The Literary echo, and Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1851-1854, 1853-05-05
tPor the Literary Echo.
Truth.

Is it necessary to givca definition of
truth, word so frequently used in the
English language, and indiscriminately
applied to any thing at the pleasure or
caprice of the speaker Perhaps veracity
and sincerity will best signify its mean
ing, although it is used to express honor,
honesty, exactitude and integrity, to
either of which it applies equally well.
Doubtless there is no virtue, certainly
none in this age, which has so important
a bearing upon the moral and mental
nature of man, as truth. It's tendency
is to elevate man both in his own e. IL
nation, and in that of all those with
whom he may have to deal in the ever
changing drama of life. 1t is the found
alton of every virtue, for if man is
without sincerity, he loses all credit for
whatever good qualities he may possess,
while the absence of truth makes him a
fair mark for all the shafts of malignity,
and an object upon which the contempt
and scorn of every virtuous person must
forever rest. "The path of TRUTH"
says writer "is plain, safe path /;
That of falsehood a pcrplexing maze"
How true is this And yet how few
appear to understand or believe it.
Sacrificing, for the paltry honors Of this
world, all the highest and noblest attri.
butes of man, those which elevate him
above the brutcs that perish, and upon
which he bases all his hopes of happiness
in this world and in the world to come,
they find at last that the means which
they have taken to accomplish their end,
are the very means of their overthrow.
Falsehood thus far has ever been at
variance with the interest of mankind.
1t has been his great and never ccasing
enemy ever since the time when it thrust
our first parents from the Paradise of
Eden, and entailed sin and sorrow on the
whole human race, necessarily striving
to urge him on to his shame and destruc-
ton, holding forth its alluring promises
of prosperity and fame, only to plunge
him still deeper into remor,e and
degradation. All the experience and
history of past ages GO to demonstrate
and prove this very principle to be a
fact, that strict adherence to the prn-
ciples of truth, integrity, and justice, is
the only sure and safe path to office,
renown, and self-respect, or the con-
fdence and friendship of the wise and
good, or to the love and protection of
God. Pursuing this course, if we fail
in wealth and honors, still we shall have
at least the reward and assurance that
we have endeavored to fill the station
in which circumstances may have placed
US, to the best of our knowledge and
and abilities and further, we shall have
the approval of good conscience void
Of offence to all men, which is its own
exceeding great reward The golden
rule teaches US to do unto others as
we would have them do unto us, and
where can we find a greater truth, and
more powerful motions urged?
While the world is filed with un-
truths, there will be wars and conten-
tons among nations societies will be
at variance, the social circle will disa-
gree and even families will not escape
the SOURCE.
When all the nations of the earth
shall have learned the glorious truths of
the Gospel, then shall harmony and
brotherly love roign triumphant in every
part of the globe, and we shall call every
one by the endearing title of" Brother -
Then let us put forth our greatest effort
to hasten on that day when Christ shall
reign in his millennium glory, when the
earth shall, with unanimous voice, pro-
claim the triumph of Truth. ME-. W.
MYsTIc ACADEMY, April, 1858.
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