Piney Woods planter. (Liberty, Mi. [i.e. Miss.]) 1838-1840, 1839-09-14
For the Piney Woods Planter.
KNOW THYSELF.

There is no Injunction more difficult to
obey, and at the same time more impor.
tant in its observance, than that which
have chosen be the foundation of few
remarks. "Knop hyscIfn is the .precept
Of great and good man. But to know
ourself Alright, there are obstacles, insepa.
Bile in their nature, to be surmounted TO
have a perfect knowledge Of ourselves, We
must be endowed with mind superior to
that which the practice of the most virm-
Gus man, who has ever vet lived, would
justify US in believing. msn, TO have
this power over himself must be placed
in 4 situation, far above that in which am
billions sordid motives, and love Of ndlla-
ton, have any influence on the human
character. He muai, indeed, have been
"rcared amid combination of circumstan.
cess" the most perfect in every detail,
TO enable him. impnrtiaIIy, to arraign his
thoughts before the bar of Reason, and
there decide upon thcir propriety or i'm
propriely appertaining to matters in which
he himselfis interested. In deciding mat
tars brought before the tribunal of Rea-
son. Conscience is invested with the robes
Of Judge. and seated upon the throne, and
unto her decision we must succumb, from
which there is no appeal, Her dictum is
the supreme law, and il must and will 90.
VEN, in spite of oil that theorizng Philo-
sophers. or bieoted Rcliglonists, may say
with regard TO the equity Of her decisions,
and her lnialihilitv in pointing us '.to truth,
to virtue, and to holiness" But what is
Conscience, this internal monitor? This
chlder for past offences, g. warner against
future evisr Is she not connected to all
the other faculties of the mind? And is
she not governed by the same memorable
laws WHICH govern the mental man1 Does
she possess an immunity from falibiltyi
If she is an isolated faculty ard exempt
from the communicating influence of ad-
ventitlons circumstances which corrupt
and debase the mind of man, if conscience
Is not vaciflating and impotent Judge
fiber decisions are not influenced bv self
interest, then, indeed, we hive 'sfaith.
FIJI monitor, a just Judge.n But the &c.
nerl practice OF mankind proves, however,
much against our wish, that such is not
the fact. Every man has conscience Of
his own. If be be Mahomedan, he has
Mahomedan conscience, ifhe be saw,
age, he mas savage conscience, and if
christian, christian conscience, and the
consciences Of these different individuals
are modified according to the degree Of
scnsiblity with which their minds are ems
dowsd, and their Susceptibility of recew.
ing and retaining impressions from the
character Of surrounding objects. 1t was
for ''oOnscieAce saken that Servitus bled,
and il was matter Of conscience that in.
stigated his murderer TO the commissioned
the bloody deed. No doubt the '.interna
Of SePsitus "warned and admon:
ishedm him in hia last bitter and dying
hours at tina Staka, af the "truth, the JUST
ness and holiness" Of the cause FOR which
he waR then suffering nartyrdom. And
on the. other hand, no doubt, that John
Calvin waP a. fully persuaded of the cor
rscluasS Of hiA cOuESa as wns his victim,
QanScienee, then, 10 = "holow affair, ana
oannot be rallied upon as faithful monl'
torN In deciding whether our inclinatlonS
and acts towRrdS each other be "good OF
evil," One sect or nation believes thas
Mahomet waa the true Prophet OF uoo'
and " a matter of conscience worship ac'
cordiuglyi another believe that he was an
lmposter, and contend that Jesus Christ y
the true Prophet, and conscientious'y looA
to him as the author Of their SALVATION
Now, can either Of these sects act WIN"
business to the other, regarding thesO
considerations mattersi or, has not prelu.
dice so clouded their mental faculties 'na'
The power Of conscience has become neu'
Iralized, and ceased 20 perform the iuu''
ions ofits Office. L. T.. D.