Enlightened Conscience.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 189, 29 January 1887, Page 2

Enlightened Conscience.

No one can take a fairly thoughtful view of history without seeing that the growth of morality haa been steadily in one direction. Everything which tends to hurt and injure mankind becomes more and more reeogniaed as wrong-doing ; everything which is found to benefit humanity as a whole take? its place gradually but firmly as right-doing Thus the civilised world is now united in the main things, and scarcely any cane person attempts deliberately to uphold any of the crimes which the law punishes or any of the vices which debase their victim. It is then only in the leeeer matters, or rather those where judgments differ, that the verdicts of conscience do not agree. Indeed, the good man, who is reflective, will find that, as his views on various points change with increasing knowledge, his standard of action changes also. Some things, which he ouco regarded with the utmost leniency, he now looks upon as grave wrongs, and as fast aa he discovers the best path in any direction it becomes for him the path of duty. So far, then, from the voice of conscience giving an un^ certain sound, it is the only sure call to duty, and he who hears it and disobeys does so at his peril. When the moment of action arrives let there be no self-deception as to the possible mistake that conscience may make ; prompt and full obedience to her dictates is then the only safe, the only right path to pursue.