Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1881-02-09
THE UPRIGHT NAN.


Tho editor of the Philadelphia Rec.
ord moralizes over the subject in this
way;
Integrity is an element Of success
not simply because it is integrity, but
because il is a factor OF courage. The
upright man has no cause to fear the
Just indignation Of his fellows. 1t is
this fear more than aught else that
makes men towards. he who wrongs
none but renders unto every one his
due, is never haunted by that unde.
fined dread of something that may
happen to him unawares which pur.
sues him who walks IN crooked paths.
He has no frauds to fortify by perpet.
ually.renewed tergiversationsand fresh
deceits no sinister methods to hide
from detection through vigilance
that knows no respite. The terror OF
exposure, with the infsmy and retri,
button it must bring 70 him, never
troubles the honest man. He is not
disturbed continually by apprehensions
lest in some unguarded moment be
may fall into a trap. He has no guilty
secrets to keep from the relentless light
of discovery that in any hour may
break upon them and cover him and
his with ignominy. He has no lies to
stick to.
Whether or not we accept tic doc.
trine of an overruling Providence as
taught by the Christian Church, we
cannot well help coming at some time
to the conviction that the whole econ
omy of the universe is based or truth.
As there is evil in the world as well as
good, so are there false appearances !;
but the normal forces of things co.
work unuringly against illusions, de-
ceptions and injustices. Ormuzd and
Ahriman are not peers; the one is an in.
truder and an alien, and must finally be
overcome by the other Between tho
true and the good there is a close re-
lation, if not an essential identity. 10
do and to be good is to conform ones
self to the rule of truth, and to come
into harmony with the divine order of
the creation. The upright man is at
one with Nature and with GOD. The
habitual and deliberate wrongdoer
does a gricvous harm not only to his
soul but to his mind. Out Of the heart
are the issues Of life. A casual lapse
into sin, under the sudden stress of
some strenuous temptation which over.
powers the will, is at times q blessing
in disguise, because it shows the man
where he is weak and summons him
to strengthen his defences This is
very different from cool, conscious and
voluntary wickednoss again and again
repeated not striven against, but
sought for and courted instead Of re-
sisted. An indulgence of this sort
ends in the suicide OF conscience, and
persistence IN it tends to the ultimate
confusion of moral distinctions in the
mind of the offender. His perceptions
of that kind Of truth which is signified
in the word "right" become clouded
by the instructive effort at selijustifi.
cation Ethics is one ofthe recognized
sciences, and mental and moral phi.
losophy are intimately interviewer.
Violence cannot be done to truth in
morals without injury to that judicial
character of the mind which is one of
mans best possessions. When con-
science, which is to very great ex.
tent an intellectual apprehension, loses
its clearness and its monltons become
dull and obsoured, so great is the psy.
chical sympathy that the mental judg-
ment is insensibly and gradually but
surely impaired as to other than moral
considerations. The man who has
brought upon himself such an injury
to his mental constitution is incapable
OF really wise conduct of affairs
Few persons will question that,
other things being equal, the man who
makes correct principles his rule of
life has kecner discriminative power
than he who rejects the generally-ac.
cepted canons of morality, and is far
more likely to be accurate in his iudg-
ments on other matters An honest
heart is the best condition, if not al
ways a sure guarantee, of sagacity and
common sense No small part of un.
safety OF dealing with depraved men
lies in the unsound and eccentric views
that one is apt to entertain who is
law unto himself. The unprincipled
lawyer is liable to give bad counsel,
and the advice of the wicked doctor is
frequently untrustworthy. Purity Of
purpose goes further than we think in
enabling men to achieve solid and gen.
uine success in whatever vocations
they adopt. II gives its possessors
selfpoise, manliness, sense of merit
and the strength that abides in self.
respect, The man Of probity is at
peace with himself, and he feels that
he is the peer of his iellow.men.
There is nothirg nobler upon the earth
than a thoroughly honorable and
straightforward man.