Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1872-05-30
"He has a Very Good Heart.
BY b. P. AfDELoTT,- d. ID.


AS the writer was riding a
few days since, he heard an appar-
emily respectable fellow-passenger
make the above remark. It.seems
that the subject of conversation
was the conduct of an individual
who. had recently been guilty of a
great crime. Such remark, how
ever, is not at all uncommon. Sell
dom day passes without its being
heard somewhere.
Let us here devote few moments
to its consideration: for, if it be
true, most important consequences
must follow from it-consequences
vitally affecting the whole commu-
nifty and every individual member
thereof. Drawn out in logical form,
it stands thus:
From very good heart proceed
lying, theft, lewdness, murder-in-
deed, every crime, however vile and
atrocious, OF which human nature
is capable. But, if this be so, it
follows, by the rule of contraries,
that
From a very bad heart proceed
truth, purity, justice-in a word,
everything that is right and praise
worthy in human conduct.
But there is such intense moral
absurdity in both these propositions
that he who asserted the first must
endeav of to- escape by thus explain
ing his remark-I did not mean
that the mans bad conduct proceed
ed from his good heart, but from
drunkenness.
Examine, then, this position. A
man OF very good heart may be a
great drunkard, and hence com
init any crime, however vile and
atrocious. But, we ask, Does this
at all mend the matter? Let us
see.
Habits'epfY intoxication proceed
from yeEy good heart and then
these habits may, and almost GER
tainly will, produce lying, robbery,
murder and nearly every crime pos
sible. In other words, drunkenness
is the prolific parent of nearly all
crimes-as, indeed, the records of
courts uniformly show. But, if
this be SO, it irresistibly follows
that the good heart brought forth
drunkenness, and then intoxication
gave rise to the whole host of
crimes that endanger peaceable citi-
zens, and tend to break up society.
SO that, if this be true,a good heart
is really the. mother of all this vile.
hateful and destructive progeny.
But we need pursue this miserable
fallacy no further; it is manifestlv
lie all over. And yet they who con
trive to deceive themselves into a
conviction of its truth evidently
plume, themselves into conviction
of its truth evidently plume, them
selves into a conviction of its truth
evidently plume, themselves upon
their own goodness of heart, and
think very charitable thus to cover
over wickedness. IL
But does true charity ever require
us to believe or to tell a lie? The
judgements of charity are ever ac-
cording to truth, but false charity
is always an abominable sin.
Drunkenness is, in truth, one of
the greatest sins, and the mother of
nearly all crimes. And, thank God.
the day is coming, if we mistake
not, when it will be universally so
regarded and condignly punished.
And what is this but to hold the of.
fender Responsible for all his of
lenses?
1t follows, therefore, that they
who now excuse the drunkard, and
flatter him in his sin by lauding his
goodness of heart, are themselves
partakers of his wickedness and of
all its fearful consequences.
But let us turn away from the de
ceitful devices of men, and listen to
the instructions Of the Holy Sow
erelgn OF heaven and earth. What
saith God: :sOut of the heart of
men proceed evil thoughts, adulter-
les, fornicatiens, murders, thefts,
coyetousness, iwicledness, deceit,
lasclviousness, an evil eye, bias
phemy, pride foolishness. All these
evil things come from within, and
defile the man, Mark vii. 2l-23. J