HERALD Official Organ Of The Slavonic Benevolent Order Of The State Of Texas. Founded 1897. BENEVOLENCE
HUMANITY
BROTHERHOOD
Postmaster: Please Send Form 3579 with Undeliverable Copies to: SUPREME LODGE, SI'JST, P. 0. Box 100, TEMPLE,.TEXAS
VOLUME 53 — NO. 22
JUNE 2, 1965
FROM ME EDITOR'S DESK SELF-RELIANCE
QUOTES .. .
As one grows older and reflects back upon the years past, how and where mistakes were made, one must come to the conclusion that the person of worthwhile achievements is the man who has accepted full responsibility for his own success, and, conversely, the man who didn't make it relied too much too often on too many others and not enough on himself. The earlier in life we realize the folly of relying too much on others, the better. Others, consciously, or unconciously, fail to realize or recognize this failing, and look to others to make them successful.
"Doing for .people what they can and ought to do for themselves is a dangerous experiment. In the last analysis, the welfare of the people depends on their own initiative. What ever is done under the guise of philanthropy or social morality which in any way lessens initiative is the greatest crime that can be committed against the people." —Samuel Gompers, founder of the AFL
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Every man must finally work out his own destiny, and must himself do do the job which is his to do, no matter how much he may have been motivated by others and to what degree. Each must determine his own "final score", his own "batting average," and his own record of performance. No one else can do this for us. This is not to minimize the very important motivating roles played by teachers, adults, ministers, and others. All of our lives have been touched, to some degree, by those who have sought to help us and whose advice and counsel we have sought. Just about everybody has a mentor, secret or not-sosecret, who knowingly or unknowingly, has guided many of our footsteps by
"Money brings you food, but not appetite; medicine but not health; acquaintance but not friends; servants but not loyalty; days of joy, but not peace or happiness." —Henrik Ibsen advising, coaching, or inspiring us by their fine examples. Yet, none of these could do more than perform the simple act of helping us help ourselves. The teacher can inspire and teach, but some day, the student must stand alone; he must finally be accountable for his own periformance. He must one day "hit the ball" himself, and no none else can do it for him. Sometimes, it appears that too many of us, particularly among the young, think that some sort of gimmick will come up out of nowhere and catapult us into instant success. There is a certain reliance today upon gimmickry, hoping all the time that we just might be the lucky one to tall heir to some in-
start gimmick of success. Hard work, persmkrancs, honesty, and self-reliance are still the main rules by which a person achieves success in the USA, no matter what the gimmick-lovers may try to tell you. Yes, there are a few people who have succeeded handsomely with some kind of a gimmick, but with a national population of 190 million, what are the chances Of hitting this gimmick jackpot? No matter how successful someone else has been at something, their score can never be counted as our own. A man has come of age when he comes to the conclusion that he must look within himself for his destiny in life, and not to others. 0
"My Mistake" How often do you hear the statement, "that was my mistake?" Are you brave and big enough to say it when you really should? Maybe you've never thought of yourself as being a brave person, but it actually takes a good deal of courage to openly and publicly admit a mistake. Many people are too cowardly to admit they are at fault, even when they are convinced of it themselves, and even when it would be much simpler and quicker to do so. The lengths some people will go to avoid admitting a mistake sometimes borders on the ridiculous and silly. Your personal stature will be enhanced if you do. There is a cornmcin, Latin expression: Errare humanum est -- "to err is human." Why