The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1867-12-05
Noble Men.

In every age and in every country
there have been men who in goodness
uuselishness and generosity have stood
up far above their fellows, like the noun
tains above valleys. They have demon
strated that there are redeeming qualities
in our race, that all are not wholly wrap
ped up in self, that there are, those whose
happiness consists in blessing others
Such was Howard and such is Peabody,
that prince of givers, to whom our own
land gave birth. There are many liberal
givers who seek not fame by there acts,
but are influenced by an inward impulse,
not by external force. Freely they have
received, freely they give. They are
earth's jewels They seek wealth not for
its own sake, but for the good it may DO,
the happiness it may give, the suffering
it may relieve, the light aud knowlege it
may diffuse. They live aud move on a
higher plane than other men, far remov-
ed above the money loving, selfish and
miserly. Unsolicitsd they give where good
can be done, affording a most wonderful
contrast to rich but peuurious and Mig
gardly men, who clutch their gold with
a death grasp. The mean and selfish but
rich men are utterly incapable of COM
pretending the acts of these great aud
free giving men, aud are even ready to
assign to them unworthy aud selfish mo
tivcs, such as they are influenced by
"He is rich and able to give aud it is no
liberality in him" say these sordid souls.
Are they not rich also Do they give of
their incomes in proportion to him p
He makes his money easily" Does he
make it more easily than they? Do they
remember that fortunate and accidental
speculation by which they realized many
thousands without any toll or any re
markable sagacity of theirs aud how
much of it did they give to the needy
aud suffering? He has a large income"
Have they not also 4? Do they fnd their
hearts and their liberality increasing in
proportion to the increase of their in
comes? In is this the striking contrast be-
tween them and him. Every addition to
their thousands increases their love OF
money, their indispostion to give to
others, 1T encases their hearts, shutting
up one avenue after another, and to quiet
thN vi lhC mutt Cuu
science they have left, they seek to as
cribe sinister and selfish motives to him
who is in all worthy respects their oppo-
site. They would bring him down to
their low level, mortified aud chagrined
by the striking contrast between him and
themselves. To palliate and excuse their
excessive and contemplate meauuess
they would strip of all excellence him
who is the glory of our race. Counter
feits themselves, they seek to prove there
is no genuine. Thus seek to shield them
selves against all possible chances of be-
ing moved by any of the calls of.the needy
and suffering. From them the charitable
institutions of the day, the poor at home
and the degraded aboard, can expect
unless wrung from them, or un-
less they can see how they can receive
good return or their names for once be
blazoned abroad. The motives they at
tribute to others are theirs, they are mig
rored forth in their words. The selfish
and ungenerous will soon die and their
names cease among men the Doble, un-
selfish, free;giving will, without seeking
it, forever live in the hearts of all good
men and in the monumental institutions
they have reared,-PdtsJurgh Ge=ette.