Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1883-10-13
WHOM TO JUDGE.

and large tolerance upon their acts and
character, there is no such rule to regu-
late our self-judgments. We are not
warned against being too eSacting with
ourselves, nor commanded to be self
tolerant. The multitude of sins that
charity is to owe are not our own, but
another's. With ourselves we are to
be rigid and unbending. We I to
look at ourselves as we really appear
in the mirror of Gods Word, and not
seek to hide from our own eyes any
blemish, or extenuate n defect.
Like Cromwell, we are to insist on be-
ing painted as we are, scars and lines,
great wart and all. We are not to
make apologies for ourselves to our
selves. We are not to commisscrate
ourselves and try to find excuses for
our ~failings and sins, in order that our
self-condemnation may be as light as
possible. We should abate nothing
from the strict truth as we know it in
IL own hearts, when we are making
up sclf-judgments. We should pal
late nothing in the guilt or weakness
that stains or mars our character or
course of life.
The more common course, however,
is to have the largest patience with
ourselves, and little patience or none at
all with others; to hide from ourselves
u own faults and blemishes, and in
sist on seeing every minute flaw in
others; to use the widest breadth of
charity to hide from our own eyes the
multitude of sins in ourselves, but to
refuse its folds for our neighbours use,
leaving exposed his minutest blem-
ishes; to applying all manner of spe-
cious casuistry to make our own evil
appear good: at the same time denying
to others any excuse for or extenuation
OF their transgressions d defects; to
have defense for every small or great
folly or vice in ourselves, but none for
any semblance of evil in others. We
apply the glass with its full magnifying
power when we are looking at another,
that no smallest speck may hide from
u search; then we reverse the glass
when we look at ourselves, so that ev-
cry spot may be minifed and reduced
to insignifcance.
Such a way of looking at our faults
and the faults of others is neither lust
to ourselves nor charitable toward 9TH
ers. We never al rise to excellence of
character, nor attain a lofty reach of
conduct, unless we h%abitually set be-
fore ourselves the highest possible-the
absolutely perfect-ideal. Shutting our
eyes to our own defects and blemishes
is simply to leave them as spots in the
picture, as dropped threads in the web,
as false notes in the score of the music,
as broken stones in the wall, to shame
us ONE day when the completed work
is revealed. If we would have perfect
and beauteous work when all is fin
ished, we must make it perfect and
beauteous, line by line, as we go on.
We should be eager, then, to recognize
every flaw or fault in ourselves, in or
der that we may with unsparing hand
remove or correct it. He wrongs his
own soul, and is untrue to his own
highest good, who refuses to see the de-
fects in himself, or who apologies for
them as if they were unworthy of him.
The aim in character building should
ever be to surpass ones self. This can
be done only by the faithful and habit
ual recognition before ones self of the
highest and noblest standard of attain
ment.
But while holding ourselves to a strict
account, we are not to be severely strict
with others. We are not to make our
selves II brothers Judge to the same
extent that we are to Judge ourselves.
Our brother is in Gods hands; God is
his master, and to God must his ac-
count be made. We do not understand
what excavations there may be in an
others case for the things in him, or in
his course, which we are disposed to
condemn. We never know precisely
where to locate the blame when aman's
character is scared or marred. And
we had better not attempt it. God un-
derstands it ali, and He will be both
pitiful and just. We must leave it to
Him.
If we knew what had so distorted an
others life, our voice of criticism would.
perhaps, be hushed. Longfellow SAYS:
eff we could read the secret history of
our enemies, we should find in each
mans life sorrow and suffering enough
to disarm all hosti ity." Every life has
its pathos. We know not what grief
may have done to spoil the life, or What
some secret sorrow, or some fierce
temptation, is even now doing to mar
its beauty. If we knew all, possibly
we would not wonder at what we now
are ready to condemn"
1t is clear that the Judging of others
is neither II duty nor within the SCOPE
OF u ability. It is also clear that
charity toward others is both right and
possible to us. We ask forbcarance of
GOD; we should extend to others what
we crave from Him as the very hope Of
u soul. AS we grow toward God
likeness in character, we shall GROW in
leniency toward our fellows. God bears
with those in whom we see so much
evil; should not we bear with them.
since He does, when we remember that
1t is against Him, and no against us.
that their evil is communicates. s.
Times.
The Sovereignty Of God.
Inc sovereignty of God has been a