Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1869-12-18
T SIMS.

There are many defects Of character
so open in their nature and so obviously
injurious in their results that they OBJ
tain no permanent foothold in . civil
lied and moral community, and are, by
common consent, given over to those
who are so far debased as to have lost
the desire for respectability. Yet these
sins are but very few in number, COM
pared with those commonly considered
petty and venal, which are tolerated and
cherished among US, and which all are
ready to palliats and excuse, if not to
defend, in. themselves or in others.
While great vices and open crimes may
be compared to tho ravsges of wild
beasts, or the fury of the elements, these
little faults are like the subtle poison
that gradually undermiues tho whole
physical nature. They have we'll been
compared to the small, soft and noise
less moths, harmless in appearance, but
silently aud surely eating into the thick
est fabrics, and, if unchecked, destroy
ing them. The merely negative faul. OF
Incidence, the habit OF over-eating, or
Of using unnecessary stimulants or mar.
cotics, the common practice Of spending
u little too freely, or the opposite eS-
,rome Of closing the hand that should
bes,ow benefactions, the frstful temper,
the moro,e visage, the naughty car
riage, the harsh rebuke, small enTyings
aud jsalousies, exaggerations and de-
ceits, which are the seeds Of untruth.
fula.ss, unfair advantages taken pri-
vstely ; all these, and many other faults
that seem small aud u~nimportant, are in
reality the causes Of more ds'truc-
ton Of character in a community
than all the crimes of which the
law takes eognizsnce. Tho inju.
rios they inAict upon others, being
more remote from actual view, fail to
excite the Indignation that 10 itself the
best corrsctor Of the gros,sr forms OF
wickedu.ss. But as man progresses in
mental power, his increasing insight
enables him to see the more distant AZ
we'll rs the immediate consequences oil
actions, and gradually they take a traeE
rank in public estimation. Conscience,
however, if not hardened by neglect
will always set up a higher standard
than public approval, and every
Thoughtful person will recognize the
Importance of guarding against the
secret and iu,idious attacks Of these
so-called little faults. Indeed, all vices
and crimes " their origin to tho un
checked indulgence of little faulta. Blu
while the former are frightful from thei'
magnitude, tho latter are moro rsall!
dangerous from the silent and insidiou'
character of their workings. It il no
sufficient that we avoid gross iins-tba
we bear a fair exterior, and are ap
p!auded by those who cannot see be
meath the surface; If, in our sacre
; hearts and hidden lives, we cherish
. these germs Of evil, if we indulge il
small violations Of duty, tho who'll
fabric Of our character will soon become
pierced and eaten away like a carmen
that, for want of active usefulness, Al
aud sunlight, is cut and destroyed, ant
rendered unfit for the purpose for which
i. was designed. Nothing 10 too small
to be developed. If it takes vigilance
and uneessing effort to cherish ever.
germ of goodness in the human breast
no less strenuous c1ertiou is needed t.
crush every weed in its earliest growth
and 20 prevent the ~blossoming OF wha
would, if left to itself, choke aud poi'o'
the whole character Of nan