Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-07-12

mQcn Dy WHIT We W. pul nhSh VIC
have done things right or wrong, our
destiny mainly turns upon what we
think and do after their occurrence. 1t
il then we decide if they shall lift us up
TO higher level, bear us down to a
lower grade of morals. Our acts mainly
spring from impulses or accldents-the
sudden temptation, imperfect knowl-
edge, or erring judgment. 1t is the
afterthought that gives them their hue.
The world may not see this; 1t may
frown upon the deed and upon the man,
who nevertheless by his regrets makes
il one which shall minister to purity
and virtue i'm all his after life. You who
sit before me in some ways have advan-
tage over other men whose minds are
agitated by the hopes and the fears OF
active pursuits, who find no time by
their thoughts 10 make them tend to
virtue and happiness. With each OF
YOU in little time the great question
will be not ii you are To be set free, not
what the world thinks OF you, and what
YOU have, but what you are, for death
often knocks at the door OF your cells,
and some OF your number are carried
from their narrow walls TO the more
narrow walls of the grave. Let ii not
be thought that prove wrong may be
done so that good may follow. With st.
Paul protest against such inference
from the truth that men are saved by
repentance OF their sins.
"But let us look further into this sub
ject, for it deeply concerns us. Though
we are unsble to recall the errors OF the
al NtTffh fInF a
they will promote our virtue, our wis
dom, and our happiness. Upon this
point | am not theoriZing. Whoever
thinks will learn that human experience
proves this. Let us take the case OF our
errors. We could find if we could rub
them all out that we should destroy the
wisdom they have given us, If we have
taken care TO make our errors teach us
wisdom. Who could spare their
sorrow? How much that is kind
and sympathetic in our natures, which
leads us 10 minister 10 the griets OF
Others, and thus make our own give us
consolation and sympathies, grows out
of what are felt as keen calamlties
when they beiall us? Following out
the line Of my thoughts when | assum-
ed that | had the power, and was com
PEELED TO drown in Lethean waters GER
tain acts. | found | could not spare err
rors which call forth regrets, mistakes
which teach us wisdom, or the sorrows
which soften character, and make us
sensible of the sympathies which give
beauty 10 the intercourse OF life. As |
had to obliterate twenty events, found
/ could best spare the successes or
triumphs which had only served to inn
part courage in the battle OF life, and
had but little influence in forming char
acter. 1t is true, that wherever and
whatever we are, we can so deal with
the past that we can make 1t give up
to us virtue and wisdom; we can, by our
regrets, do more than the alchemist
aims at when he seeks 10 transmute
base metal into gold; for we can make
wrong the seed OF right and righteous
ness; We can transmute error into wis
dom; we can make SORROWS bloom into
a thousand forms like fragrant flowers.
These great truths should not only give
us contentment with our positions, but
hope for the future. The great question
what we are presses itself upon us as
we grow old, or flashes upon us when
our lives are cut short by accident or
disease. Within these walls but few
days pass without that question being
forced upon the minds of some who
have reached the end of LIES journey
Surely, it should give hope and cOnsO-
lation to all TO feel that they can, in the
solitude of the cell or in the gloom OF
the prison, by thought, by self-eXamina-
ton, make out the past with its crimes,
its errors. and its sorrows, the very
means by which they can liftthemselves
into higher and happier conditions.
This work of transmitting evil into good
is duty to be done by all conditions of
men, and it can be wrought out as well
in the prisoners cell as in the highest
and most honorable positions. All hui
man religion holds out hope for every
man who feels regret,fOr every evil act.
| wish to call your minds TO that amaz-
ing truth that there is Being who rules
the world with such bevevolence that
He enables weak and erring mOrtals, il
they will, to turn their very sOrrOws and
errors into sources of happiness. We
have many theories in these days, in
which men try to tellus how the world,
acting upon certain fixed laws has evol-
we'd itself; that it goes on by Il process
that regards nothing but certain rules
of advancement, regardless of all other
considerations, save their own irresisti-
BILE, seli-compelling principles. But
here we have truth, not only given us
i'm holy writ, but proved by our own eX-
perience, that mental regret will con-
vert a material wrong into blessing. or
il the offender wills, it will make the
same hundrcd-iold more hurtful if ne
rejOiCes i'm wrOng-dOing or hardenS his |
heart against regret. Materialism, evo-
luton, panthelsm, or any OF the theo-
ries which deny the government of an
intelligent God, are cOntuted by this |
truth, that we can by conforming to His
laws, which demand repentance, con-
vert evil into good, Orby violating them,
make evil ten-fold more deadly and de-
structive We can by our minds and
sentiments change the influence OF ma
terial events, and vary the action OF
laws which govern the world. Ii man,
with all his weakness, can Ito this, it can
only be by the aid OF higher
power which shapes, directs, and regu-
lateS.
Il know that what | have said is but
an imperfect statement of the great
truths, compared with the teachings OF
the pulpit, which you hear each sun
day. As my purpose is merely to speak
to YOU what have learned in the walks !
OF life, | could give you from this mar
row field but partial views OF great
truths. They may be OF no value to
YOU, vet | trust YOU will accept them at
least as proof of my Sympathies with
your condition and SORROWS; Tor If any
ambition fingers in the breast of him
who speaks to you now, it Is that he
may be the friend and adviser OF the
erring and wrong-doer. He has been
taught by seli-eXamination and the
study of others that We all belong to
that class, and that We owe to one an
other any aid we can give to our fellows
when they fall by the wayside.'
A Remarkable Man.