Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1875-10-08
TVH TIE =
LITTLE FAULTS.

Little faults arc much moro injurious
than large ones in their effects upon in
dividuals and upon society.
First, because they are so insiduous
and extensive. While great crimes are
confined to few, comparatively speak
ing, little faults are found in the lives
of the purest and best Sometimes a
character, otherwise symmetrical and
beautiful are married by the appearance
of some petty vice. Many men who
would scorn the vocation of footpad are
guilty of defralding their ncighbors in
little things, or in making little defama-
tions of their neighbors' characters
Many a man who would deem it dis
grace upon his honor to act moanly
toward one of the other sex upon tho
public highway will nevertheless speak
to the wife of his bosom, or ruthlessly
wound the feelings Of some inofFcnsve
child. Some who would be shocked at the
idea of bowling down in worship to pagan
deities, will bow down to the mammon of
wealth and consider it no crime These
little errors creep into our lives almost
without our knowledge. They manage
to conceal themselves from our scrutiny,
but neglect no opportunity Of displaying
themselves to others.
Secondly, little errors mature into
great crimes. There is nothing in the
material world great that is not composed
of smaller parts. The ocean is formed of
millions Of drops Of water, the desert of
countless grains of sand. The coral
reefs that jut ont above tho waves and
grind the stout ship into a thousand
fragments, is the result Of the labor Of
myriads Of little insects. Languages are
composed of little words and letters So
it is with faults. Those that are large
are the result of smaller moro insignif-
cant errors. The fearful deed Of tho
murderer is often The result of tempo
rary loss of reason, which itself grew out
ofmany smaller fits Of passion imprudent-
y INDUCED. The bold and daring high
way robbery is frequently but a larger
| development Of a propensity to appro-
pirate the goods Of another, caused by
INDUCING only in triling matters. The
purloining of pin, or some article
equally trivial, has formed the initial
step in that pathway which has led more
than one man to felon's doom. The
shocking blasphemy is often the direct
result of careessness Of speech and lack
of reverence for sacred subjects. Athe-
ism is frequently, if not always, the ma
turity of wish that there was no God.
Unbridled RIGHTEOUSNESS results in al
most every instance from frequent in
diligence in unchaste imaginatIons The
most disgusting drunkardness is the re-
suit OF tipping for a series Of years.
Scarcely any man has every become
thoroughly accomplished in crimes in q
few days. We rarely meet one who has
attained notoriety for shocking crimes in
short time but the most thorough vii
lains are those whose characters were
once almost without blot, but who have
attained their evil eminencc by long tam
pering with little faults.
In consideration of these things it be-
comes US TO scrutinize our lives, discover
our little faults, and seek to eradicate
them. We should be jealous of honor,
guarding against deception Of every
character, and striving to present an I'M
blemished life TO the world by thus
guarding our lives, we may avoid the
proper and more shocking vices which
little faults surely cngonder, and ever
presents a conscience void Of offense
towards God and man. And let us re-
member that the only infallible safe
guard against vices both great and small
is constant recourse to the blood which
"cleanseth from all SIM" and to tho
spirit which cnligbtons, sacrifices and
saves. T.
MoNrRosr, Mp, Sept. IS, 1875.