Elizabeth daily monitor. [volume] (Elizabeth, N.J.) 1868-1880, 1868-11-27

yet attained to greatness, who initiated
the faults as well as the merits of
Others. There never has been such a
thing MS perfect man of business one
who has not sometimes come short of
complete success. when by greater dill
gence and prudence, OF by more ener-
gy or accuracy, he might have done
better There never was a perfect
poet or painter, or sculptor, or physi-
clan, or lawyer. No one would attain
to eminence in any of these pursuits,
by initiating the failings as well as the
excellencies or even the most dis
tinguished in their professions. The
wise man studies the points of excell-
ence in each, and marks to perfection
and how they were acquired. and if he
studies their faults, it is only to avoid
them. The man who aims most earn
estlv at a perfect standard, will make
the nearest approach to it. Though
he may fall far below his mark, yet
his progress will be rapid, his attsin-
ments great, and thus trained and dis
ciphned, he may even appear to others
to have attained to that for which Q
still labor and hopes.
The same truth applies in matters of
the heart and life. Those who are aiming
at perfect standard of excellence in
social, moral and religious life, follow
ing it though it may be at distance
discouraging to themselves, are really
making the greatest approach to what
they seek, and are daily improving
and progressing in excellence and vir-
tue. 1t is true that such life requires
constant watchfulness, but this will
soon become easy and instructive.
Habits of untiring yiligence, difficult
and painful at the outset, when once
formed, yield compound interest in
their results. The formation of good
habits is like the planting of an acorn,
which, in that form, is SO feeble that
an infants foot may crush it, but I'LL
timately becomes an oak which giants
cannot shake. A life aiming at perfec-
ion requires attention to minute duties
that are in constant da niger of being
overlooked. Little things form the
character, little virtues practised faith
fully make great ones easy, and make
up in number what they seem to lack
in Importance. just as all the daily
drilling of troops in times of peace en-
ables them to face the enemy with con-
fidence in the day of battle, so meeting
and overcoming the little temptations
and difficulties that daily beset man.
kind, ore the best means of acquiring
those virtuous principles that will sup
port them in the hour of greatest dam
ger, The little duty is a stepping
stone to the higher AS he who
should despise the simpler problems of
Euclid, because they seem SO meagre
in their results, could never reach the
higher mathematics, or make those far
reaching calculations upon which so
much of practical science depends, SO
he who despises the minor virtues and
duties Of life, which are the foundation
of nearly all practicle good, can never
attain to an experience of the higher.
The man who is scrupulous in hon
esty to fraction, and steadily resists
every temptation to overreach in the
smallest matters, will gradually acquire
a principle so firm, that no opportu-
nifty, however alluring, could for mo-
ment even tempt him to sacrifice his
integrity. And the same is true with
all the virtues. High aims and con-
slant, minute endeavors to follow up
the standard of perfection in every
thing, are the great means of progress
i've improvement. 1t is true that this
implies daily struggle and effort that
may seem hard to many. If an inward
love for excellence and strong will to
pursue it do not enter into this struggle
no progress in virtue will be made. In
makign perfection their aim, they must
daily strive to live up practically to
what they hold theoretically. When
they become conscious of any duty it
must be done fearlessiy, thoroughly,
and at whatever sacrifice. In every
part OF their conduct, their company,
their reading, their habits of any kind,
IN the health Of their bodies, the i'm
of tlo;r ,,a;r,I arI L. f..I