Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1909-03-18
Subject: The Elements Of Success.

Text, II Tim. At: ct have fought
the good fight; I have finished my
course: I have kept the faith"
Paul draws us a picture here of a
man who has been fighting with the
cestus and who, full of honors and
glory, with the laurels of victory on
his brow, lays down his instruments
of hostility. He pictures a runner
who has gone the curse, who has
run the race and has won, and who
has received the palm of victory. He
depicts a man who in the affairs of
the spiritual life has been true to
his Maker and his God and is upon
the threshold of entering into the VIC
tory of the life eternal.
This assertion Of Paul that he has
fought a good fight, has finished the
course, has kept the faith, is the as
urance Of a man who was successful
in all that to which he laid his hands.
Paul was a man who had attained,
who had reached his reward, who had
gained success. He had put into
effect certain plans that he had for
the ordering of his own life and the
betterment Of the men and women
with whom he had come in contact.
He had executed arrangements for
the preaching of the blessed news of
Jesus Christ, and he had his eyes
fixed not so much on what he had
accomplished as upon the victory
which he had achieved, upon the
crown which was awaiting him when
he should go into the presence of the
Lord his God.
st. Paul was a man who accom-
plished. He not only put tasks in
motion; he fulfilled them. He was
a man who achieved much. In a
world where so many of us do things
in a small way, he did things might
lily and i%nspiringly. He was a man
whose achievements were like unto
the mighty victories won by Christ.
This success Of Paul is the ideal Of
every man and every woman. This
victory and success which crowned
his efforts is the desire of every hui
ma heart that is normal. There is
not n Of us but has dreamed Of
mighty things, but has longed for
ability and power to accomplish great
things for God and man; none of us
but who, in our youth, and perhaps
in later days, has reached unto great
er things than any we have yet &C
complished, for this power Of Paul
to execute and effect. :
This ability to affect the whole
history of the lives Of the men with
whom he m in contact is the de-
sire and the ideal of every human
soul. But our great question is, how
shall we achieve? how shall we &C
cOmplish that to which we lay our
hands? how shall we execute the task
which under God is given us to do?
How shall we attain, how shall we
achieve, each in our peculiar sphere,
according to our peculiar ability, that
we may do something either small or
great for the veal of men and for
the glorious peopling of the Kingdom
Of Jesus Christi.
It seems to me that there are four
elements that enter into success, four
things that are necessary that we
shall be able to do a work for God
q q shall count, a work that shall
amount to something for the veal OF
men, for the betterment of lives
about us, for the satisfaction Of ou1
own ideals.
A man cannot do very much unless
hrst OF all he has some self-apprecia.
ton. That is not to say he should
nave egotism; that is not to say thai
ne d1sdains others, not that he
weighs himself In the scales to the
Encouragement Of other men; but II
Is to say that he has placed himself
effectively over against his own per
sonal1ty and has sized himself .ups SC
that he has a frst-class and frs
hand idea Of his own ability. It /.
a good thing to have an appreciation
OF our own abilities, a better to hav.
a~comprehensfon OF our own sHmita
lions; but, while. it is a good thing K
know u own limitations, I am !,
profound believer that we know to,
many times the extent of, our limita
lions and not Of our abilities. w,
.Eseem to think that what other mel