St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-03-02

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herd, because he would not accept the tenets
OF any church, but 'jsept his place outside
the camp, and asked odds of no one.''
Thus is ones reputation subject to the
changes of time, place, and the thoughts of
| different men. It is, indeed, bubble, the
creation of the breath Of the multitude, often
vanishing with the air that gave it shape.
! Personality, or a mans true individuality,
/ is often very different thing from what he
seems to be. The one is a reality, the other
scarcely a shadow, for that implies a sub
stance.
The question is not what we seem to be,
but what we are. If the Lord should call any
one of Us, what sort of person would answer,
Here am l." What is our real self stripped
OF all its affectations, without the.
veneer Of pretense, which makes
such an effective show for the
eyes Of our fellow men?
For the most part mankind are but imita-
tors of each other. Blindly copying others
work they leave undeveloped the possibili
ties OF their own natures, and are content
70 be G1ler somebody rather than to be
fa by the exercise Of courage and common
sense.
"a good name is rather to be chosen than
great riches said Solomon. 1t is Of inestim-
able value when it is the recognition Of real
worth; but as the names Of many good
men have been tossed up and
down like a foot ball, while the tickle multi
tudc hurrah for men who have more success
by disaonorablc practices, the possession be-
comes an uncertain and doubtful one. But
! the reality, an honorable personality can
never be lost or alienated but with the own
er's consent.
One reason why men are afraid to strike
out for themselves is want of confidence in
Themselves, Il sort Of moral cowardice. They
feeltheir littleness and are apprchensivc that
theaworld feels it too, and they try to add to
their statue by initiating some possibly
greater man than themselves.
They assume an intimacy with
him, his sayings are always on their lips, and
Ike Joseph's brethren in his dream, they do
obeisance to him. They never play lone
hand, but follow his lead in everything.
Mr.. Dorrit, when he rode with the Great
Merdle shone by reflection on him, and that
''the general bowling and crouching before
this wonderful man" was in part homage to
MIN. Are there not men in this city who
can be reached only through the
name or example of some
one in whose shadow they live.
When a subscription is needed, or a name is
wan fpr q do nj ,K-iSa
90 to the great man first and when his help is
secured feel certain of the rest! 'Secure
such name and you will be sure of the
other,n is q common remark.
Are women more independent? How
many ladies are continually dining into the
ears Of their acquaintance the tender rela-
tons that exist between themselves and Mrs
So and So. They speak of her wardrobe,
OF her charming husband and lovely child
ren, sometimes making great revelation to
their hearers, who, not feeling the charm,
had supposed the ''lovely acquaintance" to
be quite common and uninteresting people
with money. How often women will pass
"a old acquaintance with the blindness of
utter strangers, in Difference to the supposed
81
price is Il law to them Contemplate
yes, IS contemplate as it is common.
Why does q man or woman apologize for the
plain manners and hOmely dress of an old
country friend to a fashionable acquaintance,
as ii il was any of his business, or needed
IA apology, only that they feel that they do
not own themselves, and regard any indie
pendent action on their part as requiring an
apology.
The personality of many people is like the
minute core in the heart of an
onion. surrounded by overlapping
layers belonging to others until the small
germ is so hidden that few know of its exist
encc.
TO start boy right in the work of forming
an independent character; to put him in the
way to own himself should be the aim of
parents and teachers. It has been said that
in the old days in New England, the teachers
of the common schools would ask class the
names of the presidents of the United States,
and upon receiving correct reply,
would ask, ''What may any
boy become?" Answer, "a president of the
United States" Those teachers had this ex-
cuse that, in those days, the men honored
the office, but the principle was erroneous
The aim of every youth should be to make
the best possible use of the materials nature
has furnished him, and to hold involate his
rigl,- TO himself.
One of the most glaring faults in the train
ing of children is that we teach them to be
imitators. We inculcate manners by point
ing TO other children; we inculcate morals
by pointing to Washington, Longfellow,
Garfield and others, sometimes without a
very clear understanding of what was worthy
Of imitation in their lives.
The right Of any man to be a leader depends
upon his character, and how near he came
10 the perfect standard of right ''Thou
shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy SOUL
mind and strength, and thy neighbor as thy
self" is the divine standard. John Robinson
thus eXhorted the Puritans on their departure
from Holland, 81 charge you, before God
and his blessed angels, that you follow me
no further than you have seen me follow the
Lord Jesus Christi
Teach children to follow that law, and let
the lives of those who conformed to it illus
trate its beauty and honor. Let them take
the Golden Rule as including alland superior
to every rule for the formation of manners.
No man can be illIbred who, in all things,
does unto others as he would others should
do unto him. Inculcate courage of thought,
and action. We are fast be-
coming a nation of cowardlv
sycophants. We smile at the foibles
and condone the vices of the rich and gen
teel, and disdain the virtues of the humble
Fools that we are! If the philosophers
Scales were in existence now, and one of
those humble souls were placed in the scale