Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1884-08-02
CORRESPONDENCE
A THEORY OF GOoDY-GooDrIsaf.
CORRTGANsVILLE, MD, !
July 90, 1884. {
To the MINING JOURNAL.


That ''history repeats ITSELF is an
old, trite maxim. But as truly his
tory IN its course can never go to
its source, but is steadily advancing
toward q certain goal. 1t is the COM
mon soldier, although in the midst
of the battle, who pereivcs nothing
OF the ebb and tide, and who usually
has conflicting stories to tell Of it.
lie knows nothing at all of it's plan
at the opening-eyen so in individ-
ual life, and far more in universal
history, only the Napoleons, the
geniuseS Of all eras, have glimpses of
its past, present and future while to
the God Of wars, life and history, to
that Commander in Chief, the great
plan Of the Universe is known, as He
! is its Creator. Like the soldiers, our
only duty is in strict obedience to
carry out His commands, and in this
way, alone, but fully to share in His
glory. This modern grumbling
about the formers pitiful reward in
comparison to the lustre surrounding
the chief, is u characteristic of this
age and country where ''pay," "filthy
earthly lucre," has become the only
Deity to worship; before which honor
and glory and virtue, and all that is
true, beautiful and good, appears as
| if it had lost its innate, incalculable
value.
History leads to one predestined,
Interchangeable goal.
We are at present on the downward
road. Our days are degenerating and
have been so for centuries. 1t would
be difficult to determine the exact
date when the retrograde movement
began. What will the specious, gilt
terlng theories of the reforms of
these last centuries, that convulsed
both hemispheres through revolu-
ton, avail in checking the tendency
of our time toward ruin Are they
not like 'sand to stem the food"
like the attempt of foolish boy, by
| pushing fence-rail between the
spokes Of Il wheel to check the mad
career of II masterless train, thunder
ing down the steepest of grades? He
will not check The train, but like all
revolutionists will be himself buried
amid the general wreck.
It's philanthropy which moves the
honest social reformer. If the love
of God predominates over his love of
men he will, teaching the fearful
truth of existing abuses, advise them
to bear up and show themselves brave
and strong, and by undeceiving them,
truly sympathize with them. II
philanthropy is in arms against di-
vine love, which is long-sullering,
patient, it will incite them to sacri-
flee patience, the greatest of riches, at
the altar Of Mammon, ease and
luxury. And when the struggle has
ceased and another tyrant has taken
the place to clash them with scor-
pions," then their enthusiasm will
collapse; not able to bear the evil
they will call the evil good, and SO
we have the pleasure to witness that
eneryating, marrowless skeleton of
our times, peryading hypocritical
society goody-goodyism.
Goody-goodyism, optimism, is that
cowardly adviser who looks only at
the bright side of things. When a
few years since | read in an account
of Il certain musical convention that
the director, q ':jolly fellow" smiled
but once from beginning to end, set
him down for fool. TO look at the
bright side Of things only is sheer
laziness. Whitewashing in politics
is, at least in theory, so far called cor
ruption. Whitewashing in society
goes for genteel, and the honest fell
low that is ashamed to lie is pro-
scribed as a ruf1ian. Nay, even in
church, they raise row when pas
tor dares to follow in the steps of
Peter and Paul, who did not tell
men that they were good. No, quite
the reverse, but that they ought to
be good. Unless they have the idea
Of u sermon Of that preachers little
daughter who asked her father
whether what he had said that Sunday
was truth Or only preaching; ;orexcept
they 90 to church as the tabernacle
people do-as they go to theater.
Among the goody-goody people we
will, then, not find the reformer.
They find favour with the populace,