Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-01-09
POPULAR FALEACIES :"
First OF series of Interesting Ser
mons by Rev. A. n. Meldrum Al the
Central Presbyterian Church.

his text, Proverbs, lO:So: 'Ihere 10
way that seemeth right unto man." an
Isaiah, 55:6; Neither are your ways m
ways. saith the Lord" The subject wal
Proper Fallacies. The speaker said
did not propose to discuss the history an
philosophy of popular fallacies, but wha
was of greater importance to lay hold o.
and expose some of those which observ
ant minds can perceive circulating in SO
ciety. Some OF these are simply mistake
of the judgment In entertaiDing,in whic
a man may not be guilty of anything NOR
ally wrong, yet being injurious in thei
consequences, we ought to seek to b.
preserved from their influences. On,
popular fallacy is that religion require
men to relinquish every pleasure. Man.
have imbibed the notion that christianity
frowns on the most innocent recrea
tions and converts life into a pro
longed season of unvarying sadness
Asceticism is too frequently COMPOUNDED
with piety. The religion of a healthy
and hearty man is too often an object o.
suspicion. The more a man shunl
everything fitted to regale the imagina'
ton and improve the taste, the more re-
ligl0us he is supposed to be. Let II!
disabuse our minds of such notion
Religion deprives us of no pleasure which
dnaS mot ap6 in min. II imnoeas M ra
straint, of which the judgment, when
calmly exercised, does not approve. The
liberty which the infidel claims. is such
as would not and dare not coYet, He
has liberty to sink himself into mere
brute. and yet be consistent infdel.
This freedom cannot claim, and as l
would not ask 1t for myself, would not
curse others with it. Religion alone can
enable us to extract from this life all that
is worth extracting.
Another popular fallacy is that the
young have license to pursue a course
which would be deemed wicked in those
of more advanced years. 1t is not to be
expected that youth will manifest the
gravity of age. All young things are
glad-and this gladness is pleasing to the
divine being, He is churl as un.
godlike as he is misanthropic, who would
frown on youthful pleasures, croaking
because others rejoice. Profane be the
hand that would prematurely write one
wrinkle on the youthful brow, or repress
the feelings of gladness that gush from
the buoyant heart Soon enough will
The heart feel the pressure of life's stern
realities. Yet, youth can never justify a
person in doing that which is morally
wrong. Youth and inexperience do not
make wrong right; every sinful act will
exercise baneful influence on a mans
uture destiny, and every recollection of
t will be fresh wound to his self re-
'pect. There is no time in life in which
| man may SOW his wild oats"-no time
n which we are beyond the jurisdiction
If conscience and of God.
Another popular fallacy is that public
opinion determines what is right. He
we're fool unworthy Of your respect who
would refuse to believe and to do what
'thers believe and do, for the mere love
Il singularitY, yet he has as little claim to
ur esteem who, from fear of singularity,
ares not to venture to think or act diff |
erently from his neighbors Public |
pinion is sometimes right. and very |
ften wrong. We scorn the prudence |
which dares not act until it askes, "what |
will Others say9" what will others
hink2" If the action be right, what does
t matter what Others say or thinkp The
neanest slave in the world is the man
1ho does not have the courage of his
The man who IS true TO his
wn convictions of right holds on his
ourse calmly yet flrmly-standing like q
ion at bay defying the ours that snarl at
is heels. Do not treat with scorn the
pinions Of others-but when course is
efore you that you know you ought to
ursue, you should lose sight Of personal
onsequences and pursue that course.
More popular than any of the forego-
lg, is the fallasy that wealth is the
.andard of responsibility. There are
sw indeed who will measure a man by
hat he is. independently of what he has,
Nv who will neither frown upon wealth
or envy it. but ignoring altogether the
ccident of wealth will award the honor
hich is due to the man according as he
'ars God and does good to his fellow
en-. There is a diseased overgrowth
the estimate of riches in the minds
9th of those who possess them and
ose who do not. A degree of ,
sgrace is attached to poverty, although [
at poverty may be standing proof of
e mans integrity. A man is to be
llued by his character. not by his coat
house, or bank account. AS a man {
inketh in his heart so is he" Robert :
lrns, the Scottish national bard, nobly
the natural right of his species
those lines of his which contain SO
UGH downright good sense and sound
lilosophy:
''is there for honest poverty
That hangs his head. and athat,
The coward SLAYER We pass him by,
We dare be poor, for a'thAt,
For a'that, and that;
Our tolls obscure, and a'that,
he rank is but the guinea's stamp,
The mans the gowd Tor a'that.>
AT the close of the sermon the pastor
timated his intention of continuing the \
l. Lot nf ..Dnr,.lan Eau..is.p au-A :