Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1868-07-11
TRUE BENEvoLENcE.

49, w ASSA NSAAPoo-
sion for all suffering and sorrow, in
whatever form it may present itself, and
to make efforts for its relief. Some
have %eudeavored to deny the existence
Of such q natural impulsion, and to re-
solve all human actions into q supreme
sel6shness, but only n who has
crushed the emotion out of his own ua-
ture by a continued course of selfish
conduct could PROFOUND SO palpablc an
error. There is, it is true, n refined
sel6shuess which will perform benevo-
lent actions only for the applause Of
mankind but this spurious imitation
only proves the genuine reality Of the
original sentiment it seems to simulate.
Still, though the foundation Of benero-
leuce may be traced back to this nat.
ural disposition, the principle Of beneV-
olence is something higher and nobler.
The moro sentiment is the natural feel
ing in its untutored wildness, and SIM
ply as such is capable Of producing
even pernicious consequences but the
principle that underlies that sentiment
is that which, when trained, governed
and directed by reason and experience,
accomplishes the best results. The
mere feeling Of unregulatcd benevolence
would induce VI to pardon the most OBJ
durate criminals, and law would a
to have power, and mankind be again
made subject to mere brute force. The
true exercise Of benevolence, on the
contrary, leads us to prefer the good
and security of the whole community.
He who is unable to resist giving when
aver importuned, may prove tho amia-
bility Of his nature, but he also proves
his want of a deliberate and properly
regulated principle of b%enevolence. The
truly benevolent character, then, so
cherishes, trains and governs his natu-
raj generous impulses as to produce the
most useful results, and to harmonic
those with all his other duties of life.
Thus it is a mistake to suppose that
benevolence is always p%roportioned to
the sum Of money contributed to bener-
olent objects. A man may give all his
goods to feed the poor and have not
charity, and the widows two mites
were the most valuable contribution in
all the treasury. Blessed is he that
eonsidsreh the poor, not always he who
gives the most, but whose mind rests
and revolves on their condition and
needs till his reason digests plans of
the greatest efficiency for their relief
and his hands busy themselves in afford
ing it. Such a one will exhibit his
b%enevolence in a general kindness Of
manner to all around him, he will dis
pense his charities with a loving grace,
will make sacrifices Of repose and COM
fort when ministering to the sick, and
will DO the most truly beloved Of
all, because most 6lled with love to
others. This principle is a source of
the purest and greatest happiness to its
possessor. Heseems privileged to behold
the whole world in q beautiful harmony,
and while ONE with gloomy eye see
only the faults and miseries of those
they relieve, he sees the better side OF
mankind, and recognizes a wise, beuev-
client Father presiding over the affairs
of the world. A recent instance OF
Christian b%enevolence is that Of Henry
Thornton, Of England, who towards tho
close Of the last century, inhe rited from
his father a considerable fortune and a
truly great and noble mind. After re-
Election, he resolved not to enlarge his
property by accumulation, nor diminish
it by extravaganza. He lived easily,
but not l%uxuriously, and gave away
one-third Of his income, ordinarily
about ten thousand dollars, aud in one
year of unusual distress, forty-6ve thou
sand dollars. As q legislator, he had
condemned the pressure of the taxes on
the poor instead of the rich, but being
defeated, he quietly raised his own
taxes to the level he had proposed. A
mercantile firm had obtained from his
firm large advances, became embar-
raised, and only By making them bank
rupts could he save his own house from
serious loss. He overruled his part
uers, stood the loss Of one hundred
thousand dollars, and saved the other
firm. The law Of righteous beneyo-
lence engraven on his conscience, and
executed through his affection, was
strictly interpreted BY his reason. His
was benevolence, not Of mere sentiment,
but of trained, regulated character,
cool, intelligent, self.sacrifcing.
We believe it may be safely said that
there never was an age more distin-
guished on the whole for benevolence
than the present. The case of Peabody
will rise up to every mind, and many
others, we are glad to feel, are as truly
liberal, in proportion to their means, US
he. This principle alone can render US
truly just. Our own self-love is plead
ing for our own interests constantly,
and he who listens not to the ~pleadings
of b]enevoleuce, on the other side, can
never be impartial. He is like the
judge who gives q decision, having
heard but one side of the case. The
more meu embody themselves and their
interests in the good of others, the hap
pier they will be. Those who break
down the barriers Of selishness, and
let their love flow out on all sides, have
a thousand sources of enjoyment where
the selfish man has but one.
MAsoSIo.-The Philadelphia Bulletin
of June cath contains a very long &C.
count of the Masonic Celebration of
ST .John's Day. and the LAYING of the