The Newtown bee., 1905-04-14
THE HOME CIRCLE.
DECISION OF CHARACTER.
WRITTEN BY A sTEPNEY SCHOOL BOY
IN 1869.

A man who possesses decision OF |
character will have we'll defined pur-
poses, and be persistent in prosecuting |
them. II he encounters difficulties he |
will struggle to overcome them. If |
he Is subjected to trials and Affections
he will endure them. Such man will |
be elevated from the common level to
q high, respected, and honorable posi-
tion among his fellowmen, and render
ed more fit for useful sphere of labor.
All the manly qualities in him will be |
brought out and developed, (which |
otherwise would be nearly or quite |
concealed).
He must have moral principle as
basis to work upon, for without this,
his decision is but the pitiable obstin-
acy of q narrow, self-conceited mind.
Decision resting upon an intelligent
perception of what is right, is noble
element Of manhood and gives force
and strength to character. A mans
reputation is what others think and
say Of him; but mans character is
what he really Is In himself. And this
quality Of character is no more to be
obtained without effort than wealth
or any desired object; we cannot gain
it by the mere wishing for it. If gain
ed at all, it must be gained by earnest
and perSevering effort.
There must he an Intelligent and
calm reliance upon our own judge
ment and this must be sustained by
such conscientious convictions of duty
as neither the persuasions nor the
threats of Others can shake. The man
who Is SO conscious of the rect1tude of
his own intention as to be willing to
invite the scrutiny of the world is in
possession Of one of the strong pillars
of decided character.
Opposition 80 far from crushing out
the purposes and aspirations Of such
man, tends to rouse into action all the
resisting forces Of the mind; while a
man Of irresolute disposition becomes
disheartened and discouraged. But as
the strong wind which extinguishes
the blaze OF a candle, fans the power
full fire to still greater intensity, so
minded men, strengthen the deter
limitations of the resolute and fearless.
1t requires mental and moral force to
determine what Is right and then to
perSevere and adhere to these cenvic-
tions Of duty.
The minds of some men are like the
sands of the sea shore, upon which the
Impressions made are washed out by
the waves that sweep over it, while
Others are like the marble upon which
the chisel of the sculptor has engraven
remain until the marble itself crum-
tinually hesitating which of two
things he will do first, will do
neither. If he resolves, he may
change his resolutions at the first sug-
geStion Of friend. He will tiuctuate
from opinion to opinion and from plan
to plan, will veer like the weather
vane, under the influence of every
wind that blows, and will fail to &C
complish any thing great or useful.
Instead OF making progress he will at
best remain stationary or more prob
ably retrograde.,
1t Is only the man who carries his
plans into prompt execution, who will
ever rise to eminence in any thing. A
person who can easily be persuaded to
give up his own purposes and opinions,
Is liable to become mere tool in the
hands Of others. How much is such a
man respected and honored? He may
be petted and flattered at the time
when his services are needed, but aft
ter that he can be OF no further SER
vice, what becomes of his friends once
80 attentive.
A man of real decision has93a work
ing energy in himself; he is not de-
pendent on other men for incentives
to action, but is free and untrammell-
ed, while the man of indecision is ever
fettered and held in check and imag-
ines that circumstances are thwart-
ing him.
Decision lays one stone upon anoth-
er until it has reared up noble struc-
builds to-day, only to pull down to-
morrow, and ploughs up to-day, the
field which it sowed yesterday. Great
enterprises can only succeed in the
hands Of decided and earnest men,
Others may attempt noble achieve
ment, but they will inevitably fail.
The cable was laid along the oceans
bed, tunnels have been bored through
rock-ribbed mountains, the con-
tinent has been spanned from shore
to shore by the iron rail, distant and
strange lands have been explored only
by men Of determined aud heroic per-
MISUNDERSTANDING, "June 1863"