The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1868-08-11

Talent, truly used gathers increase;
disuscd il rcsCnts and aVcugcs the
wrong, and presently quits the purpose
| less and incOnstant soul and passes over
| TO him who will prize and use it. This
process is continually going on taking
away from this man and giving to that.
| God himself acts in all this. giving to
| the strenuous and faithful, taking away
| from the slothful and weak hearted,
| charging every well-cmployed power,
multiplying privileges and opportuni-
| ties to those who improve them, but
stripping the pervcrse and uniaithlul OF
| misimproved chances, and taking away
| neglected powers.
| The sum of all human powers and
| opportunities may be conceived, not as
| vested possessions, but rs possibilities
| open to all, prizes to be won. They
| gravitate into the hands of the strong
| hearted, the brave, the resolute, the
steadfast.
By the workings of this law changes
are continually going on i'll humun So
ciety. The extremes are constantly IN
transition. Some are going up while
others are gong down, In lhe course
of two or three generations society VIII
be found very largely to have trans
posed itself, the first becoming last, and
the last first
The practical inquiry is, what are
the determining elements in this pro-
cess of change? The elements of this
prevalent character are these three !:
decision, singluness, steadfastness-the
capacity of complete, decisive choice,
| singleness OF aim, and steadfast perse-
verance in pursuit Each of these by
itself gives power. Combine them and
YOU have the character which, within
| .1,i
mand success.
Some men, after duly weighing a
matter in its reasons, come to a decision
and are able to dismiss from view the
motives to different decision. Others
| choose inconclusively and never settle
down upon their decision The result
is that they spend themselves in hall
purposes and broken endeaVors.
The second and kindred quality Of
| the prevalent character, singleness o
purpose, is equally essential to the
highest success. One man masses al
his forces at the point of a single pur
pose, and carries it, while another dis
tributes himself misccllancously over ;
broad surface, driving before him ;
whole flock OF GOOD purposes, but no
where strong in full sweep Of mastery
efficiency.
There remains the third quality
steadfaslneS- OF purpose-an essentla
element of success. More than all elsC
this makes the difference in the attain
ments and accomplishments of ME
1t is Just thi. power in some men to fl
| their purpose and bend all to it will
patient perseverance, that crowns then
; kingly Victois in the battle of life Thu
lack of this dooms men to futility am
. defeat.
Prevalent power thus stands in thii
triple strength of complete, single
it can do. Success is its birthright.
But this strength stands not sinpl.
i by itself His five talents will present
q ~ be ten. He grows with his work
=, finding his strength rs his day, har
', possibilities that lay folded and hiddei
II within him ripen into faculties. y!
/. that was but gristle of capacity hard
r ems into bone of power His diligen
~ self-impTovemcnt puts the man at bet
- ter than compound interest.
1t 1t will also happen that all Tn
chances, Us we call them, play into Ia
# hands. The opportunities which wea
souls fail to see. or dare not grasp, pas
IL over to him. SO it comes 10 pass thG
" and work. and With him hey become
% possession.
IS This truth is readily accepted in il
~ application to all success Of materia
SORT. Clearly in every line of business
- IN every professional pursuit, the deci
If slNe, The sinelc-heartcd, and the stead
= last carry the palm. This will b
h easily conceded. But the scope of thi
truth IS greater than all chat. IT
II more profoundly true in the highe
y sphere OF character, in all spiritual per
|, Letting and achievement, in oil tina
supreme success of the soul which lie
3 III the growth, the purity, the com
c pietGheSa OF an immortal, that the clear
o single, sleadiast purpose wins til,
a., crown. 1t is the key of moral success
; ana spiritual prosperity He who will
Q stand with God and purity, and rise tC
e the level of a redeemed immortal. has {
W!restle for it, and none can hope tC
triumph in this warfare who come to il
WIN less than grand purpose that sc
f masters thcn as to give them the mas
/ terry of MI besides.
Choose, then, with emphatic discrim.
nation between good and evil, and in
all fit ways define your position. MANY
talents come TO us al once from such q
pronounced purpose. 1t commits the
soul to good and fortifes il against
evil. Settle beforehand so many as
possible OF the -pecific questions that
are sure TO meet you and demand de-
clsloI; Have as few vital points as
possible yet to be debated and settled.
Then, having done all, stand. You
nave weighed all and resolved; now
Iali back ON your purpose, and, God
helping you, WILL yourself through.
1T is not all we have to do to resist
ana contend. II is harder to endure
than TO fight Many have the grace to
triumph in some sharp, brief trial, who
lail signally under the strain of hum
pie, unheroic temptations; like ships
that have outrode all the storms of the
ocean, but in some careless hour. when
the winds are MI sleeping on the quiet
seas, strike on some treacherous shoal
ana perish in sight of the shore The
address to the graduates was mainly an
application Of these truths.
The LADY's FRIEND. For Septem
Der, A spirited Steel Engraving, called
The attack" leads off the September
number of this "Queen of the Monthlies.'
Inns is followed by the usual elegant Steel
Fashion'Platc, and by fine Wood En-
craving suited TO the seaside season. cal
led Son The Gift" Then come numer.
| Gus enGraVinus of thc Fneb;on ;rtoroet;,,,