The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1907-11-23
KEEP AT ONE THING EvRRLAsr1EaLY


A man may starve on dozen hall
learned trades or occupations, he may
grow rich and famous upon one trade
mastered, even though it be the hum
blest.
To succeed today a man must con-
centrate all the faculties of his mind
upon one answering aim, and have a
tenacity ofpurpose which means death
or victory. Every other inclination
which tempts him from his aim must
be suppressed.
Know one thing thoroughly. Do
something useful better than anyone
else-have speciality.
In these days of competition, con-
centration and specialists, the way to
success is the straight road of single
purpose.
Even Gladstone, with his ponder
Gus vet active hrei.,. d-.cia-ed ti.et \ :
could not do two things at once; he
threw his entire strength upon what
ever he did. The most intense ener-
gy characterized everything he under
took, even his recreation. If such
concentration of energy was necessary
for the success of a Gladstone, what
can we common mortals hope to ac-
complish by 'scatteration
Abraham Lincoln possessed such
power of concentration that he could
repeat quite correctly a sermon to
which he had listened in his boyhood.
DIR. o. w. Holmes, when an Andover
student, rivited his eyes on the book
he was studying as though he were
reading will that made him heir to
a million.
1t is the men who do one thing in
this world who come to the front. It
is the man who never steps outside of
his speciality or dissipates his individ-
uality. 1t is an Edison, a Morse, a
Bell, a Howe, a Stephenson, Watt.
1t is Adam3 Smith, spending ten
years on the Wealth of Nations. +"
1t is Gibbon, giving twenty years to
his decline and Fall of the Roman
Empire" !" 1t is Hume writing thir-
teen hours day on his History of
England. Itisa Webster, spending
thirty-six years on his dictionary. 1t
is Bancroft, working twenty-six
years on his History of the Uuited
States" 1t is a Field, crossing the
ocean fifty times to lay cable, while
the world ridicules. It Is a Newton,
writing his Chronology of Ancient
Nations" sixteen times. Itisa Grant
who proposes to Eight it out on this
line if it takes all summer. Itisa St.
Ignatius Loyola, training his relig-
ious like soldiers and concentrating
his powers to do only what would be
"for the greater glory of Cod"
These are the men who have written
their names prominently in the history
of the world.
A one talent man who decides upon
a definite object accomplishes more
than the ten talent man who scatters
his talent and his energies ard never
knows exactly what he will do. The
weakest living creature, by concen-
trating his powers upon one thing, can
accomplish something-the strongest
by dispensing his over many may fail
to accomplish anything. 1t is the
one sided man, the sharp edged man,
the man of single and intense purpose,
who turns neither to the right nor the
left, though paradise tempt him,
who cuts his way through obstacles
and forges to the front.
What a beautiful spectacle it is to
see youth going straight to the goal,
cutting his way through difficulties,
and surmounting obstacles, which dis
hearten others, as though they were
but stepping stones.
No matter what comes to him, sick
ness, poverty, disaster, ne never turns
his eye from his goal, and sooner or
later, he is certain to reach it.