The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-02-05
BATTERED THOUGHTS Oh
LIFE
By eAsKELL.

Let observation, with extensive view,
Survey mankind, from China to Peru,
Remark each anxious toll leach eager
strife.
And watch the busy scenes Of crowded
life.
johnson.
The moral training OF human
being is the most essential and i'm
portant of all considerations. II lie
the basis of the foundation of every
virtue, either physical. or spiritual.
Though religions differ. yet all are
guided by. or incuIcste. certain
moral principles which are elevated
and refined, low aud debasing, as
are the 50 ritual beliefs of the people
30 which they are joined. Yet moral
elevation many times exists where
there lie little conception of a Diety,
and past history is full of just such
examples. Temperance in eating
and drinking. joined to proper sctiv-
ity and exercise, conduces to health
and long life. Honesty in deal and
truthfuiness Of ntterance, beget con-
fidence in the person Fraction }
them and really well repay all efforts
in that directlon. and in this way
even an atheist may be a good and
law-abiding citizen, generous
friend and an honorable man in all
things. A good morality may there
fore exist, where religious truth is
not-where darkness. superstition
and the crushing fall of tradition
cover up the light of what others may
call gospel. Yet the standard OF
goodness Ia not uulYerssi; it is as
diversified "a peoples and beliefs, 20
two agreeing in every particular nor
displaying slmIlsr traits of character
with equal intensity. Whether there
ever will be established an infsllihls
standard CT excellence and truth, re-
mains to be seen; it never has been
upon the earth; nor until huu1an
nature is essentially changed, is it
reasonable to suppose it evec will be
established.
The wild Iniian who rosms 10
native freedom over the vast, rolling
prairies OF America, who lives upon
the scanty proceeds OF the chase,
whose geographical and physical
knowledge is circumscribe1 by the
narrow limits of his immediate sur
roundIngs or the traditions OF the
sages OF his tribe. has distinct and
individual cude { morality, untena-
bic Oy higher state of civilization.
Yet governs him strictly and he pays
as Implicit an Gbrdleoce TO its laws,
as Ooes the more refined and iutelli-
gent man WHO CLAIM TO be IA Chris
tsin to his rules OF morality. IL is
az he lives up to aud practices its
principles, that hi- uprightness and
virtue are estimated by bis friends.
HIS morality may teach him to steal
from toe, avenge an injury done
to himself, or to tri6esman
and to aid any OF his friends who
may be in distress. 1t is by bis own
coue of ethiss We should Judge him,
not from our tandpoiDt, for We
should be far above him In kn1W.
ledge and virtue. 1t IL only by u
merciful consideration Of ali the
points, Objectionable, or otherwise:
by desce nding, ia imagination, to
his level and duly making allowance
for difference, of education, legend AIRY
and traditional training and preiu-
dice, and the necessities of the case,
that trus judgment can be given.
Jesus hAs said, "where there Is no
law there is no coldemnstlon" and
religious people tell us, that they who
have not the pure light of revelation
and a trusting faith In God TO en-
tighten their minds and as light 10
guide their footsteps in the perplexing
ways OF religious controversy, are
liable TO err, if not to go astray into
forbidden pathways. That until they
have known and compreh ended,
there is no condemnation in rejecting,
only SO Star as losing the promised
reward of taithfulness, being the sln
of omission, instead OF commission.
II persons rebel against q known Law,
refuse to pay regard to divine lave,
they once understood, greater far will
be their condemnation, than that of
the poor ignorant savage, whose
fierce fight is a long continued strug-
gle for existence.
The mind OF the dark-skinned
Hindoo is chained by prejudice and
bound down by the tyranny of caste,
go much that were one more intelIi.
gent than his brethren and DISPLAYED
that independence of character we
admire in man, marking out and
following a career of investigation
and research for himself, the full
tury OF an ignorant and bigoted pop-
ulace would compel him to relin-
qulsh his schemes and sink back
into the turgid stream of existence
Persecution and danger would surely
follow any innovation on the estsb-
lishrd order of society. Their moral
ity aud religion alike are opposed To
progress and reform, There NAV be
a few OF the more intelligent who
seek for knowledge outside of their |
sacred books, yet the multitude |
really believe all has been revealed |
that need De and in doing as their |
fathers did before them they are