Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-01-17

L propose, dear public, to furnish you Il
, wholesome dish of that very cheap com
modify called advice and us there is an in
exh atlstible supply on hand, you shall lnXu-
| rate in it weekly until [ get tired. The
subject of this first essay is contained in
those four little lines Of Boccaccio:
.'If every man Internal care
Were written on his brow,
How many would our pity share
Who move our envy now
How little we know of the inner temple
in the breast of each Of our neighbors-Of
the SORROWS, the trials, the joys, the tri-
umphs which make their dwelling there
and yet there is scarcely anything alb out
which we deceive ourselves more. Although
you may meet me daily, what do you know
of my secret thoughts. my sorrows, of con-
ISOLATION or distress You know my out
ward circumstances, perhaps, my mode Of
life, my human features but the coat
covers what You cannot unlock, 1t shuts
out Of view things known to but One. SO
it is with us all. And after such events as
have recently transpired i'll this country,
how many more Of these hidden things
there are in every heart than ordinary
times afford. In the silent depths SO late
~ stirred by the storm, although the sur
face may be smooth, strange shapes are
wandering up and down. forms from the
floating wreck that ruin leaves behind -
hideous shapes, perhaps, that writhe in the
dark waters or, it may be, forms of beau
ty filing the soul with happiness and
the heart with strength and peace
for remember that the troubled sea- oft casts
upon the shore pearls and beautiful shells
as we'll as reptiles and wrecks.
How much more everybody has thought
and reflected since the war than before !
Aud what has been the average re-
suit +? Are cur judgments more just,
our charity more enlarged? Even
if anywhere on earth. sympathy and
charity might be universally reciprocal,
are those virtues commonly exercised in our
daily intercourse? That bitter maxim of
the satirist, ''There's something in the
misfOrtunes of our best friends not displeas-
ing to u.s. CRATES harshly on the ear, but
alas, for human depravity, there's truth at
the bottom of the maxim i'll spite OF
its disagreeable sound. 1t certainly would
not be just or truthful to say that the
contemplation of the widespread ruin
around us affords positive satisfaction
to any OF you but it would be
equally nntruthful to say that nobody finds
consolation in the fact that his neiglbOrs
are no bet er off than himself Under the
most trying circumstances, we hear the mis-
| fortunes Of other folks with resignation.
Those of us who were always poor, for in
stance, have not lost any sleep thinking of
what our richer neighbors have suffered
and they have not, probably bought addi-
tional supplies Of pocket handkerehiefs to
wipe away the tears which our distress has
caused them. 1t is barely possible, on the
contrary, that each class has developed more
selfishness than ever, and has formed for
itself stronger determination than ever 10
! look diligently after the interests of that
universal favOrlte, commonly known as
Number One. But even in the pursuit of
that laudable object, we manage to spare
time enough occasionally to discuss other
peoples motives and conduct
There's more salt and pepper than oil on
the social board, isn't there ? Society, YOU
say, is in these respects what it has always
been;- granted but what does that prove?
Not that we have improved society," GER
ta1nly. There are periods when the neces-
sity for guarding against certain social
evils, and for the exercise of an ENLARGED
charity are more apparent than at others,
and we are now living in just such period.
We have all been subjected to that most
trying ordeal, civil war, and the cessation
OF actual hostilities doesn't find society in
healthy condition. Now is the fittest time
to put on the brakes. Let us do it let lis
begin by being more charitable let us re-
member that we do not know the secret
springs of another's actions-that our meas.
uring stick will not answer for all other
men, and that this world is a tolerably
large institution, in which there's room for
us and several other people without
scrouging, as the children say.
But we must not confound charity with
sentimentaGsm, otherwise there is an end
to all healthy reforms. We can be truly
charitable to individuals, and yet le,,l
sharply with the errors of a class |; or with
any public evil. IL, therefore, in SUISSE
quent sermons, I direct your attention 10
such, shall not De obnoxious to the charge
OF inconsistency. Kouwill be uucharitabie
if you make the charge.