202 REPUTATION.
can. If money comes to you honorably, and goes from you usefully, the more of it you have the better. It is a great privilege to be rich under such circumstances. But the first thing that I would impress upon you is this: a good name must be the fruit of one's own exertion. You cannot possess it by patrimony, you cannot purchase it with money, nor will it come to you by chance. Of all the elements of success in life, none is more vital than a determination to be the creator of your own reputation and advancement."  	And Mr. F. M. Buck, of the Chicago Telephone Exchange, said, in an address in Chicago the other day: 	" It has been said that we are the architects of our own fortunes, and this I think is in a measure true, hence how careful we should be that our aim in life is true and at something of value. I do not mean by the word value that it should be considered from a commercial standpoint only, as there are many things of more value than financial success. A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches. I would rather have a good name and a character above reproach than the applause of men or the wealth of a Rockefeller; hence, while our aim is high, our foundation should be strong and impregnable. And we should not only have our aim in life, but we should maintain our aim and strive to reach our goal."  	A good reputation is a means of service to mankind. It strengthens their confidence in the perfectability of human nature. " To know one person that is absolutely to be trusted will do more for a man's moral nature-- yes, and even for his spiritual nature-- than will all the sermons he ever heard, or ever can hear," without having confidence in the speakers.
  	There is some hope for the young man who inherits an undesirable reputation. He may win all the more appreciation from having fought his way over such difficulties. Starting with a bad reputation, he can more easily gain a good one than the young man who throws away a good one can regain it. The former is possible; the latter scarcely possible at all. Bishop Sanderson quaintly says: "A good name is far easier kept than recovered. Men that have had losses in sundry kinds have in time had some reparation.