Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1893-01-27
POLICY.
from The Waoerley Progress, by J, L.
LODGE, d. D., Editorl

1t is difficult TO understand how a sound
intellect can reject the doctrine Of moral de-
pravity, natural and acquired. Philosophic
inquiry into primary and incidental intiu.
ences within the limits bounding finite
faculties has resulted satisfactorily to en-
| lighteneG and honest Investigators; trans.
cending these limits nescience has wrought
no injury, but dignifed human nature
through comforting loftier opportunity.
The dogma of unrestricted freedom of
human action, for which license, not lib.
erty, is the proper name, will never be re-
ceived by men who think below the sur.
face, and compare written with displayed
evidences which combine to produce the
oracular. Such teaching and belief are I'M
scientific, unscriptural, unreasonable. The
planets walk their orbits, the stars follow
their courses, with Infinite regularity and
precision, with an apparent freedom which
is actual law, and which, were they animate
and sentient, it would not be necessary
they should understand. Water glides or
PUSHES, form of beauty or destructive
! force, with no apparent restriction, but really
| obediently to an invariable principle exer-
cising absolute control. Gravitation is suf-
tciently explanatory as a scientific term.
| Spite Of innumerable attempts at contra
diction, the dictum and the demonstration
remain unassailable, that rational beings
constitute no exception to the principle OPP
erative throughout the universe But upon
| this one fact thinkers and the thoughtless
entirely agree: That the limits within
which free choice may be exercised are so
! exceedingly large as to create culpability
and evoke its punitive effects where the d.
rection of the good is deliberately departed
from and the evil way premeditatedly
| chosen. A modicum OF freedom would
| give rise TO responsibility, whose weight
and consequence would be adjusted by the
laws ola perfect moral government. The
vile man will not deny that his vileness &C.
cords entirely with his predisposition, taste
and pleasure. 1t seemed essential to pre-.
mise these undisputabe facts to present in
| hideously proper characteristics the destest
able creature who is to form the subject of
this and other papers. 1t is with the policy
man, the wire puller, the complacent fraud
| in genteel dress, we have to deal, in the
hope that young readers, at least, may be
led to recognize, despise and shun the fleece
endued wolf, the obsequious, smiling sharper
vestured like an honest man.
Men are not long novices in the school Of
worldliness. The time required TO displace
the unsophisticated, pure nature with a
character constructed according to the model
of the beau monde, or adapted TO employ the
methods in use among worldly spirits, de.
ponds upon the characteristics of the times
in which the actors live. Ii the period be
marked by restless energy, extending TO
study, investigation, invention, improve
ment along material lines, construed as the
progress Of civilization, every business, every
pleasure, every purpose, will pulsate with
the central fever throbs. Without denying,
on the contrary, applauding and rejoicing
in the increase and accelerated pace OF oene
fetal agents and influences, ii is too palpa-
BILE that malign spirits and their instruments
advance pdrt pdssu they do much more !;
they outstrip their opposites and promote
evil in an almost infinitely greater ratio
than the good. | think no observer will
question that the child OF ten years to day
knows and practices more immortality than
the youth OF twenty forty years ago. Sensi'
bic and gifted writers, like Louise NJ. Alcott,
have done what they could 10 reform the
wickedness and folly, but, like her, have
passed away without accomplishing 1.-THE
of what their purity and zeal richly merited
A century ago a single footpad halted and
robbed a solitary traveller; now, six out
laws "hold up" an express train, rob the
sale, and pillage the passengers. Unavoid'
ably, perhaps, in some regards, yet truly,
what enthusiasts euphemistically style the
"progress of civilization" has Injured prac-
tically to the benefit of the bandit.
Born into this or any other age, TWO
courses lie before every man. Maturity or
an earlier age presents the universal object.
The thing desirable and desired is Swallowed
forth in some form in vision. The moral
question touches the quality Of the thing
sought and the means directed TO its attain
ment. Self love, in its higher aspects, is
natural and commendable. Its enlightened
projects seek only good, mediately or i'm
mediately, deriyabIe upon the personal sub
iect, or comfortable upon others. To the
uncorrupted mind the unperverted heart
disntereStediaess is the course first suggested.
If that beautiful poetic conception believed
by the principal ancient nations, including
the chosen people of God, that guardian
angel attends every man to counsel good
and warn against the evil, be in anywise true,
| how sublime that moment in the lie OF every
man when the voiceless influence hovers
over him TREMENDOUSLY waiting for the de-
cisiOn Before qualification, before indura.
ton, dim perception possesses the under
standing that regardless of appearances self
can only be served by immoation of SELL
That benevolence, in its broadcast definition
and widest range, is true destiny, and that,
therefore, not policy, but honesty, is the path
to choose. Reflection, which, at first, can
| not dlJDReLOtT Oe TtpIcsScl, COuliuio CNciJ
intuition, every ETHEREAL inclination.
| Against this sentiment, which demands
| fostering, through practice and experience,
| for its firm establishment, sets the whole
current OF opposition in varied and numer'
| GUS guses Nothing chills heroic endeavor
as Indifference 10 the objects Of DEVOTION
| 1t is a question, mortal weakness consd-
| cred, how long herOism, pure and simple,
| can hold out in the face OF stOlidlty and in-
| gratitude. IL is question how long deVo-
| ton ought TO continue under perseveriDg re-
| butts. The splendid abilities and heroic en-
orgies that have been thrown away upon
worthless objects none but the recording
angel could enumerate. Spurgeon says
Don't fish for sprats with golden hooks
the hook would be worth more than you
could catch with it." a greater than Spur
geon said Cast not your pearls before
swine, lest they turn again and rend you.
But the plea Is that the devotee shall not sink
himself that he shall not permit personal
corruption that, seeing swine cannot ap
preciate pearls, he shall not debase himself
TO reap their favor by sowing for them seeds
of tiatteTy, lnsincerity and chicane; that
rather than resort 10 artltice, where honesty
! will not do, he shall let the object fail. No
true man will permit the apparent disad'
vantages Of virtuous action 10 swerve him
from an upright purpose. This is the very
crisis where his utmost integrity is demand
ed The utter absence of disguise annihi-
la;es suspicion and gives strength and cour-
age to despise II. The inexperienced man may
mistake popular sentiments for truthful prin
ciples; but the majority Of fawners were
time servers and self seekers from the start
They cannot believe in the vunerability o
eternal principles, nor in the reversal Of
their consequences; but they choose wha
yields them the present favor and prosper
ity Of the world. "Verily, they haze thei
reward"
Business ia the Orphans Court
The following business was transacted In
the Orphans Court
The will Of John =. Dodge, deceased wa