The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1886-06-02
RIGHT JUDGMENT.

Men Should BE Judged by the Actual Re-
suits Of Their Lives, and Not By Appear
snoes.
It is almost, II not actually, impos-
sible to avoid comparing ourselves
with our fellow-men, and them with
each other. There may be in our
hearts no enviousness, nor any dispo-
sition to be unkindly critical, and our
relative judgments honestly may be
meant to be, and really may be,
rigidly impartial and scrupulously
good-natured, yet make them we do,
and must. 1t Is most important, there
fore, that we make them wisely and
rightly, and be not misled by unjust
standards. In most cases he is as
sumed to have made the most and
best of his life who attains the high
est eminence before the world. He
is pointed out as an illustration of
enterprise, and there is general con-
sent to the assumption that-because
he is more widely known than other
men, has secured for himself larger
resources of one kind or another, and
appears to possess wider influence
he therefore has made more of sue
cess of his career. This assumption
is natural, but after all 1t is mere
assumption and may not bear exami-
nation.
One thing is certain. Whether q
given man attain eminence OF not, his
life Is success il he have made the
most and the best of the opportunities
which God has given him. He is blame
1ooo ~ ,,caI %bnco n Iol
to others but not to him. He has no
responsibility in reference to them.
Upon his use Of his own depends Gods
verdict as to his success, and, although
not "a great man." SO called, he may
have accomplished far more in the
sight of the All-knowning Lord, as in
that of every impartial fellow. man who
knows the facts about him, than many
another has accomplished whom the
world delights to honor. The man
who makes the most progress is not he
who reaches absolutely the loftiest
place, but he who climbs highest above
his starting point. He who Is born into
exalted station, favoring opportunities
and stimulating associations, and also
inherits the accumulated abilities OF
generations of talented ancestors, may
die far more renowned, and after q
seemingly much more useful life, than
he who springs from humble stock in
obscurity and poverty, and is forced to
make his own way to creditable use-
fulness by stern struggles with the
world. But the latter. quite as often
as not, is the one of the two who has
made the best use of his life, when he
lays it down at last; he Is fully as likely
as the other to be nobleman, in the
truest sense, all the time. s.s.
These truths should be weighed we'll
by each of us. Theoretically we all
accept them. Practically many Of us
are somewhat slow to act upon them.
But it would do many somewhat pre-
tentious persons good to be caused to
realize that they are not regarded as
superior beings merely because their
blood is blue, their pockets deep and
| full, and their honors notable. II
would do many patient; unassuming
heroes far more good could they feel
that their sacrifices and lRbors are rec.
ognized and appreciated in some de.
gree. It would do us all. and the world
at large, incalculable good, were we to
correct our standards. SO far rs neces.
sary, in order to 'judge not according
to appearance, but judge righteous
Judgment - Congregationalist. ft