Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1872-08-17
Coed Words.

To those whose only object IN
life is the mere accumulation Of
worldly possessions, who regard
only their present condition, and
along whose pathway no flowers
bloom, the following good words,
from the pen Of NJ s Conway, may
be read with profit;
"There is q glare about WORLDLY
success which is very apt to dazzle
rising in the world, thriving in bus
iness, successful in speculation, fhe
be man out Of our own line, who
does not come into competition with
us so as to make us jealous of him,
we are too apt to form foolish high
opinion of his merits. We are too
apt to say within ourselves, SWhat
a wonderful man he must be to rise
so rapidlyI' forgetting that dust and
straw and feathers, things with nei-
ther weight nor value in them, rise
the soonest and easiest. In like
manner it is not the truly great and
good man generally speaking, who
rises the most rapidly into wealth
and notice. A man may be sharp,
active, quick, dextrous, cunning;
he may be ever on the watch for OPP
portunities to push his fortune. a
man of this kind can hardly fail OF
getting on in the world, yet with all
this he may not again have q grain
of real greatness about him. He
may be all have described and yet
have no greatness of mind, mo great
ness of soul. He may be utterly
without sympathy and fellow-feel-
ing for others; he may be utterly de-
void of all true wisdom; he may be
without piety and without charity;
without love, that is, either for God
or man.
Why not strew the path of life
with flowers? 1t requires no strong
er efferts than TO plant thorns and
briars. Is it not strange that we
bend all our efforts in cultivating
those plants which afford no pleas
ure, but on the contrary abridge our
happiness; while we suffer TO bring
up, spontaneously, the few stray
flowers that occasionally throw a
smile along our wayl 1t need not
be thus. The few happy men around
US should teach US an important les
son. There is no reason in the world
why we should not be as happy as
they. five would look on the path
of life as road, we must cultivate
ourselves, and go diligently about
il. Less frequently would we have
cause to mourn over the bitter past,
or the dark and cloudy present. II
our years have run thus far to waste,
let us with care influence the future
and with all care and attention cul-
tivate those fruits and flowers that
would yield harvest of agreeable
| pleasure.
Always regard your present con-
ditiOn as a state Of pilgrimage; new
er view it as anything more. This
will regulate your desires, and mod
crate your wishes for earthly things.
This viii keep you from being too
much elated when you meet with
prosperous scenes. Not that you
will disparage the bOunties of Prov
| idence-you win even be thankful
for them, as conveniences by the
way-but you will consider them
only as accommodations, and not
mistake them for the advantages
and glories of home. You will not,
therefore, sit down, but still press
! forward. This will enable you to
endure; with fortitude and resignp-
ton, the hardships you may encoun-
ter. You will say, tAs a traveller,
expect such things; they are only
the convenience of a journey; twill
soon be over-and, II reckon the
sufierings of the present are not
worthy to be compared with the
glory which VIII be revealed in us.
| Religion is essential to mans du-
/ ty to himself. On the instant that
a man has reference In his conduct
| to some satisfaction conferred upon
| God, his act is an act of superstition,
for deity is assumed to be dependent
upon things made for his happiness,
and is thus regarded as subject TO
! the passions of men. A man is re-
ligious who reveres his own soul
sufficiently to be loyal to its dictates,
! to cherish and cultivate its faculties,
and to preserve it from guilt. But
this fidelity to the sacred self is the
center of any true fidelity 10 others;
only by disObeying the laws of ouI
own nature can we wrong others.
Separate our relations to Others
from self-truthfulness and our SER
vice TO them, though it may be what
they desire, is harmful to them
the mere catering to their preju-
dices, or indulgence of their faults
l-are therefore essentially immor
al"