Smyrna times., 1866-03-21
NJ | ) & f l. l. \ y EOUS.
Nan as a Social Being.

| Tho old a ln1" Is, that 'amlni, known i,
tn" company h. keep. But something f,
stronger thau this j. truc-evrrv man !. m ,ro
or les form 4 II the company he k,cp> an.
most ut all l. tins the case with those who srL
and seem to be the leaders of it. for in -, Kim
they watch most carefully the rising idea, au'
oP!h,on> that govern it. and by carving th ~,
little further than otherS-or, a> TaIl.yr,,,,
egNpreNSrt s'ttng their watch lust ten minnie.
before others. take the lead. Such. then. j. tho
power "t >"rletS over the individual. and many
llFre are who ar" all The time lamruting thi>
as 4 @r1t evil. The young man who i, he'd
away by hi> companions into vices and ryo,..
e tHI evil habits. throw, all the blame llron
society, and his mother and wife. if he has
them. do not blame him nor lose faith in linn.
Out regret the fast st he has got into. And
they assure themselves that hc will b.. all rioI,t
aglth yet when he yet, out Of it and settled j.,
HE III h. proper sphere even wbrr. thar very,
society has fastened t~clfand its habits 80 u,,n,,
mn that he never VIII escape. unc>, better in
nl'nceN should save him. IT, then. society
iaN H. dangers, It also has its advantages. ana
THESE latter more than couutcrhalourn tbn t,,,
mer whilr they add "A hundred d-f,Id to thn,,',,r
er OF the individual. 1t is a noble tbin, f,r :,
man 10 be "'|c to stand apart from the crowd
am ilIln IN the right, brcasting the on,n,it;or
OF The multitude IN the strength of his own j.,
dlHliudI manhood and courage; but if !, not
always In" best or greatest thing to do this
even when one feels sure of being able to suc'
ccci: 10 :" minglr with society as to be moul-
ued by ITS truths while imparting our own to
H-guidIng the vessel by sitting quietly at the
stern, helm in hand, rather than ambitiouslv
alniln@ to be the useless figurchead at the prov
THAT i the position for good and wise man
u attain. For society has got its useful lessons
To teach to every man, and can and will teach
anu icai the wlscSt more than he can teach it.
iALu II Is by thus alternately and patiently
icarhllg "hlc teaching, receiving while impart-
lngI IhaI the most good, and true and wise
and useful members Of society ever live,
Too much individuality of character and
separation from the world renders anv man
proud, selfish, valnglorious and conccited -
company wears away the rough edges of =
man. corrccts the crudcncss Of his view. ,nJ
even his more serious errors. Even the wrono
dispositions Of the individual find that no.it;",,
IN society III which they strangely ncutralizr
each other The very rough and row,lirs
the dangerous classes, aS they are called in mr.
binary life and, when inspired by society with
the feelings OF patriotism, become As brave and
as effective a. any soldier in the army. and
with conscious possession Of courage in a no
bic cause, return, oitcntimcS. animated by high
;r views. ashamed only of their low vices, but
aiming 10 Dc nODlcr auu tfucr men. True 1t l.
that all clilucs and companies with one idea,
)ne set Of views, run them out to those excess
Is and extremes Of each individual more bold,
and open, and disgusting than he would venture
upon alone But this is only because such eli
Iucs and company are mt society. They are
narrow, segregated, onc-sidcd, and hence fop-
plsh and conccitcd True social life is many
sided, and excrts, like the atmosphere so equal,
uniform and gentle pressure at every point
alike that it is not felt as pressure, but only as
support, keeping everything in the place and
position nature designed it should occupy 1t |
taxes all sorts Of what are called soctcties to
form SOctcty
Let any one look back eighteen hundred
years and think what society there was before |
christianity had established the Church, and |
t Will be at once seen that all other causes put |
,ogether have not united men as Christianity |
las. All that we mean in modern times by So |
.ial life finds It's best realization in the ideas |
lrst aetualized by the carpenters son and the
Jalllean fishermen and the tent-makers ofTar-
us.
Man is social being. His very sins are