The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1886-10-02
THE POWER OF A GOOD LIFE.
BY REV. MARY j. De LONG.
lNeenah, Wis.,

Between virtue and vice, goodness
and badness in the abstract, as we'll as
in personal character, there is one rad
ical difference; one is positive, the
other negative. In the light which the
Bible sheds upon human motives, we
readily accept vice, or badness, as COM
ing from the lower propensities, pas
sions and appetites of our nature. Vir-
tue we accept as the expression of the
higher aspirations, nobler sentiments
of the soul. Vice followed up sinks
even these low passions and suggestions
to lower level. Goodness on the other
hand, "glorifes even the animal in
stincts, and turns them into moral and
spiritual powers" Virtue is positive
force, lifting humanity to its highest
level. Vice is a negative force which
leaves all powers to ebb away to the
lowest mark. Virtue is knight, clad
in armor, lance in rest, muscles strung,
heart sound and true, beating high with
hope, ready to lead forward in every
noble work. Vice is an outlaw in hid
ing, armor rusty, lance broken, heart
huttering, the companion of fear, while
despair waits just before. SO soon as
mems eyes are open to see these con-
trasts, the power over them of virtue
and vice, of good and evil, can never be
the same. While mems consciences
continue to reward them with peace
and satisfaction in doing good deeds,
and to punish them with sorrow and re-
morse in evil deeds, goodness will be
felt to be the friend, and badness the
enemy of mankind. However men may
suffer themselves to be led into evil
practices, their consciences will bear
witness, that for every interest in life,
the right way is the best way, and vir-
tue will be a positive force; making
positive and unequivdcal demand for
surrender of all thingb in its behalf.
This is one secret of khe power of a
good life. Goodness is thus bold in chal-
longing the allegiance of the very no
blest powers of human nature. The
homage which the world pays to every
truly great life, is the tribute which all
the diviner instincts of the human soul
pay to that supreme instinct which lifts
them all to their highest expression.
The exultation, pride, joy, which every
age feels in its great men is the free
gift of each soul to its1easter passion.
Not the subsection, the piedging, of one
man to another but the subsection of
the powers in the soul of every man to
what they recognize as the master pas
sion, the sovereign spirit among them
all. All men know that the claim
which goodness, virtue, makes upon
them for recognition, is based upon true
ground, the ground that it is the friend
of humanity, and comes to them with
hands full Of helpful agencies. Every
good life is lighthouse on a friendly
shore an argosy laden with spiritual
merchandise chalice filled with the
pure water of life.
Virtue has positive power in an
other direction; that is, in us, ourselves,
to transform us into heavenly like
ness. Goodness is one source of beauty.
1t so refines the form, deepens and
sweetens the expression, tunes the
voice and tempers the spirit, that the
body becomes almost transparent with
the soul shining through. The old mas
tiers of Grecian art habitually depicted
moral defOrmity under the guise of the
most ravishing physical beauty and
symmetry. Against this the early Chris,
tians made most vigorous protest by
depicting the moral grandeur of the
Christ under the most repulsive face
and form. Both were wrong. Virtue
and vice do not display the same hand
writing on human faces. The most
beautiful face may be repulsive with
an evil heart showing through it. So a
plain face may be glorified by the name
less grace of a chastened spirit irradiat-
ing it from within. The soul revenges
itself upon its wayward companion,
the body, by writing all over it the story
of its sordid aims and low debauches.
AS we go through the world, we read in
their faces and forms the life history of
the people we meet; and hear always in
their voices a plant of deepest pathos
and of dreadful meaning. In the midst
of this, one good, holy life, lifting itself
above the level of the worlds stage of
action, is like an anchor to the soul,
sure and steadfast. A great life
beacon light that points to nobler, purer
times, and leads the way. 1t is one
glory of a nation that it knows who it's
great men are, and how to honor them.
Virtue has a positive power in still
another direction. The young coming
out upon the threshold of life will al
ways find her trusty guide. To start
out with the conviction that a good
life is the supreme joy, the supreme
achievement of mortals; then to follow
the dictates of conscience as the one in
fallible guide to that achievement, in
this is humanity ON the road to its best