The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1911-05-04
MOTIVES
By HENRY 2. COPE

rExT-Thou didst well tia, Il wae 4,
thine heart-L Kings. STA
by their motives men arc both
measured and made. These are the
motors. the engines OF our humanity.
Fortune may offer many aIlurements
and fate may seem 10 lay many a lash
on our shoulders. but when and how
we shall reach the goal and whether
that goal be worth the race depends
ON the character and power Of the
ideals and desires within us.
Many a life lies by the wayside. on
the junk heap that on superficial ex.
animation seems TO be an admirable
piece Of mechanism. IL lies there be-
cause II Ia Just that and no more. only
mechanism, Intricate. adjusted. pol.
ished, but poverless. valueless for
lack OF n sufficient dynamic force. a
power and motion OF its own.
Efficiency Is u plendid thing, wholly
desirable and essential. bu; life de-
mands also sufnciency. motive AZ wen
AZ mechanism. Schools and daily ex-
perience give us the training "a eff
cheney. but from within must arise tho
dynamic forces. the motives. passions,
aspirations. and real powers OF the
personality.
Tho sun Of our motives makes the
purposes Of our lives and this deter.
mines the course We 40. the work We
do. the character We have. and the
destiny that rs ours. The deepest need
of every life IL a passionate purpose
IN living, an end and goal tha; calls
forth all the possibilities ana eplists
all the powcrn.
Lies purpose depends ON its
philosophy. thai, IL your aim and goal
will depend on your Interpretation Of
the meaning OF life. ON tho answer
which you make Ia life's significance.
What h tie meaning Of u all 10 your
IL II but accident or chanceg Then
you will drift without purpose Is IL
a bloody fight? Then you will wage
war for yourself and against all 9th.
ers. Are there Yet higher purposes
running through alls Then you will
seek them.
In a most important sense this an
swer which a man makes 90 the enig-
ma OF living constitutes his religion
and religion becomes the dominating
motive In life For religion surely Tor
as all. as for all people and Ia all
time. Is our conception OF tina; which.
for US. Is highest and best, that which.
because u seems % Us 10 give mean
ng TO existence. furnishes the motives
for whichever We may be and do In the
world
This has been at the root OF all
high endeayor: this spirit accounts Tor
all great and worthy work the world
has seen. Because they have believed
that existence has meaning only ~ Il
contributes to progress. only as Il
finds trlsitaKe in larger. noblsr being.
they have rejolced On lay down lie N
need be- that the race might ind
larger life
Faith IN tho future. hope for our fel
lows. love OF that which Is highest and
best fuse together and make a suffl-
cient motive for living and toiling.
And life is a tedious business. without
such motives. A man becomes merely
q part Of the bread winning macaine.
a slave bound 20 the wheel. unless no
has some sense of his own NE as be-
ing worth while foT the contribution
:, makes 10 all NE
Youth abounds with high motives
normally: the years often blast them
with the curse OF cyuiclsm. We des-
roll our cwn hearts and steal our own
happiness whenever we allow the EN-
differing experiences OF daily living 20
take from US the faith that Il IL pos
sible TO do good. Go increase the
worlds store Of Joy and strength and
hope. and 10 make our lives worth
something 60 our times.
When all has been said and all
other ways tried we find that the only
motives that give perennial satisfac-
ton and constantly strengthen the
heart are the unsalflsh ones. One gets
weary OF gaining. but never of giving.
Ambition falters on its wings. But
the aspiration 90 serve. TO help. TO
bless. To cheer. 20 love never dies
down.
You may measure any mans re-
iigion by the extent TO which II aets
as constant motive IN his life.
whether II gives him vision OF the
life that awakens an enthusiasm for
living. OF a world that Is worth Nv
ing in and dying for and race that
has such promise in itself az to can
for the investment Of all tina; Is
Sorthy In us.