Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-04-06

A brilliant Lectnre and an Apprecia-
live AUdfenca

evening IN the FIRST Baptist Church, taking
for his subject, "The Model Man." A large
audience was present, and the excellent
choir of the Church rendered their services
for the occasion.
Morton B. Howell, Esq, in presenting
DIR. Jones to the audience explained that
the proceeds of the lecture would be de-
voted TO the maintenance of the Protestant
Orphan Asylum.
DR.. Jones having opened bis lecture with
fine introduction, proceeded to describe
| the character of "the model man, who, he
said, occupies position TO all
others. He may be devoid of genius,
wealth and social influence, of ancestral
honors, of courlly speech, aud of the blan-
disbments of the heart. He perhaps stands
alone, with only his generous heart beating
| in his godlike bosom. He is, indeed, not
necessarily thus alone. He may have the
| brightest type of mind, be crowned by all
| the graces, and possess a name illustrious
| for ages back as it is destined to be for ages
yet to come, under propitious circum-
stances. But however that may be, what
ever the circumstances or mere &C
cidents of his being, and whatever
others may think of him, there is
one at least, on earth by whom he is held
in high esteem. That one is himself.
Gold that measures the value of other
| things is no measure Of the value he has
set upon himself. Nay, sceptres, crowns,
tiaraS and all the honors they confer, he re-
CARDS as infinitely inferior to himself.He Las
an essential honor above them all and yet
he is not vain. He does not think of HIM
self more highly than he ought 10 think.
Indeed he is distinguished for true humility.
In view of the mighty God and his works,
how could he look upon himself with
out humility. Still, there is within
him and about him that which challenges
and wins his own profoundest respect
something vast, and if not infinite, yet in
dssOlubly united with the Infinite. 1t was
no mean hand that fashioned him. Nothing
less than divine afflatus still inspires him,
and though beauty aud grandeur on earth
and in heaven meet his gaze, he has all in
tuition that he is superior to them, and that
when they shall have passed away and per-
ished, he shall live on and rise TO the con-
temptation and enjoyment of scenes still
lOvelier and more magnificent. He is, indeed,
conscious Of many an unjust thought,
many an unballOwed emotion and manyan
act that does not well cOmpOrt with all this
glory, but he has constantly warred against
them. He reyeres and loves and serves
God; he loves and honOrs and blesSes men.
Thus has he nothing with which habitually
TO reproach himself. II guilty of any Sc
cret act of sin, he would feel dishOnored,
though to the eyes Of others his character
were without blemish. Principle sways
his will and affections and regulates all the
acts of his life. Under this high sense of
right he is no hesitating and uncertain
character. He has that "fulcrum of the
sou" as Pollock calls it-decision. He is
amiable, perhaps mild as a lamb, yet still is
there something of the lion in him. On all
important subjects his position is clearly and
strongly defined. Having with due deliber-
alton taken his position, he firmly maintains
it. Some people having formed an opin-
ion, whether right or wrong, will never re-
sign it. There are many such men who
can be moved by no argument, how
ever strong, by no eloquence however
persuasive. Men whose vanity causes them
to cOntemn the judgment of the wisest and
the best and to sneer at all authority. This
is not the timnesS of the model man. His
consists in maintaining principle, but he is
open TO conviction. His sympathies with
men are strong, deep and true, but they
have no Over-mastering, controlling power:
He is distinguished by courage. Cour-
age is often misunderstood. 1t is not what
sometimes inspires one to expose his own
life for the vile privilege of attempting the
life of another. Nor is courage reckless
ness of danger. That may be the result of
hopeless despair or ofignorance that is bliad
or insensible or that cannot feel. True
courage is not in the blood. II is not in the
Y,usalac NOT in 20 uapy-aO II 10 in,
the heart-in the moral sense. II is in the
conscience. This principle prompts him to
do what duty bids, at every hazard. At its |
inspiration he fears not The curled lip of |
contempt, nor scOrn's SlOw-moving finger, |
nor as many Kisses as gave warning to the |
Romans of the bafbarians' approach.
The model man is also an ardent lover of |
truth. All forms of deception and hypocri- |
sy are abhOnent TO him. He prizes truth in |
others as well as in himself, and nothing !
can atone for its absence. He loves truth, |
essential, vital truth, even more THAI home |
and friends and country and wealth and |
ease and hOnOr-more than life itself, and |
if in the inscrutable dispenSations of the God |
of Faith it should become necessary, with |
martyr spirit he would sacrifice them all /
for il.
Another attribute of the model man is
honesty. 1t is with him a practical,
potential principle. In all the trans
actions Of business, it makes him upright and
honorable. HIS conduct in all his pursuits
and intercourse with men is marked by All
answering sense of fairness and justice.
But more than a man of honesty and
justice simply, the model man is man of
sympathy. He loves all men. Virtue in
humble guise is hOnored by him as well as
when arrayed in purple. Still, he makes no
war among classes. He is himself of all
classes, and his sympathies are delicate and
intense rs they are comprehensive.
There is yet another characteristic of
the model man. Upon it depends the
development of all his other virtues. He
is man of action. He feels it to be his
duty, as it is of every one, to develOpe, so
far as lies within his power, his own facul-
ties and the capabilities of everything about
him. Without progressing, persevering eff
fort, he knows that good can never be eff
fected.
The character thus sketched may seem
ideal, but many illustrations of it might be
given from actual life. George Washington
was such a man, and only a little
more than twelve months since,
from the beautiful mountains OF |
Virginia, the soul of another went up to
Heaven. Who shall say that one virtue of
The model man was wanting in the brave
yet gentle, the firm yet tender, the modest
and retiring yet bold and heroic leader of
the Confederate armies, the immortal
Robert Edward Lee? So far from having
Overdrawn his character, it is but imper-
fectly sketched.
Let the young keep before them this inn
age Of the model man, and let each
Dne for himself, in his own char
lcter and life, endeavor to reproduce
It, and then his may be the honor in COM
ng times to furnish to the universe an il
of it. This will be to play the
nOblest part in lite and to have fulfilled the
highest human mission. !
The Ladies' Fair.
Masonic Jall NVaS proU1ad last ,,;,l,t 20 /