Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1890-01-23

of making selection of what one thinks
You have not fulfilled every duty un-
less you have fulfilled that of being
pleasant.
Too earnest desire to excel often sets
a man below his real worth in the esti.
nation of others.
CHOICE EXCERPTS.
MANY things are reconciled to us by
habit, which we would readily disap-
prove if practiced by others.
GOOD temper, like a day sheds bright
ness over everything. 1t is the sweeten-
er of toll and the soother of disquietude
To insinuate a thing prejudicial to an
other, which you are not willing openly to
avow, is kind of mental assassination.
THE pleasantest things in the world
are pleasant thoughts, and the great art
in life is to have as many of them as
possible.
IF we do not wish to pass for any
thing better than we are, we shall be in
vulnerable to the shafts of envy and
slander.
A vIRTUoUs mind will not be dispos-
ed to take credit to itself for its attain
ments, while conscious of any censura-
bic deficiency.
SOFT words may appease an angry
man-bitter words never will. Would
you throw fuel on house in flames in
order to extinguish the fire?
IT is with the Christian as with pu-
pill learning to write; if he did not keep
his eye on the copy, he is likely to be
continually repeating his own errors.
CONSCIENCE doth not distress the
mind for the deficiencies or mistakes of
reason; but only for the deviations of the
will, from that which the mind appre-
hends to be right.
1t is possible for us neither to have,
nor desire to have, an increase of wealth,
or even to despise it as savages mostly
do; and yet to be the mere slaves of lust,
ambition or avarice.
A TRULY humble person is not offend
ed, but pleased with detection of his
errors, if in the manner of exposing
them, the laws of friendship and deco
rum are not violated by unkindness or
dissimulation.
ONE watch set right will do to set
many by; but, on the other hand, one
that goes wrong may be the means of
misleadinga whole neighborhood; and
the same may be said of the example we
set to those around us.
IF we were as patient in waiting for
the instruction of wisdom, as we are
earnest to take sure steps in the prose-
cution of our worldly affairs, we might
soon become acquainted with her lore,
and proficientS in her school.
PosITIvENEss in a state of uncertain
ty, is generally acknowledged to be
wrong; yet, we are seldom so fully aware
of the error in ourselves, as inclined to
take effense at it in others, especially if
we meet with it in the way of opposi-
tion.
LOVE and hatred are the two powers
which are contending for the ascendancy
in us; and one or the other will finally
prevail. In the meantime, our fruits
show to which we are most subject; for
"grapes come not of thorns, nor figs of
thistles."
FROM the vices and follies of others,
observe what is hateful in them. Con-
slider how such a practice looks in anoth-
er person, and remember that it looks as
i'll or worse in yourself. From the vir-
tues of others learn something worthy of
your imitation.
RELIGION is more than mere opinion,
more than mere sentiment, more than
mere emotion; it is the fusion of the
intellect and the spirit, the united ener-
gies of mind and will and soul, bending
themselves to the formation of life of
integrity and nobleness.
IN metaphysical researches, each ad-
venturer judges of the depth of the wa
ters by the length of his own line; all
beyond must, to him, be mere conjecture
Hence that variety of opinion we find
in the writings of Philosophers-What
is unfathomable, is equally incompre-
hensible.
SOME of the circumstances of human
life, which are so apt to sink the mind
into discOuragement, and produce dis
content and repining, we are never fully
reconciled to, till we are convinced they
were the providential means of our pre-
servation, or extrication, from evils of
greater and more lasting consequence.
PERTURBATION of mind would be oft
ener productive of benefit than it is, if,
instead of looking outwardly for the
cause, we sought it nowhere but at the
bottom of our own hearts. This intro
version, by deepening us in self-abase-
ment, would enlarge our experience of
the mystery of iniquity in its root and
ground, and guard us against imposi-
tion, both in ourselves and others.
THERE is no crime against self and
others comparable, for enormity and de-
structiveness, with insincerity and the
several forms of lying. 1t was the first
fruit of sin, and it it lis the seed by which
evil is propagated. There are many
ways of lying, and the least direct are
the worst. Playing on words, or mis-
leading, or taking refuge in a special
meaning, is worse than a simple false
hood. 1t costs the mind more to prac-
tice deception than to lie openly.