Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1900-10-06
PERSONAL DETECTION.
importance OF Holding Ones Self In
nm Attitude Where a Correct View
OF Things May he Obtained.

Ahttie collection of aph orisms, recent
" printed but not published, contains
zmong other pieces of practical wisdor
and spiritual insight, this bit of advicel
protect your compass from persona
dehection." The protection of tLs
compass so as to preserve the nay;;SSs tor
from the consequences of detection is
Amatter of prime Importance. So much
study has been devoted TO this end that
the caring for the compass has become
a matter of science. A great many peo-
pile do not understand that the compass
which every man carries in his own
,snind is in danger of constant shifting.
from the pole by reason OF his own
temperament. habits, and personal ex-
Perience' The Judgment of great
many people is constantly vitiated by
the fact that ii ifbased largely, not on,
n broad observation of facts. but on
personal feelings, and on the reaction
AIRY effects of personal experience. Half
the pessimism to which men give ex-
preston in terms of general condemna.
ton OF things as they are arises from
personal failure or disappointment
The man who has failed in his own en-
Sterprises is always in danger Of finding
the reason for his failure, not in him
self, but in conditions, and in arriving
at wholly false conclusions in regard
10 those conditions. Nothing is so diff
cult as to keep ones self in perfectly
sane and real relations to ones work
ones fellows, and to the spiritual en-
Stronment of life. There are very few
whose days are not often clouded; who
are not hampered in working out their
ideas by defects in their own temper
and by the limitations of their own
sninds; but no man can see clearly and
Judge wisely who does not know these
things and take them into account.
When wise man finds himself in a
mood of depression, he may not be able
at the instant to throw it off, but he
refuses to come to conclusions while he
is under its spell, because he knows that
his Judgment is, for the time being
sitiated. There are great many days
when wise man refuses to act. be.
cause he knows that his compass is de.
fiected>
Perhaps the first element oNsuccess
In the largest sense of the word, is to be
able to put ourselves out of account in
reaching general conclusions and TAX
a4g final positions. Because a man is
ssG<, It does not follow that all society
IS out of joint; because man fails, il
does not mean that the industrial sys
tenn is wrongly organized; because 8
man does not attain his personal ambi
ton, il does not mean that he is in {
heartless world surrounded, by those
who will not recognize ability and char
scter. When a man begins to feel {
sense of personal injury, it is time FOL
Aim to take account of his own stat,
~ mind, and to ask whether he is no
out of true relations to his fellows b,
reason of his own attitude. Agains
theimpression which the moment gives
as Emerson suggested, must be put tn,
impression which comes from the yea
and the century; the detail must b,
viewed in the light of the completed
whole. Individual disaster must b.
constantly looked at IN relation to TIL
general order of things; and one of tn
anest achievements which an homes
wan can make is to be able to Olsen
4angle himself from the bitterness O
defeat or the anguish OF sorrow, an,
look at the world in an impersonal an,
Subjective spirit. A good many piou
snd wise men OF the mystical tempe
have sought clearness Of vision by with
drawing themselves from human RI
relationships and the entanglements G
practical affairs; but the finest yisio
81 that which man secures when,
ths naidst Of relationships and affair,
no f. able to look at the great whole G
1ife as if he wers standing apsrtfrol
ktssaadv there were no bitter pressur
sxron Ste impact on his own fortunes @
~ individual hsppirsss--N. r. Ou