His Twenty-first Birthday
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Dear friend,
In an incidental way, I have learned that your twenty-first birthday is about now. I want to congratulate you upon the attaining of this important point in your career. To a young man, twenty-one is a charmed number. You may be no stronger, no wiser, no richer-hearted the day after you were twenty-one than you were the day before — but the line is an important one. You pass into manhood, and look back upon boyhood and youth, as something you will not come to again. Let me congratulate you therefore upon attaining this important point.
Let me also wish you the richest and best blessing. Every birthday should be a bright day in a Christian's life. We should stop and look upward, opening heaven's gates by prayer, that the light of God's face may shine down upon us as we rest a moment beside the milestone. It is my earnest prayer that upon your head, on your twenty-first birthday, the light of Heaven may indeed shine, giving cheer and new warmth of heart and new inspiration toward "whatever things are true, whatever things are honourable, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely."
I have always been deeply interested in your life. You know this from what I have said to you already when I was your pastor. Let me assure you now that, while no longer your pastor — I am no less your friend. I shall always be your friend, and be eager to help you toward the best things. You have capabilities for large usefulness. I hope that you will go on growing in knowledge, in strength of character, in sweetness of disposition, in all manly things, especially in Christ-likeness and in the service of Christ.
We never reach the end of anything that is beautiful and good. You must not think that now, when you are twenty-one, you are a man in whom no further improvement can be made. As I said the other day to a young friend, so I say to you — you are just a bundle of bulbs, every bulb full of rich possibilities. It is your part to keep in the sunshine of God's love, under the culture of God's Spirit, so that all these possibilities will burst out into beauty, into sweetness, into power, into fruit.
Our truest and best friend is not he who makes us satisfied with ourselves, who flatters and pampers and pets us and makes us think that we are very great and very good; our best friend is the one who makes us dissatisfied with our present attainments, and who inspires us ever toward better things. I want to help you to reach possibilities in your life, which you have not yet reached. I assure you that they are infinite. If you live seventy years, growing every day — you will find yourself, at the close, just beginning to know what life is, just beginning to discover the beauties, the possibilities, of life. Go on, therefore, growing, working, serving, doing God's will.
Let nothing discourage you. Make every difficulty a stepping-stone to something better. Make every hardness and every trial an opportunity for the development of new strength. A soldier would never become a real soldier without battles. The drill ground is very good in its place — but it is only the struggles on the field, which bring out the true soldierly qualities. An easy life, however fine its theories may be, is not a proved life; it is only when one has met difficulties, obstacles, hindrances, and has mastered them — that one is really strong.
Take heed, first of all, to yourself. It is in your own character that the greatest danger lies. You need to be a victorious man in every way, over your own faults and feelings, over your own infirmities and weaknesses. You need to learn always to keep sweet, whatever the temptation to bitterness may be — always to keep sweet, and to grow more and more into Christlike grace and gentleness.
It is a glorious thing to be a young man in these days. Just to live, and especially in this country of ours, is a great opportunity. The twentieth century is, no doubt, destined to be a century of marvels in human life in this world. If you are spared, it will be your duty to take an active part in the affairs of this great century. You do not know for what you are preparing yourself. Let me say to you, as one who loves young men, that you cannot be too earnest in the preparation you are now making, nor too careful; for upon your shoulder will rest vast responsibility, and in your life are hidden the possibilities of splendid achievement. Make all you can of these quiet days. While you strive to gather knowledge, the chief aim in your education should be to become thorough master of yourself, so that you may go out, by and by, to exert an influence for good wherever you go.
I am glad that you are a Christian. There is a splendid opportunity, even now, in your college life, for true and manly Christian confession. There will be yet more splendid opportunities in the days to come, for Christian life and service. Keep your heart pure, keep your life clean, stay near the heart of Christ. I believe that God has a plan for every life. This means that he has a plan for your life, something he made you for, something he wants you to do in this world. What it is, you cannot now tell. Where he will want you to stand in the thick of the fight before you, you cannot know. It is not best that you should know, now. You can best fill your place and fulfil God's purpose for you and carry out the divine thought for your life in the years to come, by doing in the passing days, with all your might, the things which God gives you to do.
Make the most of your life! God bless you!
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