Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1892-09-01
Earn Your Success.

One of the most futile things in life is
the attempt to make men Ill places for
which they are not fitted, or to do work
for which they are not equal. There are
few things which cause so much disap.
pointment and general irritation as the
mistaken acts of friendship which push
man higher than he can stand and, In a
blind desire to serve him, load him down
with responsibilities which he cannot bear.
true friendship is always wise and eau
did. 1t recognizes the limitations of one
whom 1t would aid, and does not eGdsayor
to pass over those limitations and SIT a,
naught that general law of life which ere.
ates an affinity between mans capacii,
and the work he is to do. There is, IN
fact, very little which friendship can do
for man beyond securing him good op
portunity; 1t cauuot, with the best inteu.
tions and the utmost zeal. make him eQual
to the opportunity. Friendship stands at
the door and holds 1t open, but it cannot
make him who enters at home in new
place unless there is that 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 70 them, and who hold
their friends responsible for their failure
to secure the places and emoluments
which they believe are their due. Such
persons are entirely ignorant of that great
law of life which imposes upon man the
necessity of working ont his own saliva
ton. 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 l..
our friends; for our successful dealing
with our opportunities We must look only
to ourselves. Friendship can put man
in the right place and give him the proper
tools. but 1t cannot direct his work. nor
can 1t bring out the skill which nature has
denied or which lneiiiclency has refused
TO acquire.
There Is broad justice running through
life which Is only the more apparent be-
cause one sometimes finds exceptions to
it. As rule. men achieve the success
which they deserve, AMI obtain the places
for which they arr fitted. There are some
who, by the accidents Of the time In which
they live, are thwsrted OF results which
might properly have been theirs under
more favorable conditions but the great
majority of those who fail are responsible
for their failures, Their Intentions may
have been good. but they have lacked
either the wise discernment OF their duties
or the resolute industry which turns OPP
portunity into achievement. A Napoleon
without social or political backing will
somehow come tn the head Of the army
aud will use 1t as II 1t were part OF him
self a Mcclellan, with the best intentions
In the world and the most sincere patriot
ism. when an army il placed at his hand
pH r,As.tb1a q
put into his hand, viii remain paraly zed
and, 70 large degree. impotcnt. lie has
the opportunity, but i Is too great for
him, and in the light Of history it Is seen
to be misfortune chat he WAS dvanced
TO a place which he could not hold and
from which he could not progress. All
that We can ask justly from our most de-
voted friends is that they shall help US 10
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. II we fan,
the responsibility Is upon Us and not upon
them. Neither their love, their services,
nor their resources can ut Us for posi-
tions TO which nature or our own ineiti-
cheney has not made us equal. II is easy
TO lay TO our souls the ilattery of having
been defeated by forces against which no
human will could have striven success
fully, or to have been thwarted In our
effort to work out whatever is in us by
lack of opportunities; but If we analyze
the causes of our failure honestly, we shall
generally find that the have been due TO
some defect in ourselves defect which
could not have been remedied by all the
friendship and cooperation in the world,
and a defect which ought not TO have been
remeded by any one but ourselves. There
Is fundamental immortality in the attain
ment of success for which q man has not
strven; there is an element OF falsehood
In the holding Of place which has not
come 10 one as recognition of his ability
to Ill II. Better thousand times obscu-
rity and humble work than prominence or
opulence gained by accident or secured by
favor. There is a kind OF aid which 1t Is
immoral for a friend 70 give and equally
immoral for another to receive; 1t is the
aid which takes the place Of some work
we ought to have done, some energy we
ought to have put forth, some strength
and power of character we ought to have
attained. No success j. real or lasting or
worth having which does not come a. the
outward recognition Of some inward
quality by the man who achieves it
Christian Union