Evening journal., 1916-02-21
The Will of God


way train to the steamship before
you could complete your journey.
True. you might take a trip on the
cars, up and down the coast. but that
would not get you across the ocean.
So no process of thinking. simply, will
produce the result OF conversation.
There must be brought into operation
the agency OF the will When the
Spirit, through your conscience.
shows you what you ought to do. God
can do no more for you until with
His grace you are willing to do il.
An illustration OF the result Of in
decision is the case of President
James Buchanan. Before the Civil
War. when the Confederates we're
seizing the forts and arsenals, he sat
in the executive chair repeatedly say
ing to inQuirers. that he could do
nothing to prevent these seizures.
Historians have doubtless as yet not
given President Buchanan the justice
he deserves. He was not at heart dis
loyal to his country. The difficulty
was in a weak and vacillating dispo-
sition. II he had had the decision OF
character OF an Andrew Jackson, or
even Of a Theodore Roosevelt, as he
would have clinched his fist, "The
laws Of this country are going to be
enforced" we would never have had
Civil War.
This same spirit Of indicision was
the fatal weakness in the life Of Gen
eral George B. Mcclellan. In many
{ ways he was an ideal soldier and gen
/ eral. He was graduated at the head
of his class at West Point, and was
/ heartily beloved by his troop. who
called him Little Mack" But he
halted his army in front of those
wooden cannons at Yorktown. wher
! President Lincoln and the whole Cab
met were urging him on TO capture
Richmond. Historians on both sides
have agreed that had General McClel-
Ian pushed forward with aggressive
ness and decision he would have
shortened the Civil War at least two
years.
There are, indeed. two genera
types Of character; one may be called
the commercial type, the othel
the judicial. The banker, for exam.
pie, is called upon to make many de-
cisions on the spot. The judge, or
the other hand, weighs and considers
each case with careful deliberation
Yet there is this point OF likeness be-
tween them: in each instance. wher
the individual is certain what is the
right thing TO do, he does IT, That is
il he is a true man. No one could bC
successful in business who took an,
other course.
An example Of one type OF character
would be such a man as Bacon. tn,
philosopher He has used the deduc
tive system OF philosophy. the methO,
, OF Plato and Socrates, but gradual!
there dawned upon Bacon's mind
better method, the inductive system
He knew that to present these to III,
world would be in the face Of criti
cism and ridicule. But when he wa
convinced what he ought to do, h.
} published his discoveries TO the world
An example OF the other type o
character would be such a man a
: Wendell Phillips. that brilliant younl
, lawyer OF Boston. One day anOthel
young lawyer said to him. Phillips
} | want you to go out riding with mi
this afternoon, and with us will b.
two young ladies'" "All right" re
I piled Phillips, II will CO." "Bu
wait" said his friend. "do not answe
too quickly. for l want TO warn yo'
! that the young lady who is to accom-
pany you is a rank abolitionist, and
= lyou are not careful she will try d