The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-09-20
Advce to Young Men.

the store.
 Advce to Young Men.
 Young men, how are you going to spend your evenings during the coming winter2 What books are you going to read? What night school and course of lectures are you going to attend? How are you going to improve your mind2 What Is that bit of pasteboard sticking out of your vest pocket? Is 1t policy ticket or an admis- sion to one of the low variety shows that are crowded every night with young men who are trihing away the precious mo- ments of youth? Is it a ticket to our great circulating library filled with the noblest thoughts of the noblest writers who have ever lived? As Napoleon Bonaparte once declared that every soldier who was re- cruited in the French army carried the possibility of marshals baton in his knapsack. so every young man carries the possibility of future success In his make up if he rightly improves his leisure. Matthew Arnold. the son of the great Dr. Arnold of Rugby, asserted this when he visited America some years ago. He was standing at the time In the great Boston library, looking at a little ragged boy, with his bare feet perched upon the chair rung while he was reading and ab- sorbing a Life of George Washington" Matthew Arnold said. Tn this great coun- try every young man can make success if like wonder unknown boy. he will im- prove his spare moments" Are you going 10 dissipate and fritter away your even ings during the coming winter? Are you going to study hard so that you can be- come something better than a mere under ling? Will you promise me not only to work hard during the day but also to study the right kind of books for your mental grist by night? Will you endeavor during your play hours to broaden your- self mentally and physically instead of sacrificing your life as thousands have done and will continue to do at the gilt tering altar of pleasure?
 But there is still one more great essen- tal for true success. It is the quality to which we give the name of magnetism The rewards of success come to men who not only do their own work well. but in- spire others to do their best During our school days we recognized this influence in college sports We elected the captains of our baseball hines not only because they could play ball well. but also be- cause they had the right kind of influence over their men. They could personally set them the right kind of examples and would allow no drinking or carousing. When on the diamond their mere pres. ence. as we boys used to say, would steady the team
 A Glorious Race.
 We have lately had the example of what this personal influence could do in business. A young man yet in his thir- ties has just been elected president of the great steel trust. Why? Because when MT. Corey was placed in any position of responsibility he could not only decrease expenses, but by his personal example get better work out of the men than any one else. As personal influence amounts to so much, how can we have a better n- huence for good than by a public profess sion of Jesus Christ? When the Swedish soldiers followed Gustavus Adolphus down from the far north they did not fight for him because he was Gustayus Adolphus, but because they felt he was a noble Christian. consecratlng his life to the Lord God Almighty. When the invasion of Usedom first took place the king of Vienna and his courters laughed loud laugh of scorn "Oh," said they, the snow king and little band will soon be melted by our southern sun" But the prayers of Gustavus Adophus com mingled with the prayers of his followers until at last the victories of Leipsc and Lutzen were the results. and the reforma- ton started by Martin Luther was saved. So from a mere selfish standpoint 1t pays to be Christian. It pays to let your fe- low men know you are living for the di- vine cause.
 Why. the enemies of Christ have again and again proved that from a mere selfish standpoint it always pays to be Chris