The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1875-02-04
CFor the News
s.Jack-in-thp-Pupit''-NO. 3.

man on eaft1, VINO is 1ully Wortny OF
the name of Christian, is related to
this Being by a tie or conjunction
that is eternal. The service which
is required by Him consists of acts
of kindness towards His children, or
of love and usefulness towards our
feIlcw-men. He glances through all
disgrises, and is incapable of being
thwarted by false CLOSES, or '.fantas-
tic tricks before high heaven" Real
service, such as takes possession OF
the soul, and comes out when neces-
sary at the fingers ends, showing
itself in the shape Of material bes7e-
fits and blessings-this is the kind
of service that is required.
Every man has an inherent per-
ception of the difference between
right and wrong, with sense of OBJ
legation to do the right for its own
sake. This sense of obligation is
the divine impulse, which is ever
present in the rational principle, un-
less the man expels it by bad life,
and becomes ''wholly regardless Of
all social duty and fatally bent on
mischief "
1t may be safely inferred that the
Supreme Being does not require any
service from us that is unreasonable.
Our nationality makes each man the
keeper of hir own conscience, which
may be enlis ,htened more and more,
while the nationality may be enlarged.
No doubt there are spiritual and
heavenly truths, of transcendant
beauty and holiness, far beyond the
highest comprehension of mortals,
but they are never antagonistic to
those lower or subordinate truths.
which may be received in the under
standings of men. If we are able to
receive few of these lower truths,
happy are we if we do them, for in
this way only, that is, by doing them,
can we come into the right state Of
of mind to be able to learn them.
If my neighbor has any genuine
scruples against selling his corn at
the distillery, 1 should be careful not
to shake them rudely. In all that
moral garden which it is the duty Of
parents to cultivate, thereis no plant
of more tender origin or slower
growth than conscience. II, howev-
er, that conscience is artificial or un-
real if it is only the false covering OF
intolerant selfrighteousness; if, in n
word, the neighbor presumes to scold
me because I sell nay corn at the dis
tillery, then I tell him he is imperti-
nent that he is insulting, and pro-
vokes bad blood, and while he is at
liberty to be the keeper of his own
conscience, 1 will fight with him be-
fore he shall interfere with mine.
1 sell my corn at the distillery be-
cause it is convenient, or because /
receive the highest price for it. fl
were simple enough to sell it else
where at lower price, still this iden
tical corn, or its full equivalent,
would reach the same place by the
Inevitable laws of trade. More than
this, the whisky that is made from it
is necessary for various useful pur-
poses. Is it not unreasonable, that
1 shall be held responsible because
there are men who choose to prevert
those uses? Can they remove the
responsibility from themselves by
suggesting that the whisky is easily
obtained and invitingly spread out
before them? Are we not of such
a nature, and surrounded by such
circumstances, that any of us could,
with as much propriety, suggest the
difficulty of living an orderly and
truly Christian orreligious life? If we
fall into temptation to rise no more,
can we justly blame the Author of
our being for the infrmities of our
nature and the circumstances which
surround us? Take heed, ye teach
ers of moral and religious truths,
take heed, l say, that ye do not weak
en- our sense Of personal and individ-
ual, moral and religious obligation
The human race cannot be re-
formed compendiously or in masses.
Any community that is distinguished
for its superiority is indebted for
that distinction to the intelligence
and integrity of the indicidtals who
compose it. Any one who wishes to
improve the society around him
should explore his own mind and be-
gin with himself, at home. In the
family circle he will find abundant
opportunity for the exercise of reso-
lutte, persevering and self-denying
labors. In no other sphere of action
can he find greater satisfaction, OF a
more certain or permanent reward.
For what useful purpose are we
placed here on earth, unless to take
care of our progeny and prepare fol-
heaven? Our duties are plain, and
the heaven that we make for our
selves is the only one that we can
ever realize. May the Lord guide
us, and prevent our selfshness from
binding and running away with US
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Amen!
JACK-IN-THE PULPIT.