not mean that you are not to try and better your
position. Quite the contrary; it means that while you are to go on
contentedly in the station and work which God has allotted to you, you
are also to try and use to the utmost all the opportunities and powers
which he has given. He has called you to your present position, He may
be calling you to something more. If he has given you the power and
opportunity of raising yourself, he meant you to use them. It is a false
humility and a false view of religion that encourages sloth under the
pretence of being contented with one's humble lot. There is God's
work--real every day work to be done in worldly as well as in what

seems to be more directly spiritual work. One's whole interest is not to
be centred on earthly things, neither are we to be so heavenly minded
as to neglect earthly duties, and the talents which God has committed to
our trust. It is your duty then to do your utmost to improve your stock
of knowledge. School has laid the foundation, and you must work at the
building. Your own particular tastes or your work will suggest the
subjects to which you should first turn your attention. Develop the
natural powers you have, and advance steadily from one subject to
another. Set apart a certain portion of your spare time for study and
self-improvement. Remember also that you have certain duties to your
neighbours and your country, and that in order to fulfil them you must
understand your position as a man and a citizen. Read the history both
of your own country and of other lands. Read your paper. Study the
questions of the day, both at home and abroad, and learn to form your
own opinion concerning them. Learn to think for yourself, and not take
as gospel all that you read in your favourite paper. Look at both sides
of a question and make up your own mind. Comparatively few people
think for themselves, and for that reason men are so often carried away
by popular leaders, and obstinately follow opinions, the truth of which
they have never tested, and the consequences of which they have never
considered. There are many opportunities in classes and lectures for
men to gain information, but they will be of little real use unless men
will think for themselves, and work out the subjects instead of taking
their opinions ready made. Study, not simply listen. Study both secular
and religious subjects. You may be sure that there can be no advance in
real self-improvement unless it is well balanced. Religious knowledge
should go hand in hand with secular knowledge. Christ should be our
great example in this as in all else, and He "increased in wisdom and
stature, and in favour with God and men."

CHUMS.
Birds of a feather flock together. A man is known by his friends. It is of
great importance therefore that your friends should be such as will
show that you yourself are of the right sort. A boy, unless he is a
particularly disagreeable one, will probably have a fair number of

friends, that is to say, of fellows that he knows and associates with, but
above and beyond these he will probably have some one particular
chum, one who shares in all his plans, one with whom to talk over all
his schemes, one often with whom to join in some piece of mischief.
Chums to do one another much good should be about the same age.
There may be a friendship between an elder and a younger boy, or
between a boy and a man, but they will not be exactly chums. A
friendship of this sort is very useful if the elder is one who will lead
aright, but if the elder is the weaker of the two, or still more if the elder
is viciously inclined, such an acquaintance is one of the worst possible
things for a lad. A young boy, hanging on to an elder one, learning all
his bad habits, is only too likely to prove an apt pupil, and come utterly
to grief. Remember no one is worthy of the name of friend who would
ever counsel you to do anything wrong, or who would not give you a
word in season when he found you were going on a wrong tack. A
chum of one's own age is quite a different article. Very often they are
not lads of the same dispositions and tastes, and are drawn