Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1898-12-30
LIES Responsibility-Part 4.
From The Jerersonia'a, by ]. L. LODGE,
d. d., Editor.


Standeth God within the shadow, keeping
watch above his own. -LOceN.
The highest and solemnest obligation rest
ing upon intellectual and moral nature is to
discover and proclaim truth. Truth is the
one great thing in the universe of God The
proper aim of all study, reflection, discus
sion, is not victory but knowledge Socrates
taught that all good is comprehended in
knowledge, all evil in ignorance The wise
have assented aud do assent to this doctrine.
Truth never loses its unity, Interchangeable
ness, and eternity. Before and after dis
closure it is the same, The facts of physl-
cal science and the doctrines of religion,
once true, preserve uniformity in verify
GravitatiOn was new to Newton, but old in
use The heather are still in Ignorance OF
God, yet salvation was an accomplished fact
before the world was Perfect truth resides
only in omnisclent Deity, whence proceeds
all that measure of truth cognizable and
applicable by humanity. But the powers
with which men are endowed were given to
enable them to seek and attain the possible
and necessary. The first great moralist de.
clared that "the only thing which he knew
was, that he knew nothing" An intensive
way OF expressing the awe and conviction
that filled his mind as investigation showed
the ever receding horizon, the boundless
prospect, the limitless region OF the unex-
plored, beyond the utmost reach of finite
mind. The humble confession of all the
learned. The only exempt is the "sell-
made" man. Like the Sophists, he
knows all and can prove everything.
Unless wilfulY perverted, knowledge OF
physics promotes facility of acceptance OF
moral claims. A great advance has been
made by him who clearly sees and pro
ioundly feels that Nature is but another
name for God. Those votaries of truth who
reverently approach her temple are pre-
pared to worship, to bear away the spirit,
and become ministers TO the world.
Life is no other than sublime. The mys-
terry OF being is a chief element of sublimity.
The conscious spirit, the vaulting mind,
soaring desires, aspirations toward an in
finite sphere known to exist but not tested f,
do not disparage but eXalt the measureless
dignity OF the present, Its whole idea, OF
duty, opportunity, limitation, relation To the
status in the eternal realm, infinite future
extension, and the intimate association OF
upright souls with divine intelligences, rem
ders il as grand as solemn. Its scene, crowd
ed with tragedy, choked with mental and
moral wreckage, the arena OF strife between
luC vi iut HttltI "bll anu tlC B'WNio
above, marking the fall OF promise, and i'm.
aging the glory OF victory, shows the terrors
OF earth and the peace OF heaven. These
inseparable conditions demand consclcn-
tious and perseverng search for whatsoever
things are true. A beggar truth is more
lordIy than the most royal sham. Out OF It
will come newer and higher TRUTH its propa-
CATION checked, but unpreventable, al last
A with TiDpulnU
worshipped, for time, it returns to It's
father, in flames that must receive all idols
A lUwly form cannot rob truth Of reverence
Sculplured, or traced on papyrus, the only
question is rs TO gcnuneness 1t Is notgiven
to men to perceive 1t equally. lie who recog
nizes the lower form must accept and teach
it. Still is he associate and co wOTkerwith him
whose capacity, diligence, and devotion are
rewarded with larger revelation. In either
case, the man must take side IN the war
of determination waged by conflicting forces.
There is no neutrality For ur against is the
stand inevitable. The hour then declares
the man. lie IL the apostle Oi true optimism.
Moral conviction generates herOlsm. Truth
cannot be destroyed, The dungeon II but
u mlIe stone on the way 10 victory. CruCl.
tixion Is the pass to resurrection aud glOri
fed ascension. Out OF the flames comes the
purified and accepted. Eternal law tx the
destinies the lalse, with whatever pageant,
goes To defeat; the true breaks all letters
asserts recovered dominion, seats itself upon
its rightlul throne. Who believes this, and
acts out his belief, is the greatest Of mortais :
One who never turned his back, but marched
breast forward,
Never doubted clouds would break,
Never dreamed though right were wOTated,
Wrong would triumph.
Held we TAIL 10 rise, are ballicd to fight
better,
Sleep to wake.
Irtuh must be ascertalDed aud vindicated
for the sake ol God. 1t Is the thing dearest To
his Eeart. Whatever the degree In which
from service or suffering the Name can re
oelve glory, this is the lnestimable contrlbu
ton. No lie, however decked or dazzling,
with whatsoever TRANSPORTATION OF supposed
sanctitY, can add TO the glory OF truth.
Liars Tor God, IKE Jobs friends, are van
pushed by the Voice out OF the whirlwind,
and the klndliDg Of wrath. Zeal without
know ledge involves contradiction. The rs
sential influence Of light IL wanting. Men
PROFOUND their own IDEAS, and wage logOma'
cby Tor tue formulas of their secLs Inc
truth is not Ia them They have not sought
1t at original sources. Hence the variations,
oppOsitions, confusion, waste. Stability Ol
power rests only with him whom tfuth IN
spires. such an one must speak. Mo
IN part an erTOslst, was yet, IA lts
first sense, an icOnOcast. AOu Thaleb, his
uncle, tearing the anger Oi the keepers OF
the idols, asked II he could not contain his
belief, without risking all their lives by
speaking But he must utter himself: Ii
the sun stood on his right hand, aud the
moon on his rlt, ordering him To hold his
peace, he could not obey. Quite ike that
other man, not presented here as model
further than ol courage, on memOrabiesL Ol
occasions Hero stand God help me,
eau no other" Convert every Tile on every
house Ia Worms INTO devi, but Luther
would speak The man must, whom con
yIcIion fills, belief possesses Devils or death,
IL Is all one 10 this real man! These are Gods
nobility; they aud tHclr brethren who are
among the silent, away ron publicity, Their
nobeness manifested not 50 much ia Words
as 10 imprint Of character aud actions glow
Ing with ierYOr Oi sincerity and truth.
For his own sake, every man must ma
aud treasure truth. Happiness, the quest oi
ali, Ia guaged by II Usefulness wIInDut 1t
Is Impossible. lne magnitude Di celestial
Joy II tBultltd ny ~. It's CJsJ must hol
1eter, ex pressed ~ IL has often been IA Dotfa
cIsm, persecution death 1t may be neccs
sary, under suffering, u nave recourse 10
silence; then, that silence IS awiu ia Dig
nifty. For lovers Ol truLb, uniformity 10 the
search aud uDanimlLy Ia ue,ence, ~ neccs
saTy. 70 realize the total OF lnLeTactlUn,
anu secure the fruits OF reciprocity. Not
least, but equal 10 the first, this knowledge,
this utterance, this lidellty, this majesty ol
silence, are demanded lor the
sake vi tue enemies OF truth. Thus they
are " be convicted The better class come,
finally, to confession. What had been their
tate had the truth beef he'd by towards, 10
How Tar hAi Their de.u
sion and enmlly teen iOstcred ny cDmpro
mlses2 The knowing, valiant, aud brave are
ia demand ia exigencics. Wnen pettlIJg
gers have ruined the State, the patriot II
called forth. When the atomic, dwelling
ulpiteer has nearly cxtinSushed ibe
church, the mighty eXpOunder OF doctrine
Ia sought W rebuild II. la It's extremity
the world goes with strong cries seeking
frho knnnuu ~ led trum hta uIpW