Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1868-11-03
THE HERALD.
Vanity VS.. Pride.


mer is an extravagant opinion Of our |
worthiness the latter is an inordin,
ate desire that others should share
that opinion. When we are proud. |
we think too much of ourselves
when we are vain, we want our neigh
Dor to thing too much of us. Pride
is the melancholy mood, vanity the
playful crazness of self-love run mad.
Pride is feared, but scarcely despied
by men vanity is treated with ridi-
Guile and contempt. for in pride there
is always something strong, and in
vanity something weak. The work
ings of pride, too, are above the reach
of vulgar natures but vanity is cas-,
lily detected, and there is nothing
that pleases vain creature SO much
as the opportunity of laughing at an.
| other vainer than himself
1t 10 not wrong nor improper that
we should maintain decent self-res
pect, and hold a just and true esti,
mate OF our powers and capabilities.
In like manner, it is not wrong TO
have proper Difference to the opin-
ION OF other men, and "a desire to
stand we'll with those among whom
we 1.-Two. The first Christians were
advised SO to live that they might
have favorable testimony from
those who were outside The desire
to please our superiors, neighbours
and friends is 4 legitimate stimulus
TO exerton, and we naturally crave
the judgement of bystanders on our
performances, SO that we may COR
rect our faults, if we have not been
entirely successful, or, if successful.
We may enjoy the need of approba,
ton to which We fed that we are
honestly entitled.
But if the desire for appreciation
is not kept wI.hin bounds, ii runs in
20 vanity, and becomes q source OF
weakness aud unhaI piness in the
soul. The mind gradually loses sight
Of God, and OF the great motive which
should guide and sanctify all our &C
tons, ely-the love of God and
our eternal salvation. We get to
live on human applause, and we do
not feel the inward peace and satis-
faction that spring from conscious
ness Of having fulfilled our duty in a
proper manner. We become Jealous
of the success of others, enVions of
the praise awarded them, and angry
at our failure to crafty and astonish
our new masters In this manner
the eccentric little passion of vain
glory is gradually converted into
scourge that chafes and vexes us
continually, by falling upon the raw
place Of excited and uneasy self,cen>
ceit. There is perhaps no passion
that so often Furnishes its own folly
as vanity The stronger it gro VS.,
the more certainly is it doomed to
disappointment.
Vanity is sometimes supposed to
! be confined TO women and children,
to classes Of persons, in fact, from
which we do not expect proofs of
lofty principle and dignified self com
mand. And yet men are very often
as vain Of their appearance, and of
the impression they produce upon
others, % woman is of her beauty.
her accomplishments, or her lewelry
and costly dresses Men OF rare
gifts and distinguished ability are Ii,
able to mar their undemiable merit
by exhibitions Of almost juvenile
vanity. 1T is a strange and vet
true fact, that even men OF genius,
men destined to live for ever in the
literary or military annals Of their
country, have been noted for affecta
ton and self-conceit,- for demon
stration, in short, that prove the
morbid desire to be noticed, admired.
and made much of by their fellows
men. How necessary, then, it must
be for persons Of ordinary virtue
and strength to guard against the in
sidious in>roads OF this dangerous
enemy Of spiritual improvement.
1t is not necessary 10 run into ec-
centricity or rudeness in order to
avoid he imputation Of vpnity. The
good Christian is not the man to put
on an assumed and forced exterior.
He is guileless and unaffected lie
is at his ease because he has nothing
to conceal. He does not fear tire
judgements and opinions of the world,
nor does he swerve from the path of
duty to win its admiration or ap,
plause. AT tho same time, he does
not want only brave and insult it, for
such conduct would turn men away
from virtue, rather than draw them
gently to its practice.-Rer Dr..
Cummings