The true northerner., 1900-06-20


taken as a whole.
Herbert Spencer saws that the charac-
ter of society is determined by the char
acter of its units, for one cannot make
perfect whole out Of imperfect units.
So the character Of d nation is deter
mined by the character of its citizens,
taken as a whole, and the character of an
individual is determined not by a single
imperfect act, but by all the past actions
combined into "A unit.
Passing judgments often misrepresent
character, because their basis of opera
tion is formed upon single unit or ac-
ton, and there are few perfect characters.
You cannot Judge of military campaign
until the smoke is cleared away and the
positions can be studied and the plan in
its entirety comprehended. Even then
you want some measure of perspective
and OF distance. Life needs this. EN-
phatically does a christian life or char
acter need this. Men are sometimes
thought fanatics because, seeing a great
principle involved, they spring to its res
cue, regardless of consequences. Others
who are adjudged noble in character are
only eager for temporary peace, and
compromise, while principle is not fac
tor that enters into their lives.
Luther was adjudged to be fanatic
for his defence of religious principle, and
was east into the prison of Worms, where
he gave to future generations his transla
ton of holy scripture in his mother
tongue.
, John Bunyan, the immortal tinker,
was adjudged TO be a fanatic, dangerous
to the empire, and he was cast into Bed
ford jail, whose walls were made sacred
10y consecrated prayer and angel visits
as are seen in "The Pilgrims Progress,
The Holy War" and Grace Astounding"
Richard Baxter, whose name is familiar
and shall be familiar to nations yet un-
born for his Reformed Pastor" Dying
Thoughts" and Saints Everlasting
Rest" escaped the penalty of imprison-
ment in London tower and perhaps the
block on account of poor health and the
earnest efforts of his FREUD, Thomas Cox.
Yet there has been and is a recognition
of reality of those men. They heye been
and are better known. They exercise a
greater power They are more highly
honored They commanded the admira-
ton, the respect, the reverence of the ma
tions To- which they belonged, and of
civilized nations Of the earth more than
any other man of their day. And why?
Because there was a recognition of reality
about them which could not be resisted.
Real men and women, too, always tell in
time. A few broken words from them,
Washington, Lincoln, a Webster, a
Garfield, real men, men of principle, men
of character, men of God, are usually
more effective than eloquence from others.
am not forgetful that there are great
contradictions in these men of character.
Every man is To some extent a mass of
moral contradictions. This is not al
ways apparent. as much of a mans life
is hidden, especially that which is evil;
but glance at historical characters will
show clearly the truth of this statement.
Voltaire, the prince of infidels, apparent
ly hating Christianity with a perfect
hatred, yet made his home in Switzerland
an asylum of fugitive protestants. Byron,
the profligate, could attune his harp to
the Levite's strains. Bacon is portrayed
by one of our most familiar essayists,
Pope, as being "the wisest, brightest and
meanest of mankind" And Daniel
Webster, although profoundly religious,
still would paralyze his high powers with
drink. All these show the moral antag-
onisms of every mans life, and it is not
to be wondered at il our characters rise
or fall like the barometer with the pres
sure of our moral atmosphere. But recog-
nizing the fact that time is a necessary
condition to the more perfect under
standing of character, yet it remains
true that there is an every day recogni-
ton of the reliable, the real, the true.
The blossom cannot restrain its fra
GRANGE from being waited on the breeze.
The glory of the sun cannot be hid in a
handkerchief. The polished diamond
cannot withhold its brilliancy when it
comes in contact with light, and the real,
true, upright, sincere, Christian charac-
ter cannot be hidden long. Some men
will never be missed from their place on
earth, because they aggravate quarrels
instead of easing them. They throw gun