The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-07-27

lower orders of creation, and to ignore or abuse it Is to abdicate his high posi- tion, and fall in the scale of being. Taine in his English Literature" takes occa- sion to criticise the English people, but he seems to me singularly unfortunate In his choice of vulnerable spot in them. He critcises the British con- science. not its lack, but it's possession. But what has given to England her suc- cess in the government of foreign pos sessions, but that measure of conscience she has always retained, and when this has slept or been drugged as it was dur ing her conflict with this country, she has paid dear penalty.
 When Conscience Is Dead.
 Why has France no colonies, and why has Spain been so wretched a failure with all the great islands she once pos sessed? Injustice growing out of a dead conscience has robbed these nations of the rich provinces they once governed. Paul Bouget. the Frech writer came over to write his impressions of this land, and among many other criticisms he found fault with our conscience We did not. as a nation, take kindly to the nude in sculpture and the sensual in painting" and his artistic nature re- received a severe shock. But If there Is one thing of which we can be abso- lutely assured. 1t Is this, that the per- manency and prosperity of this nation has rested and must ever rest on the conscience of Its people.
 When Conscience Is Dead.
 When this is dead or dying we can write 'Ichabod" on the walls of our capitol and take our place with Spain among the dying nations" One of the old chiefs of Britain, in a speech report ed by Tacitus. said: You Romans march through the land with fire and sword. and when you have burned and destroyed all you send messengers to the senate at Rome that you have made peace" And so when we have driven rough-shod over the conscience and left there only smoking ruins and lifeless corpse. we may say, peace. peacei but there is no peace. It Is death"
 Yes. if we are ever to die the death Of the righteous and have our last end like his, we must live the life of the right eous. And if we would do this we must keep the conscience sensitive and clear, and heed it's warning and follow it's leading.
 "I'll no say men are villains a. The real
 hardened wicked,
 Wha hae no check but human law are
 to a few restricted:
 But och. mankind are unco weak and
 little to be trusted;
 If self the wavering balance shake, it's
 rarely right adjusted"
 Thus would the case be well nigh hopeless, for when does self not the wavering balance shake. and when would 1t be right adjusted?. But let us be thankful that there can be a read-' justment, for he who takes Jesus Christ into his life can have the delicate ma chinery all renewed. and If the compass points ever to him, there can be no fear, for we shall die the death of the right eous and our last end will be like his.
 Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
 When ranting round in pleasures ring,
 Religion may be blinded;
 Or if she gle a random sting, It may be
 little minded: But when on life we are tempest driven,
 a conscience but canxer A correspondence fixed with heaven Is
 sure a noble anchor"