The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1891-01-14
OURSELVES FIRST.
Differences Between the Questions of
Honor and Profit and Those If Charao-
ter and Duty.

Differences Between the Questions of
Honor and Profit and Those Of Charao-
ter and Duty.
There is a sense in which we are
prone to put ourselves first, in our plan
ming and purposing; and there is anoth-
err sense in which we are disinclined to
do so. When we think of good results
to be attained, and of good things to be
secured, we all want to have ourselves
first in the final apportionment. But
when we think of good to be done in
the world, of burdens to be borne and
of personal responsibilities to be dis
charged, we are by no means SO forward
to assert our own pre-eminence. We
are quite ready then to let others go be-
fore us.
SO, again, when it is question as to
who shall have honors and privileges,
we are prompt to see reasons for our
standing in the foremost place; but
when the question is as to the person
who shall make the effort to win those
honors and acquire those privileges, we
are tempted to think that it is not fair
for us to be all by ourselves in the
| struggle. Others ought to help us, and
if they can do more for us by being in
the advance just now, we are glad to
have them thereon our account.
The one of these methods of putting
ourselves first is right, and the other is
other is unselfish. In questions of
honor and profit, we have no right to put
ourselves first. In questions of character
and duty we ought to put our
selves first. We are here in the world
to live for others, not for ourselves; bnt
it is ourselves who are here to live for
others. Ourselves are to be put first in
the mission of living for others than
ourselves.
If a school-boy would stand well in
his classes, he must look to himself,
rather than to his classmates or to his
teachers, as means of such attain
ment If a student would be picked
man, among the chosen few, for coveted
college honOrs, he must look to him
self, rather than to his family associa-
tons or to interceding friends, to secure
him such precedence. In football or in
boat race, it is what q man is him
self, rather than what the captain of
his team or his crew would like him to
be, that gives him his relative position
among his compeers. A man can, in the
long run, do more for himself, in the
business struggle of life, than all his
hackers or friends can do for him.
They can not help him if he will not
help himself. A party leader can Meth
err win nor hold public confidence by
any vote of his party, if he himself fails
to be true to his principles, to his pro-
LESSONS, and to himself What man
is, is the main factor in what man
does, or can hope to do.
In showing the success and the failure
of Lord Bacon, in his day and sphere
Dean Church quotes the pregnant say
ing of Canon Motley, that linen are
made up of professions, gifts and tai
ents; and also of themselves" and he
adds: with all his greatness his
splendid genius, his magnificent ideas
his enthusiasm for truth, his passion t.
be the benefactor Of his kind
with all the charm that made him loved
by good and worthy friends, amiable
court Sous, patient, delightful as a com
panion, ready to take any trouble
there was in Bacon's self deep ant
fatal flaw. And ruin of ,
great life was the consequence" 4
splendid career, like Bacon's, may b
brought to q disastrous close by neg
lect to care for self, while caring for al
!, things else. An humble career ma,
prove failure by like neglect.
AS a means of high achieving in an,
sphere, it is important to be in order t.
!, do; and before q man can look TO re
suits of his work on behalf of others, o
to the recognition Of his work by Others
he must see to it that he himself work
worthily. In honor, in privilege, an
in reward, man can give the frs
place to others; but in character, il
duty and in responsibility, man mus
look to himself first of ais. s. Times