• Author: B-6594
• Editor: B-6591
• Newspaper: The Umpire volume 2
• Page Number:
• Date: 12 3 1913
• Tags:
• advice

MORAL ESSAYS THE TRUTHBy B 6594 Truth is the most powerful thing in the world. The question, What is Truth? was answered many years ago by Plato, the great Grecian philosopher: "Truth," said he, "is the body of the Divinity, and light is its shadow." All of us know what the quality of Truth is. It is that which is most acceptable to God and man; therefore, "speak ye every man the truth to his neighbor; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates." It is the mastery of knowledge and intelligence over error and ignorance. We ask it at every step of our lives. If we ask it, let us give it. All the operations of the understanding aim at its possession. It is the perfection of the soul, the essence of wisdom; the basis of science, and the tenant of every noble soul. Without it, our learning is but a profitless pastime and religion itself is only a fable and a song. Truth is the firm basis of honor and of every fundamental principle of morality. It is the beginning of virtue. It is a mighty weapon when wielded by the weakest arm. It is simple, requiring neither study nor art. Truth is always consistent with itself, and needs nothing to help it out, it is always near at hand and sits ready to drop out before we are aware; where as a lie is troublesome and sets a man's invention on a rack, and one trick needs a great many more of the same kind to make it good. The most natural beauty in the world is honesty and moral truth. True features make the beauty of a face; and true proportions the beauty of architecture; as true measures that of harmony and music. As to duty, truth is the first principle, and the basis of religion, honor, knowledge, and virtue. If we abandon it we are false to ourselves, and alien to the Creator. We are lamps without oil, ships without compass; we are lost and bewildered travelers in a benighted wilderness, without pathway or guide. Or we no longer tread on a rock, where the foothold is firm, but rather in the slippery road of infamy and error. Truth is a study, perpetually joined with the love of virtue; for there's no virtue which derives not its original from truth, as, on the contrary, there is no vice which has not its beginning from a lie. Therefore, truth is the foundation of all knowledge, and the cement of society.The affairs of this world are kept together by what little truth and integrity still remain amongst us; and yet I much question whether the absolute dominion of truth would be compatible with the existence of any society now existing upon the face of the earth. Pure truth, like pure gold, is not in circulation as much as our Master desires, as people will not advance their minds to the standard, therefore they lower the standard to their minds. The temple of truth is built indeed of stones of crystal, but inasmuch as men have been concerned in rearing it, it has been consolidated by a cement composed of baser materials. Let us remember that truth is robed in white; it is immortal, it is founded on a rock. You may outlaw the friend of truth, but truth remains; you may humble the Christian, but you cannot debase the Christian.