, 1843-03-04
Self.Culture.
by DR.. WIN. E. CLAIMING.

/ SeIf.culture is Moral; a branch oil
singular Importance. When a man
looks into himself. he discovers two
distinct orders or kinds of principles,
which it behooves him especially to
comprehend. He discovers desires,
appeiites, passions, which terminate in
himself, which crave and seek hisown
interest, qualification. distinction; and
he discovers another principle. an an
,agonist TO these. which is Impartial
Disinterested, Universal, enjoining
on him a regard 10 the rights and hap
piness of other beings, and laying on
him obligations which must be dis.
charged. cost what they may, or how.
ever they may clash with his partic-
ular pleasure or gain. No man how
ever borrowed to his own interest,
however hardened by selfishness. can
deny. that there springs up within him
a great idea in opposition TO interest.
the idea of Duty, that an inward voice
calls him more or less 1istinclively
to revere and exercise Impartial Jus
'ice, and Universal Good 3wiil. This
disinterested principle in human ma
ture we call sometimes reason, SOME
times conscience, sometimes the NOR
al sense or faculty..-But, be its name
what it may, it IS Il principle in each
of us. and it is the supreme power
within us, 10 be cultivated above all
others. for on its culture the right de-
vclopment of all others depends. The
passions indeed may be stronger Than
The conscience, may lift up a louder
voice; but their cIamor differs wholly
from the tone of command in which
the conscience speaks. They are not
clothed with its authority, its binding
power. In their very triunfhs they
are rebuked by the moral principle,
and often cover before its still, deep,
menacing voice. No part Of sell.
knowledge is more important than to
discern clearly these TWO great princi-
pies, the self.seekinc and the disinter-
cstcd; and the most important part of
self-cullure is 10 depress the former,
and 10 cxalt the latter. or to enthrone
the sense of duty within us. There
are no limits 10 the growth Of this
moral force in man, il he will cherish
it faithfully. There have been men.
whom no power in tie universe could
turn from the Right, by whom death
in its mes, dreadful forms has been
less dreaded, than tlansgresSion OF!
the inward law of universal Justice
and love.
In the next place, self culture is Re-
When we look into ourselves,
We discover powers, which link us
with this outward, visible, finite, ever
changing world. We have sight and
other senses TO discern, and limbs and
various faculties to secure and appro-
the material erection. And we
have too power, which canno, stop
at what we see and handle, at what
exists within the bounds of space and
lime. which seeks for the Infinite, I'm
created Cause, which cannot rest ill
it ascend 10 the Eternal Al-compre-
hending Mind. This we call The re-
Principle, and its grandeur
be exaggerated by human Ian
yuase; Tor it makes ont 4 beng destin-
ed for higher communion than with
the visible universe. To deveiope
his, is eminenlly 10 educate our
The true idea of God, unfold
clearly and Iivingly within US, and
moving us 10 adore and obey him, and
aspire after likeness to HIM, is the
,oblest growth in human, and, may
i'd, in celestial natures. The reli-
5Ious principle, and the moral, are in
imutely connected and grow togetb-
II. The former is indeed the p%erfec-
ion and highest manifestation of the
alter. They are both disinterested.
t is the essence of true religion to
ecognize and adore in God the attri.
,utes OF Impartial Justice and Uni
'ersal Love, and to hear him COM
handing US in The conscience 10 be-
:ome what we adore. {
A lady asked a minister if she might ;
attention TO dress and fashions |
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