The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1905-05-26
THE POWER OF A PURPOSE.
BY JAMES GORDON GILLESPIE.

nt JAmED GOhuuN GlLLkoflh.
No man yer achieved anything worth
mentioning without first having formed
a definite purpose. Hope which is said
to be the inspiration Of life and the
foundation Of happiness, is usually with
out reward when it is not backed by a
well defined purpose to something worth
while. Without the power Of a purpose,
hope descends to the level Of chance,
and chance is a poor asset in this age of
the world when merit means everything.
The young man who starts out in the
world with a purpose is the N that
succeeds. He usually learns to do one
thing and to do that n thing well.
He doesn't tribe with chance. He
doesn't sit and hope. He goes forth to
achieve some definite end-and he sue
ceeds.
Too often young men do not go to col
~lege-they are sent; they do not push
their way into life's calling but are
waiting to be led. They are limited In
range and lacking in ambition, and the
currents and the Inducements carry
them at will.
A purpose is the necessary condition
Of success. Nothing a take its place;
neither friends, wealth, talent, genius
nor education. They are alike power
less. They will do some things, prepare
the way and lend a helping hand. But
purpose must be there strong and true,
else nothing can be achieved.
"Not in the clamor of the crowded street,
Nor in the shouts and plaudits OF the
throng,
But in ourselves, are triumphs and de-
feats."
Every young man should form some
definite purpose as early as possible, for
"a boy without a plan or purpose Is q
sad affair.". He should keep his purpose
ever in mind, never doubling his ability
to reach the highest station in whatever
calling he may adopt. And until this
ability to concentrate his mental pow
ers in vigorous exercise to effect its
proposed object, he has not accomplished
the purpose he had in view.
1t has been said that "Man is the
!, architect of his own fortune" and the
experiences of every day life are con-
I ~stantly demonstrating the truth Of this
| assertion. 1t is not a question how
i much a man knows, but what use he can
make Of what he knows; not a question
| Of what he has acquired and how he has
been trained, but Of what he is and what
he can do, and last but not least, what
: he purposes to do. The higher the pur
t pose, the harder 1t is to attain. We
need not expect in the pursuit Of THU
purpose to behold our pathway strewr
0 with roses; our way at all times tintet
with the jeweled rays Of the morning
d sun; our thoughts as light as the heecy
Q cloud; but we must know that their
|, will be mountains Of obstacles; ther'
will come the night Of darkness withou'
a star; there will be the moment whe'
d purpose to all intents is dead; but il
9 shadow and sunshine, in peace or wal
i we must remember that at the end Q
n life's highway stands purpose enthrone
with success, and after the toll OF sunei
a ing. sweeter will be the reward whe
IT we stand beneath the clag Of success
O. victorious in our purpose at last. 1t ma
ic not always carry us to the goal Of on
nr ambitions but it is certain that v
r could never get there without It. shak'
le speare, after suffering many hardship
and the loss Of all happiness, went
H. London to retrieve his fortune and u
Al srdor with which be dung hiwsslf 10