The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-06-14

path of duty. We are too much inclined
 to seek those lines which offer the least
 resistance. There is a Danish proverb
 which says: Every one tries to cross
 the fence where it is the lowest This is not the best policy for those who are
 to fight the battle of life and be helpful
 to others. The law of human life Is the law of labor, sacrifice and struggle. Doubtless each one of you has considered more or less seriously what your life's work will be. It is to be hoped that you have selected that line of work for which you are best fitted. Above all things. be careful to see that you are fitted best for the work yon undertake, for man or woman is successful when he or she does well the thing they are best fitted to do. Some one tells a story of two little English girls-one the daughter or a curate and the other of an English
 bishop-who were quarrelling over the comparative success of their fathers in the ministry.
 My father can preach better than your father because he is Il bishop" said one. | That was too hard for the little curate's | daughter to answer-but she quickly re- covered and said: Anyhow, we have
 hen in our back yard that lays an egg every day"
 That's nothing" retorted the bishops daughter my father lays corner stone every week"
 FOLLOW Talent. If you have talent for music, take | music: if for literature, take literature; | or any other work which commends itself to your good judgment because of your felt ability to do it. but whatever you l do do not undertake something just be- cause your parents or friends think you ought to be this or you ought to be that. There Is nothing more distressing l than to see a misfit of a man or woman | through his or her entire life. There is 1 no success without love for ones work, | and the love of your work will be the l best evidence of your fitness for 1t. This principle axiom applies to every class | of people in every department of life. Success in ninety y-nine cases of a hun 1 dren Is along conservative and not me- | teoric lines. Hard work and personal sac rifce is the price of success. That person | who thinks he is a genious and depends upon that supposed gift, is almost certain | to be a failure. Edison when asked the | definition of genius answered: Two per | cent Is genius and 9S per cent hard | work" On another occasion he was asked
 If genius was inspiration. and replied: | No, genius is perspiration'
 l An analysis of every mans success 1 will show persistent hard work and dig
 l ging for years. Another element of sue l cess Is thoroughness. Do not be content with the average rather than the best. l Whatever you undertake to do, do that work to the utmost of your ability. It is said that by the llegible handwriting of | Napoleon he lost Waterloo, due to his 1 general Grouchy. mistakng the French | word meaning ''the battle is on' for the 1 battle is won" Therefore, not believing | that 1t was necessary to press forward, arrived too late.
 Above all. If we wish to succeed In the best and noblest way we should place sense duty and character at the head of he iat nf xFir which 1 to attain. Without these, which consti- | ute the highest principles of life, we will l fail. Let us place. then, higher value I upon education, refinement and charac- l ter than the mere possession of ma | terial things. Money Is a valuable thing | and of great benefit when applied in the | right way. Those who have education and | are providentially blessed with this
 worlds goods. bear great responsibilities, | and how great would be the success Of our community. our state and our country l if men and women of this class would | measure up to these great responsibilities. 1 There would be no lack of funds for the | schools and colleges. and our universities 1 would be the great instrument of good for which they are intended and our | charitable institutions, such as hospitals, l orphan asylums as well as those of Y. M. ] C. A, Y. W. C. A. and industrial schools | for the helpless and waifs. would not | languish Men and women who have been | thus greatly blessed should seflOusly coh-
 slider the fact that they are but trustees
 Of these great instruments of power i placed in their hands and that they must I Ime day render an account or their l stewardship In this great day of strenu- 1 ous living we are likely to lay too much
 stress on business shrewdness and think | too little of ethical training. The love 1 of money in this country, in many In | stances has caused men to do great | wrongs and to violate great trusts eom- | mltted to them but we must not allow | the exposure of corrupt practices to 1 paralyze our sense of discrimination. | While there are men in high places la | beled as thieves and rascals, yet there
 are plenty of honest and faithful men lv- ! ing who would surrender everything, even 1 life if necessary, rather than surrender their sense of honor and fidelity to duty. | We cannot be too careful in this age 1 when therc Is such a struggle for as- | tendency. we cannot indulge too much In
 self con roi Let us think over the maxim ] of old Emperor Wilhelm of Germany. l (Continued on Ninth Page)