The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-03-07
IN THE RIGHT PLACE.

IN THE RIGHT PLACE.
THE coNpsT.oas oRAsuccEssFuL
AND HAPPY LIFE.
A sermon by Row. N. j. Savage the
Church Of tho Unity In Roston-Do Men
Generally Find the Plaes That Belongs
to Therae Manhood Is the Thing.
Lord, what wilt thou have me dos-Acts iS.a.
These words, as doubtless you all re-
mber, we're those that fell from the
lips of Saul, as the story is told us, on
his way to Damascus. Starting to per-
secute the Christians, feeling that that
was his life mission, he is met by this
vision, which puts an end to what he
had intended to accomplish, and recog-
nizing this for a higher authority he
asks, Lord, what wilt thou have me
to do?'
Something to do, some one to love.
something to hope for'-these, accord
ing to the great German, Immanuel
Kant, are the three conditions Of sue
cessful and happy life. The last two
will not concern US this morning, but
the 6rst something to do, finding ones
place In the worlds what we sre
seriously to consider.
SpUR TO EFFORT.
I suppose that there are not many
among rs today who so interpret that
providence which oversees the affairs
of men as to feel in any degree sure
that God has given him his position;
that God is desirous that he shall stay
where he finds himself placed. We.
ought NOT, then, to be content But
this statement needs tosbe qualified; and
qualified in very serious manner. We
ought not to be discontented in the
sense that we are unhappy; that we are
bitter, enyious or jealous, or in any
way have the sweetness and the beauty
taken out of our present life. have
said more than once in this place that
the greatest happiness killer Of the
world, even worse than the anticipa-
ton of evil or some overhanglng calam-
ity, is this kind of discomfort that makes
one perpetually thinking.
When / get there, when have ac-
complished this or that, when l have
reached such and such a place, then /
am going to be content, then am going
to be happy, then / am going to lead
an unselfsh life, then am going to do
this or tnat or thousand things for my
fellow men! have talked often with
business men who have set figure be-
yond which they do not propose to:save
dollar. They say when they get so
rich they are going to begin to be gen
erous, but I have never known man
to get to that point when he had set it
very much ahead of his present position.
/ never have hope Of any mans gener-
osity who is s.going to begin to be ge,ier-
ous by and by. I have no hope OF any
mans unselfsh love who is simply go
ing to begin to be unselfsh next week
or next year. Weought not, then, I
think, to be disconnected d'with the place
where we find ourselves in such a way
as shall prevent us from looking round
and finding all fhe happiness there i.
in that place, all the good there is, all
the opportunities there are offered OF
making other people happy, all the
chances of doing something for the rest
of mankind.
OUT OF PLACE.
And now we are face to face with the
second question. Do men generally
find the real place which belongs to
them, which they ought to fill? have
not had time to read Mr.. Mozoomdar's S
address of last Sunday, but / am told
that he outlined the belief Of the Hin
doc world in a destiny which rules and
determines the lives of men. I do not
think we are accustomed to believe IN
that kind Of destiny here, and yet, now
and then, you will hear people say Of
one who has failed, 1T was no fault Of
his condition, of his circumstance
there was some weakness in the man
himself I remember some years ago
reading an address by the late President
Garfield, I think, which was given be-
fore he became president. Referring
to the difficulties and struggles Of a
great many men and of the obstacles
they have to overcome, he expressed to
the young men who heard him the be-
lief that if there was anything in a
man it was sure to come out. In other
words, personality vas always mightier
than condition, and if man had it in
him to be great he would be great; If
he had it Ill MIN to be poet, he would
be poet; if he had it in him to be a
soldier, he would be soldier. If that
principle be allowed anywhere, it must
be universal principle. If we really
believe this, there would be no very
tender sympathy in our hearts toward
those who fail. We should feel that
people had got all they were capable OF
getting; that they receive all that be-
longs to them. But do not believe
that this is true. do not believe that
people, in spite of conditions and cir
kt. u u