The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-10-01
Sunday Sermon.
A GOOD CONSCIENCE.


Acts, xiv, 16.
You have asked me to tell you what
the conscience is. In all frankness |
must admit that / cannot define the
word IN way that would be satisfac-
tory to you or to myself. Theoretically
am In the dark about it; it is a psyche
logical problem which has always puz-
zled me. But practically | know a good
deal about it, because on some occa-
sions have enjoyed its approval and ON
others l have suffered from it's re-
proaches.
If you ask me in like manner what
is the nature of the force that draws
the point of the needle to the pole /
must give you the same answer. AS a
matter of science | know nothing about
it, but as a matter of fact / am abso-
lutely sure that it can be depended
upon, and that if it is not interfered with
it Will never deceive the mariner.
When a man tells me that he believes
only what he can understood i know
that he either misrepresents himself or
that his belief is of the most limited
character. We constantly rely on the
action of laws which we cannot explain
and concerning which we have no def
mite idea. The farmer does not know
why a melon seed should not produce
a pumpkin, but he can safely rely on the
fact that it never can and never will.
The florist does not know how the lily
manages to extract from the dull and
sluggish soil both perfume and beauty
of a given kind, but he never plants
lily seed with the expectation of rails
ing roses nor dreams of geraniumS
when he plants a chrysanthemum. The
mysteries of the universe are many, and
our dependable faith is far beyond the
limit of our knowledge.
may not tell you what conscience
is, and indeed / will assert that it is
of small consequence whether | can do
50 or not, but / can safely say that
it is very important part of your
personality, and that it must be guarded
with jealous care If you would be happy.
Experience assures us that there is no
such poignant misery as that which is
the result of self-accuSation and self
condemnation, and no such inward Sc
renity as that which follows successful
resistance of temptation. The ideal
man is not he who has never had temp
tations, but he who has overcome them.
That is why | think that the angels who
have never endured the bitterness of our
earthly life, or something similar to it,
are not on the high spiritual level with
souls in the other world who have passed
through the sorrows and hardShips Af
this lower sphere and been enriched, Ell
mobled and developed by them. To be
naturally pure and perfect is not so
worthy of our admiration as to achieve
perfection and to maintain our purity In
spite OF opposing forces. What Is ac-
compIshed with an effort is better than
what is done without it. The real saint
is HE who has given battle to the devil
OF ambition and passion and chained him
to, the floor, with no hope Of release.
We herein find an answer to the ques-
tion why there are so many troubles in
the world and why we are tried in so
many ways. As Mt present constituted,
this life would be fiat, stale and wholly
were it not for its hard
ships. A man who has nothing to resist
has nothing to achieve. An easy life
is spiritually fruitless life. To give
a man all he wants withom demand
ing that he shall work for it is to bring
about his ruin He is without muscle
both mentally and morally. There are
hard fights to be fought, but from the
hard fight energies the hero. Without
the fight heroism is impossible. Every
tear of disappointed hope may be
stepping stone provided the sorrow is
bravely borne. Every temptation is
test of your manhood, and if courage
ously resisted it contributes to the gran
deur Of the soul. These are strong
statements, but they are magnificent
truths Manhood is made by fire. Know
your destiny, repel every attempt to in
terfere with it as you would repel a
robber who would invade your home,
and you have in your minds eye
loftier character than ever was the re-
suit of comfort and inaction.
There is, therefore. work before you,
work divine and God-like. There is also
victory ahead Of you, for the man will
by Il sublime and unwa-
vering faith can master all opposition
God and will can overcome the world
and bend it to a noble purpose. Let
come what will, if He knows that it is
coming, and You know that He knows it,
and you are sure that what you lack for
either endurance of resistance will be
supplied by Him, then you cannot be
harmed.
st. Paul says that in order to keep
his conscience clear he was compelled to
exercise" himself. 1t was sometimes
difficult to do right. 1t cost him n
great deal, luxury comfort, a great
career, but ii was better to bear all
else if he could thereby maintain his
When man can approve
Of himself he has nothing TO fear. When
he points the finger of scorn at himself,
when he must needs call himself Il
coward, recreant happiness flies out
at the window and misery enters by the
door. There is nothing under the blue
sky worth as much as the consciousness
that you are in the right and have done
what is right. Neither money nor fame
can be more than insignificant contribu-
tors to your peace and contentment.
AS basis for either the one or the other
they are Architectural folly. The heart
must he clean or everything goes wrong.
The conscience, your individual con-
science, must smile or the whole world
will be one vast frown
Run no hazard in that matter. Honor
is worth more than it costs to maintain
it. Nothing counts for so much, either
now or in the hereafter, as conscience
void of offence toward God and toward