Morning journal and courier., 1884-03-27

as an object upon which forces strike or to
which they lead np rather than as force
directed toward things and othsr persons.
consider him under personal relations,
standing alone, yet not alone, because he is
receiving impressions from the world in
which he is living and OF which he forms
but part. The impressions made upon US
by out ward scenes, by the voices. looks,
gestures and deeds of those With whom We
come ia contact, from our dawning infancy |
on through the successive stages of our
being, while our character is in the process
of its formation and development, cannot be |
numbered The finer the organization. the |
larger is the number and the greater the va
riety of the impressions produced by the
natural world. In these early years, howev-
or, impressions of another kind are made /
which affect the character and mark the life. |
The growing child finds its own humanity /
through the human affections and care de- /
voted to it. Il finds, observe, its own |
humanity, learns soon that it is one house. |
hold, is part of it. The voice and look of |
father and mother, the atmosphere of the |
home, the plays and games, everything hap
pening all day long, bring out the feelings
and affections and rudiments of our moral
character. Unconsciously the years of prep
aration for life are reached, and the boy is
receiving these impressions and feeling
influences that he can estimate at their
full meaning only later. Then
again good and evil traits of character
come to the surface. Much that is merely
problematicaI is discovered. Our friends
= II ~
while with every pulse the wheat and the
tares are growing up together and impressions
are made at all points Just as the atmosphere
presses upon all portions of the human
frame Here we take impressions influences
into the account the influences of others.
We try to screen the child against all evil
Influences We make it our business and
consider it our duty to aid in the formation
of character. We put those in our
charge under salutary and benefcsnt
influences as in the schools we select snd
in the associates we desire. In the ideal re-
public the wisest are selected for teachers; in
an ideal church the noblest and most self
sacrificing are the true instructors in the
rudiments of religion; in an ideal family the
affection in which the child is enbosomed is
radiant with the glory of the purest humani-
tY. Now, influence in the sphere of human
ity is twofold; intellectual or that which
concerns the mind, its instruction, it's sppa-
ratus for the work of life, its information
Then it is religious and moral, or that which
concerns belief, practice, moral virtues the
education of the conscience and divine grace
There is a time of life when, impressions
being made that are permanent, it is
of the utmost moment that the personal in
fuences brought to bear upon us be gener-
Gus, wholesome, enlightening, uplifting,
stimulating. Personal influence becomes a
powerful factor in a noble education. The
start in life depends largely upon it.
But our subject at this time calls for a
consideration of responsibility for the infiu-
enoe of others upon us under a different
form. 1t presupposes adult age. 1t is
necessary for me to suppose still further
that person has fair store of information
and has tolerably well settled religious be
liefs and positive religious and moral con-
victions. In this connection when
speak of the influence of epin-
ions of others upon us, L mean epin
ions in things PERTAINING to faith and morals.
I de not take into account opinions upon
questions and things which lie outside tbs
domain of faith and morals. How significant
this theme is is patent to every one who
reflects much. We are living in time of
confusion Old faiths are forsaken, new
faiths accepted Causes sacred to many go
down with sun that has set forever. In
the light of a new morning the world looks
different. But the wilder the confusion or
the deeper and more silent the forces that
are tending to change or destroy, to mend or
to mar existing beliefs, the more awful be-
comes the responsibility to stand
firm in the integrity of our convictions
and to hold on to what we have until We are
compelled to abandon them by sure and
certain grounds demanded by the reason and
the conscience. I put in plea here for
resoIute fidelity to our best convictions and |
most sacred beliefs. When and how we may
modify or even abandon any beliefs, and |
arroIu dn chan0a from time n time nj Il
become apparent as we proceed. There are
two forces in full operation to-day. One is |
a force which tends to destroy all faith, the |
other is a force which would affect our faith 1
by additions which would leave it no longer |
what it was. We encounter these forces |
everywhere and feel their power.
We are influenced through our i
affections, and we are Influenced directly |
by what we read, or through appeals to the /
mind. Our affections WELD greater power |
over our opinions than We are accustomed
either to consider or acknowledge. hus- |
band may lead his wife to lose faith in her
religion. One close friend may thus ipfu-
ence another. Some books exert an influence
that tends to do away with Christian faith
and morals. It is obvious that the influence
of persons is different from that of books.
Personal influence is more complex, the in.
fuence of books being impersonal is felt /
more directly by the mind. In personal in
duence many things are to be taken into ac-
count We are affected too in the personal
sense and origin of our own action and think
ing If our religion be but fashion, or an
or respectable tradition, it will /
go down before assaults.
If Christianity be criticised, we, in
our turn, must criticise what is
not Christianity. The character of an op-
ponent of Christianity has nothing to do
with the main issue. Our affections would |
make us but puppets if the objects of our
affections could control our beliefs at will |
There ia law to which we are all subject. |
There is an ultimate duty which devolves
upon as all as We stand alone. Alone we /
must be at times. Alone we must be in the
hour of death. The law to which We are
subject is the law of God. The supreme
governing power in us is the Christian con-
science enlightened by the divine spirit. We
are in the wrong and we do wrong the mo-
ment conscience abdicates and something
else is allowed to take its place.
In meeting opinions that are destructive to
morals there are two courses open to us;
sither to examine them in detail or to take
them in general way and consider what we
should become if We were to lose faith in
God.