SUNDAY COLUMN.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 69, 4 November 1911, Page 3

SUNDAY COLUMN.

mu imioisM of principle

(By Dr. James McClure.)

“We will not servo thy gods, nor worship the golden image that thou lias set up.”—.Daniel 3 :IS.

There is no liner sight on earth than that of an imperilled man standing true to moral convictions. It is not more firmness that people admire, for mere firmness may he obstinacy, but firmness to a principle that lying at the core of a man’s heart necessitates his own integrity

and calls upon him for large self-ex-penditure. A conviction is a belief that convinces the reason, determines the will, and fires the heart. It is a matter of thought, of purpose, and of animation ; it grips - the whole soul. “Uncle Tom’s Cabin’’ produced a conviction in the mind, will, and heart of the Northern States that slavery was an evil that must bo removed. Intelligence, determination, and devotion alike were aroused when Harriet Beecher Stowe’s book wrought its conviction concerning the overthrow of slavery.

Co a v rations arc essential both to strength of character and strength of influence. To be without them is to be the creature of circumstances, the plaything of every excitement, and the leaf of every breeze. Richard “Yea and May” is the titilo given to Richard the Lion-hearted because with all his muscular skill and forceful personality, lie lacked clear and steadfast convictions, and accordingly failed in many an hour of test. James the Sixth of Scotland and ’First of England was so vacillating and uncertain that when a Court preacher in his presence chose as bis text “James 1 and 6: He that wavereth is like a wave of the sea, driven with the wind and tossed,” the audience smiled in derisjon, for they thus hoard their own feeble monarch described. To be without convictions is to be without persistent force. The world never knows where to lind the man who has no lasting convictions, and thoughtful humanity is loath to tie to driftwood . It is not enough to have convictions: we must have wise ones, and we get those when we are open to light. A conviction that the earth ’3 square must change as soon as we learn that a vessel has sailed round the world. Bad prejudices are unfortunate, bad convictions are worse. It is only a small man that worships his own consistency to a certain set of views; his views may become wrong for him to hold because they are contrary to new light. The explanation of Mr Gladstone’s career is in part this, that as time passed he saw matters of public welfare in a new light, and according as the light made its revelation lie proclaimed Ids convictions. Convictions have a wide Held. Literature depends upon them for its lasting success. Dickons, Thackeray, Victor Hugo, and all the poets Ily hold of permanency, as they express or suggest principles of moral action. Politics avers that no man can keep the admiration of a nation unless ho acts from deep-seated ideas of rectitude, and points to Cromwell with his inflexible purposes. When religion is reached, the special field of conviction is reached because the fundamental idea of religion is duty. Loyalty to religious convictions is a costly experience. The men who in Old Testament times upheld their principles were forced into privation and suffering; -The list- of them* is soul-stir-ring, hint wb cannot read it without recalling that they wandered in deserts, were cast out, stoned, and sawn if,under. The New Testament times afford the same story. Everyone of those early Christians who was worthy of the name lost reputation, met hardships and knew pains and agonies. The pathway of the man of conviction lias never been soft to his feet; it is no primrose path. It runs counter to popularity many a time. It lands a man like Elijah afar from the palace, and a man like John the Baptist it puts into the wilderness. But the reward is greater than the loss. Principle is more than popularity. Popularity is superficial, principle is profound. Popularity is fleeting, pvinipic is eternal. Popularity is never to" ho bought at the loss of principle. I'iio more expensive a man’s principles iro to himself, the firmer docs his luchorage hold to righteousness and '*ho broader docs his development grow in wisdom. Tfie world regards the man of principle as one of the highest v ,id best products . The day when men of convictions are needed is always present. In heathen lands no lew convert can meet the obloquy put upon him by friends and home, unless with’line firmness he braves the sitnition and dares all tilings for his faith. What is true of heather lands is true also of Christian lands. Whatever hurts our eternal well-being is •,infill to us. And to move in the mcial ranks of our day and not let •omradcs lower our ideals of our ),vu particular duty, demands the largest possible independence of thought ■nd action. God’s voice never fails to ring in a man’s mind and heart, md that voice never fails to summon o cosily individuality of convictions ind conduct.

The great master of principle is ,'hrist. He named Himself the Truth, nid bids us stand by H"n. The man loes not live who fine convenient o lie loyal to Christ’s wishes. He mist he a royal, courageous, indepenlent, high soul who stands true to ihrisT, every time and everywhere, ft will never do to lower our standards if rectitude and helpfulness by reason if any fear. We must bo afraid of mt one thing—to do wrong. The training time for such loyalty to conviction is now. In Babylon twentyivo bund rod years ago college youths loomed to put principle above expediency. The world to-day is not in iced of men who are froe-booters, lacking for a chance glory ; but it is "n need of men who are devoted solders of Jesus Christ. Such men ire the anchorage of the vacillating nuU.iiaide, and the dependence of the. ’'--hearted, thy are the glory of Lhc brave and the joy of Christ.