Show man as a moral koral being BY ALEXANDER OTT blessed is the soul that feels moved by the love of intellectual beauty that glows beneath the pure sentiments of the pure and feels his sympathies with suffering increased his charity enlarged and his bis love of nature of man and of god ennobled and refined because every faculty is given unto us for high and holy pur pose sand he is the most devout who cultivates them well and it is highly conducive to the health and vigor 0 r of the mental menial powers to have them occupied pl e d in winking finking tf and reasoning on the faculties of the mind on the var various ous moral truths and the general principles constituting the in nerman ner man As these truths can neither be seen nor heard nor handled being in no place and having no relation to time they lie entirely be beyond y ond the material creation hence the mind in in entering upon this field of inquiry is compelled to draw itself off from tile the eternal and visible world and turn back upon itself and the powers of attention and abstraction which are thus cherished are of great value in all the pursuits and occupations of life besides the var various I 1 ous psychological functions which the mind must have to discern exer exercise cis and strengthen its powers of discrimination the formation of correct ideas on the subject of human duty is of the utmost importance god in his infinite mercy has hab implanted in us the seed of that mental acumen which if properly pro e ry developed and guided by the holy spirit will lead to a conduct congenial to the precepts of the everlasting gospel to a conduct in which every action willbe will be the result of correct knowledge of fixed principles such as emanate in from the fountain of eternal truth how many have drunk at the well of living water very few the world instead of seeking light seek darkness they do not know that mankind moves onward through the night of time like a procession of torch bear ers and ard that heavenly intelligence the knowledge of correct principles are the lights which the generations ought to carry by means of which they will kindle abiding 1 lamps beside the tracts which they passed and some of these like the stars shall shine forever foreve r and ever do we always know what is right or wrong in human conduct what is beneficial or detrimental to us do we not sometimes get so absorbed upon the pictures of the world that in contemplating them as they are presented to our view in panoramic succession successions we step backwards unconscious of our peril when the almighty in his tender mercy dashes out the beautiful images in a es and draws us at the time we are c complaining amp 1 aaning of his dealings dealing ms into his outstare outstretched ached arms of compassion passion n and love do I 1 really should the reader ask himself learn my duty as a saint for the purpose of doing it do I 1 honestly wish ale ole while wllie in this mortal mould to act in in conformity comfor mity with the precepts of the gospel of christ and to always do right if you thus study the desires of your heart looking constantly for the light of revelation to shine upon your gathof path of daily duty your character will form itself rapidly and be the true reflex of a beautiful and righteous soul on examining man as a moral being we have to consider first his actions as the external phenomena of his soul it is however an established fact that the same action may proceed from very different motives hence the seemingly good action of a consummate hypocrite or rogue may originate in a bad motive and the seemingly 0 bad action of an honest upright person nl may result froma from a good motive the intelligent reader will comprehend at a once 1 that in order to judge II 11 deme dere correctly the moral condition of an inal inai individual V 1 anai anal we have to find fine means to estimate his motives or principles and not his actions alone from a pi proper 1 investigation estia estla n tion of the the f mysterious I 1 mechanism of the soul soui s itis it is evident that certain elements constitute the economy of 0 ever every intelligent and responsible agent his conduct conduct which may be resolved into a series of actions is the result of his bis will which is either guided by a good or bad spirit the idea of 0 willing something is followed by the deed provided it be not prevented by his own physical impotency or certain external circumstances cum stances the will of a person is depending 9 either ither upon objects to be obtained or actions ti to be performed to others but the willing of an act is preceded by two distinct mental conditions viz desire if objects are to be obtained and affection if actions are to be performed towards others from impressions whether external or internal proceed the desires and affections in one or both of which originates that mental condition which under certain circumstances directs our willing a certain act the act which is then the result of the will consists either in an exertion made towards gaining a certain desired object or in actions towards other men resulting from our affections or moral feelings towards them connected with the desires and affections is 19 seif self iove love which by its tendency to protect and advance our own interests is is a f righteous libeous and legitimate principle when coffin confined elf to its proper bounds but when it begins to sway the s sceptre c of despotism it degenerates into selfishness fish i ness nebs which has no place in the museum of mental excellence illegitimate self lore love produces disharmony in the accordion of the heart as it materially interferes with our duties as man it does not illuminate the chambers of the soul with the golden sunlight sun light of affection but it imparts a beautiful color to wrong and draws a veil before the eyes of our better self desires may rise in the human heart and not be realized affections may be produced and not be acted upon hence we may desire a certain thing from which we after due consideration abstain we may have af affection and experience all those emotions and feelings C emanating from that principle principal pl 1 and still control so as to treat wi with th indifference even with coldness those thole very persons towards whom we feel drawn thus anger may rise within us and be subdued by moral or al discipline I 1 ine lne i such an analysis shows that the outward appearance of a person does not always correspond with the condition of the inner man on examining the chain of moral sequences we find that the determination or decision of an action is guided by certain principles no matter whether the desires or affections are acted upon or not the of a decision or determination is brought about by a certain condition or arrange arrangement mem med of the moving powers themselves BO so that one of them holds the sedate office of controlling the emotions arising out of the moral state of man for instance a person would like to be saved in the celestial kingdom of god but the exertions which have to be made for the accomplishment of so noble a purpose are greater than he is disposed to devote to it this peculiar feature of the human character is called love of ease which in the world is to a certain extent a great to a diffusion of true knowledge another person may see the necessity of obeying the gospel of christ yet fear of losing his bis reputation or good name may prevent him from embracing the principles of salvation this peculiar feature of the mind is love of of 0 approbation or regard to character another person may desire to perform a benevolent act but realizing that it would interfere berf ere with his schemes of avarice and ambition biti on thus abstain from doing good hence an individual may seem to be a good man without believing in the principles of virtue and merely desire the promotion of his own individual interests but with a really honest and upright man the determination or decision sion slon of his will arises from a sense of duty from an im impression pres sio n of 0 f moral rectitude remote from e every ry con consideration ide ration of a personal or selfish n nature a tu re T this it I 1 f feeling eling to act on a sense of duty arises from a conscience influenced by the th e holy spirit which in a strictly moral mind ought to be the moving cause of every action this peculiar moral principle sacrifices every selfish feeling at the shrine of virtue promotes cheerfully the interests of our fellow beings and does everything which is conducive of general happiness by any ant regulating re elating and restraining c thus the desires and affections from a sens sense e of rectitude order and harmony is maintained in the moral system the difference of human characters or dispositions arises mainly from the fact of one man being influenced simply by duty and another merely by a kind of struggle between desires and affections of a very inferior and selfish nature in a well weli regulated mind there is an intimate harmony and operation cooperation co between the departments of the mental and moral economy thus man is enabled when lifting up his bis eyes to the great I 1 am to steer the bark of life when careering on dark and troubled waters amid rocks and reefs to a haven where it may ride in |