scribed this text, "What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world, and lose his own soul ?” That tells the story. Instead of making everything subservient to money, he made money subservient to character. A fortune was incidental to the great purpose of his life. Once he sent a note to his partners for six hundred dollars, in small bills, for charitable objects. A few days afterwards he sent for more, quoting, in his note, the following from some quaint writer: "The good there is in riches lieth altogether in their use, like the woman's box of ointment; if it be not broken and the contents poured out for the refreshment of Jesus Christ, in his distressed members, they lose their worth. He is not rich who lays up much, but he who lays out much. will therefore be the richer by charitably laying out, while the worldling will be poorer by his covetous hoarding up." Lawrence was eminently successful in business. He became a merchant-prince, contributed SEVEN HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS to charitable objects during his life, and left a fortune to relatives at his death. Stated briefly, his rule in money-making was that of Wesley: "Make all you can; save all you can; give all you can." Astor followed the advice of the first two clauses full as closely as Lawrence, but discarded that of the last clause altogether. Lawrence emphasized the last clause, thus rallying industry, energy, and the whole train of virtues around the highest and grandest aim of life, the outcome of which was, not only wealth, but true manhood-the highest success.

Elihu Burritt was an example of true success. His father was a shoemaker, and Elihu's boyhood was spent in that occupation, with only three or four months' schooling annually. When he was sixteen his father

He

died, and he was thrown upon his own resources. resolved to be a blacksmith, and apprenticed himself to a son of Vulcan. From childhood he was a great reader, and, for lack of volumes, read the Bible and a few books that his father and neighbours owned, over and over again. The parish library, under the rules, would loan him but a single volume a month, and this only sharpened his mental appetite for more. Mark, that his aim was knowledge instead of money. To his trade and the acquisition of knowledge he brought as thorough devotion as Astor to money-making. His industry, enthusiasm, courage, and persistent effort, were fully equal to the same qualities in the famous millionaire. Under their transforming power he made both a good blacksmith and good scholar. For a time, after he attained to his majority, he worked at his trade in the summer (sometimes doing the work of two men for weeks) and studied in the winter. Between the forge and his books, under the direction of Christian principle, his physical, mental, and moral natures developed in harmonious proportion. He mastered fifty languages, became well versed in the natural sciences, distinguished himself in editorial and philanthropic labours, and unwittingly attracted to himself the attention of scholars in almost every part of the world. His progress in knowledge alone was not the highest success, although it was marvellous. At the same time, he trained his physical and moral powers, so that head and heart united to mould his character and life into a beautiful and symmetrical whole. At one time he visited England, and Mary Howitt said of him: "He is not merely remarkable for his knowledge of languages, — a knowledge which is perfectly stupendous, and which,

having been acquired under circumstances which at first sight would seem to present insuperable barriers to anything beyond the most ordinary acquirements, may naturally excite our surprise and admiration, but he is remarkable in a high moral degree; and this it is, combined with his great learning, which entitles him to our love and reverence. . . He has not read

Homer and Virgil, and the Sagas of the North, and the Vedas of the East, to admire only, and to teach others to admire, the strong-handed warrior, cutting his way to glory through prostrate and bleeding thousands; he has read, only to learn more emphatically, that God made all men to be brethren, and that Christ gave, as the sum total of His doctrine, that they should love one another. This is the end of all his reading and learning; and better by far to have learned thus, with hard hands and a swarthy brow, over the labours of his forge and hammer, than to have studied in easy universities, to have worn lawn and ermine, yet to have garnered no expansive benevolence while he became a prodigy of learning."

This is not a modern view, or a novel view, of success. It may be novel to the popular notion, but it is familiar to justice and right, and as old as either. Many years ago Osborne said, in the Merchant's Magazine: "Success in life consists in the proper and harmonious development of those faculties which God has given us. We have faculties more important to our welfare than that of making money,-faculties more conducive to our happiness and our health of body and soul. There are higher and better modes of activity than those which are exhibited in multiplying dollars. Men can leave to their children a better patrimony than money; they can leave

them the worth of a good example, good habits, a religious faith, a true estimate of the desirable things of this life; resources of mind and a heart that will shed sunshine upon adversity, and give a grace to prosperous fortune."

The young men of to-day enjoy far better opportunities than their predecessors of any former generation. Wider doors of thrift and usefulness, in the highest and noblest sense, are open before them. We know that this sentiment is denied, and that it is common to speak of the avenues to success as being closed now to the mass of young men. Croakers say that the time for young men to compete for the prize has passed,-that the coveted places of thrift and honour are over-crowded, and that now young men must content themselves with a back seat and small acquisitions. But the plea is false. There never was so much room for the BEST as there is to-day.

Though it may be more difficult to succeed in the pursuits of life than it was formerly, young men possess greater facilities now than ever. The wisdom, example, inventions, discoveries, thoughts, labours, and progress of the preceding ages, are theirs in an important sense. These furnish helps to which former generations were strangers. With these aids, the resolution that triumphed half a century ago, may overcome the greater difficulties of to-day. When Napoleon was told that the Alps were in the way of his army, he replied, "Then there shall be no Alps;" and he built the road across the Simplon. Nothing is impossible to such resolution.

Young men are apt to undervalue education in this problem of success. They make it synonymous with going to school and college, when it may have little to

do with either. Webster defines education to be "that series of instruction and discipline which is intended to enlighten the understanding, correct the temper, and form the manners and habits of youth, and fit them for usefulness in their future stations." The original root from which the word 'education' is derived, means, to conduct, fashion, forge. The whole process of forming and developing true manhood and womanhood is education. A college graduate may be poorly educated, while a self-made young man may be well educated; that is, he may be better fitted for usefulness in his "future station." 66 'Business makes men," it has been said. One way or the other it disciplines both head and heart. It may do something even to make men more familiar with science and art. Lawrence knew more of arithmetic and philosophy after he made a fortune than he did before. Stephenson had a better knowledge of mechanics and natural science than ever, after he made his first locomotive. The carpenter who builds a house understands the laws of mechanics better for that experience. The operative who weaves a piece of cloth is more familiar with its quality and value than the merchant who sells it. The intelligent farmer knows somewhat more than the number of bushels of corn or oats to the acre; he has learned something of agricultural chemistry in raising these crops. He has been thinking as well as ploughing, sowing, and harvesting. Work, honest and well directed, has made him more of a man, physically, mentally, and morally. There would be greater success in all occupations if the occupants made more "business" of them. But too many pursue them only for a livelihood, with no thought that they may contribute directly to true manhood and womanhood.