Kansas City daily journal., 1896-09-06
House Bu,ld,ns-ch.racter Building.

K
G. H. Hepworth. in New York Herald.
A workman that needeth not to be
ashamed.-lI. Timothy, ills.
When child comes into this world he
comes without any character at all. He is
simply bundle of latent energies, a fagot
OF possibilities or a piece of white paper
on which. as time goes on, he will write
the history of a soul and demonstrate its
success or failure. The science of heredity
teacnes US that he may have strong ten
dencies to either good or evil, but when his
reason puts the crown on his head, as Ma
po.eon did at Notre Dame. he is in full
command of himself and can settle his des-
tiny beyond peradventure. If he is long
sighted he will see that he must not be-
come the creature of circumstance, but
must bend circumstance to the accomplish
ment OF high, noble and divine purpose.
religion comes to his aid and tells him,
just as an old man would tell a young
man. that one course of life will in the
long run. however enticing 1t may be at
the beginning. produce misery both of body
ana mind. and that another course Of life
VIII In the long run produce satisfaction
ana happiness. That Is the chief function
OF religion. and that is the only kind Of
religion which can r;ghtfully claim his at
tehtion. 1t Is mans best friend, because
II teaches him to seek his best good. Re-
hs'on Is the science which tells US how to
produce the highest results. and as such no
man can AFFORD to be Indifferent to it.
II you traverse the sea you need a COM
pass and chart. If you travel through a
strange country you want a guide book. II
You hope to attain eminence in any pro-
1ession and to reap profit from II you must
make yourself familiar with the funda-
mental principles of that profession. For
a precisely similar reason and with pre-
cisely the same end In view, you must
know what you want to do and how it
can be most easily done when you stand
on the threshold of your career and look
forward with hope. You want religion
but 1t must be religion of common sense
House building and character building
are governed by the same principles In
both cases the task Is difficult-that is, il
you are to have a house that will prove
satisfactory. If you slight your house you
will never have what you want. and il
you slight your character you will never
become what you hope to be. There are
pretty stern laws underlying both struct-
ures. and it is better to take pains while
building than to have pain after the work
Is completed.
Ihere is. however, one serious difference
between these two undertakings. II you
build house and don't like 1t, you can get
rid OF it, though perhaps at a loss: but If
you build character and don't like It, You
will find yourself in very serious trouble.
Your character is really your self and If you
don't like yourself, when the time for care.
full examination arrives you will be COM
PEELED either in this or in some other world
to take the whole thing down, even to the
foundation stones. and build all over again.
The text is rather startling in Its intima-
tions. Think of yourself as standing on
some lofty vantage ground of the future
life with eyes frightened by new powers
OF vision and mind that sees critically
and judges impartially-think of yourself
looking back on what you have done in
this life with the consciousness that You
have been workman that needeth not to
be ashamed. God gave You the plan. and
you built in accordance with 1t. You were
wise enough to know that you knew very
little. and SO took your cornerstones from
the divine quarry of the Sermon on the
Mount. You were no bungler, but a mas
ter workman, and though your house is
not perfect. still it shows honest endeavor
and the ambition to do the best you could.
That Is my idea Of heaven, for heaven Is
within, not without. When a man has such
feelings in his heart he is already in heav-
en-. whether he lives in this world or in
any other world. Such a man Is accepted Of
God. whatever his color, or his social DO
sition. or his creed.
Then. again, think Of yourself awaking
from the sleep Of death and after becom-
ing used to the new environment looking
back on your past life and recognizing the
awful fact that 1t is direful failure The
winds have beat against that house and 1t
fell. and great was the fall of 1t. You see
what God did for you and how wretchedly
you undid yourself. What regrets must
torment you, and how you will hate your
self! A life deliberately spoiled and de-
spoiled. wasted. wrecked. And all because
you had no plan, or. having one, built in
defiance Of 1t. That is my idea of hell, and
I can conceive Of no agony more poignant
than for such man to look from the face
Of plying Father to his own desperate
failure amid the opportunities of his NOR
tai life. He'll is simply the displeasure Of
God mingled with your condemnation Of
yourself. Birthstone fires are nothing in
comparison with the flames of remorse and
self-reproach.
Build your character Just as you would
build home. Solid masonry and sound
timber! The labor done by a workman that
needeth not to be ashamed! God and Christ
and the angels will then come and take up
their abode with you, and when you step
out of the earthly tabernacle you will be
welcomed by the glorious company above.