Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-10-03
CITIZEN P%EACEABLE.n


ion. says it is 'irst pure. tnen-dpS.cea
ble." In this is seen its excellence,
that it is pacifying as we'll as purifying;
for while it purities, it pacities. The
peace which purity affords makes its
possessor pacific in bearing and influ-
ence. It prompts to peaceful lives and
peaceful endeavors. Under its inspira-
tion there will be q prevailing DISPOSE
ton to live at peace with all around,
and a constant aim to promote peace in
all the relations and associations of life.
The apostolic exhortation will be cheer-
fully accepted: ''Let us therefore fol-
low after the things that make for
peace" Concerning such as comply
with this injunction, the 'Prince OF
Peace says: .'Blessed are the peace
makers, for they shall be called the
children of God" Among those who
might claim this blessing was the excel
lent DR.. Cotton Mather. who formed a
society of peace-makers whose pro-
fessed business it vas to harmonic diff
~ferences and prevent contentious. 1t
was his laudable ambition to be able to
say that he did not know of any person
in the world who had done him an i'll
Office but he had done him q good one
for it.
The spirit of the Gospel is unmistaka-
bly, breathed in the apostolic require
ment: Follow peace with all men,"
Indeed, the Christian profession is itself
a declaration: 81 am for peace" ANY
contradictory avowal is too plainly in
dicative of an imperfect experience of
tho fret olon,opt onI f,,olon,oo%o ~~;,
ciple of the religion which bears con-
spicuously upon its banner the inscrip-
ton: "First Pure" He who is 'tfirst
pure'' will be peaceable. There is a
close connection between these charac-
teristics, ever as of cause and effect.
The order is suggestive of the effect of
the piety the motto of which is: 'First
pure;' that effect is peaceableness. This
effect does not, however, imply that
there are limitations of peaceableness
such Us would exist if we were only re-
quired to be on terms of peace with
those who, IN Il estimation, are .'first
pure' in character and conduct, or doc
tlinal views. Some may not come up
to our ideas of purity in these respects,
but we are not consequently absolved
from all obligations to live p~eaceably
with them, as though they must be
First pure'' IN eyes before we are
required to be p%eaceable toward them.
We ourselves are to be ''tirst pure" in
u own hearts and lives, and beliefs
and practices, and then peaceable to all
Others, whether they are, according to
our views, pure or not. This is the
case, at least, so far rs the application
of the words: ''First pure, then peace
able" is concerned. In conformity to
any standard contained in these words,
we are not to look for purity in others
as a condition of u being peaceable
with them, but we are to be both pure
and %peaceable ourselves, our peaceable-
ness growing out of our purity.
Great mischief may come from a mis-.
taken use of the words: ..First pure,
then peaceable," and the most cruel
prosecutions might be repeated, the
prosecutors saying to those differing
from them, you be ''irst pure'' accord
ing to our standard of purity, and then
we will be peaceable toward you; but
otherwise we will contend with you,
harass you, distress you, torture YOU,
kill you. Such injuriousness has no
sanction whatever from the words now
under consideration, which only require
those appropriating them to be them
selves ''tirst pure, then peaceable."
A%.peaceable disposition is a distin-
gushing mark of Christian character,
and the want of'it is a serious defect in
the character Of any n ''that nameth
the name of Christ" even the matchless
name of Him whose earthly advent was
announced by the angelic song, the key
note of which was. "On earth peace.
good will toward men," Upon all who
claim to be His followers it is enjoined,
in the words of an inspired apostle:
IF it be possible, as much as lieth in
you, live peaceably with all men,"
10 comply with this precept, the in
diligence of a contentious spirit must
be avoided. and genuine good nature
must be cultivated. There must be the
least possible resemblance to John Lii
burne, Of whom Cromwell said that he
was so ~quarrelsome that if he could
lind nobody else to quarrel with, John
would quarrel with Lilburne and Lii
burne with John. Such q want of
peaceableness may not be common, but
there are too many who fail to live
peaceably either with others or with
themselves. Thereby both their happi-
ness and their usefulness are greatly
abridged, if not wholly sacrificed.
HdtcADlan.