Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1852-1852, 1852-06-08

something better, and oe conlent WIFI ho'so'
We all aim at self-control and independence
while in the shadow of power which controls
us, whispering innerly, thus far shalt thou 60,
and no farther 'how apt is selfindulgence to suit
this limit to his own measures and suffer venera-
ton and doubt to overgrow and suppress the r.
sing hope of Independent thought. .! am not
permitted to know this, or do this, is the excuse
of the weak and trivial; but the question should
be- "can know or do this?" for what is not permit
ted we cannot do. We may not know the events
of the future, or the period of thought, or the
Great First Cause but we may hope to see and
combine the atoms of things-pierce the realms
of space-make the wilderness garden-at-
tain perfection of soul and body; and for this our
end we may master all things needful.
There is nothing possible that faith and strl,
wing cannot do take the road, and it must lead
you to the goal, though strewn with difficulties
and cast through pain and shade. lfeach would
strain his energies to gain what he has dared to
hope for, he would succeed, for, since that which
we love and honor is in our nature, 1t IS to DC
drawn forth, and what is not there we cannot
wish.
Our greatest drawback is, not that we expect
too much, but that we do too. little, we set our
worship too low, and let our higher powers lie
dormant thus are we never master but Dhnd
men stumbling in each Others way. AS maturl-
ty means selfcontrolling power, so ne who gains
not this is childish and must submit infant like, to
be controlled by others. This guidance we must
feel in our upward course, and be grateful Tor
the check; but as we have each work to 20, we
must look beyond help to independence. lhe
school-boy receives aid in learning, that ne may
strive with his own power, for if he always de-
pends on help, he never can be useful man..
He who seeks for himself no path, but merely
follows where others have been before, covering
bis own want with anothers industry, may find
the road not long or thickly set but he does and
gains nothing. He who bows to difficulty, set
ting at the foot of the hil instead OF struggling
to its top, may get sheltered place, snug re-
treat but the world in its glory he can never see
and the pestilence from the low ground ne must
imbibe. We may rest in perfect comfort, but the
health that comes of labor will fade away Inc
trees of the forest were not planted that man
might pass round and live between them, but that
he might cut them down and use them. The
savage has little toll before him, but the civilized
man has greater power Of happiness.
Would a man be powerful, and bid his genius
rule his fellow men, he must toll TO gain means;
while his thought reads the hearts that he would
SWAY, he must be led into temptation, and pass
through pain and danger, ere he can know what
another may endure. Would he pour golden
truth upon the page of life' He must seek 1t
from every source, weigh the relations OF hte' ana
concede TO its taste, that he may best apply 1t,
for the proverb must be written in fair round
hand, that common men may read it. Would
he picture the life of man or nature? he must 60
forth with heart and eye alive; nor turn from
the sorest notes of human woe, or the coarsest
tones of vice; he must watch the finest ray OF
licht. and mark the falling of the last wlthered
leaf. Would he be- actively benevolent! winter
cold, nor summer lassitude, must not appal him
in season, he must be ready;injured pride, woun'
ded feeling, must not unstring his energy whlle
STOPPING to learn from the simplest lips the ma
tire of those wants to which he would minister
In All ace0mPI mPIis&ment there is difficulty; the
greater the work, the greater the pains: There
is no such thing as sudden inspiration or grace,
for the steps of life are slow, and what IS not
thus attained is nothing worth. In darkness, the
ewes must be accustomed to the gloom when 90
iects appear, one by one, until the most distant
is perceived; but, in sudden light, the eyes are
panied, and blinded, and left weak.
At school we found that when one difficulty
was surrnounted, another was presented; master
ing addition" would not dove must learn
Subtraction" so it is in life. A finished work is
a glory won, but mind content with one ac-
complis. ment is childish, and its weakness rem
ders it incapable of ofapplying that-"From him
that hath not shall be taken away even that he
hath; his one talent shall rise up to him as shame.
A little sphere insures little happiness.
There is time of youth for all; but youth has
sphere of hope that, embracing the whole aim
which man must work for gives unbounded hap
puess. Thus God would equalize the lot OF all
where necessity would Great difference; it Is only
when states are forced unnaturally that misery
ensues When those who would seem to be men
are children in endeavor, we see that Gods will
is not DONE but fasehood. The greatest of us
have asked and taken guidance in their rising
course, and owned inferiority without shame; but
his is a poor heart that looks to be inferior ever;
and shameful indeed it is, when those who are
thus poor, imagine or assumes right to respect
as selfsupportng men. How painfully ridicu-
lous it is to see the lazy man look down on his
struggling wife as the "weaker vessel" or the idle
sinecurist hold contempt for tradesman who is
working his way to higher wealth by honest toll.
Were the aims of living truly seen, no man would
I / P,t unt ovbi1a.