The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1881-06-24

it, is composed of cheap mixture of tim
foil, varnish. and other materials
This same instinct-the desire of creating
favorable impression by means of false APP
pearances, which led to the invention of gild-
ing, leads to the imitation of many other de-
sirable and valuable things; there are in ex-
istence but few articles, either of ornament
or use, that have not base limitations.
This spirit of hypocrisy that inspires the
counterfelting of articles of material use, the
desire many people have to appear to be what
they are not, leads to moral counterfeits-
counterfeits of truth, of virtue, of religion,
and of all other desirable attributes and
characteristics. Hence, in a figurative sense,
we may speak of golden and gilded educa-
tons, minds or characters.
1t il difficult for the Impractical eye to
distinguish between gold and gilding-dia-
mond and paste-truth and hypocrisy. BY
an ignorant person the most glaring imita-
ton would often be accounted equal or su-
perior in value to the most precious jewel !:
but by the skilled artisan, whose discernment
has been sharpened by long and constant
usage, the one would be cast aside AZ worth
less, while the other might be found worthy
of place in the diadem of King
Foolish people are often attracted by the
false glitter of gilded exterior; but the
wise man will refuse to accept this, and will
oftentimes seek and find particles of precious
gold in plain and rough looking stone.-
And just so may unsuspecting ones be i'm
posed upon by pretentious display of
knowledge, which, upon investigation, Is
found to be entirely uperfcial-merely
coating or smattering of learning, or fraud
init nf wis
does not display itself so SYSTEMATICALLY, but
like fine gold, is distinguished by its rarity
and by the labor necessary to obtain it.
| Only small number of persons have the
requisite perseverance to amass a great
amount of gold, and a correspondingly small
number have the courage to collect the pre-
cious truths from the mine of knowledge.
| There is marked difference in the motives
and methods of scholars in the requirement
of an education. and this is nowhere more
noticeable than in school, like this from
which we are now graduating. This fact
will be corroborated by every observing
teacher and pupil Some scholars study
merely because their respectability and posi-
ton in society require them to possess, i'll
some degree, knowledge of certain branch
es the class of students actuated by such a
motive as this, seldom attains more than a
glded education. Others attend school from
compulsion: they regard lessons as an an
pleasant task and. if they can manage to
pass their examinations. honestly or other
wise. they are entirely satisfied; If not, 1t is
| matter of no great consequence to them
But opposed to these living Illustrations of
gliding, are those pupils who study to derive
benefit therefrom, and who take pleasure i'll
honest effort to reach great end: who re-
4 ,.larx fIatr
which will generally take care of itself if the
lessons from day to day are thoroughly
learned and comprehended. These are the
ones who obtain the true gold of wisdom.
OF this mental and moral gliding, there is
also more than one variety. Some apparent
ly brilliant people really do possess a gener-
all but at the same time very superficial edu-
cation, and some seemingly good persons are
endowed with nature not altogether bad, SO
long as matters go smoothly with them but
the hard blows of adversely and disappoint-
ment, which would only brighten a really
cheerful disposition usually wear off their
outside glitter and expose the worthless ma
terial beneath.
But by far the more common sort of this
gliding contains little or no gold. People
having any extraordinary amount of good
sense and moral feeling, are not apt to de-
ceive their fellow men so unscrupulously in
order to create a sensation, or gain pecuniary
benefit. Still, history presents some sad ex-
amples of wasted and misused talents, which
might have rendered their possessors orna-
ments of society and an honor to themselves
and the world.
And Just as gold is often contained i'll the
toughest stones. the brightest grains of intelli-
gence, virtue, and manhood may Turk under
a rugged exterior. This fact teaches us that
we should not judge from appearances
Many persons will sooner place confidence
in well dressed, gentemanly appearing ras-
cal, wearing profusion of ornaments-which,
by the way, are apt to be very fine specimens
of gilding"-than in plainly attired, I'M
ostentatious individual but experience has
shown the folly of deciding upon this basis
alone A person may learn to detect human
frauds as readily as the jeweler distinguishes
golden gliding.
We, little band of graduates, do not pre-
tend to know as yet much of human nature,
or of the great world. But we trust we have,
during our happy school days, laid the foun-
dation for good and useful lives. We sim
cerely believe that our teachers have spread
out before us treasures of pure gold, which,
| if we have labored faithfully, are now our
! own, and which will reward us beautifully for
our toll.
Let us hope there are none among our
number who have been content in decking
themselves with gliding, and who have not
filed their minds with golden wisdom. And
may we never, amid the universal strife after
the gold to supply us with the necessaries
and luxuries of life forget to amass the still
more precious gold of wisdom andpurity of
| heart.