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so； when he heard bravery extolled and cowardice derided； it woke
him up。 He was ashamed。 Perhaps his sweetheart turned up her
nose and said； 〃I am told that you are a coward！〃 It was not HE
that turned over the new leafshe did it for him。 HE must not
strut around in the merit of itit is not his。
Y。M。 But； anyway； he reared the plant after she watered the
seed。
O。M。 No。 OUTSIDE INFLUENCES reared it。 At the command
and tremblinghe marched out into the fieldwith other soldiers
and in the daytime； not alone and in the dark。 He had the
INFLUENCE OF EXAMPLE； he drew courage from his comrades' courage；
he was afraid； and wanted to run； but he did not dare； he was
AFRAID to run； with all those soldiers looking on。 He was
progressing； you seethe moral fear of shame had risen superior
to the physical fear of harm。 By the end of the campaign
experience will have taught him that not ALL who go into battle
get hurtan outside influence which will be helpful to him； and
he will also have learned how sweet it is to be praised for
courage and be huzza'd at with tear…choked voices as the war…worn
regiment marches past the worshiping multitude with flags flying
and the drums beating。 After that he will be as securely brave
as any veteran in the armyand there will not be a shade nor
suggestion of PERSONAL MERIT in it anywhere； it will all have
come from the OUTSIDE。 The Victoria Cross breeds more heroes
than
Y。M。 Hang it； where is the sense in his becoming brave if
he is to get no credit for it？
O。M。 Your question will answer itself presently。 It
involves an important detail of man's make which we have not yet
touched upon。
Y。M。 What detail is that？
O。M。 The impulse which moves a person to do thingsthe
only impulse that ever moves a person to do a thing。
Y。M。 The ONLY one！ Is there but one？
O。M。 That is all。 There is only one。
Y。M。 Well； certainly that is a strange enough doctrine。
What is the sole impulse that ever moves a person to do a thing？
O。M。 The impulse to CONTENT HIS OWN SPIRITthe NECESSITY
of contenting his own spirit and WINNING ITS APPROVAL。
Y。M。 Oh； come； that won't do！
O。M。 Why won't it？
Y。M。 Because it puts him in the attitude of always looking
out for his own comfort and advantage； whereas an unselfish man
often does a thing solely for another person's good when it is a
positive disadvantage to himself。
O。M。 It is a mistake。 The act must do HIM good； FIRST；
otherwise he will not do it。 He may THINK he is doing it solely
for the other person's sake； but it is not so； he is contenting
his own spirit firstthe other's person's benefit has to always
take SECOND place。
Y。M。 What a fantastic idea！ What becomes of self…
sacrifice？ Please answer me that。
O。M。 What is self…sacrifice？
Y。M。 The doing good to another person where no shadow nor
suggestion of benefit to one's self can result from it。
II
Man's Sole Impulsethe Securing of His Own Approval
Old Man。 There have been instances of ityou think？
Young Man。 INSTANCES？ Millions of them！
O。M。 You have not jumped to conclusions？ You have examined
themcritically？
Y。M。 They don't need it： the acts themselves reveal the
golden impulse back of them。
O。M。 For instance？
Y。M。 Well； then； for instance。 Take the case in the book
here。 The man lives three miles up…town。 It is bitter cold；
snowing hard； midnight。 He is about to enter the horse…car when
a gray and ragged old woman； a touching picture of misery； puts
out her lean hand and begs for rescue from hunger and death。 The
man finds that he has a quarter in his pocket； but he does not
hesitate： he gives it her and trudges home through the storm。
Thereit is noble； it is beautiful； its grace is marred by no
fleck or blemish or suggestion of self…interest。
O。M。 What makes you think that？
Y。M。 Pray what else could I think？ Do you imagine that
there is some other way of looking at it？
O。M。 Can you put yourself in the man's place and tell me
what he felt and what he thought？
Y。M。 Easily。 The sight of that suffering old face pierced
his generous heart with a sharp pain。 He could not bear it。 He
could endure the three…mile walk in the storm； but he could not
endure the tortures his conscience would suffer if he turned his
back and left that poor old creature to perish。 He would not
have been able to sleep； for thinking of it。
O。M。 What was his state of mind on his way home？
Y。M。 It was a state of joy which only the self…sacrificer
knows。 His heart sang； he was unconscious of the storm。
O。M。 He felt well？
Y。M。 One cannot doubt it。
O。M。 Very well。 Now let us add up the details and see how
much he got for his twenty…five cents。 Let us try to find out
the REAL why of his making the investment。 In the first place HE
couldn't bear the pain which the old suffering face gave him。 So
he was thinking of HIS painthis good man。 He must buy a salve
for it。 If he did not succor the old woman HIS conscience would
torture him all the way home。 Thinking of HIS pain again。 He
must buy relief for that。 If he didn't relieve the old woman HE
would not get any sleep。 He must buy some sleepstill thinking
of HIMSELF； you see。 Thus； to sum up； he bought himself free of
a sharp pain in his heart； he bought himself free of the tortures
of a waiting conscience； he bought a whole night's sleepall for
twenty…five cents！ It should make Wall Street ashamed of itself。
On his way home his heart was joyful； and it sangprofit on top
of profit！ The impulse which moved the man to succor the old
woman wasFIRSTto CONTENT HIS OWN SPIRIT； secondly to relieve
HER sufferings。 Is it your opinion that men's acts proceed from
one central and unchanging and inalterable impulse； or from a
variety of impulses？
Y。M。 From a variety； of coursesome high and fine and
noble； others not。 What is your opinion？
O。M。 Then there is but ONE law； one source。
Y。M。 That both the noblest impulses and the basest proceed
from that one source？
O。M。 Yes。
Y。M。 Will you put that law into words？
O。M。 Yes。 This is the law； keep it in your mind。 FROM HIS
CRADLE TO HIS GRAVE A MAN NEVER DOES A SINGLE THING WHICH HAS ANY
FIRST AND FOREMOST OBJECT BUT ONETO SECURE PEACE OF MIND；
SPIRITUAL COMFORT； FOR HIMSELF。
Y。M。 Come！ He never does anything for any one else's
comfort； spiritual or physical？
O。M。 No。 EXCEPT ON THOSE DISTINCT TERMSthat it shall
FIRST secure HIS OWN spiritual comfort。 Otherwise he will not do
it。
Y。M。 It will be easy to expose the falsity of that
proposition。
O。M。 For instance？
Y。M。 Take that noble passion； love of country； patriotism。
A man who loves peace and dreads pain； leaves his pleasant home
and his weeping family and marches out to manfully exp