Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1869-06-17

changed it to a moral purpose that out
of that feeling he wrought garments of
duty; that out of that experience he
came back to his fellow-men more sympa-
thetic, more humble, more Christ-ike-
ah that was sign that the feeling was
gentle one. Otherwise it would have
been simply sign of self-indulgence.
a man that takes his excess Of moral,
social and religious excitement, to raise
the tone of his moral and emotive feelings,
is just as dissipated as if he raised the
tone of his physical feelings, by physical
stimulants am not instituting COM
parison as to which is the better, and
which is the worse. l merely say that
one is intenperance just as much as the
other, though one is grosser than the
other, and is more disastrous in undoing
the very structure of the body itself.
And men ought to be made TO understand
that there is no such thing as moral in
toxication, and that man can take re-
ligious feeling, and that he can-what
bibe, for no other reason than it feels 50
good. 1t is self-indulgence. 1t is luxu-
ry-a higher luxury, TO be sure. And he
imbibes and imbibes, and is more joyful.
He is not a better man, but is much hap
pier man. And he imbibes and imtiDes,
until by and by he swigs and swigs, and
the man is besotted. / have seen men
that were literally debauched at the top
of their brain, and who had gone into a
systematic self-indulgence. They never
were happy except under circumstances
where they had this peculiar form of en-
joying themselves.
Ii found that the whole form Of this
enjoyment was mighty spring that was
pressing them towards self-denial for the
sake OF their fellow mem If / found that
it was securing their mOrals-white a.
snow; if ! found that it was multiplying
the avenues Of their usefulness; If ] found
that they were gentle and meek III follow
ing Christ, then / should say that there
was no moral incompetence there. Feel
ing which, beginning as feeling, has trans
muted itself into life and conduct, and
become wholesaie-that is genuine pieiy
that il true Christian character. bnt the
mere feeling without the transmutation l.
nothing Of the kind, i not desirable. 1T
il Is not going to be transmitted into any
thing but emotion, il i not only al ln-
desirable thing. il Is a dangerous thing.
Let u take instances that are familiar
to rs in common life. a man sits in BIZ
door, and see, bully abusing child that
j. weak, gentle. mild and meek and the
man l. tcrrifically indignant. lie fairly
-wcars with rage to see such an ahamina-
bIe bully abuse such "a holple-- boy. \
very staid and quiet apprentice in a shop
near by witnesses the occurrence. IL.
does not feel half 80 much indignation.
but he drops his tools, and clap eH hi-
paper cap, and rushes out into the street.
and knocks that bully. and sends him
sprawling to the ground: and when three
or four of the bully'z companions come
ont to help him, the apprentice square,
up 10 them, and he appal- the whole Of
them. and he re-eue- that boy. should
like to know which of the two men felt
indignation best and most -alui4ry. One
felt il in his heart. and the other fit IL IN .
hi- fist In one it took the form q helpIe.-
prote-t-the form Of lazy Indignation in
a lazy man. And - be- sat and rocked
with Indignation. The other man trans
muted his Indignation into q fire which
carried him out and made lin the cham
pion and protector of the weak. and the
puui,her ii the oPpre--or. / say that the
last feeling was the hearty f.ellug-tho
feeling that took au The form Il action
Instantiy .-ii,4yy Husi B.,.i,I.