The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-11-21
IDEAIs.


The strange phenomena in the growth
of mind is the persistence with which
things and persons are regarded as
different from what they are. The
mind creates ideals for itself, and makes
them surround familiar friends, or imag.
mary characters, as with halo.
Yet Ideals are essential to the
growth and perfect development OF the
mind, and of heart as we'll The crea.
ton of ideals is self-imposed mental
athletics, aud under benign influences
the mind and heart character it really
is-expands and noble man or woman
is the perfected product; under other
influences a warped and miserable
caricature of man as he was intended
to be. or libel % womaubood is the
result
But ideals. like all structures by
human hands erected, or BY fnite mind
conceived, fade. fall, crumble, vanish.
when built around or upon person or
personality. The true ideal par'akes
less of clay and more Of the spirit than
any other conception of the brain. An
ideal worthy Of life's imitation is the
yery essence Of rational thought aad
true feeling. With such an ideal as an
iusepsrsble companion. man is superior
to the musations-of time. the bate and
avarioe Of men5or The deceit and fckIe-
ness Of women His mind is q king.
dom, peoplsd with tho nobless, best sud
pates.. besood which he need not 80
10 search Of companions. None may
enter therein without permission. But
.bis kingdom canoos-be attained in q
day-ayosf; and many .rs ON the
outside after lifetime Of more than
the allotted three SCORE spd ten. They
set up human frailty as the ideal itself,
and when humanity falls the ideal for
these, falls also, but. unlike humanity.
fa,ls r. rise no more. Humanity is
false, and ideals built upon humanity
are fslse likewise and doomed to over
throw. Attributes are true, thus ideals
embodyiug truth, honor. sincerity.
Justice tenderness. faith. hope aud
charity are true aud imperishable.
Such an ideal is impersonsl, therefore
nissy 8 nos be destroyed BY time;
Friends and companions are tested apd
tried by the impersonal conception.
Those that are dear may be endowed By
fancy, With the attributes Of she ideal +,
bu. if a fair face and an honest voice be
l
but DISCUSSES for false heart and q
deceitfut tongue, the slow and sure trial
by comparison With the true. reveals
the falseness ana deceit 4 friend lis
not lost, but a disguised enemy has
been uumasked, and though the human
coupaniouship may be missed, and at
times. we may sigh for the hand-clasp
that vas not cemented by sincerity, or
long for the caress Of the lips that were
false, it is but the shadow of a floating
cloud in bright and ETHEREAL sky. Look
beyond and above !! The sky is blue and
serene above the marriug cloud, as we'll
as on either hand So with the disap-
poiutments of life, the false hearts and
deceitful lips pretended friends, They
are the marriug clouds; our ideals, the
sky, extending to the utmost bounds Of
our thoughts aud feelings. With an
ideal of truth, as familiar companion,
the spirit sorrows not, that I'VE are
such stuff as dreams are made Of" bat
looks beyond the sleep, rounding our lit
tie life, to an eternity that will be even
more than a realization Of its noblest
conceptions.
Sugar has gone up an eighth of a