The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1890-04-17
Earn Your Success.

lttSL d "OUS llluC.
ELEANOR KIRK.
Earn Your Success.
One of The most futile things in life
is the attempt to make men fill places for
which they are not equal. There are
few things which catlse 80 much disap.
pointment and general irritation as the
mistaken acts of friendship which push a
man higher than he can stand, and, in q
blind desire to serve him, load him down
with responsibilities which he cannot
bear. A true friendship is always wise
and candid. 1t recognizes the limita.
tions of one whom it would aid, and does
not endeavor to pass over those limita.
lions and set at naught that general law
of life which creates an affinity between
a mans capacity and the work he is to
do. There is, in fact, very little which
friendship can do fora man beyond se=
curing him good opportunity it can
not, with the best intentions and utmost
zeal: make him equal to the opportunity.
Friendship stands at the door and holds
it open, but it cannot make him who
enters at home l.: new place unless
there is tha. within himself which makes
it possible for him to adapt himself to
his new surroundings. There are great
many men who seem to think that by the
assistance of their friends all things are
possible to them, and who hold their
friends responsible for their failure to
secure the places and erloluments which
they believe are their due. Such persons
are entirely ignorant OF that great law Of
life which imposes upon each man the
necessity of working out his own saliva
tion. Character can never be formed by
deputy, nor can great works be done,
great responsibilities met, and great re.
suits realized, by delegation to another.
For our opportunities we may we'll look
to our friends; but for our successful
dealing with our opportunities we must
look only to ourselves. Friendship can
put a man in the right place and give
him the proper tools, but it cannot direct
his work, nor can it bring out the skill
which nature has denied or which inetIi-
cheney has refused to acquire.
There is q broad justice running
through life which is only the more
apparent because one sometimes finds
exceptions to it. AS rule, men achieve
the success which they deserve, and
obtain the places for which they are
fitted. There are some who, by the ac.
cidents of the time in which they live,
are thwarted of results which might
properly have been theirs under more
favorable conditions; but the great ma
jority of these who fail are responsible for
their failures. Their intentions nay
have been good, but they have lacked
either the wise discernment of their du-
ties or the resolute industry which turns
opportunity into achievement. a Napo-
leon without social or political backing
will somehow come to the head of the
army and will use itas ifit were part
ofhimself; a Mcclellan, With the best
intentions in the world and the most sin.
cere patriotism, when an army is placed
at hts hand and every possible instru.
ment Of success put into his hand, will
remain paralyaed and, to large degree,
impotent. he has the opportunity, but
it is too great for him, and in the light
of history it is aeen to be a misfortune
that he WAS advanced to place which
he could not hold and from which he
could not progress. All that We can ask
Justly from our most devoted friends is
that they shall help us to the possession
Of the things we need to work with.
When they have done that, we can ask
nothing more of them which they can
wisely render to us. If we fail, the re.
sponsibility is upon us and not upon
them. Neither their love, their services,
not their resources can fit us for posi-.
tions to which nature OF our own ineffi-
cheney has not made us equal. 1t is easy
to lay to our souls the fattery Of having
been defeated by forces against which no
human will could have striven success
fully, or to have thwarted in our effort tc
work out whatever is in us by lack o1
opportunities but if we analyze the
causes of our failures honestly, ne shall
generally find that they have been due tc
some defect in ourselves-a defect which
could not have been remedied by all the
friendship and co operation in the world
anda defect which ought not to have
been remedied by any one but ourselves
There isa fundamental immortality II
the attainment of success for which mai
has not strireu: there is an element o
falsehood in the holding ofa place which
has not come to one as recognition o
his ability to ill it. Better Thousand
times obscurity and humble work thar
prominence or opulence gained by acci
dent secured by favor. There is a kint
of aid which it is immoral for friend tt
give and equally immoral for another t.
receive; it is the aid which takes th'
place of some work we ought to hav'
done, some energy ne ought to have pu
forth, some strength and power of char
acter we ought to have attained. NJ
success is real or lasting or worth having
which docs not come as the outward
recognition of some Inward quality b!
the man who achieves little Christia'
Union.
IIoW's This!