Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-12-20
MOUNTING BY MACHINERY
RATHER THAN BY MANHOOD
Bv Bishop Warren 4. Gambler


in machines There are machines Tor n.y.
ing. Our clothes are sewed by machines
and much of our food is prepared oy ma
chimes We do not climb stairs, but we
go up by elevators. BY these and many
other devices we escape effort ana Sc
cure ease.
From employing machines for all sorts
of tasks in making living, not a lie"
have come to seeking some sort OF ma
chinery for elevating life itself. Thou
sands of young men are trying to escape
struggle, and mount to eminence by some
sore of machine. Commercial, political,
and even ecclesiastical machines are
sought in order to attain an easy ana
effortless success.
The temptations to such course meet
young men on the threshold of life ana
move them to indulge an indolent naoit
of waiting for the elevator to come after
them and take them up, or adopt I'M
worthy schemes of climbing up some otn-
err way than by the way of meritorious
manhood.
The world seems to them crowded; the
whole field of success appears to be pre-
occupied. They have been told that there
Is room at the top, and they desire to get
there as quickly as possible and by all
possible means. They are impatient to
get to the top with all speed lest 1t too
DcCOIuc So CIOWuGu AAdI uO SdAASACiAs
SPACE will be left for them to stand on
when at last they have reached it. Some
are inclined to adjourn questions of con-
science until they get to the top where
they imagine right will be more feasible
and wrong less necessary than at the
bottom. This inclination is made strong
e. by the sight of men above them who
have secured apparent success by nefart-
Gus methods. They see tricksters In high
office and wealth obtained by unscrupu-
lous shrewdness Demagogues dominate
public opinion and scoundrels revel in
opulence. Why should not they triumph
by cunning rather than by character?
Thus often the very elect among our
young men are deceived.
Such seductive influences have met the
young men of every generation, but they
seem more afluring in our day of ma
chinery than ever before. Enormous for
tunes quickly made are more common in
oul country and our times than were ever
before known in the history of mankind.
Meretricious triumphs have been so fire.
quent among us that multitudes have
quietly and coolly assumed that our age
has outgrown the moral law, and that we
can set aside with impunity the most set
tied principles of right as obsolete things.
Such being the case, IL is time to assert
with emphasis the old fashioned principles
of life and to declare that they can not
be safely set aside to obtain any visible
success whatsoever. Right is right, and
wrong, though 1t be crowned with dia-
dems and enriched with countless treasure
and roll In limitless luxury, can not stand
before II. But he who would walk with
the right must take leave of all impa-
tience and must refuse to overtake sue
cess by any short cut. The way of right
eousness can not be pursued in a ma
chine; 1t Is the way of pilgrims and is for
foot-passengers only. In the end 1t leads
faithful and patient souls to large and
wealthy place.-the place prepared for
them and for which they are prepared.
Every Mt life attains at last its fit destiny
That destiny may not be one of COM
fort, but 1t will be one of character
which is far better. Th&. success Is de-
feat which when 1t Is attafMed leaves a
man weaker and wore IN s>is own soul
than when he started in pursuit of It.
And every success won, without effort by
the skillful use of machinery, weakens
life at its center, impairs self-respect, and
makes the character limp and dependent
Nothing can be more hurtful, therefore.
than quick and easy success achieved
without struggle and unaffected by the
educative and disciplining influence which
only struggle can impart to life. Success
thus won is of all things most uncer-
tain and fleeting. 1t brings more re-
sources on the outside than it's owner
has on the inside, thus discrediting him
while it lasts and departing from him
after a brief space.
This is why the sons of the rich so often
fail. Every thing Is made too easy for
them, and the misguided parents who
struggled to make them rich are scarce
ly in their graves before the fools and
their money have parted A Young man
whose inheritance is greater than his In
tellect and whose cash is richer than his
character has nothing but disaster be-
fore him. Every thing has been done for
him, but little has been done in him.
He Is most truly the unfortunate victim
of fortunate circumstances. No young
man, whose lot is one OF struggle
and economy, should envy him for one
moment.
1t is a most happy thing when a mans
fortune grows with his own growth.
When he reaches success in that way, his
circumstances fit his character as a
crown becomes a king. But eminence
in position without eminence in character
makes disgrace conspicuous. THE higher
a monkey climbs the more he shows his
tail" Elevation without evolution makes
a sorry showing.
On the other hand, when one arrives
at eminence legitimately, he is master of
the situation. 1t is neither a surprise
to himself nor to others. 1t appears to