Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-02-21
DISCIPLINE or HiNpRANcE.

OtSOtrktNe VI S9uNOdANCe.
Success. Not = Matter OF Complete and
Symme t1lcal Achiovement. 40
There is an instructive feeling in the
heart Of every man that he has right
to q clean opportunity to do his work
in the world and bring out in full
measure whatever force is in him. 1t
is this instinct which resents the OBJ
struction of obstacles as something
foreign to life. as accidents which
break up the order of things. as useless
interferences which weaken effort. de-
lay achievement and exhaust strength.
Every man Graves free field for his
work and clean opportunity for his
talent. If these are granted he is con-
ddent of the success which would
crown his efforts; if these are secured
he is certain of the useful and victori-
GUS life which he will lead. Every
energy and every gift contains within
it an impulse for action. The man who
discovers in himself the ability to
write feels that the opportunity to
write ought to be given to him; the
man who develops gift of oratorY
Graves the opportunity of the platform.
and feels wronged if he does not Sc
cure it; the man who is conscious of
great executive force demands an am
pie field in which to exercise it, and
feels defrauded If he does not secure
it. Behind every gift there is an en-
ergy sufficient to send it with the inn
pulsion which powder gives to the ball.
1t success in life lay entirely in the
working out of ones gifts symmetric-
ally and in doing ones work with the
completeness and finish of fine piece
of mechanism, obstacles and 1imita-
tions would be interferences with the
normal order of things, distractions
thrown in the way of the runner which
ought not to be there. But real sue
cess is not a matter of complete and
symmetrical achievement; it is the
outcome of mans life when the moral
force within him is measured against
the difficulties he has to overcome.
These obstacles, which seem so un-
necessary, these constantly recurring,
vexatious and often meaningless in
| terruptions, serve q high moral pur-
| pose in our lives. There is no busi-
ness, profession or art which is not be-
set by them. One of the most inter-
esting and suggestive chapters which
Mr.. HamertOn has ever written en-
phasizes the moral qualities which the
technical difficulties in painting bring
out in an artist. Instead of being able.
without flaw, interruption Or break
in the effort, to put on canvas the
| perfect representation of the ideal
picture in his own soul, the artist is
obliged to overcome all manner OF
small, vexatious difficulties in the
| mere mechanical work of putting his
vision into o visible form. But in
surrounding these difficulties, vexa-
tious as they are. the vision becomes
clearer, the purpose stronger, the will
steadier, and when the work is done
there is moral as we'll as an artistic
quality in it. Interruptions and OBJ
abound in every occupation. which
grow out of difficulties of personal adj
justment, out of variations of physical
condition, out of changing moods and
diverse temperaments. are vexatious
and exhausting. but they play a great
part in our lives, and the spirit in
which we meet them largely de-
termines our character. Many q man
puts forth more moral strength in
removing obstacles from his path
than another puts forth in achieving
the highest distinction. In such case,
who shall say the man whose whole
effort has been spent in clearing his
way, has not done as much and won
as noble success as he who has run
| with swift and unincumbered feet to
the goal at the end?-Christian Union.