Small Moralities by Georgianna Herbert

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 13, 1858

Small Moralities.

By Georgianna Herbert

BY GEORGIANNA HERBERT.

THERE'S many a man who would not all at once rob his fellow of all that he owns, yet would remorselessly do it by sixpences and shillings.

There's many a woman who would not cut her neighbor's flesh, who will yet stab her to the heart by a tongue thrust at her character.

There's many a man that would not, in words, cheat and deceive any woman, who will yet do so most cruelly, most fatally, by manner, look and act.

And there's many a woman who will do the same.

There's many a person who would not ill-treat strangers or visitors, who will neglect, and in ten thousand ways impose upon those that love him—the more sure he is of that love, the more bold are his impositions. Execrable!

There's many a person who does all larger things upon principle, but goes alone by impulse in the smaller (which are often the more important) matters of life.

There's many a person who would n't for anything neglect scripture reading, prayer, church going, or even alms-giving, who will whine, and fret, and growl, all day long, rendering everybody about them uncomfortable.

There are many persons who will talk with tears in their eyes of the love of God, who never deny themselves for pure, unreflecting love of their enemies, or hardly for their friends. Whatever they do do for one, is done with careful explanations of how kind it is.

There's many a person who would shudder at robbing a man, or at desecrating a grave-yard, who will rob God, or desecrate his Sabbath.

There's many a person who will watch lest his child play upon the Sabbath hours, who will yet go and aid a whole school of children to do what helps to fasten the doom of Sabbath labor upon the working man.

There's many a man as just as Aristides to all beyond his own family circle, but who is more unjust than the veriest tyrant to all within.

There's many a woman who if one of her fellow-creatures were to give favors to her child would never requite him ill, who will yet encourage that child to take God's favors to disobey and abuse him with.

There's many a person that reads, meditates, and sings most devoutly, by the hour together, who yet hugs the abject snake of selfishness and the cruel asp of hatred in constant embrace.

There's many a person who tries to be religious, but never tries to be noble-minded, tolerant, polite, agreeable, and always clean from head to foot.

There's many a person who aims to be ever true, but who forgets to be always kind.

Many a man whose honor in large affairs is worthy of praise, who in the small, unexpected matters of each day has no honor at all.

The trouble is people will cheat themselves into feeling that God cares only for important and noticeable acts. They have a very vivid conception of how that All-seeing eye would flame upon them were they in the act of some outrageous sin; but that it actually is just as attentively upon every look and word that passes between man and wife, parent and child, brother and sister, friend and friend—that it watches narrowly how we do every little act, and what motive prompted this deed, or what remark this—is the thing about which two-thirds of Christians even are infidels. But does not He, who numbers the very hairs of our head, observe each thought and motive of our hearts? Yes,

surely. Remember, then, to be always right and noble in the little things, and you will never go wrong in the greater. The man or woman who runs a line of principle through that part of life which is least in dignity and importance, will be in no danger of being unprincipled in the higher walks thereof. Do everything as if you saw who sees you. You'll soon see Him. Prepare.—N. Y. Ledger.