Year: 1878

We have sometimes wondered what
would be the result on the virtue and mo-


rality of our community, were the news.


paper annals of crime and vice to be sup
planted by full records of all the cases of


unfinching integrity, noble heroism and


disinterested benevolence. 1t would, in


deed, be truly alarming state of things,


did the actual proportion Of good and evil


in society at large correspond with that


presented to US in many of the public


prints We read with startling frequency


of petty thefts and large embezzlements,


of dishonorable failures and swindling


transactions, ofintemperance, extravagance


and ruin, of slander, faithlessness and OPP


preston, of cowardice, brutality and muir


der, and host of other wrongs and mis-


cries that may we'll make the heart sicken


and despair at the social condition thus


represented. For score of such recitals


there will be single brief mention of some
courageous deed or generous action, of
some life of high resolves or undaunted
perseverance or honorable suffering. In
private conversation the same preponder-
anee of evil report over good may be OBJ
served. IF an individual be discussed, it


is usually his faults and foibles that are


brought into notice, rather than his good
points; if scene be recounted; the i'm
preston is heightened by vivid coloring
of the imperfections or absurdities Of some
one who figured in it. Strangely enough,
there seems to be an actual preference for
exposing the defects of person, manners
or character, rather than for bringing to
the light whatever beauty, grace or excel
lence may exist.


Whatever may be the cause why evil is
thus made prominent, we are happy in the
belief that it does not occupy the larger
share in human life and conduct. On the
contrary, the good far outweighs the evil.
There is more honesty than cheating, more
fidelity than falseness, more kindness than
cruelty, more sincerity than hypocrisy,
more love than hate. The homage of the
world is paid to good, not to evil. How
ever much man may err, it is truth and
not error that obtains his reverence.
Though he be cowardly, he respects cour-
age; though he be unjust, be honors JUS
tice; though he be slave to passion, he
believes in self-control; though he be sell
fish and grasping, he applauds generosity.
Such tribute to goodness was once paid
by highwayman who assaulted and robb-
ed Miss Dix, that noble philanthropist;
upon discovering who it was that he had
thus injured, he instantly restored her
purse. 1t is good and not evil that is
venerated and looked up to and lOnged for
by all, both good and bad No one offers
his testimony in favor of wickedness; no
one perpetuates the memory of evil-doing.
To the true and the noble are all the mon
uments of the world erected, while the
false and the mean sink into oblivion.
Thus good is ever gaining, while evil loses,
one by one, its footholds. The we'll
grounded confidence that right will prevail
over wrong, truth over error, virtue over
vice, proves the growing preponderance of
the former in the life of humanity.


If this be true, surely it is the good, and
not the evil, that deserves our emphasis.
1t is upon the noble traits of mankind,
rather than the ignoble, that the mind
should dwell. Whatever is constantly
brought into view has tendency to re-
peat ITSELF Nothing fosters crime like
familiarity with its details, and while some
obtain this by association with criminals,
a far larger number acquire it through
reading and hearing all the minutiae of
wickedness described in language, at first
revolving and sickening, but by degrees
becoming less and less offensive, till at
length the diseased Imagination Graves the
poisonous food. So with all the lesser
shades of wrong-they flourish by con-
spicuousness. By talking freely and con-
tinually of evil we SOW its seeds in the
hearts of the listeners. Constant inter-
course with folly will produce harvest of
folly. Nothing kills evil sooner than to
Danish it from our conversation and
thoughts; it has within it the elements of
decay, and, when not fostered by artificial
means, its tendency is to continual loss of
vitality.


On the other hand, if we emphasize
wisdom, truth and virtue, we shall promote
their growth. IF we joyfully recount tri-
umphs of integrity and deeds of generosi-
ty; if we bring to light the many blossoms
of fidelity, gratitude, goodwill and self
sacrifice which are hidden from public
view; if we unfold the better side of those
whom we discuss and disclose their good
points, that would otherwise be unknown,
we shall exert positive influence in favor
of goodness, which will surely hasten its
Development Philadelphia Ledger.