Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1893-07-06
CHOICE EXCERPTS.

CHOICE EXCERPTS.
IT is not when you feel best that you
are best, but when you suffer most and
most patiently under trials and misfor-
| fortunes.
A MEAN man never knows when he is
mean; he only thinks himself cautious
just as a near-sighted person seems to
be looking far away.
THE most momentous question a
woman is ever called upon to decide is
whether the faults of the man she loves
will drag her down, or whether she is
competent to be his earthly redeemer.
To be longing for this to-day and for
that thing tomorrow; to change likings
for loathings, and to stand wishing and
hankering at venture-how is it posi-
ble for any man to be at rest in this f1uc-
tuant, wandering humor and opinion?
THE difficulties and trials we encoun
ter in life, and the weaknesses found in
our character, wage against us form of
warfare These are enemies that must
be braved and vanquished upon their
own ground. The advantage is all our
own in seeking the conflict; it is theirs
if we decline it.
ONE cheerful face in household will
keep everything bright and warm within.
Envy, hatred, malice. selfishness, de-
'pondency, and host of evil passions,
may lurk around the door, they may
even look within, but they can never
enter and abide there; the cheerful face
will put them to shame and flight.
1T is trite remark and true that one
man will live like prince upon ten
dollars week, and another like beg
gar on twenty. Management is all, and
that kind of management which will
make the poor mans home happy, and
with all its disadvantages enable it to
compare with the public house, requires
much study and forethought.
To attain to generous courtesy,
more even than good sense and good
is nature is necessary; some self-denial
must be practiced, not with a view of
obtaining services in return, as some
cynics would have us believe, but be-
cause a handsome courtesy surely is
twice blessed, breeding in return that
reciprocal kindness which we conceive
of as governing the behavior of the an
gels themselves.
THERE is way of doing good in the
world, on a small scale, that is scarcely
appreciated. A man who educates one
child faithfully may effect work of
greater benevolence than one who has
won the name of philanthropist. The
love concentrated on family may pro-
duce richer fruits than that which en-
braces the world. Its action is more in
tense and invisible, but its results may
90 abroad and leaven the whole mass of
community.
AN author, no less eminent than judi
ciOus, makes the following distinction
between the words 'innocence," "wis
dom," and "virtue." Innocence consists
in doing no harm, and occasioning no
trouble to society. Wisdom consists in
being attentive to ones true interest; in
distinguishing it from seeming inter
est; in right choice and constant ad
herence to it. Virtue goes farther; il
loves the good of society, and often pre-
fers it to his own disadvantages.
"HoME," says Robertson, in his Ser
mons. "is the one place in all this world
where hearts are sure of each other. II
is the place of confidence. 1t is the
place where we tear off that mask of
guarded and suspicious coldness which
the world forces us to wear in self-de-
fense, where we pour out the unreserved
communication of full and confiding
hearts. 1t is the spot where expressions
of tenderness gush out without any sen
sation of awkwardness, and without any
dread of ridicule. Let man travel
where he will, home is the place to which
his heart untrammelled fondly turns
He is to double all pleasure there. He
is to divide all pain. A happy home is
the single spot of rest which man has
upOu col I'll lOl bnC CulIlNdtlOu VI Ills
noblest sensibilities."
WHEN man tells you that he "al-
ways takes things easy" and "never puts
himself out of the way for nything or
anybody" set him down in your mental
memorandum book as chronic laziness
and sel6shness. Such easy going indi-
viduals never win either fortrrc or
fame. They may call their indifW-1c Wcnce
independence; but, if so, they make a
miserable mistake Real independence
is the offspring of we'll directed energy,
and the philosophy of incidence" is
nothing better than a mean and con
temptible sophistry. God himself has
vetoed Incidence: whatsoever thy hand
findeth to do, do it with all thy NIGH"
is the vigorous language of inspiration.
Latent talent is of no more use than
than latent heat. Both must be devel.
oped and applied in order to be of any
practical value. No man can be even
true Christian without energy; and, il
we were required to put the whole duty
of man into the shortest possible form
of words, we would say to him, "Work
and pray"