The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1915-03-30
studied in this nervous age of rus
and rackleSSneSS.


ence sums up the law of achievement
with absolutely needed essential
"Fear God and keep His command
ments, for this is the whole duty OF
man"
j Every sane, sound life has whole
some ambition to attain. Only hope
less soul fails to have longing TO at
tain a goal and to reach successful
destiny.
Life is controlled by ideals. Jesus
recognized this law when he declared
"and if | be lifted ly will draw all
men unto me-" He, the highest ana
holiest of mankind, and the express
Image of the Godhead, could transform
men to his image if he could be raised
as the ideal of life. This is the teach
ing of true literature. This is the les
son OF Hawthorne's "The Great Stone
Face" Psychology teaches that what
ever is taken into the mind forms
| impressions that control habit, and
habits in time determine character.
| It, therefore important what we are
| taking into our minds. am not Opti-
mistic for the achievements OF tomor-
| row that are to come from lives that
are being fed upon the cheap picture
shows, and the vaudeville of the day.
There will be no basis for achievement
that is looking upon suggestive art
and reading of vice, and social vul-
garity in our current literature.
But conversions are facts. The Spir-
it of God can come and transform lives
until the things we once loved we
now hate, and the things we once hat
ed. we now love" But in fact, all such
redeemed lives are souls with broken
pinions that are necessarily limited in
achievement.
But is Solomons proposition true
as the law of attainment?
Let us think of this in the terms Of
the concrete. Let us test it by the
history of lives.
We want to study this by three fail
ures and by three successes. We will
take the failures from those who had
every advantage at the outset, and
the successes from those who Lad dis
advantages to begin with.
l. Samson. Physically the strong
est in physical age. Beautiful and
attractive socially, and loved and car
ed for by wise and Godfearing par
ents. He was well born and well
raised, and God helped. Yet he failed.
Why? Because he disregarded Gods
plain law At first he was an appar-
ant success, but in the end he was
miserable failure, and revengeful
suicide Poor, blind, self-destroying
Samson was defeated in the same
place where he disregarded God.
>. Saul. Physically a power. At
an age when stature was a requisite
and power of muscle was essential,
he stood a head taller than his coun.
trymen. He was modest of mind and
retiring of disposition. Both noble
characteristics. He was born at
fortunate time, when the condition OF
the age took his qualities and thrust
greatness upon him. He was chosen
to be king. He was annointed by the
prophet of God. Never was man given
brighter prospect. Yet he failed.
Why? Because he presumed upon
Gods law. He disregarded Gods or
dinances and Gods expressed will.
His repentances were too superficial.
He grew jealous OF men because he
was departing from God when God no
longer spoke through the prophet he
sought witchcraft, the occult fraud of
/ the age. and then. as now, the league
with the underworld, and came to his
own sef-inflicted end upon the bat
| tle-feld of defeat and disaster. Well
might we all pray with the psalmist
Keep back thy servant also from pre-
sumptuous sins. Let them not have
| dominion over me. Then shall | be up
right, then shall | be free from the
great transgression."
| 3. Judas. All that we learn of him,
/ indicates that he was mentally endow-
I'd in superior way. We learn that
he was chosen of the Master and
Great Teacher. He was trusted with
the funds of the chosen company. He
had every advantage in prospect, yet
he failed. Why? Because avarice en-
tered his heart. and revenge took hold
of his soul. This led him to spurn his
chance of achievement and to reach
the lowest depths of infamy. He bar
gained through his avarice to wreak
his revenge. He reached the lowest