Smyrna times. [volume] (Smyrna, Del.) 1854-1987, 1858-06-17
IFrjttcn for the Smyrna Times.
Evening Hours.
BY GRENvILLE SHARPE.
On reasons build resolve,
That column of true majesty in man.
BY GRENvILLE SHARP

! That column of true majesty in man.
DR.. Young
To leave off the frivolities, the preiudices
and the follies of our past life, and strike will
a vigorous manhood into new paths of conduct
requires the force, power and energy constitu
tive of well-established and disciplined course
of action. On reason to build the hopes of ou
future course in this life, with unerring certain
ty, that we may become reconciled to virtu.
GUS and disciplined usefulness in the private
avocations of this world daily intercourse with
our fellow-man, requires something more than
the mere verbal or written expression of our
honest desires to do so.
The text Informs US how to commence the
work of reformation, and also imparts to us
knowledge of the strength and durability OF
the material to be employed in the structure of
that edif1ce, which, from its very nature of du-
ration, is calculated to hold US steady amid all
the storms and vicissitudes of this transitory
life,-for what is there more majestic in man
than that lie should square all his acts by rea-
son. 1t is here laid down as a first principle,
that to build on reason is the only column of
true majesty in mans composition, and that he
who is guided only by his predictions or in
stincts, comes far short of actingSke rational
being, or filling up that space of manhood al
lotted him by his Creator when he made him
lord of the soil and endowed him with that al
mighty faculty Reason. He who is guided by
his prejudices or swayed by his passions in his
daily intercourse with his fellow-man, is very
far indeed from acting upon the principles of
reason or of common sense. He who gives
way to his appetites and, by selfmdulgence,
becomes habtuated to free use of the table,
with like desire to satisfy his vitiated thirst
with wine and strong drink, whereby he injHrcs
his health, ruins his constitution-mentalya and
at the same time diminishes
his fortune, is not entitled to the appellaton of
a reasonable man.
The man who builds on reason is one who is
regular in his habits, steady in his religion, and
in his integrity ;. the faithful per-
tormance of all his engagements, with him, is
cardinal virtue lie knows not the meaning of
hypocrisy, and the wiles of the inveigler he
cordially despises; the unwavering simplicity
If his conduct, with the whole demeanor of
'irtuous life, is the chart by which he steers
Ind holds the reckoning Of life. Thus the mar
Who on reasons build resolves, has within his
mind that iHestimable jewel-the column of
rue majesty in man." 1t matters not how few
he number may be, compared with the great
mass of mankind, they are still the more pre-
;ious in the eyes of all well-thinkng indlvidu-
lis, of whatever denomination of protesting
Christians they may belong TO; in fact, they
constitute the salt of the earth, and give to |
rembling humanity its relish for existence
There is nothing SO becoming and so fitting for
nan in this life as religion, and unless he can
lin who was born in Bethlehem and baptised
n Jordon, and practice the precepts as there
aught by Jesus Christ himself, he mad much
letter be without the profession of it. The
rue conversion of the sinner is regeneration of
he individual. He or she thus enrolled with
he people OF God, must reverse the whole ca
eer of life and walk in an entire new PATH
Where lieing was practice they must now
ONE up to strict rule of truth and where
in dealing had become habitual, res
tuition as far as possible ought to be made, and
full, clear and determined course of honesty
Or the future practised daily. The Bachana:
AN songs must be abandoned for the Psalms of
David, and evening rambles left aside for the
in short, when individuals be-
in honestly to act in this wise, there is some
ope that they " on reasons build resolve"