Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-12-13

dDn last Sunday night, at the First Pres
byterian church, the pastor, Rev. DR.
Moore, delivered an interesting ard en-
tertsining discourse 10 yOJrg men, Of
which we present tie following report
During tie introductory exercises, d..
Moore rced the fourth chapter of Pro-
verbs, AID took for his text part of the
4th verse of tAe 18th chapter of Gene
sis: "Uns.aNle as water, thou shalt not
excel. y
After remarkiug that too many men
failed to succeed in life simply because
they had not resolution to say ''nO;" the
Doctor said that one of the most impor-
tsnt lessons q young man, and sometimes
q young woman, could learn, was to ut
ter, at the right time and in the light
place, that little word Of two ls,ters-
''no." Reuben, of whom the words in
the text are spoken, seems to have been
a warm hearted, impulsive man; showing
his sympathy for his brother Joseph
when the rest of his brethr0 were plot
ting against his life; but his reckless and
unrestIained impulse often led him into
sin. This unstable character followed
him through life, and was impressed on
his descendants, so that the birthri ght
which should have been his was given to
the firm-heartei Judah, while Reuben
was appointed 70 fill subordinate po-.
sition
This punishment was visited upon Reu-
ben's descendants on account OF parIc
MAR Trial Of chsl acter TO which the special
attention of Young men should be directed.
The speaker then discussed the ques-
ton "What is stability Of character
first considering what it was not. 1t was
not stubbornness, nOtdogmatism, not stag
nation.
What then, continued the Decor, is
stability OF character? Il is simply firm
ness in what is tight This Implies that
we know what is rigst, aud hence in
wolves intelligence, YlItue and ptrse-
yeIancc. Let US look at some points in
regard 10 which stability is important to
young men.
First, then, stability in your opinions
on important subjects. Twas once walk
ing with distinguished gentleman i'll an
other State, when we passed an Individual
of whom he remarked, "Thcre goes a
man who always believes the last book he
reads, especially if 1t is bad one" Tn
happily, his description applies to a large
number Of minds, especially among
the young. They have no sta
bic opiniOnF, for they have never
taken pains to give any subject a
thorough examination. They arc at the
mercy Of every wind that blows, and
they take their politics from the last
newspaper, their theology from the last
magazine; and in regard to many essen
tisi points, they have really no opinions
al ali. They think one church, one
CT, ed, Just as good Gs an tler, and Uni
versalist Just as apt to be right as Tin
itarian, and perhaps an unbelicyer just as
correct in his views as a believer. Al
this is weakness, and arises simply from
lack of knowledge. There is such a
thing as truth, and there is in religion,
as in everything else, distinction in
truths-sgme fundamental and essential,
others secular and non essential.
IL is not a difficult matter to reach clear,
satisfactory conclusions in religion, IS
pecially if We desire to know tue truth
and are not swayci by auy corrupt bias
of heart. God has made the way 30 plain
that the wayfaring man, though fool,
need not err therein. Every man ehou!d
form his own opinions with the best light
he can obtain, and then, when he has
formed these opinions, he should stand 10y
them. Il is not necessary that
yoa should be able 10 answer
every cavil that may be made,
anv more than il is necessary that you
sb0uld be able to answer every question
in chemistry before you tat your dinner.
Form your opinions IN the fear of Gad,
and then, unless some light reaches you
that goes 10 the very central truth OF al
oDinion. and shows you that the Yey
foundation Of your belief is wrong, h,ld
fast 10 your opinions, aud do not allow
vour mind to drift on the sea of opinion,
anchurless and ruddeTlcss, for even b2C
anchorage is better than no anchorage al
all.
Arain, he stable in your principles
The difference between good man and
q had man is not so much difference u
the principles rs in the stability anJ
control of those principles 1t IS tru'
that some men set wiakcdiy on prime plh
because they have adopted a system OF
wicked views; but this is only true Of {
lew. Ut GltAA mas Va Ali~Aa YIN. IA u
their views Ct right ard wrong, howevG
much they may differ in their conduct
No man, perhaps, really believes that i
is right TO re or steal or cheat or 10 &c
drunk. OF to commit any at of crime
even though he may do thee things. Hi
nrinciples on these points are Identical
with those q the pure and the most viz
tuOus.
The defect is in the stability and con,
troll of these principles. Passion gets ia:
better of principle, grasps the Teins OF
will. and hurries the man headlons into
soae career of crime. The man whom
an revere as a saint or sage Is not a
man whose principles as to Tecutude aii'
fer from the principles of others, as this
very admiration of his character proves
but one who yields more implicitly and
constantly to tAe control Of principle
Here then, young man, is all that you
need 70 take your stand among the mar
tyTs and heroes Of your race. IL is SIN
ply inilexible stability of principle, IL
not yielding TO what is wrong, OF, if un-
fortunately betrayed, in resolutely return