Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1874-01-14

anco with their own We've. They i'm
aaiue everything new Ten innovasionI
and say at is not the way they uec9
TO do."' They answer ycs or no with
q vim ; or rather, they bite u on, anq
when asked why anything is 90 they
say "because II ISL know II To-. xoq
could not convince them Of their error
II you wero TO exhaust the power o.
logic or the force Of eloguence. Ioq
could not make thcm believe that tho
earth revolves and tho sun stands still,
or that II 10 within the range OF human
possibility 10 ascertain the distance
between the two. These people do q
little harm and not much good IN the
world, except when they happen to DO
on the right side, and then IL is OK
ceedingly uncertain how long you are
going to hold them If they get the ide4
YOU want to do so. They have moth
ing to do with forming public opinion,
for they will not be convinced them
selves, and they cannot convince any
one else. l have never been ablo 70
ascertain the precise usefulness OF this
class, unless II was to nentralizo tho
effect of the first, and make It neces-
sary for third, who constitute tho1
conservative element aud maintain at
all times proper mediocrity. These
last arrive ut their conclusions from
sound reasoning and general informa-
ton. They neither agree With, nor
dissent from, the opinion OF others un-
til they have examined the whole ques-
ton, and are satisfied which is right.
These are the pioneers Of public senti-
ment. They entertain ths prevailing
ideas, and have all to do with making
up public opinion. They think, then
reason and convince others that they
are right. These are the people who
make the world move with their in
domitable energy, their untiring indus
try and theirunanswerable arguments.
But l will not pursue this thought
farther.
The evidences Of the influence of
public opinion on individual character,
are TO be found all around us, and in
our every day observations. In the
lack of men to do their duty, both as
public officers and as private citizens,
ior no better reason than that it would
not bc popular. Men are very fond OF
popularity, and very jealous Of it, too.
There are none of us entirely free from
it. 1t prevails in every department of
life. The citizen fails to do his duty
in assisting to suppress vice for fear OF
making an enemy or incurring the dis
pleasure Of public opinion. Public off,
GERS fail sometimes 10 discharge their
duty for tho same reason, and thus we
find an evil most disastrous t. public
welfare and individual character grow
ing up in our midst, beneath the shad-
ow OF our own homes, perhaps, and
undermining the very foundations of
social and domestic happiness. Take
The evil of intemperancc. Gould not
public opinion, with the discharge of
public and private duty, frown it out
OF existence? Let it be made dis
reputable, and let men who indulge in
| it be made to feel that they are humili-
ating themselves, and the practice of
drunkenness will decline and die. So
with Sabbath breaking and profane
swearing. Take the liquor traffic; and
/ refer TO this, because recently it was
q question at the polls. Why,.it has
been considered respectable occupa-
ton and many respectable men have
engaged in it. II has been legalized by
law, and public opinion has sanctioned
liz. Withdraw this endorsement and
make it disreputable, and honorable
men will not engage in it, aud dishon-
orabic men cannot carry it on. How
is it to-day2 Why contrary to every
law OF the Commonwealth, in violation
of public morals, in direct antagonism
to every sense of propriety and the
best interests of society, some fellow
will start grog-shor 10 sight of this
very Temple of Justice itself, and citi-
zens and officers alike,are afraid to re.
urn him for fear Of losing little popn.
larity. The same is true OF many OF
our public men, both in the State and
nation. A bill comes up in the Legis-
lature, or in Congress, TO prohibit the
sale of intoxicating liquors, and mem
bers are afraid to vote for it for fear
Of the whiskey men, and afraid to vote
against il for fear of the temperance
men instead of inquiring what is my
duty in this case and then going
straight forward in the discharge Of
that duty, regardless of popularity or
public opinion. have only read of
ono man, who said he would rather be
riqht than be President.
But this love of popularity is not
confined to our public men alone, or
those in secular employments 1t has
taken hold Of members Of the christian
church, who fear to do their whole
duty at all times in view Of what the
, world might say of thom. Aye, it has
done more than this. II has laid siege
TO the sacred precincts of the pulpit
itself. II has invaded the .sdnctun,
sanctorum of the church, and We now
hear Of such a modern "get up" as a
popular preacher Why, christianity
never has been popular and never will
be, because il is in direct antagonism
to the natural propensities of the hu
: man heart. 1t was not popular in the
/, days of its great Founder, and is not
! now, because the "world loyeth its
own" A popular sermon means 9
r sermon with no religion in it. Henry
! Ward Beecher, though very talented
man, is a popular preacher with a GER
tain class, aud 60 is Brigham Young
! and / don't know which does the mos,
Q harm. Bcechcr breaches there is nc
hell, and Brigham practices wbal
Beecher breaches. "Free thought as
$ socia sions' appear to be popular IT
D some localities, and so do 'iree Low,
societies." which simply means to love
everybody, but your own. and ther
4 think as you please about it
The most noted instances of tn,
effects of public opinion on individua
! character are TO bo found in sacred
. history. l will only mention two moi