Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1870-10-03
RLUpINa DUTY.

8LUD1NS 0OTx.
A chief source Of the disappointment
so frequently experienced in life's ell
terprises, and the discomfort SO often
felt Is to be found In the habit Of
cvadlng the various duties which fall
to the human lot. There are few who
openly defy and disown their obliga-
tions; the mass of people acknowledge
them. and intend more or less earnestly
to fulfill them; but it Is n rare thing
to find a man who, As they arise, crap
piles with each of them with courage
and determination. The perception
Of what Is right Is frequently the most
acute where the resolution to abide by
It Is the weakest. There are certain
parts Of our life work which assert
themselves so strongly that we are not
tempted to avoid them. Hunger en-
forces labor; the wants Of the body
call so loudly that we cannot ignore
the effort to supply them ; our instincts
and emotions are often so strongly de-
vsloped that We delay not In satisfying
their cravings; and, especially In
strong natures, motives to action are
frequently so powerful that but little
resolution seems needed to accomplish
It. Yet we are all conscious of many
duties which have no such powerful
lever to move them-many Of them
hard and unpleasant, some actually
repugnant to I'LL peculiar tempera-
ments. The temptation to elude them
Il so insidious, that II needs all u
moral courage to resist its influence.
Theimagination Il constantly magni-
flying the annoyances attending these
dreaded duties-and the longer they
are put of the more intolerable they
become. The manifestations Of this
habit Of mind are numerous, and
vary with every popularity Of tenn
permanent and constitution. Some
elude physical labor; some, mental
effort; some are willing to perform
every hard task, but try to shift their
responsibilities; some do too much to
benefit their families, and neglect their
own health; some spend all their
energies on themselves, and ignore
their social duties; some are punctili-
Gus In the performance Of outside
obligations, while at home they SOW
only the seeds Of domestic discord ;
and others are faithful to all their
household relations, but loose and I'M
scrupulous In their business dealings.
Many conscicntlously fulfill all obliga-
lions that they deem important, while
little duties are suffered to pass
neglected. Whatever be the form
which this habit Of eluding duty takes,
1t Is always fatal to the perfection Of
character which should be our aim.
No real and substantial progress in
virtue can be made while we are con-
scious Of loose ends In our character.
Even though the slightest duties may
seem trivial and to involve no import
ant Issues, yet the effect upon ourselves
Of neglecting known obligations is
always injurious, and leads insensibly
to increasing dereliction. Those who
have so disciplined themselves as to
shrink from M duty, however un-
pleasant; to shift no responsibility.
however weighty, and to fulfill with
earnestness whatever purpose they
form, In smsll things rs we'll as IN
great, have learned the chief secret Of
success. They are true not only to
others, but to themselves; they wear
no disguise. but owning all the ditf-
cvlties in their way, boldly attack and
usually conquer them. 1t doubtless
needs strength and decision Of charac-
ter to act up to such a principle, but
every effort made, and every tempta-
ton overcome, will increase this
strength. and the weakest need not
despair. To subdue this insidiouS
habit Of eluding duty, there is nothing
against which We should more strictly
guarl than pro~crastination. When we
postpone any obligation because Of is
unpleasantness, we are In reality guilty
Of moral cowardice, and are the less
likely to return to it the more the pro-
crastinating impulse is INDUCED. One
who had for years yielded to this
insidious temptation, and had the good
sense to see that 1t was running his
every enterprise, and injuring his
character, made \ rule for his own
government, that whenever choice as
to the time Of an action was possible,
he would perform the most disagree
able duties first. We should all find
the value Of such a rule in Il daily
lives, could we summon resolution
enough to adhere to 1t. Evasion Of
duty would then soon cease to be 4
possibility, and life, no longer dark
ened by the shadow of dreaded and
u~nfulflled obligations, would yield a
purer happiness than any mere pleasure
can bestow.
70 FIhA DaNNHh