, 1878-12-19
HAVE AN AIM.

pitirlupon cnrrh. He goes drifting n.ong
with the tide OF tate. without any pros
pcct ot an anchorage in the present aml
little hope of the future, miserable.
>hltIc>S. being, n curse to himself and So
cirty at large.
Have an aim. some purpose In life. The
great Givcr of all good bestowed upon cv-
cry man come powers, some faculties of
his mighty divinity, No sane person is
without the ability to reason; without
something OF GINNING in his.hauds: with
out some knowledge that will bring rec
ompenSe and happiness, ii but rightly
used. The talent, if only Il single one.
was not given to be buried the brain. not
curiously fashioned to die OF its own sloth;
the arm. to become paralyzed from want
of use; the intricate machinery of the
muscles 10 rust for the want of the polish
of friction; and the mysterious telegraph
of nerves. to become inert. because there
Is behind it no telegraph Of action.
The lack Of Il firm purpose caused the
primal curse to iaIl upon the human race.
1t was the utter absence OF it that made
temptation easy, and both the TEMPTATION
and the curse have followed down the long
line Of ages until the present hCul. The
much TO be pitie,! human wrecks that
strew the shores OF the stream of time are
proof positive Of this. We see them upon
every side; they loom up from every head
land, are stranded in every shoaI. and
sunk in every qIiCkSand. A firm and
well defined purpose, one carefully aud
faithfully wrought for, would have carried
them safely through; the want OF it was
the fruitful source OF disaster.
A man. no matter ii his abilities are
shining bright as the angels. is ruddcr-
less bark. driven ut the whim of every
shifting wind. lie has no determined port
ahead for which he steers; no compass to
guide; no sun by day or star by night; is
lost In the chaos of the elements-a hu-
man leaf fluttered and whirled without
stay or resting place.
TO accomplish any stable good or wealth
or reputation in this world, Il man must
know what lie is going to do, ard do it.
The dogma of chance in our lives is as
utterly false rs in creation. Greatness Is
very rarely thrust upon mankind; ami
riches come not without the patient seek
ing. ''The sky does not rain larks," and
gold lies deeply hidden. Grain that is to
bring plenty and tltness is not indigenous
to the soil, and we cannot gather figs from
thstles. The stately and massive tree is
not the upshooting of an hour. and knowl-
edge comes not with the burning OF sim
gle candle. There is no lamp of Aladdin
tor us, and the ring to which we must be
slaves is toll.
The lives Of the truly great teach the
lesson OF purpose and aim mosr forcibly.
Their aim was unwavering, and the reach
ing towards it constant. The top OF the
mountain of success Is not gained by a
single leap, be it never so great. The
winter stores of the ant and the bee are
only gathered by unceasing labor towards
one end.
The aimless man never yet accomplished
any mighty result. The spasmodic effort
of today was nuIlificd by the Incidence
of the Tomorrow. While he rested, the
stream swept him farther downward than
the starting point, and his unguarded and
nnguided craft was turned by the tickle
current far away from the desired haven,
and some one of better and nobler pur.
pose took his place.
An ein'less life must be barren of good
results. No matter what the effort, it viii
be wasted; no matter what the sacrifice
It will be useless; no matter how great the
strength, if misapplied, it will count nc
more than the finger of the most feeble
child. Niagara will turn thousands Of
wheels If properly directed and controlled;
bur, lett to Itself, will sweep them all
away, and its very might become ruin.
And there must be incentive as well az
action. Of the former there is no lack;
love. fame. reputation, the consciousness
OF having done good to Others. the pride
OF place, the comforts OF old age, the bles-
sings Of those who will come after us. are
sufficient, to say nothing OF the higher and
brighter glory in the beyond. and, grant
Ing these, why man should be blown about
as u feather in the breeze is a paradox be-
you'd the answering, when everything IN
nature teaches the Importance OF having
something ahead worthy the struggling