Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1857-01-03
MORAL LESSONS.

hope your correspondent G., has called your at
tentior and that of your readers to the MORAL
of M. L. Cowdery. IL may be unreason-
able to ask you to read and revise the book at
present, and so l will offer o few thoughts corrob-
orative of G's commentator All l have to say
might be comprized in one brief sentences; namely,
l prefer it, as a teacher of morals to any other
book. This may seem extravagant praise. Let
those who think so give the look a careful perusal,
and then decide whether the Author has not found
the true basis of our social relations, and the gen.
uine test of all the materials for the erection of a
better social edifce than Earth's children have yet
seen.
Mr.. Cowdery may, or may not, be q classical
scholar; if no is, he has good sense enough to
know that common people will not be pleased or
edited by q display of it; if he is not, his book is
good evidence that a knowledge of Wants, Rights
and Duties can be obtained without that Discipline,
which some argue, cannot be acquired without a
thorough mathematical course, and critical analy-
sis of language. His style though quaint, will be
recognized by Thinkers, to be the language in
which their best thoughts are clothed, for their
own contemplation, however they may dress them
up for company. In this "fast" age, it is no small
merit to be willing to write for the use of those
called illiterate, nor need it be feared that the
privileged litera ii will not be benefited unless their
advantages have disqualified them for the nppreci-
alton Of truth on its own merits.
To call Mr.. Cowdory a Compiler" as G. has
done, is, l think, n misnomer. From whatever
source the facts, or fancies whichever they are)
were derived, the Narratives" are evidently from
the same pen.
Ethical writer's, like other systematizers, gener
ally have rules OF action, in conformity with sur
rounding conventionalisms in which Compromise
is most unproftably blended; not SO Cowdery; he
has no systematic rules, but presents facts and
thoughts in such relation that the reader is com
PEELED to regard his own intuitions as the only safe
guide. He will not hesitate TO decide that his ow.
U clear perceptions of right.-his highest convic
tions of duty are paramount, and must suppressed
all conventionalisms however authoritatively rec
commended and urged. This is a peculiar excel
$ lence of the work under review which will lay pos
7 terity under obligation to this unassuming Author
0 G.. has misquoted the caption of his questions.
is for Especial and varied Repiep," not ~'applica
ton" though that is implied. The Specification
n no doubt designed to give the reader the habit G
7 recalling past conclusions, and comparing thei
with present emotions and impulses. The remar
is true, and none the worse for its breyity, tina
the questions require thinking rather than remen
6ering.
G. wonders that one so wisely learned in mori
d science she Guild have furnished a book for tho co
Is %rection of error;-the prevention and eradicatiO
of wrong. and yet omitted to make the applicatio
b. of these righteous principles to the most glarin
wrong tolerated by man hanelism. We cann'
"a fail to marvel. The author may think that Il
universally and equality of rights is SO selfev
dent a proposition that all must SEQ il, and that o.
e ly the perverse and radically corrupt few. deny
He ought to know that its truth is admitted as @
d abstraction only, except by a comparatively sma
class in which, but for this omission, he would
conspicuous. Perhaps he fears to disturb Il
quiet of the church-dreads sehism; or ~perchan'
he deprecates irritating discussions in politics.
e. His cautiousness will not avail, be is too late; b
I'd hind time; the train is several stations on the 9th
+" side of Let-alone.ism, has cropped some timi
:, prudent passengers at Conservatism. and is spec
ot ing with accelerated velocity since it was fred I
". by southern combustible elements,