Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1853-05-31
THOUGHTS AND SENTIMENTS.

... Is religion beautiful? We answer, all
is desolation and dcforlnity where religion is
not.
... The ability to love what is Noteworthy,
and thus to love the Lord as the most love
worthy, is the highest privilege OF rational
creature.
our lower propcnsitics, we are enabled to asso-
ciate with our fellows on higher principles.
80. The love of ruling and the love of accu-
mulating are the two furies which torment man
kind beyond all others.
....Y You are at all times what God sees
you to be:-you are not at any time what
man judges you to be, only so far as his judg-
ment is in agreement with the Divine light.
-. The fireside is seminary of infinite i'm
portance; it is important because it is univer-
sal, and because the education it bestows, being
woven in with the woof of childhood, gives form
and color to the texture of life.
No one can be habitually and uniform
ly polite, without sensibly contracting somewhat
of good. Whatever in any degree counteracts
seltishness, far lets into the mind its opposite
-benevolence.
-. The Judicial blindness of pride is seen in
lhlSS LuOoS S1lS pIOuSISSI wiz 1IStNS
thing to be proud of. Such pride is the mani
fe. tat O of essential self-love-of that love of
self which exists where self is most vile and I'M
lovely.
.... What a beautiful virtue is benevolcnce.
1t is precions tie existing between man and
man, as children of one common Father-a tie
wholly unaffected by difference of age, station,
kindred or country, and over which the artifi-
oiol distinctions Of
power.
... How can any sincere Christian doubt
that where he is, there Providence has placed
him? In deciding where we will go and what
we will, we decide as if human prudence were
everything; but, having so acted, We cannot but
know that Providence, at the least permitted
our determination; and then, and thus, it ap-
pears impossible for any true Christian to be out
of his place.
....T There are many people in the world
who are afraid even of beautiful and sublime
idea, because it happens to be at variance with
some idea to which they have been long habitu-
ated. Such people, by way of doing good, as
they imagine, in checking the liberty Of think
ing, do much harm; for thought restrained
makes men headstrong and reckless; but thought
encouraged makes men disposed to do all things
orderly.
....If a man deliberately violates his finest
sense of rectitude, he intlicts an irremidiable
wound upon his moral nature, and, as it were,
poisons the fountain Of his energies
He who is conscious of superior powers,
resolutely preserves the integrity of his nature,
perseveres in the plans which he has adopted
for beneficial purposes, and despises empiri-
cism.
He alone is truly great who is so by
virtue of intrinsic qualities. The adroit en-
ployment of artifce and falsehood may for a
time deceive; but that fine intuition which
tests character and worth with infallible saga
city, will reverse the decision of mere opinion,
and estimate the man as he is.
ESQ soft pillow is death to good man,
so willingly, so gently does he leave the world
as weary laborer goes to bed at night,
Wbar ,,oo,, +r,, 10 o,o+ ,,,o.o o.ool Al -