The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1909-11-20
GREATNESS.

Probably no great thing was ever accomplished
by any man who, while he worked thought of the
fame that would be his, or secretly gloated over
the homage that his friends and the world would
| pay to him. 1t may be that some great work was
accomplished under such circumstances. but If
the thought of self glorifcation entered the mind
of the worker, one cannot but feel that the value
of his work was impaired; that the thing accom-
plished might have been better done if self had
been entirely eliminated 1t has been said that the
present age holds not as great have lived in
days gone by. But that thing has been said in
every age, and many useless lament has gone up
at the degeneracy of the present. and in the future
doubt there will be signs for the old DAYS as
there for the past. 1t may be, however,
that there is certain amount of fact in the oft
repeated sentiment regarding the men of the pres
en and past and if there is it can not be said that
the of the past have been more diligent than
those of the present in giving publicity to their per-
formances. No mans work is made more valuable
by being stamped with his individuality, and vet
it is hard to do any creditable thing and leave the
world to praise the work and wonder who its author
could have been. 1t is hard to forget ones self it
is also improbable when the rewards are passed
around. Even those who have been decorated with
the Carnegie medal for bravery, though thew no
doubt performed their heroic acts without Thought
of compensation praise, on the spur of the mo-
ment very likely feel perfectly satisfied with them
selves when they pointed out as heroes. And
pretty nearly all of us feel certain satisfaction
when we know that others are acquainted with our
good deeds and accomplishments, even if we have
to tell about them ourselves
The desire of men to have their names remam-
bered is evidenced very early in life MANY bow
has cut his initials into the smooth bark of the
beach tree that stood near the old swimming hole
where they remain today, darkened with age but
nevertheless monument tc his early egotism. adj
mired by the small boys of the present generation
But carving ones initials in the bark of tree is
an innocent performance indeed. Most men have
outgrown the desire to have their initials appear
on the trees in the neighborhood they frequent but
few there are who, having done something nartic
uary creditable, are averse to having their nomos
appear IN the newspapers in connection with tho
thing done. Nor is this feeling to be too Severely,
condemned. 1t is most natural to expect com
mendation for work well performed # is on1,
when the an1matlng influence is praise which makes
the seeking of it ignoble As long as man can
and does perform work for the love of the work H.
self or for the result. the quality of his accom-
plshment cannot be impaired by praise bestowed
upon him. But when man sets out TO accomnl;sb
some task for no other reason than to gain +bo
plaudits of the multitude he furnishes proof IF bs
weakness which it would be useless for him 70 o.
tempt to deny.
A conscientious workman no matter in ,vbo+
llne cannot be satisfied with his work if he can not
'hsclent1ously approve it. And the approval Of
q. own conscience ought to be the most sst;s-
lying thing ne can get from his work. The an
proval of others is of course an incentive 70 do
more and better work, but if one devotes HE +;n,o
to cutivating the approval of others his work ,s+
suffer IN proportion. Our Divine Lord whom Ho
was working among the people of earth furnished
a most perfect example of self-foroetfuIness
Throughout His life, He impressed upon His
hearers that His work was that of the Father He
never boosted of the miracles He performed nor
OF anything else. Instead, He taught that whose.
ever exateth himself shall be abased: and bo 4ho+
humbleth himself shall be exalted. This sbould f,,r