Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1870-07-02
REPUTATION.

tuCtS . iohSO OLnoo WIZ 0AO SSpSOLoAAy
devoted to the care of their reputation.
Having overcome or outlived the
temptations which, If unresisted, might
have caused them to be held in dis
favor, and, delighting in the sweets Of
respect and esteem, they concentrate
all their powers in building up and
maintaining a reputation that shall
place them beyond censure and secure
the Difference of their fellow neil To
this object all others r made subor-
dinate. Questions Of private interest
or public welfare, Or Of pure conscien-
tio,sness, must be decided according
to the anticipated effect upon personal
standing. If calculated to preserve or
improve the good name, they will
heartily support a charity or a reform ;
but should it bring a stigma or re-
proach, no matter how great its in
trinsic merits or how beneficent its
results, they carefully avoid connec-
ton with anything so dangerous.
While such an object as this for q
ruling motive will doubtless preserve
q nan from gross vices and open i'm
morality, 1t will no less certainly pre-
vent his attaining a high standard Of
virtue. Its very essence Is s~eltshness,
out Of which nothing pure or great can
ever grow. While the ~sensualist seeks
pleasure in pamperiug the appetites,
he who idolizes reputation seeks pleas
ure in flattering his vanity. Both are
equally self-worshippers, though one
may pursue his deyotions in the haunts
of vice and the other in the stately
cathedral. Those who merit the high
est reputation are always those who
take the most independent course In
regard to it. Many Instances will
occur in the life Of every man when,
If he acts truly and conscientiously,
he will damage his character In the
eyes Of others, and make enemies
where he had hoped to find only
friends. 1t Is crises like these that
test moral courage and nobility Of soul.
Where reputation Is suffered to out
weigh eternal DEGREES Of right; where
conscience Is made subseryient to opin-
ion, and reality is sunk In appearances,
there will exist q cowardtce that bars
out effectually all moral progress, and
chains its victim down to the medi-
ocrity above which he cares not to rise.
Otter there is determination to main
tain a character for consistency, even at
the expense of newer truth and clearer
light. Man is essentially q progressive
being, and where for the sake Of being
esteemed consistent he clfngs pertina-
ciously to sentiments that be has out
grown, and to views that prove falla-
cious, he violates one Of the best ele-
ments of his nature. The only true
consistency which we should seek Is
that which leads us to act in unison
with our best knowledge at the present
time. ever keeping IA minds free to
receive new light. In this spirit of
mind we shall suffer no humiliation In
owning past faults and admitting past
ignorance, but shall rather feel that
we thus assert u great prerogative of
continual progress and improvement.
There are many things to be preferred
to the most spotless reputation. Self
respect and the approval Of conscience
should outweigh it In all our decisions.
Where these are the mainsprlngs Of ac-
ton, though misunderstanding and
even calumny assail us, we can afford
to wait patiently for the world to find
us out, secure in that internal rectitude
which will sooner or later receive Its
just appreciation. In its character, not
reputation, which should be the aim Of
all. Character Is what q man Is repu-
tation what he seems +. and, though at
length they will come into harmony
and unison, there will often be times
when they are at utter variance. Char
acter is ever growing, and only truly
lives while aspiring. Reputation set
ties down satisfied with ~mediocrity.
Those who live for the former will be
independent, yet humble, ever ready
to acknowledge error, and to receive
admonition, yet counting no mans
smile and dreadipg no mans frown.
Those. OIL the other hand, who make
reputation their idol, sacrifice their
true freedom of action. Regulating
themselves by the uncertain and vacil-
lating standard of public opinion, they
lose their personality, and become
weak imitators, instead Of the workers
of good for which they were intended.