The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-08-29
Character.

A man is what his character makes him.
If his character is good, SO Is he; II his char-
acter is bad, he is likewise Character is the
foundation upon which society and govern
ments are built He who is destitute CT
good character has reached the extreme
boundary Of poverty. He who has good
character has q heritage which rallroaa
kings cannot buy, and which is more beautt-
full than the jewelled robes Of princes. The
wise man said, yea, God still says, "a good
name Is rather to be chosen than great
riches, and loving favor rather than silver
and gold.n There are many men who do not
believe this, as they disbelieve many of the
declarations of the Most High. Character,
like friendship, sis Of slow growth" Many
things may be obtained at once, but he who
would possess the ripened fruits Of noble
character must learn to toll and wait He
must m 2ster passion, subdue lust, nd culti-
vate every virtue.
As Jesus Christ is the "chief cornerstone
upon which is erected that sublime temple
which has 'debased by the elegance Of its
structure, and crushed by the weight OF Its
materials the stateliest temples Of pagan su-
perstition, y so He is the foundation of every
Individual character If you would take the
first step towards splendid character, step
on "Christ the solid Rock" In the first chap
ter of his second Epistle, Peter has given us a
beautiful and striking direction how to build
our character. He says, add to your faith
virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to
knowledge, temperance; and to temperance,
patience; and to patience, goodness; and 10
godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brother
ly kindness, charity" Now let us remember
that this is not a picture Of laying one block
of living stalk with one joint growing in
another joint, so it is best to say, add in your
faith, virtue, etc., just as a stalk of wheat
adds joint into joint until it is crowned with
the golden grain, so we are to add grace
unto grace until all shall be crowned with
the heavenly fruit Of love. Then we behold
the form and beauty Of perfect character.
Character is immortal; what we are we
will be in eternity. He who mars his char
acter by base deed is writing line the
blacknsss of which will be seen by the light
of the eternal day." When drop OF in
delible ink falls on the clean linen, rivers OF
spot on human character will defy the stream
Of time to cleanse.
This leads us to remark upon the necessity
Of good character in the members of our
churches. A church which is composed
largely Of men and women without charac-
ter is a dishonor upon Christ and a failure
among men. A church may be rich and have
many members but II the members are dis
honest in their dealings or impure in their
lives; if the men lack honor and the women
virtue, it will perish, and the ''sooner the
better"
This is true Of all church members, and 1t
is isespecially true of preachers. A man may
be learned, eloquent and magnetic; he may
be commanding in person or engaging in
manner, but if bis character is smirched by
dishonesty drunkenness or dehauchery, he
will be summed by the pure and be despised
by the honorable. TIE preacher who magni-
fies the faults of his brethren, Eaisrepresents
and slanjers them, has mistaken his calling:
ambition or greed has taken possession oi
his soul and untitled him for the society OF
the pure and honorable. Purify is better
than eloquence, and noble life than mag.
netic power All preachers cannot be
orators, but all can be men of good chagac'
ter. And that which all can have is The
most important Of all. Brethren, neve. dc
a little trick nor mean act, and you vii
grow up to be liable ministers Of tho New
Testament"