Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1875-09-01

BY J. L. DUDLEY.

SIOH-oOuIiA AAiAOoOpAAy e'AAA I'll
uine common sense. The old adage
is-"the rolling stone gathers no
moss" Let the farmer remain the
farmer, the merchant the merchant,
the lawyer the lawyer, the educator
the educator. Better be good in
either or any vocation, than to fit
from one to another, losing the past
and adding nothing from the future.
Growth is beautiful, nay divine; but
growth implies identity of kind.
The perfection of the Oak, the Pine,
the Cedar, is not reached by drop
ping of identity, and fitting from
genus to genus, among the kingly
and queenly dynasties of the forest.
1t is not necessary that the black
smith drop his trade and become
matchmaker, because he has arrived
at some of the nice skill of the lat
ter. A Frenchman or an English
man would not think of changing
his nationality, simply because he
had broadened out into an apprecia-
tive sense of some of the great, pop
ular ideas of American institutions.
John Bright and Gambetta and
CASTELAR, and Garabaldi, had better
remain where they are, and let their
light shine at home where most
needed, than to bring their candles
into our sunshine, unless perchance
they suffer Punishment.
This idea has no filter application
than to the various Religious de-
nominations. No matter what
mans status may be in this respect,
therein sslet him abide" 1t is not
necessary that Methodist should
cease to be Methodist, and become
a Presbyterian because he has risen
to the conception that John Knox
and John Calvin preached some
grand truths. Let him stay where
he is, and preach them also. If a
Congregationalist has become con-
WINGED that lakes of fire and brim-
stone have no literal truth in tor
Universalist, that the law Of retri-
button is eternal, is anything gained
by crossing the UNCONVENTIONAL fence
SO that each shall take the place Of
the other If a Trinitarian has
outgrown the Polytheistic accent that
has ever attended this word-shall
he forthwith abandon his old home
stead and rush post-haste to New
castle with his Goals /? Let him
raise the temperature where he is
and help the unthrifty to outgrow
also. The best man can do with
his truth, is to put it where it is
most needed. Some 'Unitarians are
said to have "Orthodox" tendencies,
which means, we suppose, on Or
thodox lips, that they have some
grains of salt little more saving than
the average Unitarian possesses. So
when distinguished Unitarians like
Mr.. Hepworth or Mr.. F. D. Hunt
ington, or Samuel Osgood, leave
their denomination, it is heralded
from Dan to Beesheba with ostenta-
tious thankfulness. But was it real
ly better thing to take the salt
away from where it was most need
ed, and heap it up where there was
salt to spare !?
There is great deal of silly talk
about this matter, growing out of
the fact that creeds and sects, are sup
posed to be the standard of authori-
ty, and to set the bounds to what
preacher shall say. And strange to
tell, those who profess to have out
grown such authority and limits, are
often loudest in insisting that they
shall be observed. A want of hon
esty, and even want of courage is
attributed to men often, who pre-
sumo to stand up and utter what
they believe, if forsooth, the truths
thus uttered, fall beyond the boun-
diaries Of their own Sect. AS if
man could be SO honest in any other
way, as in being true to his own
conviction. AS if it did not REQUIRE