The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1879-02-06

extreme is not as common as moral pow
erty, nor is il to be so much regretted
were il not, as ! believe. concOmitant
OF the latter, and still it has been possible
to find some persons Of considerable
mental acumen and attainment, who
were decidedly narrow minded and poor.
Il is seldom that we look for soul pow
erty excepting among malefactors, and
the professionally degraded. Look at
that field Of barley or wheat; it contains
much valuable seed, but behold how
thickly the mustard plant has sprung up
unawares, outreaching the grain in
height and strength.
How often we see men in public, with
no mean attachments, and men and
women in ordinary life, who consider
! thoFp-elves very resrectable, hut they
indulge ia uul-v.4- 81 o.rfse.
contention and tale-b bearing; they are,
in a word, busy y-bodies in other mems
matters; they are narrow-minded, and
seem 10 delight in nothing so much as
to misrepresent, disiort and defame the
character and business of others who
will not stoop to their low standard Of
/ life.
! What a strong contrast between such
/ persons and the man who stands in his
/ integrity, remembering that lying lips
are an abomination, and that it is only
the froward who SOW strife, aud the
whisperer who separates friends. The
one is poor, having a barren spirit,
I growing nothing so readily as weeds,
while the other is rich in good works,
noble impulses and principles. He de-
lights in nothing as much as TO help
others 10 help themselves; ne sows be-
side all waters, never expecting a return.
He cheerfully pursues his course, indulg-
ing only the pity Of charity for those
who fiud no laudlble enterprise upon
which to exhaust their vitality. He is
humane, aud overreachiDg the masses in
mind and spirit, he passes through the
multitude and dispenses virtue. cheer
aud truth seemingly by mere contact,
so broad, exalted and life-giviug is he
in every thought, word and look; sym
pathy almost divine, and goodwill beam
in his eye, and the unfortunate, erring
or needy fear not 10 pour their tale oi
woe, grief or even sin into his ears.
The one might be compared to q
gnarly, kuotty fruit-tree, sometimes at
tempting to bear fruit, but too much en-.
gagged in supplying bitter sap to furnish
anything but sour fruit and horny ex.
Icrescences. The other class to a beautiful
tree, putting forth bud, flowers and fruit
in due time, year after year, conteuteC
to perform au humble as well rs an hon.
ored part in good cheer, hope and faith
And both may he compared TO the
/ scenes I have pictured Of poverty and
riches in temporal things; the one ex.
hihiting a heart and life Of as extreme
barrenness, misery and dissatisfaction
as the dark, dismal cham Der we have
visited, while the other presents a life
and spirit as pure, peaceful, beautiful
and elaborate IN richness and variety o
excellence, as the costly mansion to
which have invited your attention.
Reader, will you cultivate poverty ol
riches? will you be narrow and con
tracted in your conception Of life, has
ing your happiness upon your success il
Ginning in with the respectable, aristo
cratic few in your own church or town
or will you find it by recognizing hu
mauity in hovel or mansion, in man o
woman? Mothers, will you teach you
e daughters as well as your sous to ge
= knowledge and wisdom Teacher
J preacher aud phi;authFopist, vii
a you be satisfied with past attain
. ments, or will you make this new yea
5 grand and noble success by vigorou
s effort to accumulate gems Of truth, wit
: which to decorate the temple OF you
= mind, aud from which to dispense richie
: in the by-ways Of earth MAR.
1 Walla Walla, January y, 1879.
)