Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1903-08-22
MIND YOUR BUSINESS.
W ords That Sound HarshIy, But That
Are "a True Ta1isman to
Success in Life.

The words haven't pleasant sound.
They seem harsh and curt, perhaps i'm
pertinent. Yet they form talisman to
success in life. Let us see. You are sup
posed to have some business that is
worth minding. 1t is follow to think that
it will run without any care. 1t deserves
close attention, not to the exclusion of
every other thing in life, but watchful
interest that includes every detail. You
must be its master, or you are it's serv-
ant, if not its slave. 1t makes demands,
but it is capable of returns, if rightfully
worked The ore is in the mountain, and
only earnest delving will bring it into
your possession. 1t is to be regarded as
worthy of your best effort 1t must
awaken confidence, perhaps enthusiasm.
Then it will occupy you SO you will not
have time to waste in folly.
Again, it is your business that is to be
minded, not your neighbours Much of
trouble in this life would be saved if peo-
pie would look more closely to their own
affairs and less to those of others for
whom they have no responsibility what
ever. 1t is your business to deal hon.
eStly in the sight OF God and man. 1t is
your business to do, in your appointed
place, the duty set before you and not
to aspire to that for which you may have
little or no special fitness. 1t is your
business to see that your own life is cor
rect, as judged by the Gospel standard,
and not to be going about with the Bible
scales weighing other people. It is
your business to grow in grace daily,
and not to intrOvert yourself and con-
tinually to look at the badness that, in
spite of every effort, you will find crop
ping out so often. 1t is your business
to make the world better, in so far as in
you lies, by example as we'll as by pre-
cept We are too prone to think that it
is not so very important that our words
and acts should correspond.
There will be times when you will
think that if only you could be called to
do some great thing in life, how eagerly
and how well, perhaps, you would do it.
But the ability to do great things comes
by using ones powers in smaller or less
important matters. 1t is the old story Of
beginning with the light weight and con-
tinuing day by day until the heaviest
weight seems no burden, because the
daily increase was SO small We are
qualified thus to heed the call that may
come to accept trusts of great magni-
tude. If the true metal is in us it will be
refined until it's value is known and its
best use determined.
1t is a great achievement to know your
place, and to be satisfied in it. We are
so continually given to wanting the place
occupied by some one else, and this leads
to envy and covetousness. There is a
proper ambition, without greed, honest
and right, and justified by human and
divine law. Without,it there is idleness
and ignorance and poverty. With it
there is industry and intelligence and
wealth. There is no excuse for absence
of right ambition, but you may be as
sured that with it you will always find
that it's owner is one who observes the
motto, mind Your Own Business. =
Philadelphia Young People.