The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1903-03-20
FsRKYILLE LlTHlA SPRINGS co.
THOUGHTS.


Conscience is thing of rubber; II
.tretehes:it bends one way, then it
bonds another. With different people
IL fakes different forms. Really so
mueh can't is excused on the plea Of
conscience that the first step towards
definite doubt of man is to hear him
nate Of his conscience.
One mans conscience makes him alb
stain from meat, or he says it does;
whereas, after all, possibly it is only an
instinct of his stomach that sways him.
Instructive science makes the house
wife put pork with beans; and no mat
Ter how fierce a mans conscience may
he ON the meat question he would better
leave beans alone if his conscience tells
10 eat them alone.
Another mans conscience makes him
cease rom work on the seventh day Of
the week and yet labor on the first,
though il offend the conscience Of ten
thousand brethren who believe in COM
memorating new order Of things in
stead i'm an old that seems Outgrown.
Some dear folks with cOnsciences
that hurt, see nothing but impurity in
barred skin. Art, as expressed in
paints or forever fixed in marble, can
not be looked at complacently if il
shows the human form i'm its natural
grace. Yet every practical man of us
knows that clothes do not hide doubt
fal meanings in pictures nor doubtful
suggestions in daily life-it is the
thought that raises OF debases, that
prompts to better life or that sets on
fire. These rubbery conscienees lose
sight of the cause i'm the effect and
come to regard clothes as being in-
herently yirtuous. They even condemn
familiar sight of the sweet little form
Of an infant as a debasing act for the
child and full Of danger for the eye
that sees. The only lewdness there is
the lewdness Of the thought. Evil be
is him who evil thinks.
We know men whose consciences
will not permit them to vote or take
any active share in the administering
Of public affairs. Why ? Because their
minds live back in the first century
and its denominations Of Roman decay,
and are convinced with some Of the
thinkers Of long ago that this world
"lieth altogether in the wicked one"
They prate Of Gods goodness and yet
are firm believers i'm Diabolism, else
why give over the world without
an effort to "the Prince Of the Power OF
the Air" They strain at gnats among
their fellow men, and then swallow
the frightful hump.backed camel Of
inaction; never stretching out a hand
to save, never yeaFning to be up and
doing like men, but always crying fol
an eternal rest, which they have not
earned.
An the frightful mistakes Of hui
maniiy-lands devastated with fire and
sword lives Of babies dashed oul
against the walls; maidens and mer
torn, sawn, and disembowelled ovei
differences Of belief; all these acts have
been cOnscientiously performed at The
first and then continue by brains anC
purposes consistently BIASED. The con
science Of the Saladin was not troubled
at blood shed for God, the conscience
Of our Purltans was not moved at The
fate Of some very noble Red men-w'
all have sweeping to do in front Of oul
own doors.
Conscience is not a safe guide to thu
feet a will-of-the-wisp is not a SAT-
lamp: both are subject to vagsries. Tit
safe guide is the agreement Of human
experience, against such agreement
the conscience must be measured il
praising certain things and condemn
ing others to wit; if your conscience
prompts to a 'eliish act, the teaching
ofall time shows that seliishness doe
not pay; or rather that unselishnes
carries ever the best rewards into tn
heart Of the one who gives himself
having naught better to give. If con
science makes you illiberal and hard
the very freedom Of rain and sunshin'
on the good and to the evil rebukes yoI
and shows that Nature is liberal, tina
she loves all her children without bias
If conscientiously you fence of heavel
into a narrow place where none bu
those Of your own creed have place
human experience based upon tn
teachings Of earthly fatherhood vii
show that a heavenly father cannot b'
less kind, patient long suffering
The best there is mans might denes,
And viii not Doe confined.
And love and all LIES mysteries
Are vague and underlined,
And weeds and flowers 10 human eyes
Are strangely mtorwined.
And none may say or there or here
Can naked Truth be found
Her piercing glance is too severe
To iertlile the ground,
And needs kindly atmosphere
To spread iis blessings round.
But sometimes when Dawn's chariot seen
To wait The Masters word.
And sometimes when the storm Fien'
scream
Ana heaven and earth are stirred,
And sometimes when the night woods drea
Gods st.l small voice is heard.
Thrifty People
Use Green seal Liquid Paint. Coz
sidering results, it's the cheapest
the market.
For sale by G. NJ. Walker & Sons.