The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1876-06-30
ACCEPT THE TRUTH. &"

Among its friends, among its foes;
The plants divine where'er it grows"
1t may not have been generally no
tieed that the words honesty and dishon-
esty have fully as neutrality-suspicious.
to the moral as to the financial status
of intelligent beings. Such, however,
we believe to be the truth, and that a
competent survey only of a very few
fields of moral, religious, and scientific
achievements of the past will abund-
antly attest it. 1t is we'll known and
generally admitted that honesty or hon
orable conduct in fiscal matters is, with
out an exception, in the long run pro-
ductive of thu best and most satisfactory
results, and that an opposite course
brings corresponding conditions. 1t
needs no very keen analysis to discover
that the relation between cause and ef-
feet holds good in the moral, as we'll as
the physical realm. Though the causes
of dishonesty may be many, and rather
complicated, yet we think a few of
them, though apparently hidden, may
be unearthed and brought to light.
We all know that little children, by
listening to old idle tales of hells, devils,
goblins, etc., have been made to fear
things and consequences which never
existed, and finally to accept and prop
agate as facts those things which exist
only in fancy. In this connection 1
would venture the suggestion that how
ever prenatal influences and very early
surroundings may predispose some in
later life to reject truth and accept
error, or Uice UerSd, as the case may be,
the results, as penal or benefcent to the
individual or class, still pertain. What
ever the cause, or causes, the fact, how
ever, is obvious that by far the greater
portion of mankind in all ages, as his
tory well shows, have ever played the
part of a balky horse, viz: pulling back
instead of forward, in the harness. The
measures that ever have benefited the
world have, so to speak, gone to the
martyrs stake. 1t is unnecessary to
particularize, as both in ancient and
modern times, all over Europe and
Asia, and quite recently in the new
found Occident, have their martyr
names been written in characters of fire
and blood as enduring testaments of de-
votion to truth and human veal. Per-
haps it is all right. 1t may be all for
the best, but one can hardly help think
ing that the satisfaction attending the
healing process hardly compensates foI
pain connected with the laceration oil
nerve, blood-vessel, and muscle. Most
people love popularity, and seek it be-
cause they think it pays, and because il
is easier of course to sail with the cur
rent than against it. All very natural
"Great is Diana of the Ephesians.n II
When the Diana Current surges against
reform, Mrs. Grundy's little boat sails
placidly along with it. When the truth
overcomes error, then UoT pOpuH heads
about and makes what atOnement il
can by tacit consent or the hollow.
sounding statement, always been in
favor of some modification of the exist.
ing treaty."
Opposition to all reforms in whatever
department of life has its stanch leaders
as we'll as reformatious do theirs. Those
of each side have their respective re
wards. Truths pioneers have their re
wards generally deferred; their trial'
and reverses come first. In the case o
their opponents, the order Of things il
} reversed, success first, and defeat last
But defeat is sure to come at last il
every contest between truth and error
| though the ignOminy is more easil!
borne, from the fact that "charity whicl
covers a multitude of sins" is ever in
scribed upon the "banners of the faith
ful" and the solacing consideration o
J being able at any cOnUeRient time t.
slide over easily and by almost invisi
bic degrees out of the dark woods o
error into the sunshine of little bette
life with the self-flatteTing JUNCTION, g
always thought there might be a it'll
som nlethjRg in it," Justice and truth her
, compel me to declare that there are
few noble minds who, when convinced
are not afraid to right-about face, AM
say, az was mistaken. I intend to be
, little more cautious in future"
. The greater portion of men, however
are not thus inclined. That fortitud
which leads the few to fearlessly advo
cate an unpopular truth or openly an
candidly renounce a popular error is no
the attribute of the majority. Popula
opinion has ever been adverse TO th
life of any and every new enterpris
that advocated departure from its long
: established regime. VOT Popu6, roc De
Z Stern as thou art and hOary set with age,
t On thy dominions Truth shall set her gaug
t Sitting in judgment on thine errors taught
2 And manacles for human freedom wrought
1t is rich field of thought to th
=. moral philosopher, and at the sam
: time rather amusing, to note the graeefr
: suppleness with which, now and ther
: some of the keepers of mems and won
ems consciences just now begin to sc
what they couldn't see before the battl
waxed so strong against them, viz
i that the Bible contains the origins