Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1869-02-23
Conscience-What is it.-A Man a Law
unto Himself.

UNIV
AR. Covert have. q neighbo
who appears governed in all thing
by his conscience. He is simpI
minded, pure and kind, and extreme
~ religious according to his belle
or Interpretation of the bible. TX
sum up the man, he is a law unto
himself, and conscience his monitor
Is this man insane, or is he a mere
| type of character, such as appea arr
requisite in tho divine economy OF at
airs | am puzzled. Was taught
that conscience is a good though q
blind guide-often guiding a man
10 the right, but as often erring- =
Education has much to do in givine
q right conscience but as education
is never complete | suppose consci-
ence is never perfect. This man
cannot have what is known as an
accusing conscience, because he is
honest and pure hearted, consequent,
", incapable Of self accusation He
holds many strange notions, yet
conscience appears in all things his
supreme guide and dictator. Please
supplement- with your philosophic
views. They say you are an analyt,
ic judge of human character and read
men as books.
Bloomington, Feb. 16. FARMER.
EDITORIAL RESPONSE
The above is perhaps lawful sub.
ject for worldly discusants to handle,
though it rather trenches upon
ground belonging to theologians.-
Conscience is q vast field, physically
outlined but never difined as to what
are its contents. Common people
have a habit of saying, 'flet man
do as his conscience dictates and he'll
be saved, no difference about creeds
or distractions" Learned men say
that Nature plants a conscience
within the human breast, which may
be modified or even changed about
by education The poet says, "what
ever conscience dictates to be done
or warns me not to do should be
the moral law Of mankind. And
not long since we met q gentlemen
at Potosi who said, my conscience
has ever been my guide in politics J"
but as he possessed 9 Seymoure con.
science and we conscience quite as
fixed the other way the question OF
political conscience was left for set
element another day.
1t is certain that conscience is a
curious monitor and mighty power
in men. Some men are mastered
and unnamed by its secret whis.
pers. The accusing conscience allu-
ded to is terrible to ardent men Of
deep guilt. 1t is the mightiest tor
mentor to mighty men, but leaves
weak men to slumber in security
Michael Angelo, Milton, Byron and
Shakespeare all invented dreadful
characters for illustrating the accas-
ing conscience. The living God did
more He absolutely created in
mankind a real conscience which
pronounces sentence of guilt and
dooms the soul to a hell Of torture.
No Judge was ever more severe than
this tyrant within; and we can con-
ceive Of nothing harder on humanity
than death with a self-accusing con-
science for wicked deeds, and deep
conviction Of deserving torment for
ever. And on the contrary: within
the whole range of human feeling,
the, is nothing that can afford so
much JOY as q conscious belief ofres-
cue from such punishment by means
of q savior.
Riches and pleasure, and glory
what are they, compared with good
conscience Splendor and power
to command all but heaven, men
may live wretched to old age and
die fools.
The man alluded to is doubtless
one of the many given to mental
dwelling upon single theme, and is
a monomaniac, lis rallying point,
conscience. The man of one idea and
that his governing theme, can have
no other Sod, and is therefore not a
man full and perfect. He is part Of
mana monomaniac. The country
is full of such, though conscience is
rarely indeed the cause. Oftcner
money and riches, Office and power,
and objects of the selfish and sensual
| passions are causes of one-ideaism
or monomaniacy. There can no
harm follow this man who has con-
science on the brain. And were there
more of the like and less one-ideaism
from excessive cupidity and other
selfish passions we should witness a
! better state Of things
Short weight is Ire matter, and
not excess of console ). With men
i. is a terrible crime to be weighed
at the bank aud found wanting
Even such good bankers as Ryland
& Holloway make no inquiry about
conscience, but only as to the tinan~
cial weight of men. The question
is, eau a man be weighed at the bank
at the board of trade, at the fashion
party, at Sam Woodhouse mills, and
be found wanting, and yet can he
lift up his head and walk with q
good conscience before his God. is
poverty a crime, or is it godly to be
poor and have conscience ? Are
wisdom and honesty crimes. or are
they passports to a right, and intelli>
gent conscience. There are men of
wealth and fame in the country who
look with contempt upon this poor
man of an idea, that idea only fidel-
ity to bis ownl conscience. But at
last all such would gladly exchange;
gods with him-even as the rich
man when in hell would have ex-
changed places with Lazarus.
s9g-The Mount Gents tunnel is ad,
vancing rapidly. A few more months