Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1852-10-07
AN ADDRESS,
Delivered at die saasrd Sunday schesI
Convention.
RY JOHN w McCORMICK


first effort ia public, My inexperi
ence claims your sympathy, and
Isimply desire you to pass by m,
errors and imperfections.
We ask your attention for few
moments, to the subject Of
BENEvoLENCE AND ITS INFLUENCE
as the foundation on which we bas.
our remarks. Benevolence signife.
active goodness, and is the same with
charity or love. 1t is not in reality
a single virtue. but a disposition
noble in its nature, embodying all
the good acts OF man.
II is disposition residing in the
heart as a fountain, whence all true
virtues as native streams in their pu-
rity, to sweeten aud make excellent
the nature OF man. From il flows
kindness. humility, frankness, mild
ness, generosity, compassion and
liberality, which are The principles Of
the true man.
Bsnevolence is an active principle,
exerting a powerful influence in
behalf of right and truth wherever
it generally prevails. We may with
propriety term it a principle, because
it is in reality, all the good principles
blended into one. It is not confined
to the individual, but exhibits itself
in the country or community in
which we live-descends to the
smaller associations as neighbor-
hoods, relations and friends;-
spreads itself over the whole circle
Of social and domestic life, and forms
the foundation Of society and sociali-
ty. Its requirements are those that
may be mentioned in few words,
and yet embody the ,ohote duty of
man as regards his action toward his
fellow beings.
1t requires a general love for all:
a hatred for no one: a love of doing
good 10 all. 1t requires a kind, for,
giving disposition, which allows US
to slight no one. yet reserves our
esteem for the good, and our CON-
placency for our friends. In short,
it requires US TO do unto oil men as
We would men should do unto US.
Selfshness is the direct opposite OF
benevolence. The two dispositions
embody in themselves the whole OF
human action; benevoIence as we
have seen, the disposition including
all the good principles of man, while
selfshuess as the very foundation OF
all misguided action, includes every
evil principle. Under the head OF
selfshness, we may place pride, vani-
ty, hatred, envy, drunkenness, revel-
ry, murder, rapine, war, and finally
all the guilt OF man. 1t has ever
been The enslaver of motive and
action: it is the principle which,
composed OF all the evil principles
united, destroys that laudable am
bition, placed in the heart to urge to
deeds of usefulness s-clothes its SUBJ
ject in the filthy rags of ignorance
and superstition-heaps corruption
and ruin upon him as fiji reward, a
just retribution for his action in life.
Many there are who, destitute of
benevoIence, are influenced in all
their acts, by SO degrading and so
destructive a principle. Their whole
tin e and talent is given to it and
devoted TO its best interests.
In the glance al the nature OF such
individuals we are convinced that
"There be indeed.
To sey it in all sorrow, bad apostate souls,
Deserted Of their minIstering angels, and given
up to liberty Of sin,-
And others, some the miserly and mean, whose
eyes are keen and greedy,
With strong hearts, and iron fists, to hlch, and
scrape, and CLUTCH
And Others, yet again, the coarse in mind, sell
fish, sensual, british, --. -
Seeming as incapable of softer thoughts. and
dead to better deeds.n
From the cultivation of this great
of generous action, springs
all the depravity Of the human heart,
and all the crimes that viIlainous
rogues commit.
Ii changes the rich mans gold into
the miser's God, and forever with
holds it from giving sustenance to
the blind beggar in want, or the
widow suffering from penury, desti-
tute Of the means to supply the
wants of her starving orphans.
1t plunges the assassin's dagger
into the heart Of the innocent man,
that his hard earnings, and careful
savings for useful purposes, may sus-
tain fend in human form, afford
hin the means of satiating the
cravings Of corrupt heart, qualify |
him for more during deeds of vii
lainy, and plunge him deeper and
deeper in blackest crime.
He who qualities himself for self
alone, is like the Ill guided maser,
who OF all Gods creatures, is "most
fallen, most debased;" who spends
bis lie in boarding up the "dust in.
animate" then dies OF ",Uant'' in the
midst OF plenty. Such is the nature
and the effect OF this great on,,os;,s