Democratic messenger., 1881-03-12
Lenten Thoughts.


than physical denial. Whether people
eat meat. tish. or neither isa matter of
very small moment in comparison with
the deeper exercises Of the mind and
heart which physical denials are design
ed to symbolic and intensity. The
season emphasizes the solemn fact of sin
and sorrow for it, 1t is designed for
peniteDce and publication. 1t looks
forward to rene wal of life and amend
ment. Its real significance is not back
ward, but before. The repentance is
the irst step towards reformation. The
denial of the appetite is the necessary
prelude to regeneration. The new birth
is not thing accomplished ell at once
and once for all, but continuous pro-
cess, constant reavakeni to new and
better things, and escaping frou the old
into new world Of better thoughts, and
loves. and ambitions.
Those Who attend tho services Of the
church and listen TO- the wise aud pious
Instructions Of devoted pastors, need no
moral exbortations from Q secular
journal. But the majority of our people
cannot avail themselves of this pious
privilege. and it will not be deemed To-
trusiVe on our part to potics one or two
LenteD lessons. which in the hurry of
the day and the pressure Of worldly
cares and labors may be overlooked. Re-
peDtauce is the burden Of the seasons
exhor.ations. The wickedness of men,
the evils Of the world, the sorrow and
wretcbeduess that press upon human So
ciety with a terrible weight of woe,
naturally engross attention. The press
has abundant occasion to bewail these
things, for it is laden down with the re-
ports of dishonesty, fraud, robbery,
violence, and crime. 1t is wholesome
to think of these things occasionally.
and TO have them forced on the attention
With ell the fervor and impressiveness
the church can command. But this
narrowing does no good il it ends in
itself. Il should lead to harvest of
good resolves aud noble acts. Repent
snce is o sham If it does not eud in re-
formation. About the cheapest and
meauest thing in modern religion is the
penitence that sheds tears over a wicked
ness that it takes no pains to slough of
aud get rid Of. A vast deal of the
popular penitenoe is sort Of spiritual
luxury which indolent and selfish people
indulge in and roll as o sweet morsel
under their tongues, as though it were
kind of delicious spiritual medicine
which men may take with pleasure as
they swallow patent nostrums for physi-
cal ailments, without dreaming of chang
ing their habits Of living. and sometimes
10 order that they may eat aud drink
the more. All such peniteuce is o pious
trick sensible people should scorn to
play on themselves. The only sorrow
that does anybody good is that which
leads them to stop doing what makes
them sorry. The repentance that does
not lead to better conduct and nobler
style of living aud truer ambitions is as
futile and foolish as the lifting OF the
foot WITHOUT going forwatd. 1t is the
going ahead that does the business. The
reform that is most wauted just now is
personal. 1t should begin where the
sorrow lies. Nine out Of ten of the men
who talk reform want to reform other
people. reform themselves into Office
with big salaries. reform society, by
putting themselves at its top. That sort
of stuff is the Lasest counterfeit of q
thing which is great and good in itself,
and it is becoming disgustingly common
and o nuisance. The only reform that
amounts to anything has its foundation
in individual life and character. The
men who are putrid With sel6shness and
rascality, and hatred of oil better people
and mean ambition to rule or ruin,
who pretend to be reformers oDly to de-
ceive tho unsuspectiug into becoming
their followers and tools. blight whatever
they touch; and multilate whatever they
undertake to mend, aud poison whatever
they breathe upon. Personal reform is
the only fulcrum on which the lever
that is to raise society can safely rest.
The great want of the werld to-day is
reformed mep-men who are honest and
truthful and unseldsh and upright-men
who can be trusted in their dealings,
and will be faithful to oil the great OBJ
legations and responsibilities OF life.
And when the men who stole steal no
more, when men who bave twisted