Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1891-02-11
From the Bait. Sun. Feb. 2nd.l
WORD TO YOUNG MEN.
Character and Material Pr0gress-H0w
10 Win the Eafeem OF Others

A WUhD IO IOUNd MEN.
Character and Material Progress-How
TO Win the Esteem OF Others.
Rev. j. w. RogaD, pastor of the West
minister Presbyterian Church, began last
night series Of Sunday night sermons to
young men. The subject for the opening
sermon was '.Character.'' His text was
Solomon's proverb, s.A good name is rather
to be chosen than great riches" ''Charao-
ter" said Mr.. Rogan, sis the foundation up
on which all true saccess is built, and take
it for granted that it is not simply "a good
name the wise man means. but this name
backed by corresponding character.
hope you will get and keep the distinction
to be made between reputation and chsrac
ter. The two terms are confounded often
times, but so far from being Synonymous,
not infrequently they are as directly oppo-
site as day and night. Ny reputation is
what people think am; nay character is
what am. When say that each man
builds his own character, do not want to
be considered as calling in question the fact
that character is largely the resultant of the
two forces of hegpdity and environment.
Ones parents aptl sasly surroundings have
a great deal to do With moiding and shap-
ing the life, but they do not determine of
necessity what that life Is to be. This is
evident by the fact that many who start life
under the most favorable auspices make an
utter failure of it, while those who have
started under the most unfavorable circum-
stances have achieved glorious success The
difficulties which, in the way of many, prove
stumbling blocks over which they fall into
irretrievable ruin, are made by others step
ping stones by which they mount to the
plain of noble manhood. By our own ex-
ertions must we grow, for there is nothing
good in this world that is spontaneous.
Weeds will spring up and grow themselves,
if you wish to develop weak, ignoble, des-
picable character it is not necessary that
you give it any special thought and care.
Just let it alone and it will become all that
you or satau could wish it IN this direction.
If, on the other hand, you aspire to strong,
noble character you must watch it closely
day and night, challenging each thought,
desire, purpose, volitiOn, act and habit that
enters into it, and lending all your powers
to make it what yo1 would have it. Charac.
ter is the best foundation for material sue
cess. You may talk about genius and tai
emit and shrewdness and cleverness, but in
the race of life character will outstep them
and win almost every time. Ifyou want to
make sure of success in any department Of
the business world and be honored by your
fellow.men, look well to your character.
See to it that you start out in life with the
right principles; that you cultivate emo
bling sentiments and that you form none but
good habits. 1t is of principles, sentiments
and habits that characters are composed"
Rev. 81. M. Wharton, pastor of Brantly
Baptist Church, spoke to young men in the
81
oiatlon Building. His subject was Work. "
Rev. J. P. Green, pastor of Light Street
Presbyterian Church, preached at night on
How to Get Rioh." "Every clear headed,
Industrious, systematic, economical man."
said Mr.. Green, ''can become independent
no matter how poor he may be at the out
srt. But to do this he must rise early,
work hard and deny himself In many ways.
Que of the first requirements is education.
This is day when ignorance Is sin. Yoa
may not be able to 60 to college, but neither
we're thousands ofrheimost eminent men the
country has produced. The opportunities
for education for man of strong will and
fixed purpose are numberless. Join night
school, go to our magnificent free libraries
and seek the advice oi your educated
friends. All these will lead you to an educa-
tion that will be of value to you because of
the hard work required in getting it. The
knowledge that is necessary to the attain
ment of wealth is better than the wealth it.
self. In your money matters keep an ac-
count of every cent you spend, and review
this occasionally to see how much you
waste. Most people are poor not because
they do not get money enough, but because
they waste what they do get. If you do not
save money when your salary is small you
,nt1 i1valxr 70 do NH 10 Po
fair, be just, be honest in all your dealings.
Take the Sermon on the Mount into your
business life, and govern yourself accord
ingly. The man who says it is necessary to
cheat and lie to make money lies himself"
The Rev. DR.. John W. Shackelford, Of
the Church of the Redeemer, of New York,
preached to young men ct night at st.
Paul's Protestant Episcopal Church. His
subject was, "Obedience to Law" his text.
"Think not that have come to destroy,
but to fulfill the law" He said in part:
"Soon as a man is born-intO the world he
finds himself under law-frst, parental law;
second, as be grows into manhood he finds
himself under civil law, and third, as he
has spiritual element in his nature, he
ands himself also under a;law ecclesiastical.
This must be so because he is creature.
A law expresses his relation to his Creator.
He is bound to obey, or suffer the consequ-
ence of his disobedience. All law comes
from Almighty God. There are those who
claim that the laws of nature exist of them
selves, which would put God outside of.
His own universe. The laws of nature are
simply what we have discovered about Gods
method of working. Nature obeys laws;
che does not create them. Our Lords ex-
ample must be our guide. He obeyed the
law perfectly, and by obeying the old abro-
gated it. We find ourselves under laws
civil, social and ecclesiastical. We do not
always understand why laws are imposed
upon us, but our safety lies in Obedience