The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1895-02-05


What was the prime element OF his
In reaopening questions which
prieStcraft aud ecclesiastical despotiem
bad declared settled. IL was his deter
mination to study Gods word unbiased
by anons, creeds and traditions. and
see If there was not a light in il
that had not yet entered his soul.
yalient Luther. Thy name ard deeds
are as imperishable as the truth IS hitch
thou didst dare TO speak.
There was another . sunrise when
William Carey lived. But he made
1T. His brave, majestic mind gave to
the world II new and grander concep
tion OF Christian obligation and enter-y
prise. That new conception gave
birth to modern missions, the tri1mphs
OF which have splendored the earth
and multiplied the joys OF heaven.
There was another +" SUM- isen when
Jefferson, Adams, Patrick Henry and
George Washington lived. These
grand old thinkers gave to the world II
new and grander conception OF civil
and religious freedom. Out OF that
conception this American republic was
born, whose influence is destined to
subverta all monarchies and democratize
the world.
But no human quality is comparable
to moral courage--the courage which
"a true man exhibits in his devotion to
q great principle. When in his love
of u great cause and in his great de-
termination to do what is right in the
sight of God, he regards not what men
say about him, n is undaunted M
unmoved by opposition from any
quarter, he rises TO the very pinnacle.
of moral dignity, majesty and gran
deur.
For all moral courage there is u
basis of intelligence and reason. Mere
physical courage is blind. 1t is guided
by no principles or motive or thought.
But behind every act OF moral heroism
there is a rational motive and purpose.
Moral courage is the unconquerable
will and purpose to do what we know
to be'our duty. There is a young man
who is trying to edit a newspaper, but
has neither taste nor aptitude for the
work. He has as little capacity ior
such business as | have for making a
railroad locomotive, or plotting a
steamship across the Atlantic. But
the position gives him social standing,
and it is gratifying to the pride of his
family and friends. BY and by that
young man sits down in some quiet
secluded place and thus communes
L hiiioCii r hbi Il uolllS WItU l
ought to do? Is it right before God,
and justice to myself and my fellowmen
to hold on to u vocation for which |
have no fitness, and in which | have
experienced nothing but failure? No
1t is notright. 1T is wrong, it is sinful,
it is ignOble. 1t is q ~perversion of my
bciug, aud Il sacrifice of all the posi-
bilitles Of my life. twill give up the
old newspaper and Turn to something
thatt caH-A I'D in which | can make
some real contributi0n~tO the worries
welfare" That is morG&gaasre"e.
Many II brietiess lawyer, If hG-au. -.
would mount a tailOr's bench and make
an honest living. Many a starving
doctor, if he. had it, would lay aside
his medicine case and find II comfort
able support in measuring tape and
calico. Many II statesman out OF Il
job, if he had IL, could find remunera-
tive employment 1T biackSmith's anvil
or IL carpenter bench.
There is a young lady whose wealthy,
pround and ambitious parents want
her to become u society pageant.
They have bought her a complete
Partisan outfit they have had her
carefully instructed in the conven-
tionalities Of high social life they
have already engaged and feed moro
than u Of newspaper reporters
to write her up in the society
column" The time is set for the debut
party the guests have been invited
and the newspapers, in compliance
with their contracts, prophecy the
most brilliant social event Of the
season. But in the midst OF all these
elaborate preparations ana nigh OK
pectations an invisible power touches
that young woman'S conscience, and
brings her face TO lace with these
questions "Was it for this life OF
gaiety and fashion that God made me?
Has he not some noblcr and divincr
mission for my mind and heart and
hand 7" An hour of communion with
herself is followed By an hour of com
munion with God. In that hour she
do it ut any cost. Father and mother
are advised of her new aspirations
and purposes. The announcements OF
the great social event are recalled all
contracts with reporters are cancclled:
the Partisan outfit is shipped TO some
distant city to be sold, and society"
begins TO speculate about the great
mystery. The next thing we hear of
that young m is in some college
Tor the training of hospital nurses.
She has. determined to spend her life
III SKINNY ana patiently mlnlStcrlu9
to the sick. That is courage which
marks the divincst heroism and the
noblest and %grandest type of woman
hood. Such courage redeems from the
bondage OF foolish convcnt!onalities,
.elevates life into fellowship with the
noblest things, unfctterS all the higher
faculties of the soul, sets u vision of
angels before it, and nerves il for
achievements OF lcspIcudent and inn
mortal beauty.
"Mobs, prison walls, clanking chains,
Jibbets, crosses, and martyr fires can
not brighten me into wrong doing, or
to offer one word of apology for my
conduct was the final
u~tterance OF Il hero, whose daring deed
kindlcd IL blaze which car be ex-
tinguished.
Felic'tas was Il rich and noble widow
OF Rome, in the days of Marcus
Aurelius. She had seven sons, whom
she had diligently and carefully in
structed in the Christian faith. She
and they were cited before Publius,
the project Of the city, to answer to
the charge of having publicly professcd
the religion OF Christ. Without a tear
or n tremor they stood before him and
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