REOHABITE SOIRER

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 19, Issue 1488, 23 November 1872, Page 2

REOHABITE SOIRER

(Report of meeting on Thursday night concluded from last evening's Times.)

The Rev. D. Sidey said that ho wished it to be understood that the movement with which the present meeting was identified had his thorough sympathy. His remarks this evening would be on success in life, with special reference to the young, of whom he saw so many before him. If he asked the question, what elements went to constitute genuine success in life, he would most, likely receive an answer something like this—to obtain a plentiful supply of the goods of this life, and a position of influence in society. He would not debate this idea, which though ,not adequately true, was correct in the main. Still it was true there were many who without any large endowment of worldly prosperity, and with little apparent footing in society, yet left a very decided mark in the world; and whoso lives in the main were beyond doubt truly successful, inasmuch as they lived to «otne purpose in this world, exercising an inliuence for good, and having a good hope in the better life. If, then, these three things were combined by any one person—a sufficiency of thethings of this life, a position of real influence in society, and the application of that influence to great and benignant issues—he held that that person's life was thoroughly successful. He would now proceed to indicate a few properties which would be found indispensable to every man who desired to attain to true success in life. The first and most important of these necessary qualities was that of Personal Woi tb. No man or woman without this quality ever attained to success in its truest sense—influence among their fellows, and that influence applied to great anl gracious objects. Now and again we saw persons deficient in this quality who apparently were more successful than those far superior to them in personal excellence. When we saw such adorned, it might be, with chains and rings of gold, and clad in exquisite garments, when we saw them always with a pleasant smile, and apparently content and happy, we might fancy their road was a much easier one than our own, and be inclined to murmur at our different position, and ask what they had clone, or what qualities they had exhibited, that they should enjoy so many more advantages than ourselves. Yet if we closely observed this apparent success we might see how large a portion of it was thoroughly counterfeit, if we looked for any influence for good exerted by them we might look in vain—we would feel no desire to follow in their footsteps, and would re v ert to our old sound judgment, thai after all real personal worth, though it might be slowei in its progress, was surer in the end ; that its influence, quietly excited, was of incalculable power; and that it was the first and most essential requisite to genuine success In the second place, he would urge upon his young hearers the necessity of maintaining their own individuality ; let them be bold enough to be themselves Each one had iris o-vn special gifts, foi the use of which he alone was responsible. Some were gifted with intellectual power, others with special skill and dexterity in the work of their bauds; some had the a)" titude for teaching, either in the church or the school; and for all these gifts suitable spheres were provided in which they might be exercised to the truest and greatest advantage. The use we made of these gifts constituted the warp and woof of our and their right application was a necessary element u we would attain to the highest usefulness and success in life. Let us then put our whole selves in our dities, and cany them forward to great and noble influences. The misery of the thing was that so few people would consent to be themselves—a faet which he would illustrate in the light of an incident. In a certain college was » minister gifted with great power ana influence for good, and deservedly popular. Yet he had contracted an unhappy habit of accompanying the m«M* emphatic portions of his discourses wit" a shrug of the shoulder-* and shake o the head. Nearly all of the young ministers - who studied in the college ll that time acquired the disagreed

habit. Need he say what miserable abortions of ministers they became ?—• they sank into positions of utter insignificance and lack of influence, and simply because they were mere imitators of another man, and bad not the boldness to be themselves. While impressing upon hia hearers the necessity of maintaining their individuality, he would add that they must also be themselves at their best—let them determine those qualifies in which they most excelled, let them cultivate and improve them, and push them forward to higher sphere.* of usefulness, thus exercising the fol lest influence of their own highest thoughts and feelings. The third requisite, if they wquM rise to true success, was Knowledge. It was not possible to exert influence in any circle of society unless they carried knowledge with them. First, full knowledge of their own special occupation; secondly, knowledge of history—of those influences which in times past had wrought great and lasting effects on human society. No success could be looked tor if there was only the semblance of knowledge—it must be real and substantial to be of advantage. Let every one then resolve to attain as much knowledge as was within his reach, and carry it on with him to future use and influence. The fourth essential was of at least equal importance, and particularly necessary in Colonial society—the quality of Enthusiasm —to carry warmly our whole heart, soul, and mind into what we undertook and desired to accomplish. Whatever station we might fill, or whatever our duties might be, it was indispensable to success. Christian teachers, mothers, workeis of every kind, had found that to work ever and to work to purpose, was the only path to genuine influence Some looked upon enthusiasm as vulgar and inconsistent with true refinement. But of what order were such minds 1 They were those of the grumbling.class, who thought there was nothing worth living for or working for, who accomplished nothing themselves, and could find nothing for commendation in the labors of others. Let them not Underrate the value of enthusiasm, and let it always be on the side of genuine worth. The fifth quality to which he would direct their attention as essential to success was that of Self-reliance. No great or good work had ever been accomplished without this important quality ; and there was no noble and good life recorded in history in which it did not occupy a piominent part. Tt was quite consistent and compatible with true religious feeling, with humble and devout trust in the Providence and gracious help of the Father of all. But it was a quality in which many were miserably deficient; they knew not how to think or work for themselves, and passed through life leaning on the shoulders of others. He must not be understood to disparage the value of friendly assistance which our duty often called us both to receive and give in the course of our lives; but be deplored the habit of weakly depending upon the ideas and assistance of one's neighbors. Jt was true that men not (infrequently were placed in comfortable and profitable situations by the aid of friend**; but they were rarely found to exercise any true influence upon those surrounding them. To exert use or influence we must diligently exercise our special gilts, and keep ever in mind the value of self reliance. The sixth and last essential to success was Good Companionship. To the attainment of true influence there was no greater help than good companions ; while bad companions—whose tastes were frivolous or vicious—would be found a fearful incubus and hindrance in the way. A man's mind would naturally take to a great extent the impress of those by whom he was surrounded ; he was very frequently only what his companions would permit him to be; and his associates would be generally found to be like-minded with himself. A farmer filing at a number of rooks which were destroying his grain heard from one of the fallen birds a melancholy cry of " Poor Poll!" and going to the place lie found a parrot lying with a broken wing and leg. "Ah, Poll," lie said, " see what comes of keeping bad company." He took the wounded bird home; and when his children asked, with tears in their eyes, how it happened, poor Poll himself replied, " Bad