The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-06-16

The Controlling Motive.


cessful man, between the earnest and
the frivolous, between the wise man
and the fool, consists in the object
which he seeks as the foremost one
of his life. All truly great men in
every department of life have been
celebrated for seizing hold, first, of
the strong points of every thing they
undertook, mastering those, and let
ting details follow and be provided
for afterwards. The merchant does
not stop to count the small change in
his tills when his notes are coming
due, but considers his heavier re-
sources'and his balance at his bank
ers, and if. he neglect the great mat
ters, all skill in petty details, all
smartness in any special part will be
lost. If we want to comprehend the
prosperity or adversity of the Eng
lish nation. as O whole, we do not
wait to read through the newspaper
gossip or the court scandal, but look
ut the great trade and market reports
and the price of consols, and these
tell the whole story. So, in forming
an estimate of character, we look at
what man seeks most assiduously,
and the rest is soon learned. There
is much truth also in the view that,
whatever man seeks first, he will
accomplish, but in all things which
he himself esteems secondary, he will
have but secondary success. The
coarse man, bent upon becoming
what he calls t'a gentleman" will, in
the course of years, become some
what refined; the ignorant youth,
filed with purpose to obtain an ac-
eompished education, will often be-
come eminent in his chosen pursuit,
and he who is resolved to sacrifice all
other things to obtain money, will
generally succeed in accumulating it.
So, If O man set his heart on effeoting
any reformation in his habits or
morals, that which he desires first
and above all, he will, in the course
of years, secure. f,-
1t is, however, certain that there
are many things that are best accom-
plished by not being sought first.
The young man bent on fashion and
style will not attain his object by
expanding all his salary on dress and
show, but rather by energetically
establishing himself in business
that shall supply him with ample
means to crafty his desire. He who
wishes to see his child become q ripe
scholar will not best accomplish it
by stimulating his young mind till he
become the most precocious boy in
some primary school, but by first
cherishing robust frame, for
strength of mind will greatly depend
on health of body. So he who would
be successful man of business, will
not best effect his object by becom-
ing initiated into all the tricks of
traffic, but by cultivating within
himself honorable principles, by
cherishing justice, prudence and
moderation in all his dealings.
The true rule is, and must ever be,
to seek the life of duty first, and that
will insure the best real success as q
whole in everything. There is an
eternal law of right running through
all actions, and power resting upon
all right doing that produces the best
and most effective results with the
least waste of energy. 1t is from
this point of view that we may regard
religion as an element of success in
the matters of this life. It embraces
the sum of NIL greatness and pros
perity, by leading man to seek first
that which is most essential. It puts
all things in the true order of their
eternal Importance. There are many
persons who consider the Christian
life very useful as restrictive ele-
ment, but not as motive power;
useful as secondary agent, but not
as the primary energy of life. They
do not believe that it can be made
the great end and object of the labors
of the store and the work shop, the
farm and the Office. They would set
apart religion as suitable for Sunday.
but not to be mingled with everyday
life, certainly not to be regarded as
the great handspring of all our
actions. But true religion will teach
a man to labor constantly, rich or
poor, and as much in the duties of
his occupation as in those of the
church. 1t will teach him to pursue
the right no less in the work shop of
the mechanic, or the Office of the
lawyer, than in the pulpit or the
pew.