The Columbian fountain., 1846-10-10
THE SELFISH MAN.

and, il so far as man becomes subject TO It's
holy doctrines, he becomes, also, disposed to
make sacrifices Of his personal ease, or ag
grandisement, for the good Of his fellow men.
Hence said the great Apostle, speaking ofhim-
self, in connection with all true Christians,i
none Of us iyeth, 10 himself From the frs.
moment we receive the blessed principles Of
our Saviour. 10 the consumnation Of our JOY
in his service, il IS ourconstant labor TO gorify
God and do good. Love, in its hottest appli-
cation, takes possession Of our hearts. and,
like our Lord, we 'go about doing good +.
Not such is the character Of the selfish man.
His name is Eco. All he thinks, speaks, or
does, IS for his own glory. He cares otwho
falls, il he rise; who is injured if aheabe safe.
An The ends he aims at are selfish, though Of
ten they are accomplished BY the putting down
of others. Il He has few friends, and for the
plain and obvious reason, that he has not pur-
sued the course TO possess himself Of them.
ne that hath, Or would have, friends, must
show himself friendly Yet if some, out Of
sympathy and pity. will even venture TO en-
deavor 10 befriend him, he turns all their ef
forts about, this way or that, so that he may
take advantage Of the friend who compassion
ateIy aided him. He sees no other hand in all
his prosperity but his own, and from his ad
yersity, Il another help him up, he rises only
10 continue the plans he had formed before he
fen, for his own emolument. Hence, he loses
all gratitude, and indeed, every other noble
principle, and finally. settles down upon his
ill-gotien gains, % drag out the balance Of his
miserable, and almost useless existence on
earth He dies unlamented, and his name is
only remembered to be despised. andaa isis
Whether he lives. or whether he, dies, ats
Nobody laughs, and nobody cries. sio y
In other words, his career gives no one cause
10 rejoice; his death presents no occasion for
tears. 'Asl @'As , Z. '5S'' tas.,, - .t.s
Reader, if YOU know any who indulge this
spirit Of sel6shness, who are so contracted in
their views and feeling. tell them they are dead
while they live; walking sepulchres Have
they talents. wealth, or other gifts Of God r.
And. are they consuming allin their own gra-
ti6caiion Z Tell them they are planting thorns
in their death pillows 10 torment them.
But let the selfish man once learn and ex-.
perienee what is meant by denying himself
that he may .glerify God and do good 70 his
fellow men;' let him stry the operation ofihel
law Of love, the spirit Of benesolence; let him
sow the seed OF usefulness, by using his tai
ents in right manner, industriously distribute
ing the, means God has placed in his hands
for the promotion Of the truth, and in all his
walks freely giving. as he has freely received
let him thus live, we say, and 0. what q salts
faction will he render. Then will he carry
out what God designed in his case; then will
he be happy indeed, and cause ofjoy to all
around him. And in his death hour he will be-
able to say, through the riches Of that grace
which enabled him to dispense so much good
to men, ,1is a5ti sAf8 gaiieslaV3s
Mount, mount my soul thy seat is up on
high; gaa .aet,i g5tiola / .ae
Whilst my gross flesh sinks downward here
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And the Saviour, who will be our Judge, will
say TO him, Come ye blessed Of my Father,
inherit the kingdom, &c., for was hungry
and you gave me meat, and such like acts Of
benevolence characterized you during life,
which were NOT indeed done unto me in per.
SON, bat unto others in my name, and as an
evidences Of your faith in me.' Then. will we
know more fully than we can now know, the
luxury Of doing good /" II .lsl'agp
Now, reader, we are all apt 10 be more or
less selfish, but il is to be hoped lha, our brief
consideration Of this important subject will
lead us 10 seek that more excellent way which
will render our career on earth such as will
please Gssd, and make our memory blessed,
whenswe shall have gone the way whence
we shah not return Despise selfshness-
cherish an abiding attachment'for sweet bene-
violence. .gtaees
Asto Mr.. Ego. and the large family con-
nection. some Of whom you win meet with 10
every place, take heed thai you walk not in
their ways. Rashes nj your life be spent, i
you have opporsnity. Or means, in the man
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