Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1889-04-26
Some Elements of True Courage.
[From The Waoerly Progress, by ]. l..
LODGE, d. D., Editor

Character forms itself inwardly, and ad
dresses itself to consciousness through vsi-
Bile outward manifestations. Initial pro-
cesses are mediately subject to the law of
environment, the nature of associations, and
the methods of mental training, or the class
es of ideas habitualy presented for ultimate
adoption. At maturity, necessary opera
ton OF established propensities exhibit hab-
itudes that are taken as evidences of dispo-
sition 1t justities, by human judgment,
the divine declaration that las a man think
eth so is he" By what he is, not by what
he does, except when the doing accurately
! reflects the being, will judgment be passed
upon the man. Fortunately for all worthy
human interests, deception within cannot
forever be restrained from natural irruption
into characteristic action; when final ex-
posture of the impelling influence pours ac-
cumulated excavations on the convicted de-
ceiver. 1t is of the first Importance, then,
that right motive should underlie right
action; else, though an action be benevo-
lent in consequences, 1t shall lose, totally,
its reward, while absolute failure of an en-
terprise undertaken with upright and un-
selfish intentions cannot, through its mis-
chance, invalidate the purity OF purpose or
intercept ordained and necessary reward
All proceeds on the recognized doctrine of
ethical science, that the moral quality of
any TcSlueS Ill tilt
1t is easily seen how fundamental these
premises are in distinguishing true courage
from the false. Let the actor first know he
is right, and then with inspired equanimity
and mental serenity inflexibly bear opposi
ton. He may not conquer victory, but
must conquer himself and wear fadeless
laurels. Human fallibility confessed, NOR
tai opinions are subject to investigation and
adverse decision. Here the great man has
chance to show himself, and here the small
man aoW show himself, whether he have the
chance or not. The Leming rats, in myriads
travelling from the hills of Norway, eat their
way through some obstacles, climb others.
swimming rivers, scaling mountains, but
never turning an inch to right or left. The
saddest of all is that the survivors Of the
horrid march to the sea perish incontinent-
ly on the shore. We have not far to look
for biped Leming rats! Great weakness
nay be displayed in either of two ways
We form our plans, upon mature reflection.
gather our material perhaps begin our
work. Criticism adverse to our project de.
fleets our course, or closes it altogether
why did We listen to such dissuasives p
Were the opposition any wiser or better
judges Of what should be done than our
selves? A certain measure Of confidence
in ones own ability to project and execute
is essential To manhood, success, aud the
respect ot fellow men. Beneath the stars
is there no more pItlable sight than one
whose Just conclusions can be swerved and
wrecked by less virtuous but more daring
character Men who wear collars labeled with
their masters names. who ARE carried about in
the vest pocket of stronger but baser char
actcis, are not the stuff to make heroes of
All government, all authority, all enterprise,
all Influence, Is conducted borne, carried
forward, exerted, by minorties-by meth.
DDS not always deniunstrable, but ever Yer
table
The other manner in which weakness
manifests itself is through obstinacy, which
Is the reverse of courage, though often mis-
taken by the ignorant for that great virtue.
You know yourself to be right? 1t is we'll
But do you find the majority with less
light, more alloy Of motive, and likewise
more bovine stubbornness? Now, bide your
time. Conserve principle, but yield all that
may be properly yielded You shall Low
show yourself Thousand times more cour-
ageous and noble than the inflated mass OF
sell conceit who is resolutey bent to rule or
ruin! Out of many, there are chief ele-
ments of courage: An accurate knowledge
OF the right. Purity Of motive. The strength
Of conviction which sustains the execution.
A capacity Tor concession which will sur.
render the less material in the process to Sc
cure the more material in the object. These
are certain to eliminate inferior qualities OF
mental composition, and to replace with the
constituents OF brave and manly char
aCter.