Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-08-30
SUCCESS IN LIFE.
WORDS OF WISDOM TO BE READ AND
POWDERED.
Tho Able snd Thoughtful Address Do
iivcrsd ct william and Mary College
by Rov. A. 2. Dickinson.

Tho Able snd Thoughtful Address Do
iiversd ct william and Mary College
by Rcv. A. =. Dickinson.
Though at a late day, We publish hero
with the speech of Rev. A. E. Dickinson. de-
Iivered at tho late one-hundred-a nd-ninety.
eighth annual commencement OF William
and Mary College. We deem 1t too valu-
able contribution to sound-teaching lit
erature to be Withheld from the reading
public:
Mine Is en- easy task since there is nothing
easier, or moro pleasant than to tell other people
what 10 DO. One may Do complete failure
himself without feeling that he Is the least tn
capecitatcd for pointing out to others the path OF
success. This. a. least, IL one Of the things
about which tho man can say most who knows
least II he can do nothing else he can have the
serene satisfaction OF knowing that he can tell
others what 70 DO.
There was never time In all the history Of
the world when 20 many people we're giving ad-
vice az now, nor has there ever been time
when all other helps were so freely bestowed
and often without money and without price.
With 90 many pointing 10 the best paths
and with 60 much other aid so unstintinsly
given. why 10 II that 30 few win In ife's great
strussls' Look which way we may our eyes fsu
upon the scattered wrecks whose early dawnipg
Was 40 cloudless os yours. They, too, entered tho
race as you DO to-day, with the ringing applauses
and congratulations OF admirins friends, but
soon thoy fell behind-dnd out.
ONE GRKAT FACT.
a..
alas, no room for doubt-namely, that In all me
calinss OF lie thore arc many failures-inany
complete and unmitigatcd fsiiuree. Mono can
question this. Take The legal profession, TO
which somo OF you are doubtless looking IS the
calling In which you hope for wealth and fame.
For every busy, prosperous lawyer how many
there are hanging around with nothing 70 do
waiting for cases that nevor come, until their
own case becomes lamentabie In tho extreme.
And the preachers, how many OF Thorn are
walking about Zion" looking for places and
calls, but looking In vain. Aud thus, too is with
many who devote themselves 10 the healing art.
They grow sick and dio while waiting for others
to call for their services. How lie 1t that many
IN Zen who have had the advantages OF collegiate
education JG,i, while 50 many without any such
aics fuorecd. and succeed granfly7
ABOUT THs rARgkRS
When We leave tho learned professions and
come 10 those who mske their bread by the
sweat Of their brow. va and that those who are
blessed with any considerable measure Of sac
cess are In very small minority: Many OF inc
farmers OF the country are not slow 30 empha-
sire tho fact that they are not doing well, and yot
even among them as among other classes you
will 1nd here and there those who are conspicu-
GUS and Inspiring illustrations OF what great
possibilities are within the reach OF oil who mako
She host OF their opportunities. Why should ono
farmer rirs to the highest success, while dozen
around him equally well equipped and with OPP
portunities a. favorable and with natural en-
| dovnonis a. good IrGf II IL not tho result OK
oh. ~ ~ lnuf rrOana under
its golden harvest and another acre adjoining IL
10 naked and bare, no one attributes that diner-
enco to chance. IL Is sufficiently explained by
the fact tina. the one has boon fertiLod ana cul-
| uvated, willis tho other has not.
One singular thing about many who are con-
spicuous, chiefly because OF their failures, Is thnt
| Il mover darns upon them that he Jaut 10 Their
Oun. They will ssok TO explain the fact 5y some
c.use outside ~ themselves, oven u they have to
20 the ends Of the earth to 1nit. IL may be mani
feet TO eyory one that tho fault lies rihin theD'-
s,'r,s, but they will always look beyond them
.elvc. for 10. Sometimes you may hrre hoard
one explaining why he has failed TO meet the OK:
pect.tons OF those with whom he WAS associate ed
| in cary manhood, but you have rarely, II over'
heard him say frankly that the fault VAS his OWL
Tho fault he will put at the door OF others.
HIS BGGs IN ONE BASKET.
You will find It no easy thing 10 make the aver
ago farmer admit that TO some extent NJ least
| his lack OF prosperity is due largely 10 his not
adapting himself 10 tho changed conditions which
/ nave come Win those idLtT 1tAts. IL - 'dHl't
| to lay tho blame upon others-to charge that In
Justice is done by all Other callngs 10 this most
| honorable calling 10 which all others must look
| for the means Of existence. You would 1ni IL
difficult 70 convince him that he would have les,
reason 20 complain II he were 10 get out
4 81 tho old ruts AMI adopt improved methods.
| And yet possibly tho complete demonstra-
| ton Of this fact Ia before his very eyes, In
| tho neighbor whose land adt0ins his sHn, who
hes adapted himself to the erIgencies OF the
times. and Is actually giving an object lesson OF
how happy and Independents o farmer can be.
| such a man no longer puts all al, eggs into one
| basket. Instead Of relying wholly upon few
staples he Is constantly adding 70 his list or In
| d1striea II he fails with one no succeeds With
| another, and when he strikes the balance NJ the
| close OF tho year there Is more 10 make him
rlad than .sd. lie no, only raise. diversified
| products, but he seeks TO make them equal &C
anything tho market affords, and thus he COM
msnds the best prices.
| IN THE NEW ORDER
1t Is one thing 20 produce a littlo butter
\ which q crossroads merchant will buy for few
cents mound 90 be paid for In goods upon which
no puts his own price, and quite another thing q
| mako II Of such n standard quality that IL will
| sell as readily and for a. much rs the bosi
| article which bars the brand OF Goshen" The
| farmer who thus falls IN with tho now order o.
| things will always have his share OF the good
things Of this world, but you will find 1t no ea.I
| thing 10 mako many OF the noble men who I'll
| the sol bolieve that such "a tho case.
| There is n fascination abopt LAYING our troubles
upon others which 10 not confined TO any on'
class or condition, but 10 found among all oaliIg
ia Ito. hayo friend who has dozen tim o
| attempted 10 run a newspaper, and every TIM
he has run it into tho ground. and yet to-d.
(.nd 10 his last day he will insist that nutfor TIA
fault OF Others these rundry vanishing venture
| would each have besn n shining success.
IL would not To ilfIsult to otto other instance
In which men have failed as .ignslly, who move
once dreamed that the fault was theirs. IL 1
humsn nature to take the good TO ourselves an
give the bad TO our neighbors.
WHY so MANY fAnURE57
Every rational being is sent into the world o.
| special mi.sion--to do some one thing whid
| he can do better than he can do anything else
| The gifts and gracss Of no two are exactly alkt
Each has his own peculiar bent or bias, aud tni
IL TO him tho voice Of God which, rightly inter
pretcd and heedsi, leads into the best pcssiDl
! pathway. u may call US 10 sn humble service
bat 1t will DO the highost and nobsss within tn
| sphere OF our capabilities
| Many aman 9ho might have been an inspiI1n
success had no riven himself to the mission II
| which nature designed him, by turning TO some
| thing olss becomes the most miserebie 81 dun
derers. "bo what nature intended you for an
| you will succeed; be anything ete and you WI
| be ten thousand times worse than nothing
AvocATIoS.
Before deciding upon profession every youn
| man should givs solemn aud earnest and prayer
| full thought to this matter. Let him take time
| study the indications OF Provldencs, and thu
| ascertain vhGt s his call. We are sccustome
| 20 think OF the divine call as coming 10 apostle
prophets, and evanEelsts; NO do well to col
| sider whether every man that comes into IN
world Is not rs truly as they called OF God al
set apart 10 . special yo'k As To chat tha
work l., no who inquiries Alright shall most sure
DO guided Alright But, II one hecdlsssly rushe
into something TO which no Ia not lifted,
crafty friends who are often too ready TO advis
In such matters, or to crafty an unholy amb
ton, no will probably nave al the rest OF his III
in which 10 deplore tho mistake thus earl
, | made
DO ONE THING WELL.
Find out first OF all, what God wants you
be and be that. one had better succeed IN n
, lowest calling than TO fail in the highest IL
better 10 do one thing well than 70 do sewers
things poorly But It Is hard to make mai
] rood people believe II. Many man has fsils
At half q dozen callings who would have 81
, ceeded grandly had he selected some one OF II
many things he has been attempting to ru
/ and said as the Apostle Paul. "his one thing
D Do" Many planter Is almost ready TO perii
: for bread, simply because, instead OF taking
| few acres and cultivatiDg them closely,
scratched over scores Of acres which brought al
no return, and bis children It may be cry In val
: | for milk, because instead OF having one COW va
cared for, there are several running hither on
: ihiiher not cared for at all