Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1882-04-28

charity or love, the apostle says il "doth not
behave itself unseemly'-is not rude nor will
ingly offensive to any; does not act out of
place or character observes good manners
and decorum is never british, nor boorish,
nor clownish. A person may be naturally un-
refined; yet, by cultivation, he or she may be
courteous. Indeed true politeness is not
natural, but comes by requirement.
Sd. By sympathy. II is a quality Of our
being to be affected by the affection of an
other with feelings correspondent in kind, il
not in degree. Every time you share the sor-
rows of another you swell and double the
JOY Of that heart. In the electric shock, ev-
cry one who holds the same chain feels the
same shock. How the strings Of one heart
vibrate TO those of another! To drink Of
others sorrows, to truly mourn with those
who mourn and weep with those who weep,
we ourselves must experience the same feel
ing. Woe begets woe grief produces sad
ness; joy occasions joy. There is a great
deal of sentimental sympathy in the world.
We must not only feel for others woes, but,
when necessity calls, we must feel in our
pockets and relieve the suffering. What a
power sympathy is to assuage grief, comfort,
still the anxious throbbings of the heart
What benediction that we may share mutual
woes and be touched with the feelings Of each
others infrmities and thus be Christlike and
obey his precept: Bear ye one another's
burdens, and so fulfil the law of the Lord"
Ye shall love one another, or do unto all men
as ye would they should do unto you. Thus
we are to sympathize with and assist each
other in all our weaknesses, grievances and
trials, and so answer the law of love.
4th. Show thyself man by public spirit.
Every true citizen is interested in the public
welfare and acts for the good of the commu-
nifty. We are members of society," sustaining
important relations to each other and bound
to one another by manifold and solemn ties.
There are, therefore, obligations which we
are bound to discharge towards our fellow
men. In all that relates to the Interests of
the community, state or nation, God and hu-
manity, the virtue of the people, the exalta.
tion and good of the public, to the advance
ment of righteousness and truth in the earth,
the suppression of public and private wrongs,
vice and immortality, the creation of correct
public sentiment, the perpetuity of civil and
religious liberty, the quickening and direction
of public conscience, the true defense and
glory and power and prosperity of the ma
ton, and every question affecting her vital
interests, show thyself man. Every true
citizen, every true lover of God and humsni
ty, loves his country and labors for the gene
raj good. 1t is one thing to be a true patriot,
another thing to be a politician or political
demagogue. A patriot is one who loves his
country, and who, from love to it, is devoted
to the welfare of his country, and zealously
supports and defends it and its interests. A
politician may or may not be patriot; may
love or hate, be friend or foe to his coun-
try, or simply one contending for party pow
er. Party is good; but principle is better
than party, patriotism better than politics
Party and principle, patriotism and politics,
ought alNaVg to % tOOafhar What ibic
try needs in politics is more character and
conscience. A nation prospers or declines, is
permanent, secure or insecure, in proportion
to its righteousness or wickedness We talk
of our nations glory and strength of the
utility of the government; of our vast terri
tory and wealth of mighty achievements,
wonderful discoveries, vast resources, sub
lime attainments in science and art but the
true glory, and defense, and power, and great
ness and prosperity, and exaltation, and per-
petuity OF nation is its righteousness must
be found in the virtue of the people. Science
may develop the resources of q country, even
a wicked people may be brave, and cultured
people vile and infamous; to make the peo-
pie virtuous, pure and free, there must be the
cement of Christianity-the wisdom that com
eth from above, the righteousness that exalt-
eth nation. The nations of old prospered
while they were righteous, yirtuous and tenn
perate but when they became wicked, So
cially corrupt they were destroyed. Let us
beware.
Public spirit does not show itself by clamor,
nor patriotism by bluster. The Bible teaches
us that righteousness exalteth a nation, but
sin is reproach to any people :" that "when
the righteous are in authority the people re-
joice, but when the wicked beareth rule the
people mourn" 1t is the duty and privilege
of every citizen, and a manly principle, to
exercise the elective franchise according to
the dictates of his own conscience. But to
bo the slave of another, to sell his vote or
conscience to another, or buy another mans
vote or conscience-to be bribed to surrender
his right to the will of another in any case
whatever-is unworthy the name of a mau,
is violation OF his oath and conscience, and
renders him fit subject for ridicule and con-
tempt, and should disfranchise him, and de-
prive him of the privilege, not only of voting,
but of holding Office. Every party has its
leaders, and there are those who stick TO par
ty, right or wrong, corrupt or incorrupt and
vote for the regular nominee of their party,
DC his character ever 50 bad. But he who
shows himself a man-who is a true lover of
God and his countrywide is governed by
principle and good conscience, to whichever
party he may belong-will not vote for q
knave, nor rumseller, nor rum drinker,
nor an infdel, nor blasphemer, nor G Sab
bath desecTater, nor an adulterer, nor a gam
bier, nor licentious man, nor a pgmy, nor
any unprincipled man, but will boldly vindi-
cate the right and carry his integrity to the
polls, and vote for true men-men of capaci-
ty and character-"unawed by frowns and
unseduced By hattery, and have the testimo-
ny of good conscience and the appreciation
of all whose appreciation is worth having.
Above oil, the appreciation of God. The peo-
pie are responsible for the character of the
men they elect to positions of trust and pow
er,
Then, again, there are those who care but
little, If any for party or principle. They
are never with the minority, which may be in
the right, but always with the mAjority-the
popular side-right or wrong and their con-
sciences are so flexible and so accommodating
that they can shift at any time from one par
ty to another for the sake of office or patron
| age,
He who shows himself man, towards God,
towards himself, and towards others, who is q
Christian man, loving God with all his heart
and his neghbor as himself, who serves his
God and generation faithfully, shall die, moi
like the infdel, taking leap in the dark, moi
like the brute, which has neither hope mol
fear in death, but in hope of blissful immor'
tality.
God grant that We may show ourselves meI
in all things that we may live worthy oui
being, high calling and privileges; that we
may be characterized by all that is good, and
pure, and praiseworthy out glorious
destiny and win a crown of life.
The Memphis Appeal relates humorous
incident of the food "a certain boat com.
ing up the Mississippi the other day lost hel
way and bumped up against franc house