Great Falls daily tribune., 1919-06-09
CONCENTRATION IS SECRET
Of THE SUCCESSFUL LIT
|ev. Dr.. MacHatton Points Out the Way to Sue
cess for Graduates Of Central High School in In
spring Baccalaureate Sermon-Auditorum Is
Crowded in Honor Of Boys and Girls.

a Successful Life" was delivered by
v. DIR. Burtis R. MacHatton, pastor
the Congregational church. as the
fealaureate sermon for the S4 mem
5 of the graduation class of the Cen
high school in the auditorium Of the
DOL last evening.
Before beginning the main part of his
mon, DR.. MacHatton took the occa-
b to congratulate the members Of the
ss on their accomplishment, in showing
hugh will and perseverance to stick
i the four years Of high school, de
Ee other attractions, and to fight the
tie to the end. In his sermon, the
aker Of the evening stressed the ne
sity Of concentration and application
make a success Of life, basing his
on the Philippians 3:1314, This
thing I do, ! press on toward tbs
unto the prize of the high calling
God in Christ Jesus"
he auditorium was tastefully decorat-
in rhe colors of the class and the
Eform with cut flowers and plants
Fisher trio and the choir Of the
hgregational church rendered an ex-
ent musical program. The auditor
was well filled and the members Of
graduating class were warmly ap-
L1ded as they marched in. Junior
IS served as ushers.
sey. MacHatton spoke as fbllows:
The Baccalaureate Sermon.
1t is a delightful feature of the st
lPs letters, that tho, official and
(stolic, they are so pervaded BY has
sonality. All the great truths he
ches seem to have passed thru the
nbic Of his own experience, and we
eive the divine message by the most
nan Of messengers. In these two
ses he tells us the secret of his
cess. No higher standard or ideal
possibly be set before human soul
the presence of such a model, it be-
hes those who are looking forward to
ffe-work Of their own to pause and
sider.
Paul borrowed this figure Of press
toward the goal from the athletic
1ium in the town Of Tarsus where the
hmian games were held. The whole
the two verses from which the text
taken is couched III the language OF
athlete. In Imagination Paul is
again in Tarsus, the home Of his
hood. He has followed the stream
spectators to the athletic field, and
the great grand stand looks down
n the 1sthmian games. He sees
in the splinters at the crimson line.
" have trained away every ounce Of
erfluous flesh; they are stripped TO
waist and bound tightly about the
S; their best foot is forward ready
the first leap which shall give them
rood start; their eyes are on the
BILE goal; every muscle is tense.
is they stand in line waiting for the
hal. The trumpet sounds and they
off like the wind. Their bodies are
ding forward, their feet hardly touch
sanded course, no glance is thrown
kward Only one thing they see, the
at the end. One thing they do,
press toward the mark. The apos-
has his figure He writes, So run
forgetting the thing which are be
and reaching forth unto those things
ch are before, this one thing I do, !
ss toward the goal for the prize Of
high calling Of God in Christ Je-
Here is the secret Of a successful
concentration Of purpose. why do
lead such a solitary life?' asked q
md Of Michael Angelo. Art is a
Gus Mistress replied the great sculp-
she requires the whole man
Concentration Brings Results.
All great men have been noted for
power Of concentration, which
ses them oblivious Of everything out
Of their aim. Victor Hugo wrote
re Dame during the revolution Of
while the bullets We're whistling
bss his garden. He shut himself in
room. locking his clothes up, lest
should be tempted to 60 out and
Id most of that winter in a big gray
fort pouring his soul into his work.
As in literature, 50 in are. genius
Intensity. The great musical COM
y FRS, Beethoven, Mozart. Chopin. sue
led because Of their concentration up
bne great aim. They were not hard
t today. and then tomorrow potter
around at something else. A New
K newspaper advertised d sure re
to prevent a shot gun from scatter
and when someone wrote for the
Yer, the illuminatin reply was to
Fent shot-g from scattering, put
put a single shot
1T is the men who do the one thing
his world who reach the top. Who
he great inventor? Edison, who
er steps outside his speciality. Who
the historians9 Bancroft, devoting
years to his history Of the United
Fes; Gibbons, giving 20 years to his
line and Fal! ~ the Roman Empire.
are the great generals? 1t is
ht who proposes to fight it out along
line if it takes all summer A
oleon. who always concentrated his
es upon d single point These are
who have written their names prom
tly III the history Of the world.
And 50, as you study this question
how Won will make success Of
life, you will if you are wise. try
lit the things that offer themselves
FOu and find out what your things
In seeking for the causes Of fail
in life, we find that it is the in
rlmlnateness Of most mems lives
impresses lis. Goethe once said to
friend Eckerman, man is not born
solve all the problems of the
erse,' bit rather to find out what
las to do, and to restrain himself
in the powers Of his comprehen-
And the old Greek teacher,
tetus, said that for each man there
ne great classification Of the
erse, namely, the things that con
him and the things that do not
ern him. To how many people is
classification vague? Many mems
are like the motor omnibuscs on
streets Of New York, stopping to
up every interest or task that holds
rs finger or beckons them from the
walk. Such indiscriminateness is al
legitimate and necessary i'll child
III ha