The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1912-05-17

land Mary; Byron. Of the days OF bis
destiny bsing over. and Wordsworth. Of
his Solitary Reaper; to 90 with Dante
and Milton in their sublime, yet awful
flights. through fathomless space. he'll
and Heaven; to listen to Shakespeare s
characters laugh, weep and rave, and
say great things in great way, to lis
ten to the philosophers as they talk in
large terms, like the gods on Olympus;
to be with the historian in the worlds
great battles; to stand with Hannibal
in sight Of the glories of Rome; to 90
with Alexander in the world 5 conquest;
to see how empires have risen and
fallen; 10 follow the scientist back down
the dark wake OF thousands Of ages, or
be with him in the track of the stars,
and think Gods thoughts after him.
to listen to Christ on the mount, speak
ing as man never spake; to be with John
on lonely Patmos, and see Heaven re-
vealed with its thrones, its redeemed
and its angels-in one the reading Of
various great writers, to my mind, is
well worth the time nay, worth for
tune-for the pleasure it gives and for
the broadening and elevation it brings
to ones thoughts. A man, especially
busy one, can only read very few
books 10 lifetime, but he should see
to it that they are the greatest and best.
Reading, says Bacon, makes full
man. Reading broadens, deepens and
elevates one, extends his range OF inter-
ests, and proportionately, his sources Of
entertainment, profit and pleasure.
One should read thoughtfully, but
make it as far as possible pleasing
pastime between outdoor, and even Wig
orous, exercise. Man is not intended
to be slave or machine; he should
live for good and great purpose, in
deed, but also for the very JOY or pleas
ure OF living.
But what shall say OF the moral ma
ture, or character? A good character
usually means good name. And did
not Shakespeare say, good name, in
man or woman, dear my lord, is the
immediate jewel of their soul" An
exalted character is the browning glory
of the whole individual. 1t is kind
Of good angel that leads one in satisfy
ing ways Of peace and usefulness, max
ing even the footsteps seem almost RAJ
diant. How beautiful are the feet Of
those that bring glad tidings. /" Well,
character is good herald which nearly
always brings glad tidings Of hope,
cheer and peace to the soul. The ma
ture OF our thoughts, desires and inten-
tons is determined by the nature OF our
moral being. A low character, there
fore. means low thoughts, desires and
actions; while we'll developed and no
BILE moral nature means pure and beau
tiful thoughts, high aspirations and
honorable endeavors The building q
noble character, then, is the prime
thing in developing great personality
in preparing to do good and worthy
| life work, and to achieve at last a glo
rious destiny here and hereafter Coco
association, pure and elevated thinking
honest acting, and, above all, the fol
lowing Of that highest example Of RICH
living given by the lowly Gallilean
should be diligently practiced; and evi
associates, vicious thoughts and low de
sires should be sedulously weeded out
for,
"Aii these must FIRST be trampied down
Beneath our feet If we would gain,
In the bright fields OF Fair Renown,
The right Of eminent domainN
Build myself noble Character, ant
then thy thinking and impulses shall
be forever pure and high, and Thy
heart shall forever sing,
Build thee more stately mansion, oh my soul
AS the swift seasons roll
Leave thy iow-vauited past
Let each new temple. nobler than the last,
shut thee from heaven with dome more vast,
Till thou at length art free,
Leaving thine outgrown shell by lies unrestinl
sea-
EUGENE +. McSPEDDEN
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