The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1856-07-31
From the Rural New orker1
MAN THE MASTER BUILDER OF HIS
OWN FORTUNE.

1t is most assuredly one of the crowding
glories of our own fair lind, that the fates so
called, exercise now no such boundless sway
over the destinies of mankind, as in the days
of Grcciau Mythology and superstition. No
star rising at ones birth il ever visible above
his horizon. ominous of dis lster and i'll success.
No murBy atmosphere, laden with prophetic
destruction, envelops him within lis chilling
folds. No sound, blending in harsh discord
viii the delicious hatmony of Nature, bears to
his afirighted ears the soul-stiring message
that be is doomed doomed to meet with dis.
appointment and chagrin at every step of his
toilsome pilgrimage: doomed 10 witness his
hopes, however high and holy, blasted while
yetint e embroy Of their existence 10 behold
the buds Of future promise, dimly shadowing
forth perhaps glory, fame and honor, triple
guerdon of all mans tolls, withered by some
schorching blast Of adversely. Nounwelcome
voice, as from the dark regions Of fell dc pair,
brings the sad prest ntiment that he will lie
down in the grave, unhoroled and unwept.
No dark image of suprrat ton steals invol
unfairly into his soul and pens some horrid in
scripton " on its walls, or hangs some tragic
painting within its inner chambers. No storm
spirit, brooding like midnight over his tiny
vessel, heaying upon times restless pillows
fOrebodes the coming tempest. No thanks
10 the light which christianity has thrown
around u.s. we are not left to the spot of idle
wi. ds, nor to be sa ifced upon the cruel al
tars Of the fates and our blood mingled with
their inhuman offerings.
| Ours, if so we choose is far higher, noblcr
d,stiny, TO our keeping is committed the ma
terial, from which our fortune is to be framed
/ (if framed at al) and as the potter may
mould the soft clay into whatever shape he
desires. s. may we II ould this material as
we choose; for us it is left to decide whether
this material, in process of time shall rise into
noble and magnificent edifice, or decay and
sink into oblivion. To our care is entrusted
the precious gold, crude perhaps, as in its ma
tive mountain, and it is for us alone to deter
mine whether it shall be analy zed, refined and
polished, to glitter amid the broad sunligh. Of
a glorious day, (or rather itself to be the sun
Of some revolving system, ore buried 10 all
eternity beneath u unseemlv rubbish which
covers it. How truly has it been said, Z" Ii
we are underlings, the fault is in ourselves,
and not in our stars" The highway to cmiu-
ence, lies freely open to all, who refusing TO
be lured by the momentary beauty Of waysde
flowers, their earnestly fixed with eagle gaze
upon the ample disc of their glorious ann, plod
their way onward with firm and steady step,
with heart that never falters, and zeal that
ever tires.
Thus, of the noble edifce which we term
honor, honor is its highest sense, IMAM alone
must lay the first foundation stcne man alone
must rear the glorious superstructure, and
, decorate it with his own hands. How hume
rous and conclusive are the evidences kat
throng upon us, as witnesses of this truth
The pFst, replete with its lessons Of practical
wisdom and instruction, opens to US her rich
treasury of those who have inscribed their
shining names far up on times lofty monu-
ments, and they invite us to scan their lives
from the cradle to the grave and to gather
whatever Of good may have been exhibited
AS in reading the history of one who was il
lustrious for produce and virtue, we learn
/ more than by the finest rules and precepts OF
mortality: so by becoming conversant with
the motives which stirred the bosom Of those
who have become eminent in any capacity,
will be of more avail than the simple asser rite n
of truth, however palpable, embodied only in
theory for those truths are the most tangi-
BILE which we have seen exemplifed in the
lives and character of men. Glance, for a
moment, if you will at a few Of the many strik-
ing characters that stand out in clear and bold
relief on the past, as unmistakable evidence oI
the truth of our statement, S. A. E.
a Rochester N. Y, July, 1866.