American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1864-05-11

PidCiuS US WHere even tHe slightest ue
Election from the line of rectitude and
moral uprighteousness is unavoidable in
order to success. He neither is tempted
of evil nor tempteth he any man. Usage
may sanction the DETECTION. There may
be certain rules according to which this
or that branch of business is understood
to be conducted, yet which are not drawn
up with the strictest regard to moral dis
tinctions; but God, you may be sure,
makes approving recognition of no such
convenient morality. And that being
true, no extent and respectability of Gus
tom on this broad earth, no amount of So
phistical reasoning, no plea of necessity
whatever, can convince me that it is the
road to true success in life. Custom is a
dangerous rule of action Adopted, it
may give promise of more immediate gain
it may temporarily run up the profits
but independently of custom, independ.
emily of the will and laws of man; there
are such things as truth and falsehood,
light and wrong. These are in their ra-
ture eternally obligatory upon every NOR
al being in every relation of life. Nocir-
cumstances can possibly be imagined where
it would be right to disregard them
And the setting aside of the eternal rules
of rectitude is unauthorized and sinful,
and will in the end inevitably result in
failure. Settle your convictions of right
and wrong, then, in the clear light of u
good conscience and God s word and make
unalterable commitment of yourselves to
them. Let no alluriug bait of tempora.
ry interest, no fair promise of large gains
swerve you from one hairs breadth. You
may be pronounced singular; you may be
deemed over-scrupulous; for awhile your
rigid adherence may bear hard upon you
possibly you may see fortune flowing int
yous neighbor's lap that might have been
turned into yours had you yielded but t
little to the usage of the world; possibly
he may find more expeditions way to po
sition and wealth. But religious probity
and religious rectitude will ultimately
make you friends even in this wicke,
world; and these will bring you honor,
| fortune and material success. But even
if these fail, you will have the precious,
priceless possession of an approving con
science, and the smile of an approving
God. And, mark my word, the hour is
coming when you will esteem these OF
NOSE value than the wealth of thousand
worlds-when to possess them WILDE eter-
nal success, and to want them will be ev-
erlasting failure
Diligence and faithfulness in ones call
ing, is another cause of success in life
To whatever honorable pursuit young
man gives himself, to that he should de-
vote the best of his energies assiduously
and untiringly. If under an employer,
he should make that employers interests
conscientiously his own. For the time
being they are his own, and to be thor
ougly Unidentified with them is the dictate
like of policy and duty. 1t will Open as
nothing else, doors of future enterprise
and bring to his hand every facility Of
prosperity. And having chosen for HIM
self an occupation, he should determine
steadily to rise, and excel in it. 1t was
the modest conefssion of Newton that he
owed his success, as philosopher, more
to patience and attention than to any orig.
inal superiority of mind. Excellence and
eminence may be the otherside of noun
famous obstacles and discouraging cir
cumstances, but dihgentia omnia viacit,
said Cicero,-diligence conquors all things
There are various other elements that
might be named, all entering into the
problem of success and failure, such as
he improvement of time, the acquisition
of knowledge, the choice of companions
But pause to speak very briefly before
closing of only one a deep and practic-
nj conU!lction Of responsibility to Cod
Nothing short of this can arm the young
man against the wiles of the devil, and
make him steadfast in the path of duty,
and assure him of true and fiual success
Webster once said, the greatest and most
important thought that ever entered his
mind, was the thought of his individual
and personal responsibility to God. This
great truth once fully apprehended and
lodged inthe soul, is means of safety. a
source of power, an inspiration to duty
an Indictment to exertion and pledge oi
triumph The great Edwards left it when
he wrote this as one of the resolutions oi
his life "Resolved. that | will do what
| think to be most for Gods glory and my
own good on the whole, without any con,
sideration of the time, whether now OF