The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1858-06-24

t pervades the whole, unchanging and undy-
ing as the Source from which it emanated.
But, as Theory, however grand and sublime
it may be, is ever wholly useless until it is
brought down from the giddy heights of Ideal
ity, where it had its birth, and domestisated
amidst the dust and toll Of this lower world
and made to lend its aid to those who stand
in need Of it,-so Truth, which includes all
correct theories, is devoid of ali practical i'm
portance until 1t IS exempiGed, and rendered
a living force, in and by the lives of men.
But see that my subject is TOO indefinite, and
viii amend it so that it shall read-MoRAL
TRUTH EXEMPLIFIED.
BY moral truth, mean the facts and rela-
tions OF Moralit. and Virtue; in other words.
those relations which Man sustains to man and
his Creator; and our lives brought into con-
forlnity with those relations will be their e&
empliHcatioa. As truth, in its largest sense,
is practically worthless so long as it exists
only as theory, 50 m9rui truth existing only
in idea is not only worthless but practically
dead But though dead, it speaks to our con-
science, and, with silent accusations, rcprOves
Us for not giving it life and vitality.
In Science and Art, the practical measure
Of every discovery and invention IS the results
pr0duced by it, and the benefits flowing from
those results and with equal justice We can
apply to moral truths the same measure,-
hence. they must be judged Of according as
they make makind better. But, as Truth Of
itself has 10 living force, and receives anlma-
.''t IL, :,
" "FP'2i"S ''''' it.,,@.
.''e oHs y must ',2o 'Pp'! - ~
H''" eAoII'P"Hct y o"t u'eS' %i41'' 80
/ H'0"'ie' ~ o"' 'i'I' 40 ''i". '''''''l9 - P
son may nav .'le 'ie"s "a 49,, = ',''
e'oqueHl III "''l oo''h9 ~ ,''.'' "oiN I'm
SCI" Iil" e.@I''Ci'' oh9' i'o S'"hu'"' anu
- = .l''' !. u'' uoes NV
Il, s''si - ~ ~
r'I ~, IN .
'oT !" ''''1 " - - -! 49,. 49,,
-, !. - mo- !i'''s.'l' 'HI"S - po'"' Du5 80
l,..t % ii'll' g. - - -oS1',,
S",'' N"' . ~ '''O ''''''
belong to that class OF "hom Il mas been VIII
'en'
"They see the right, and yet the wrong
purs sue
/ Of such characters history is fiIll-men whose
clear perceptions could and did see the evil of
their lives but whom the love Of That evil pre-
vented from forsaking it. | will call your at
tcnt.on to one instance. Of this kind in connec-
ton with men of our own country, and beg
vour indulgence while am personal.
Remember three Of the greatest characters
in our history, namely, WAsHNGToE, Henry,
and JEFFERSON. The first said, Il long for the
time to come when slavery shall be abolished
by law the words of the second l cannot
remember, but the sentiment was that he was
convinced Of the injustice aHd evils OF that in
stitution; while JEFFERSON records his conyic-
tions in such words rs these: u trcmbie for
nay country when | remember that God IS
just And yet, these three great men lived
and died SHAREHOLDERS, thus giving to the
world the powerful effect Of their example in
favor OF that great sin; for the Right Il few
empty Woris-fur the Wrong their living
deeds But they are not those OF olden times
or the great OF our own country only, who are
found in this class. Far from 1t! Truth has
its dclnquentS in every age, and in every sta
ton Of life,
But all are not equally deficient who fall
below the mark. Take those who live and
act according 10 the best Of their knowledge
rs the unit OF our standard, ana We shall see
some whose truths eXemplihed viii be cX-
pressed by 0nc.fourth, some by oae-half and
some by Mrcr-f,aTjts; vet, who among US can
say, "My measures IS full" One way IN which
people often fail 10 c&cmpIify what they fsc.
convinced IS Uo'h' IS y Passl'ely approving
u wrong P'rIIiA"eu or ""' or"'co III 'heir
presence mus couH.cn'icIh9 'he e',.: ana AT
'ie same ulnt lsnoLlhS 'IeIf own lnul'iduHl- H.
,7 'n. ,i.Ia, l5 ,Ian, ~ 'orT"
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