The Irish standard., 1902-07-19

and honor; Thou hast set him over the
work of Thy hands..."O Lord, our
/: Lord, how admirable is Thy name in
the whole earth!' 1t was the mind
which is in man that the PsalmiSt was
contemplating, while he uttered his
hymn of praise.
Does not the human mind compel
our respect? Docs it not by its capa-
bility of beauty, Of grandeur, Of
power, demand from us the homage,
that we open it's portals to that, and
to that only, which is for it beauty,
grandeur and power-to truth, and to
truth only? 10 draw darkening clouds
around it, while it Graves for purest
light, to proffer to it vilest husEs while
it hungers for the food of Gods skies,
to put before it error and falsehood,
instead of truth, truth whole and entire
in it's unpolluted virginal radiance, is
treason and sacrilege.
Be it the devise of the classroom;
be it the religion Of all sanctuaries of
learning; be it the inspiration of the
teacher as he gives guidance to his
pupil, and of the pupil as he ques-
tions his teacher-Deyotion to Truth
for Truths Own Sake.
What in regard to truth is in every
man a sacred duty appeals with sinsu-
,e.iS t,, l,n n tl,n
teacher. For the teacher is by pro-
fession the apostle of truth and the
guardian of the human mind. The
dignity OF the teacher! l say it, when
l recall that the subject matter of his
labors is truth-tllut the purpose Of
his labors is the introduction Of truth
into the human mind, and, as conse-
Quence, the eXaltation Cf the soul of
man into the regions of the divine.
The dignity of the teacher! l say it,
when l recall that the search Of truth
is the search of the divine, that the
search of truth is an act of religion.
The profession of teacher is the priest
hood Of truth; where the teacher
speaks, there is there Il sanctuary, the
sanctuary of truth; and the sense Of
the divine should permeate the atmos-
phele.
1t was the great thinker of France,
Joubert, who wrote: Study the sci
ences in the light of truth, that is,
as before God; for their business is to
show the truth, that is TO say, God
everywhere. Write nothing, say moth
ing, think nothing that you cannot
believe to be true before God"
Words sweet and beautiful, those Of
Joubert! They explain and confirm the
devise; devotion TO Truth, for
Truths Own Sake"
Is there need that l urge faithful
ness to truth? Is not truth ut all
times sought out and rcvercd, as it
deserves to be? DO not it's native
charms suffice to open every pathway
to it's advance, to remove whatever
obstacles might retard it's march?
We have but to cast a quick glance
over the world of letters and speech
to be satisfied that its rights are not
seldom denied to truth, that not seldom
where truth should be supreme, error
and falsehood prevail. Truth has enc
mics. At times it is the inertia of
mind and will which reccde before
the effort that genuine devotion to
truth makes necessary; at times it is
prejudice; at times, again, it is pas
sion-pride, anger, self-intercst.
Frequently truth reircs to a dis
tance; it delights, as it were, to hide
to toll and patience. 1t is not truth;
it is error calling itself truth, that
they lay hold of, who would conquer
at first sight, when Incidence impels
to quick retreat.
1t is proposed to study IL foreign
country. A few months, few
weeks, are made to suffice, the greater
part Of the time being spent in hotels,
which in no manner are representa-
tive of local thought or custom, whose
ciceroni are especially trained to say
and show what will ilatter the nil-
tional pride and prejudices of guests.
Nevertheless, Il volume is published
portraying the whole life of nation,
its moral and intellectual conditions,
its religion and its politics, its COM
merce and its industry, concluding
with most assured predictions of it's
approaching rise OF fall, and with
abstruse philosophical disqusitions
on nations and races in general.
A book, bearing the name Of lit
terhteur Of fame, written to describe
America and its people, is today wide
ly read in Europe. The writer spent
in America eight months-tive Of them
in a charming winter resort in the
heart OF Georgia. and one amid the
hustle and fashion Of Newport; what
could he know Of America, as it Is
and as we expect it to be? Many arc
the books read in America, written tc
describe countries foreign to us whose
authors spent less time in those coun
tries than Paul Bourgct did in Amer
lea, and without the cosmopolitan in
formation and the keenness OF intel
lectual insight which characterize Pau
Bourget.
Monsieur Bourgeois candor Of spiri