THE MORAL VALUE OF LIFE

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 134, 14 March 1872, Page 3

THE MORAL VALUE OF LIFE

It is a common remark among unthinking people, when a man of prominence leaves the earth, “that the world still goes on as well without him ; lie is soon forgotten, and his loss is not felt only for a short time perhaps, by those near-allied to him.” This is an error in philosophy. No living man, who acts his part well in life, fails to leave an enduring mark on the world’s progress, a mark not easily effaced ; and whose impression is made, in many lasting ways, on the hearts of his fellow men. The good that men do, as well as the evil, lives after them, to influence mankind. Therefore every man’s life is valuable in proportion to the work accomplished, and liis loss proportionate to his earthly value. The world may move on as before, this planet may still revolve in its accustomed orbit, hut the death of an eminent investigator of science, of a real statesman, of a genuine philosopher, or of any one distinguished in the progress of thought and knowledge, and the elevation of humanity, is a hindrance to civilization and a backset to human advancement. The individual’s name may pass out of men’s mouths, and his personal history may soon become forgotten, hut the deeds that he has done in the body, and the thoughts that lie has given to the world, live after him and influence, in one way or other, the generations that succeed him. In whatever domain of human affairs lie lias wrought, if his work has affected his class or his craft to their benefit or injury, the results remain for an indefinite time, though his body moulders in the grave and his name sinks into oblivion. Men who struggle for selfish fame or fortune, merely fail to fulfil the mission for whose accomplishment they were created, though they succeed in their personal aims. Riches and reputation should he incidents of the true man’s success, not sole ends. It should be his principal earthly ambition, while bettering his own material and spiritual condition to further, so far as his power permits him, the general welfare of his kind. To lie sure, the merely worldly man docs not take this view of life ; his desire is to grow rich or powerful at all hazards, even on the ruins of his fellow-creatures. But our view—the benevolent view—is that which has inspired all men of real greatness, who, though they cared much for fame, c-ared less for it than for the good they might do their race hy the influence of their actions, the fruits of their industry, the results of their investigations and discoveries. But even those individuals who are actuated solely hy selfish ambition, leaves indelible impressions upon the minds and hearts of men ; they do it of course, without intention, but nevertheless it is done. Who can estimate the lasting injury done by the lives of such ns Fisk and his had contemporaries? Who can estimate the enduring benefits done hy such true men asWashington and Humboldt, as Faraday and Newton, and the others of past lime in their several fields of activity ?

Let no man then despair, because after death he will soon be forgotten, and the world will move on os if lie had never existed. His works will live after him for countless ages to bless mankind and glorify his Creator, if he has faithfully worked out the end for which that Creator placed him on earth.