Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1872-01-18

cal view of the subject before. US;
;'My Destiny, what shall it be-.
To those whose hearts. are made
to swell in youth or. mature year:
with noble and genero impulses
whose theaghts-aad -desires-can
not be confined to the present,
and in whose minds are opening
the buds. Of an exalted aspiration
this sBhjeet-isSof ttlesgfeatest im
portahce. -TbiS is a:qdesion. thsl
naturally and slegitlaat " sue
gests' itself to the mind ofsever5
one who, has any concern for /, thi
future, even from the first Simpui
ses Of youth up TO the. more, sol
emn reflection 0f middle age
1t would rarely, occhr'tofhose whC
have passed, The prime of LIE, fol
they having steered'that far down
the stream Of time, become con
scious of a rapid and near ap
proach to eternity's gulf, and
turn their backs on the future
with eyes seton gtheir hurried
course, and cling with great tenac.
ity to the memories of the past,
while they lament the loss of the
glory and vigor of youth. They
here exclaim, My destiny whai
has it been? They are all in ret,
rospectiOn, and having acquired
experience sby,age and wisdom by
experience, they see clearly the
error of then way, and feel with
pain that ifs they could travel a.
gain the journey Of life, they
would work out a great, good and
noble destiny So let us be fore
warned that all mus be done in
the morning Of life, for in itsseve-
ming we live and stand by what
we have done. and will soon be
pushed off the stage of action
by the hands of death to give
place TO others coming alter us.
This then being true, let us wake
up, arouse our wits and dormant
and from the experience
of others learn what is necessary
and proper to bedone. Knowing
you to be young men of high as
pirations and jealous in your pres
ent undertakings, we know also
there must dwell in the breast of
each OF you an anxiety as to your
future destiny. There scarcely
lives a man of respectable stand
ing who has not at some time, es.
pecially in his youth, the spring
time of life, when all the thoughts
and feelings are shooting forth like
the vegetation of the earth IN
their beauty, luSuriance and Wig
or, felt deep concern as to his
future, and paused a moment oa
entering the field of battle, con-.
templating in serious doubt his
probable reverses or successes.
Yes, this feeling is common to us
al, and every one feels it to be
working in him now. Hence
how natural it is for US to inquire
what our destiny shall be.
Destiny in its strictly technical
and deIivative meaning, as laid
down by one of the best defners
Of the age, is lst, State-or condi-
tion appointed or predetermined,
ultimate fate, as men are solicitous
to know their future destiny which
is however happily concealed from
them. End, lnvinclble necessity,
fate, a necessity or fixed order of
things established $ by a divine
decree or by ,an indlssoluble con-
nection of causes and effects. We
propose to discuss destiny not only
by the foregoing definitions, but
also in its common and general
sense, as accomplishing the course
Of mans life, his. triumphs and
misfortunes,, and; the position highi
or low. be. viii take among other
men. s-s- y 3. e .sssss-ss- va.
AS the 1irst of the above defihi,
tions relersmore,espe to the
future state hior ultimate! end of
man after death, aud does not. at
feet our subject, we feel thatit is
strictly. a question for the theo,
loeian, and hence we reyerently
Withdraw from it,. and leave the
predestination OF man in a moral
sense expressly for those who
choose 10 agita.e it. But tie sec
ond one falling within. the:' limits
of cur topic, it is proper for1,uss
to give it our attention, for .
while at least, to see its applica-
ton to the laws of nature, as, we
know them by experience, and TO
see if mans destiny or course of
life is fixed and confined to one
channel, without possible varia-
ton from efforts on bis part, by
an "invincible necessity" fate ol
fixed order Of things established
by a divine decree or by an In
dissoluble connection of causes
'.ot,.sJ sS{factc ~ Tb,s ,lro,,oo,ti,