Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-02-06

It is q very human disposition which
leads US to blame others for any short
coming of our own. Men who fail In
life always try to save their face" by
claiming that they have been the VIC
tins OF some personal injustice, or that
they have been hindered by some disad-
vantage under which they have been
placed by the social system. II they
can find some popular phrase to cover
their case they seize 1t with eagerness
and wear 1t to a FRAGILE by over-use.
The phrase which stands at the head
Of this, article is one which has been
fover-worked in recent years by men
who have failed, and who, being IN
willing to find fault with themselves.
have bitterly complained Of their age
They have talked about doors closed
against them by some unnamed hostile
hand, and have vociferously demanded
equality of opportunity for all men,,
quietly assuming that the varying con-
ditions among men arise only from dir-
ference Of opportunity. But their as
sumption is without foundation in fact.
Success or failure in life is not so
much a matter of circumstance as 9
matter OF character.
The original owner Of the famous
Comstock mine sold 1t for bottle OF
liquor and a cheap pony. If he had
possessed more sense and less love OF
liquor, he might have been one Of the
wealthiest men Of his day; but the blear-
ed eye of intoxication was blind to his
opportunity. 1t is impossible to give
to such q british and besotted nature
any equality of opportunity with men
of clearer heads and purer hearts.
When Thomas Edison was news
butcher on a train, he was using spare
moments to study electricity, both theo-
retically and experimentally. Thousands
Of news-boys had the same opportunity,
out they made no use of 1t. Thousands
Of other young men in colleges and uni
yersities had access to books, instruc-
tors, and laboratories which young Edi-
son did not enjoy; but they discovered
nothing and invented nothing. Indeed
the young men who have what are sup
posed to be the best opportunities gem
orally make the least use of what they
have. Most young men who have
wealth come to nothing in life beyond
the sorry careers Of "men about town" =.
The greatest achievements of the race
have been accomplished by men who
we're forced to struggle against hard
conditions. Homer and Milton were
blind. Moses and David were shepherds.
Most of the apostles were poor fisher
men. John Bunyan was a tinker, and
George whitefieId was the son OF a
tavern-keeper.
Men do not fail for lack of oppor-
tunity so much as from inability or In
disposition to use such opportunities as
they have. The Star of Bethlehem shone
in the eastern sky for all men to see,
but none but the Wise Men followed 1T
to where the infant Saviour lay All
their neighbors and friends saw it. and
so did the sheep in the fields and the
T., - uNv
sheep and dogs seeing It saw nothing
in It more than a bright light above
them which meant nothing to them.
The ambitious Herod saw 1t, and was
troubled; he found In It only an incite-
nent to murder. Scribes and Phar1sees
knew the prophecies about the birth
placeN of the Messiah, and lived round
about the little town OF Bethlehem;
but, busy with their microscopic criu-
cisms and petty traditions. they saw
nothing in the star to lead them TO
the feet of the newborn King. They
could not be moved by 1t to go so much
as a few miles to find out its meaning,
although the Wise Men from the East
with far less opportunity to know the
Scriptures, had come over long, peril
Gus, and expensive journey led by the
heavenly luminary. Having eyes to see
the seers from the East saw the light
which God sent to them, and the Al
mighty condescended to address them
through their own daily and nightly
tasks of watching the armament. to
meet them on their own ground. 1t IS
ever thus God guides the faithful and
diligent among men. He gives oppor-
tunities to busy men; to idlers He
brings confusion only. The law OF OPP
portuuity is Ito him that hath shall be
given, and from him that hath not shall
be taken away even that which he
seemeth to have.
There Is no worse sign of our times
than that which appears in the large
number Of querrulous men among us
who are idly waiting for something TO
turn up." and perpetually complaining.
while they wait, that they have no fair
opportunity in life. They do nothing
themselves and they discourage and de-
pnoralize others around them.
Our day is pre-eminently the day OF
opportunity. and Notwithstanding all
that is said about combinations which
hinder young men from rising, no young
man who shows himself capable and
trustworthy goes long without recogni-
ton. The market for integrity and IN
tAlIiRence was never more active. Thou
sands are failing, but not for lack or
equality of opportunity; they are fall
ing because they can not, or will not
deliver the goods"
IONS -pru 60 4ou pIuoo Oh '6I4unoo
uMo mo 10 6IolsIu TBuopnlpsuoo eul
SurlBSpssAuI kI1uspsd pus pIIoM sul
10 s1usmu1eAoS IBuoaulnsuoo lBeIS eVl
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'souspnIdsTIut pus lusmuIsAoS 10 suo!l
-ssub lss1S eQl suI6pn1s sBM Ell "'AleIs
-os,, psUBo 81 aBQA no sInoq snoIosIo
sunssM Iou 'slesIls sql luoqe kuss9TuIt
suTIspusM lou 'eoUJo STU vi SuIIpAsE
1ou sBM oh 'kpnls o. loeISeu 4unos
-oB lBul no loU PIP GU ana 'AuBW 4oU
e1sM s1usuo srFI 'IskMBI Sunok 3 20 ulBc
eul 1sssq uoIQM sepIuoIJJIp IBnsn 9ql
SuIlasm ssM puB 'BluBIlV vi MsI 10 cop
-ovId sul SuIkIl sBM uosUM MoIpooM
49, ---~< 1890 rrsrA aEA0av