Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1894-02-16
The PROPHECIES of Personal Opinion.
BY ]. L. LODGE, D. D.
Concluded

AS in the law of grace, so, in the rule Of
sense, "boasting is excluded" 1t is a too
well known fact TO need certiflcation, or
even g call to the attention, that humility
attends greatness. Learning is shy, and
rather hides than displays ITSELF It waits
| to be called out for service Likewise, en-
| lightened ideas control vanity and forward
ness in their possessor. Pleasure they do
afford, but satisfaction chastened and pure.
Retcence and modesty will here indicate
power. A real king needs not to publish
the fact. Responsibility genders seriousness.
The high-born are civil and condescending.
Because man knows more and knows bet.
ter he can endure without envy, if cot with.
out criticism, the pompous exhibit OF gorge
ously- colored but cheap mental furniture.
His instincts foster self.restraint, the pro
duct, ever, of self reliance. Your empty
headed and pert babbler will tire the re-
sounding air with his own vapid, empty
nothings.
IT'S the half empty vessel that freest emits
The water that's in it, lis thus with mems
wits;
Or at least with their knowledge. A mans
capability
OF imparting TO others truth with facility
Is proportional forever with painful exact
ness
To the portable nature, the vulgar compact
| ness,
The minuteness in size, or the lightness in
weight,
OF the truth he imparts. So small coins CIR
culate
More freely than large ones
| 1.-THE braggart be reprehensible and odious
| the obstinate man is not less 80. Concession,
on reasonable grounds, is no sign of weak
ness-it may be the strongest evidence Oh
strength Every man is bound by heaven
and earth to seek truth and be right; but
| there is no law which makes him criminal
for thoughts inotfensive, or harmless actions.
Travellers through this world have constant
occasion to recall the travellers In the fable.
| That shield ssdS brass, and 1t was silver-on
the one side, and the other. No intimation
is there of the cowardly cover disclosed in
| the worldly policy OF Barre're in the fearful
crises of the French Revolution Ills motto
was: Truth may lie on both sides: On
either side, or on neither side my friends,
We must give and take: Tor the rest, success
TO the winning side!" England's immemo
rial detested policy in less degree the policy
of all nations; the policy OF the universal
common man! While no belief il worth
protesting for which u man would not be
willing to die, the subimity of his own con
victon will prevent the demand that an
other shall die for different belief
More deprecablc still than the sell Will oil
the opinionative is the servility OF the oose
quous Great danger lies that besides the
actual loss of sterling character and
priceless reputation, too much endeaVor TO
please and concIiate will end in tergiversa
ton We all know men whose features kept
for the public gather and relax along con
slant lines till long habit presents facial
bouquet, SO that they appear in full harmony
with the entire creation. Charity would
allow that they have opinions OF some sort;
but, secretive and cautious, they are never
permitted collision. We know, too, how,
secretly, these characters are dcsplsed; not
the least by such as smile AT them in return
Ia nature, the oak is the emblem oi grandeur
Its giant form, its towering height, It's mighty
strength, disdain not the shrub that grows
in its shade But suppose the oak should
seek 10 crouch, to shrink, To MAIN its
strength, that il might match the shrubH
Abhorrent nature would protest in this case
as Disguised humanity scorns in that. Moth
ing is achieved on the one side, everything
ia los, on the other Truth is never apollo
getic. Dignity the effect OF its knowledge
never cringes. While never seeking TO
offend, yet il otfense be taken, no power can
wiring from it a retraction. Sycophancy
never gains permanently its objects. Right
principle scorns ambush. Experience shows
the temerity and folly of trying to construct
something out of nothing. The ablcst pro
lessor might lecture on psychology To an OK
a whole week without lifting his thoughts
above the grass More than many devoted
laborers on barren soil have bitterly an
swered the substance of Jarno's question to
Wilhelm, "How is il with your ancient
maggot of producing something beautiful
and good in the society of gypses?" Car.
lyles remark is eminently suggestive: with
stupidity and sound digestion man may con
front much" He can, at least, successfully
resist overtures for his improvement: for II
there be one thing more than another hate
full to the stupid II is understanding. Sound
digestion and stomach capacity alone make
life desirable to them. Knowing all this be
forehand, Us he ought, If possible, to know
il, the thoughtful will perceive how in
furious to himself and improbable to others
is that degree of subserviency which lowers
that IL may lift. STOPPING TO conquer may
furnish Goldsmith a theme for comedy,
through which good sense and good primer
Die CLEAN; but in the domain Of ethics
and It's application TO daily social life, the
upright posture is safest and best, because
its effects are ennobllng and enduring
Harmony absolute is not essential to icl
| lowship or usefulness Men OF the most
diverse views, most conflicting opinions,may
| vet be the best of friends, and on the lines
| upon which they agree co operate effectively
Tor the elevation and happiness OF their Eel
| lows Or, even may start from opposite
| positions and rejoice over common success
at the center. Dissmilarity OF character,
where each is strong, Is more likely to pro
woke mutual admiration than monotonous
| conformity. One reason for this is that
strength is ever admirable, while weakness
| ia never less than contemplate. Disaster
inevitably results from rash attempt 10
force harmony. Goethe tells OF two charac-
tiers, really worthy persons, only each Of
them, instead OF humofing, endeavored 10
convince, the other, and, out oil eagerness to
live in constant harmony never could agree.
Look about you, and see their counterparts
in infinite variety. Variety in gifts, con
trariety in disposition, diversity IN taste, oil
ference in habit, opposition in education,
all unite to render conformity impossible,
Creation avoided similarity. Hence mint
able beauty, utmost utility. With God rests
the absolute in right. Men proceed, outside
of revelation, no further than opinion. IL
tina, be correct, it will have final demonstra
ton. Meantime, here's the opportunity Tor
the gentleman 70 hold and 10 advocate
his personal conceptions, but not to compel
agreement Nothing Is baser than 10 hinder
examination, shrink from discussion. Inc
man is then not desiring TO be r9ht. Dut 10
enjoy immunity from contradiction, lest that
leads tDexposuTe In the realm oi Thought
force defeats itself. The mind refuses To be
trammeled by its own ideas, much less those
of another II will have freedom, room 10
which to act None can be wise who throt
ties his own intellect; none just who limits
the freedom OF another. Each act would be
suicidal; for the death of mind would result
from either Let all the upright rest in the
perfect harmony they have enjoyed from the
beginning upon the two great facts OF the
uniyerse-that good must always be done TO
all and that truth shall finally triumph.
How best 10 subserve these great ends OF all
things will remain matter Of opinion Till the
, close; but are themselves dshonored when
. those opinions gender strife.
The promptings Of self conviction, special
ly in the form OF dogmas, most need restraint
of dominant judgment when dealing with
those two great subjects which engage the
earnest attention Of most men-polltlcs ana