The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1880-02-21
TO LOOK UPON, AND TO BECOME.

TO LOOK UPON, AND TO BECOME.
Any one who gazes intently and appreciatively
upon some beautiful landscape, or some rare work
of art, gradually comes to partake of some of its
characteristics, and to absorb something of its
nature There is spirit within him thatresponds
to the beauty sublimty, or dslicacy upon which
he looks that claims kinship with them, and that
is awakened and developed by his continued and
earnest gaze. If this is true, concerning what ap
peas to through the eye of the body, 1t Is even
more true in what we view with the eye of mind.
Whatever we give our attention to constantly and
thoughtfully, that we shall gradually come to re-
semble. Perhaps there are in our complex ma
lures, many undeveloped germs, which are only
brought into living existence by contact with
special external influences which coincide with
them at any rate, it is certain that we soon grow
into close affinity with whateverw we pre-eminently
think upon.
Take the young child in his mothers arms, for
example as he gazes upon her face he drinks in
its expression, all unconciously, into his very SOUL
The loving smile, or the angry frown, the bright
look of hope or the fretful or sulen aspect which
he beholds, gradually imprinting themselves
upon his features and the dispositions which give
birth to these outward tokens as surely taking
root in mis- character. Soon he comes under other
influences and gains other impressions. Not only
with home with its powerful cords is drawing him
into likeness with ITSELF but outside forces now
at work. Teachers and playmates, studies and
amusements, moulding him hour by hour, or
rather they are awakening within him the cores
ponding parts of his nature, and fostering them
into growth and development. Presently he
launches forth into the world, full, perhaps, Of
enthusiasm as to something he is to accomplish or
gain; full of hopes and plans as to how be will
exert the power which he feels within him. Still,
however, though he imagnes he is not, he Is acted
upon even more forcibly than he can possibly act
l.. -. .,-lof Ia
thousand are ever pressing upon him with resist
less energy, and making him what he is.
Although it is a serious question with every one
what he will do, it is even a more welghty and
important one what he will be. What man Is
underlies and determines all that he does and more
than this, it decides upon the character of that
large and widespread influence which continually
emanates from his very presence. And what he
is greatly depends on what he looks at. No one
is able wholly to control the influences that shape
him many of them are beyond his reach to with
stand, but every one may choose which OF them
he will encourage, which he will cling to, upon
which he will lay the emphasis of his life, upon
which he will allow his thoughts to dwell The
influence of companionship, for instance, is most
potent one. We can never escapeit. But we can
select for our most intimate friends those who
command our respect and are worthy OF our con-
fidence. There are some persons to whom we in
stinctively look up, and others upon whom we as
naturally look down. Whichever we place with
in our constant view we grow to resemble, and so
it comes to pass that "a man is known by the COM
pany he keeps"
The press is powerful forming influence, which
presses on US from every side. We can no more
shut ourselves from it than from the atmosphere.
Yet here also we can select our intimates, we can
decide whether the papers, periodicals ana volumes
that enter our homes and engage our attention,
are such as beckon US upward to heights Of intel
Iigence, purity and wisdom, or suchsas draw US
down to the frivolous the tax or the corrupt
Thouqht is a constant though silent agent in max
ing us what we are. 1t is with US IN every wax
ing hour. Yet we have the dover to cherish one
class of thoughts and to dismiss another, to en-
courage those that lift US up and restrain those
that drag us down. We can never stop thinking
any more than we can stop breathing-but as We
can in q measure, control the quality OF air which
we breathe. so to a great extent we can determine
what we will think about. 1t is quite as needtul
as to turn away from evil or unworthy or puerlie
thoughts as from books or companions Of the same
sort and it is possible to occupy the mind so fully
with what is good noble and uplifting, that there
shall be no room desire to harbor what is false,
low or injurious.
We ali look earnestly toward the future, and
here also we grow into unison with what we look
upon. Whatever we picture to ourselves as our
dearest aim, and dwell upon with hope and antiei-
nation we generally secure, and in the process we
I
fame or the good opinion of party or the attain
ment of some special excellence, or the promotion
of a reform or the establishment of an enterprise
if we keep it constantly before us, we shall par
take of its character. The difference between men
is largely determined by the difference between
their ideals. One looks upward and he grows;
| another looks downward, and he withers. One
fixes his gaze upon knowledge chooses intelligent
society. good reading and rational thoughts, and
| he becomes more and more enlightened and clear
| sighted another desires ease and indulgence,
prefers inferior company, trashy books and shall
| low thoughts, and mental vacancy. One cherishes
visions of goodness looks up with reverence to the
| TRUTH admires generosity, nobeness and rlghte-
business. and keeps them ever in sght-he becomes
more and more allied to them and grows IN virtue;
another looks with satisfaction upon wickedness,
error,meanness and wrong, and by long familiarity
he becomes accustomed to them and shares IN their
nature.
"Vice is monster of such frightful mien,
That to be hated, needs but to be seen;
But seen too oft, familiar with her face,
We first endure, then pity, then embrace
| Let us then remember that are building up
our characters and our lives, not only by our ac-
tions. but bv the directions in which we are look
ina by the models we set before us, by the ideals
we cherish, by the company we keep, by the books
| we read by all the conditions in which we voun-
tarily put ourselves. By continually looking up
to what is higher and better we shall riseto higher
and better states of being, and our characters and
conduct will always bear inmate relation to
those things upon which our mental visions dwells
with pleasure and satisfaction.-Phtadetphta
| Led0er