The Dillon tribune., 1883-08-11
Pleasant Right. Doiug.

Pleasant ght.Doiug.
The emphasis that is justly laid upon
,elf-deniai % an important element in
: gllt-doii z sometimes leads us to under
rate all actions that do not include IL
The palpable exhibitions of selfish inius.
ice that casts all self.denial to the winla
and seeks only personal and present
ore 90 repulsive to the Just
and generous that they are apt to div de
Ill actions roughly into two classes-tl,e
one self-pleaslng and wrong, the other
self. denying and right.
Such classification, however, is not
merely rough, it is absolutely erroneous.
The value IT self-denial does not reside
in itself as an end, but only a. means
to o higher state in which it is no longer
needed. For example, . greedy Child
needs careful training in habits reauir.
ing cons tant self denial-but years pass.
the habit of restraint 10 acquired, reason
and in maturity he no longer
finds the me- Of self.denial In this d;rec.
ton. for Q more intelligent self-l love prc.
fer. the possession Of health to tue in.
diligence Of the palate. The right.doing
that was once 20 pain 'ul has become
pleasant. So the child who selfishly
snatches the property Of his playmate
violently away, presently learns by
teachin9 and experience the far higher
enjoyment Of justice and sympathy, aud
Wien he il man it costs linn NO pain to
refrain from snatching his neighbor's
purse, although his desire for money may
be even stronger than his childish desire
for the coveted plaything:
So, in every CASE. self-denial II Ike
road which must be travelled to reach
some desired end, but which We gladly
l. ave behind us when the goal IL reached.
Il is when right-doing no longer costs
papg that it arrives 1t its best condition,
Moral progress is not simply the work.
ing up to self-denying condition Of
mind, it is also working through SELF
denial to pleasurable well doing. While,
therefore, it il needful to insist on SELF
denial whenever right action demands
it, it is by no means just to limit our APP
prevail to those actions alone.
There is indeed q very large proper.
ton Of good and noble deeds that contain
no element of self-den,al; they are par.
formed with pleasure and avidity til.
is no painful sense OF Obligation. no
struggle, no collision Of motives. The
parent who truly and intel!igently loves
his children does not pause to consider
his own case when theie necessities de-
mand his exertion; there is no contest
in his mind between his duty to them
and his own happiness, for the two ore
consonant; his heart springs to plan
and labor for their good, and in doing
this he best pleases himself. The hero
who claims our admiration by leaping
into the fire or the water unhesitatingiy
to save another's life has not been coln-
PEELED or driven to the act by sense Of
duty, at war with, and finally overcom-
lug his desire of safety. 1t is, on tie
contrary, his quick aud ready sympathy
spriuging to action without conscious
self denial which commands the homage
Of every looker.on.
Not in extraordir airy cases alone, but
in the everyday affairs of life, much Of
the right.doing il pleasant. It 10 not
self-denial that makes the lover of JUS
tice upright and honorable in all his
dealings he could not descend to mean
ness or unfairness in his business, or
take advantage OF poverty or ignorance
to enrich himself without . personal
sense Of degradation far more painful to
bear than any pecuniary loss. So the
generous and sympathetic man bestows
his time, thought Or money upon those
who need It, with pleasure to himself,
not with pain. The patriotic statesman
in securing the welfare Of his country is
fulalling his own earnest desire. The
striver after excellence In any occcupa-
ton, while beneating the world, il a.
the same time ministering TO his own
happiness. And the beet work in any
department. is that which hos been .
source Of pleasure to tie Performer
Philadelphia Public Ledger.