Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1858-11-16
moralGreatness.


rnknfes,s, as its characteristic, the disposition
that sbhors What is evil and clesves to that
which is good This Is the true nobility the
tree heroismi tho true greatness. He who
has this, is reaching toward that which is loft
ieRt in human attainment. lie is aspiring to
ward that for which God made him No inS
tsleGtuai eminence, no grasp of learning, no
practical skill or sagac:y, can exalt him SO
m9ch. With all mis- attachments, and with
all his far>sis snted penetration, he is yet, if
without moral discrimination, like mole
gifted with an eagles vision, mining in the
earth. His narrow sphere of vision Is the
mSckery Of his power. He sees clearly the
failing snow>fake, but not the avalanche that
tlEseatens. t. overwhelm him. He discerus the
Glance to gather pebbles, but cannot discover
the grains OF gold intermingled with them
The man who stores up wealth, or knowledge
EinSi iifesence to the good or evil Of his acts IN
li8, is like one who diligently garners the
clsaB, and leaves the W Rst to rot. There can
be no true and vaIuabA attainment apart from
moral e.reeiicnce. a bad man, with all his
gifts of nature and education, is pitiable obs
,,t His life Is but the funeral process sion of
bss soul, moving on 10 the judgment, and
t.frch of his genius. While his thoughts soar
to the stars, his passions bin him to the vlod
While thousands admire his brillianco, they
fail to roalizo how much it owes to The phos>
phorescence Of moral decay. With just force,
excans the poet Young:
'When behold a genius it's bright but bsse,
Ofsplendid talents, but terrestrial aims,
MetIlnks | see as thrown from her high sphere,
with rubch mixed and glitteTiag in the DUST
EMany striking example does experience
atkprI OF intellectual eniuencc, smothered ard
eysingushed In moral deflement. Even
hGathen philosopher declared, that the true or~
a!pr mu be good man. He saw that in
iqui,y and vice would palsy the very atterance
OF those great pure thoughts whiUh stir the
soula Of mon as with the, ho!es Of trumP.t.
The conception of the9F would be impossible
to mind stepped in~the imagery, and clonded
by tho gloom of dark deeds and lusts. There
can be no true greatness of SOUL apart from
nleral purity. We admire mental energy,
aid gaze with wonder at the intellectual ex~
pft,its of some men but the feeling is more
akin to that with which we regard feats of
muscular strength, than TO that called out by
til sight of ease, health, life ITSELF sacri-
fieed 10 holy principle. There is n kind OF
o eatnezs which chsracterzes daring, dnshing
genius: which is exhibited by commercial en-"
Ierprisu or realized in the mere soldier OF for>
tune but it is no more like that of the good
man facing the worlds scorn in his devotion
toiGud's will, and enduring hes.protracted
martyrdom of a life~tme in self-denying et>
forts 10 bless the world, than the spark OF the
Ctw>worm is like the sunbeam. There is
sothelhing that strs the soul more in Daniels
praying with his widow open toward Jeru-
safer, in spite of the terrors, of the lion sden,
thfn in all the efoquenee OF Demosthenes, or
the victories of Alexander, 1t does not need
great battle fields or Immense auditories, to
make heroes The greatness wh:ch Heaven
recognizes, and to which every heart. sui dued
BY grace divine, responds, is that OF goodness.
This can spring up under owly roofs 1t can
make solitary places memorable, by the VIC
tories of praying faith. 1t can fight, kDeeI'
iAg on moss, or heath, or desert sand, aud rise
III triumph that pours contempt on muScu>
lar proves This is a greatness, too within
the reich of all. One ueed not be born TO |
throne to obtain it. One need not he so ele~
ya,ed AS TO be Il spectacle to the world, IN Or
der tn be inspired with, or exhibit It, The
eya of God is enough, and the soul may he ITS
own field. Fidelity to principle IS jewel
tat no earthly pomp, or couril'Ee sPlen"or' /
FIR its setting, Inteilect or learning ray De
but the foil TO its simple greatness. Mount
litanc would gain nothing in impresslvenes,s'
II i. were hedged about BY Chinese wall,
o,5 If boly life, answering in devotion to
truth aud duty, looks down like an Alpine
spr,mit upon all the eneircIng att"inments of
To be q0od-to oleave. to that which is
pood-in spite OF any and all obstacles, that
IS greatness, worth, heroism. 1t is equally at
home i in hig places, or in low; Il may en-
p5bIe cottages, aud dwell in the heart of
litile child. Veal h and power have no m0'
nospoly Of it. Social position gives small "a-
vdntages toward securing it. Each must WIN
itIfor himself, aud every place aud time al
ford the opportunity.