Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1857-06-04
gelerteh Misrellany.
INC1TEMENT TO NOBLE DEEDS.

lNCII EMENI L 1O NOBLE DEEDS.
There hangs before me photograph of
the arch of Titus, famous and venerable as
presenting among the professional spoils our
only probable portraiture of the Golden
Candlestick: It reminds me of saying of
this Roman emperor which has become pro-
verbal. On certain evening, when he
looked back over the long hours, he remem-
bered no good action. and exclaimed Il
have lost a day!' or more briefly in Latin,
perdidi diam. According to some reports,
it was the absence of any benz fces,t action
that he regretted; and thus the saying has
been understood by most.
This was certainly beautiful trait in a
heather, Roman emperor, and one whom
we have to compare with bloody tyrants,
such as preceded and followed him. But
perhaps too much has been made of the be-
nevolence of Titus and perhaps we have
allowed a sentence, happily worded and pro-
ceeding from one in imperial purple, to
lencies which the Christian religion has in
troduced
It was something, indeed, for sovereign
of absolute power, innumerable subjects, and
boundless means to pass twelve hours with
out one act of benefcence. We naturally
inquire why he might not have made ten
thousand persons happy: it would have TAX
en- less than day. On the other hand, one
act of clemency, charity or compassion has
its glory, even though the only one in the
aforesaid term. A day thus signalized is
brighter than certain days of Nero and Do
mitian. And in this view Titus Vespasia-
nus justly lamented the day as lost which
could not show this single bright redeeming
SPIT. 1t was not day, creta motandus, to
be marked with white stone.
In the dominions of the emperor there
was, at that very time, class of people not
clad in purple or fine linen, and often con-
founded with the despised Jews. They
were widely spread and had rules TOUCHING
this very point. They have not yet ceased
TO exist nor to practice according to these
rules. They used to exhort one another
thus: ''To do good and to communicate,
forget not" They were, indeed, peculiar
people, "zealous of good works. They
went so far as to adopt the maxim, 'sAll
things whatsoever ye would that men should
do to you, do ye even so to them.''
Let us do justice to Titus, the "delight
of human kind" He was mild and COM
uparatively forbearing in Judea. and seemed
to use harshness with reluctance. He offer
ed terms to the resisting Jews rather than
pollute their temple, and looked with admi-
ration and pity on the holy pile when it was
stor.ned by his batteries and burning up
He allowed Josephus to save the sacred
book from that confagration. Hence it is
that we look to the Arch of Titus, at Rome,
with a measure Of complacency. But we
are not willing to take the clement Titus for
our model as to spending day.
.a To pass whole day without an endeavor
to make one happier is indeed to lose day !;
it is dreadful, it is heathenish; and heath
en- emperor may rebuke us. Yet the Chris
tian standard is higher than this; and it
were meagre account of a Christian day
to reckon it's acts of benefcence at unit.
God has given wider rule, and Providence
opens more numerous opportunities. If
good acts were confined to what in the world s