The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1903-10-28
Temptations of Social Life.

The temptations of social life largely
arise from a false sense OF proportion. We
are like men who stand so close to some
outiuttng rock that they cannot see the
mountain. We are so close to our imme--
date work, says the Congregatonalists
that we cannot realize that it is only a
part of our true lite. The whole duty OF
man cannot be bounded by the apparent
requirements of business success. 1t takes
account OF relations to God as well as self,
to others as certainly as to those who are
dependent on US. We may praise diligence
in business with r good conscience only so
long as we combine with it the other re-
quirements Of the APOSTLE In diligence
not slothfu; feryent in spirit; serving the
Lord" Because we have our place in the
social order and business competition to-
sustain. we must study the proportion of
these claims to the demands of our filia1
relation to God and our brotheriy relation
to men. 1t will be serving the world badly
if we succeed in Offering it successful
business at the cost OF giving it q near
and petty and degenerate man.
There is a certain cynically allterativc
rule of life which charges young man to
get on. get honor, get honest" The
stress of business competition seems to call
for some such progress by way of success
to position and self-respect. 1t is real
and constant temptation, only to be met
by remembering that If the man makes the
business. the business also makes the man.
Even success may he too dearly bought. It
may be spending life to climb the rock
when the real mountnin Of vision and
honor is behind it, 1t may mean so short
sighted perspective that time fills the
vision while eternity is out OF sight, and
that the praise of men NAV satisfy while
the praise of God may be forgotten or re-
fused. The business man needs the sense
of proDortion which takes account of God
as well as man, of old age as well ms matur-
ity. of self-respect in days to come as well
as the servility which follows wealth to-
day.
The comnanion of this desire to get on in
business at any cost is the social rivalry
and display which i always with us. but
which has never reached larger proportions
than in our recent prosperous times. It
is 4 glamour which takes possession of the
soul and destroys tho sense of great and
small. OF true and false. 1t cvades defini-
tion. it escapes ANALYSIS. It turns sensible
men and women into foolish ones, COM
potency into the strain of poverty. wealth
into a real indigeuce, because the thing de-
sired is always Just hevond the reach cf
those who seek it. This social ambition
which on the one side seeks self.glorifica-
tion by lavish display ard on the other by
despising those who are lower in the ranks
OF fashion becomes II destroyer of the
brotherhood Of men, a contradiction OF the
Christlike spirit.
Here too, sense Of the proportion of
our life, a sense of the dignity OF every
child Of God is the corrective for this in
sanitv of false ambition. The resources
which are employed for service are the
true satisfactons Of the social instinct, and
bring the true reward Of honor. To seek
with feverish endeavor the praise Of men
is always disappointing. To lel t. praise
of God sooner or later also brings in its
train the honor and the love of men.