Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1911-05-04
MOTIVES
D. HENRY =. COPE

TExT-Thou didss well that II was In
thine heart-I Kings. s;is
BY their motives men are both
measured and made. These are the
motors. the engines OF our humanity.
Fortune may offer many allurements
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 70 De an admirable
piece % mechanism. Il lies there be-
cause Il Is Just that and no more. only
mechanism. intricate, adjusted. pol
ished. but powerless. valueless for
lack Of a sufficient dynamic force. a
power and motion Of its own.
Efficiency Is plendid thing. wholly
desirable and essential. but life de
mands also sufficiency. motive a. well
A. mechanism. Schools and daily ex-
perience give us the training in Ell
cheney. but from within must arise the
dynamic forces. the motives. passions.
aspirations. and real powers Of the
personality
The sun Of our motives makes the
purposes Of our lives and this deter.
mines the course ~e go. the work we
do. the character We have. and the
destiny that Is ours. The deepest need
Of every life Is a passionate purpose
In living. an end and goal that calls
forth all the possibilities and enlists
all the powers
LIES purpose depends on its
philosophy that 10 your aim and goal
will depend on your Interpretation Of
tie meaning Of life. on the answer
which you make to LIES significance.
What Is the meaning OF Il all to you7
Is II but accident or chance7 Then
you will drift without purpose Is Is
a bloody fghtt Then you will wage
war for yourself and against all 9TH
ers. Are there yet higher purposes
running through all. Then you will
seek them
In q most important sense this an
swer which a man makes TO the enig-
ma OF living constitutes his religion
and religion becomes the dominating
motive in life. For religion surely for
us all. as for all people and in all
time. is our conception OF that which.
for US. is highest and best, that which.
because II seems to US to give mean
ing to existence, furnishes the motives
for whatever We may be and do in the
world.
This has been at the root Of all
high endeavor. this spirit accounts for
all great and worthy work the world
has seen. Because they have believed
that existence has meaning only as It
contributes to progress. only as IL
finds fruitage In larger. nobler being.
they have reioiced to lay down life If
need be that the race might find
larger life.
Faith in the future. hope for our fell
lows. love Of that which is highest and
best fuse together and make sufti-
Client motive for living and toiling.
And life Is tedious business. without
such motives. A man becomes merely
a part OF the bread winning machine.
a slave bound TO the wheel, unless he
has some sense Of his own life as be
ing worth while for the contribution
II makes to all life.
Youth abounds with high motives
normally: the years often blast them
with the curse OF cynicisu- We des-
poll our own hearts md steal our OWE
happiness whenever ne allow the en-
differing experiences OF daily living 10
take from as the faith that il Is pos
sible 20 DO good. 30 Increase the
worlds store OF JOY and strength and
hope. and TO make our lives worth
something 70 our times.
When all has teen said and al
other ways tried we ind that the only
motives that give perennial satisfac-
ton and constantly Strengthen the
hear are the unsslnsh ones one gets
weary Of gaining. but never Of giving
Ambition fzlters on its wings But
the aspiration 70 serve. 10 help. TO
bless. 70 cheer. 20 love never dies
down
You nav measure any mans re-
rx.cn D. TIE extent 20 which x acts
zs constant motive II bis life.
~heths- l. gives ain a vision Of the
rfe tsat a~akeas a enthusiasm for
nvsnz. . = vorld hat IS worth Nv
.-g Z szd dying fur and = race that
has such promise n ITSELF as % cali
fer TIE Investment o. al that s
worthy n ia