President George H. Brimhall tells us a story about Camels

On Cougar Friday, we celebrate great things about BYU life.  The following is a "sermonette" given by President George H. Brimhall.  I have so many pleasant memories of hearing stories told to us during Tuesday Devotionals in the Marriott Center.  This reminded me of the wonderful experience of listening, laughing and learning that occurred in those meetings.

George H. Brimhall, 1910

The Camel Test

"There is a story in natural history in which you might be interested.  I am interest in it, as a teacher.

The camel merchants of Arabia, in order to determine the value of a camel, examine him somewhat  as we would examine a horse.  But that is a preliminary examination; the final examination, upon which is based the value of the dromedary or camel, is the leading of him up to the watering trough.  He is saddled, the trough is filled with clear, sparkling water, and he is led up to it.  If he rubs his nose in the water, splashes around a little, and then turns and looks this way and that and sniffs the air, he is turned down as a fourth rate camel.  If he drinks a little, he is a third grade camel.  If he drinks moderately, he is graded as a second rate camel and his value is in proportion.  But if he drinks copiously--drains the trough--he is the highest-priced camel, granted that he is sound and able to travel.  And why!  Because that snuffler that simply splashed the water with his nose, that gazer from side to side, that looker into the distance as though he could travel the whole desert when he is loaded and started would perish on the desert.

We are not camels; students re not camels; teachers are not Arabian merchants, but they are like them.  They fill the troughs with clear, sparking water.  The students in their classes come up to drink and you will find by the tests of examination to which class they belong.  But the greatest test is the test on the desert of life, whether they carry their burden or not.  You will see some information coming from the teacher.  You will see them looking; gazing into the future, dreaming about something.  I know not what, as though they had the wings of an airship.

Then you will see others who will be moderately attentive; and you will see others whose minds are concentrated; they are reaching out, they drain the trough of information, and when they go before an examination, or when they meet the problems of life, they will not lie down and fail to get up on the sand.

All the grit some people have is what hangs to the outside of the.

But the students who succeed, they have been filled with what is to support them, and they will make their journey--they will make their journey.