Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1889-12-14
MISUNDERSTANDING.
The Most Important Find Any Comm unit, ,
Can Have In View.

'
The Most Important Find Any Com unit y
Can tfnve In View.
With all our many appliances for
spreading knowledge and discipliniug
the mind. and our rightful interest In
the work, there are few who would not
agree that. important as II is, the
building up OF moral character out
weighs IL In Its serious results upop
the welfare OF the community. A poor
education Is a thing greatly to be re-
GREETED, but q poor character Is far
more lamentable. That workman
should be- unable TO read and write in a
land like ours Is truly deplorable, but
that he should be an idler. a drunkard
or cheat 10 much worse. Who
would not prefer TO employ the youth
who. with tho mere rudiments OF learn
ing. was Trustworthy. rather than one
who, with talents and education, was
lacking In integrity? And what CON-
munity would not be more happy and
prosperous. il the citizens were honora-
BILE, iaw-abiding aud conscientious, than
II. without these qualities. they were
adopts in ali the scholarship OF the age ?
Or course good education and "a good
character need not. and ought not, TO
be separated. Happily they are the
united possession OF large numbers OF
our favored citizens in this land OF op-
portunities. But it is too readily taken
for granted that the former will insure
the latter. and this is not the case.
There are too maLy sorrowful instances
OF well-educated mon and women fall
ing into Vicious habits and criminal
practices 10 allow US TO cherish any
such delusions. Yet. although char
acter-making Is thus the most import
ant end that any community have in
view, II is by no means recognized as
such. or provided for as Il deserves. II
intellectual exercises fail 10 insti! IL,
as they certainly do. Il becomes vital
question what means 10 use TO train up
the good and conscientious men aud
women OF which our country has such
sore need. How shall we teach the
young the lessons of sobriety and hon.
esty. truth and purity. industry and
economy, br0therly love and mutual
goodwill. as successfully aud as thor
oughly as we now do those OF language
and of thought? Such questions fire.
quently rise up in the mind OF every
conscientious teacher. aud regret Is
felt that a complete answer is not forth
coming. Still the personal influence
oil the faithful teacher Is very great in
this direction. No one knows how
much good seed Is thus dropped into
the soil OF young hearts, or how rich a
harvest It often yields. The difficult
ties Of systematizing moral develop
ment are so numerous and grave that
they may well tax the powers of the
wisest and most Jealous advocates.
Especially Is this the case because
maxims Of good conduct, though ever
SO diligently laid down. are not OF
themselves sufficient 10 insure the good
conduct which they recommend. just
as mental discipline consists more In
the constant exercise of the mind itself
In right paths than in the information
Impaired. so moral discipline con-
sists more in the continual exer-
else OF right feelings. right desires.
and right actions, than ia any repeti-
tions OF moral precepts. he they ever
so true. Whoever can succeed In In
spring these. and cultivating them as
habits, has found the true secret OF
character-making. As has been well
said. Not by precept. though heard
daily. not by example, unless IL is fol-
lowed, but only by action often caused
by the related feeling. can "A moral
habit be formed" II this is thought "A
delicate aud difficult task we may re-
member that 1t il one not confined 10 "A
certain class. as mental development
usually Is. but intrusted 10 us all. Ii
is duty which every o.e must share.
a responsibility which none can throw
on. The truth Is that we are always
making character. both our own and
others. either for good or for evil. By
the emotions we cherish. by the desires
we indulge, by the actions which
respond to them. we are steadi. !,
building up our own. Every hour
we are adding stone upon stone. either
for strength or beauty. or for weakness
and detorrnity. And. willingly or not.
we thus help to form the character OF
those around US. Not only by our ex-
ample, but even by the unconscious In
fiuence which emanates from us. are
others being helped or hurt We are
a part OF their surroundings. and they
are a part OF ours. and as such we are all
helping 70 form each others character
BY our daily life. As we are. and AS we
do. SO we teach others 10 be and 10 do
though we utter no word OF instruction
or advice. e.-Philadelphia Ledger.
BARBER TO bald-headed patron)-
-. =