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Did you ever see a company of soldiers going through their exercises? Well, if you have, you will remember that, after their muskets are loaded, the officer who is exercising them calls out, "Make ready -- take aim -- fire."
The aim of each soldier is the thing which he tries to hit when he fires his gun.
When soldiers are engaged in what is called target-shooting, or firing at a mark, they have a large board set up, at some distance from them. The surface of this board is painted all over in black and white rings or circles. In the center of the board is a small black circle, sometimes called the bull's-eye. Every soldier, as he takes aim, tries to hit the bull's-eye, or black circle, in the center of the board. The aim of the soldier is that which he tries to hit with his gun.
And in the same way we use the word aim as referring to anything a person undertakes to do. If a new scholar enters your class in school, and says to himself, as he enters, "Now I am going to be the head of this class," and if he begins to study his lessons with great diligence and care, so as to get above the others, then you may say the aim of that scholar is to be the head of the class. The aim of Christopher Columbus was to discover a shorter way to India. The aim of Sir John Franklin and his companions, who perished in the Arctic regions, was to find out a passage by sea from the Pacific to the Atlantic ocean. The aim of Dr. Kane, in his voyage to the north, was to find out what had become of Sir John Franklin. The aim of Dr. Livingstone, in his long journey through Africa, was to find out the best way of carrying the gospel into the interior of that vast country.
There are a great many aims that people set before them in this world. Some aim to get great riches others to get a great name; and others to enjoy great pleasure. But St. Paul tells us of an aim that is much better than all these. He says, Whether ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." -- Richard Newton.
By J. Wilbur Chapan, "Present Day Parables."
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