The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1903-05-22
THOUGHTS.


= OF the current drove The ship Wher
the winds rendered il helpless
1t is a bland and pleasant but also 4
dangerous philosophy to look on IN,
wrecks in our own lives, our wrecked
hopes and ideals, our wrecked nobility
OF purpose, and to say that all the die.
aster was unavoidable, that circum.
stances were against Us. that things
would persist in going wrong no mat
ter what efforts we made to the con-
trary. This is a dangerous philosophy,
because ii is a self excusing one.
When our hopes are wrecked, when
our plans 20 all away, the most whole
some and helpful method is TO look
within first for the explanation, aud
not to imagine at the outset that the
wreck arises from some outer, unseen,
sinister will opposed to our own. II
AN engineer discovers machine run
ming out Of order, he does not look
around for the "Prince of the Power Of
the air" to find an explanation. He
looks his machine over To find the
trouble.
Fate aud chance aud luck, "a expla-
nations Of failure, are largely lazy mems
explanations. The truly noble look
within first and then seldom liud it
necessary to look outside for an expla-
nation Of failure.
lie who would do great things for
himself, or great things for the world
he who would move mountains Of err
ror, he who would draft for his fellows
the slough Of despond, must ever be-
his own harshest critic We are all
imperfect in our execution Of plans.
yet now and then the world breaks /
out in praise Of our efforts a. if we were
already Perfect Then are we I'm great /.
est danger Oferroneous views Of our own .
proves. The truly great man sits in
Judgment Of himself, and the clatter
and chatter Of praise disturb him not:
for he knOws-hOw well he knows
how many weaknesses and hidden
failures and imperfect modes of execu-
ton and methods Of expression lie
back Of what the world calls success.
The voice Of the worlds praise full Of
ten makes a man deceive himself, 50
that it becomes the last thing to which
a man should lend his ear. Its pleas
ant, it is soothing, it is moral opiate,
ieadening the keen sense Of self iudg-
nent
One OF our great men when tempted
o departure from what he thought
vas right said words to the effect that
here was one man with whom he had
o live, with whom he had to die, and
whose respect he valued above every
hing, aud that man was himself He
Who knows himself knows full well
weakness if he has one and though
he world may not see that weakness.
ot know it, positively not believe in it.
he man who has ii knows that it ex-
lains much that the world might call
Misfortune and disappointment, and
furthermore no matter how success.
lily man may conceal it from the
'orld II is the worm gnawing at the
cart Of his endeavOr, until it Is cast
at, success in his effort is not truly
eserved and praise is III bestowed
1t sounds almost fatalistic, and yet
is 50 generally true rs to he almost
)solutely true, that we all rise as high
we deserve to rise, that we achieve
hat we are fit for and no more, that
e fall short Of purposes because our
dgment Of our life is at fault. To
IN who wills to rise there is absolute
no limit to his possibilities, except
e limit within himself. To him who
ould serve his fellows, there are no
unds to the fields Of his endeavor or
e triumphs Of his accomplishment
cept the limit within his own heart.
as, it is true that outer obstacles are
nothing to the man who wills 10 de.
II them, 1t is the inner obstacle that
most difficult to vanquish. The man
40 does vanquish himself can live on
m heights Of quiet contentment and
lgnation, whether the world praise
blame, whether the world under
nd the motive or not.
he gems OF Natures treasurer chest
lude the casual passer by
he Jewels that she loves the best
re hidden from the vulgar eye.
y sunny glow or moonbeam pale.
D clustered trees and meadows fair.
splendid sweep Of hill and dale
ne shows to all a beauty rare.
~ IN fantastic caverns deep,
meath the oceans wild alarms
where the mountain echoes sleep
le hides away her choicest charms.
nd they who would her wealth appraJse
trappings, from herselfaparL
iy revel in her rich displays
It never know her gentle heart.
ey can not read her large device.
rightly sean its scope immense
see In blood-stained sacrifice
ultimate benehcence.
doth the truth herself reveal
ih fnal purpose dimly seen,
d seemeth as the wanton wheel
AZ Whirls without some strange machine.
zen Natures book we read Alright
d seek its sequel strange 10 guess
y each perplexing page be bright
tn rays from lamps OF kindliness.
LEASED TO DO IT.