PUBLIC MORALITY.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4378, 15 January 1883, Page 2

PUBLIC MORALITY.

{To the Editor of the Evening Star.)

Siß.^-Public Morality is not a very pleasing subject to expatiate" upon, but'l nevertheless it is necessary sometimes, in I his interest of the populace, to publish I dissertations upon disagreeable topics. The term " Public Morality," includes all those subjects connected with both the individual and mass; which might tead^o' raise the standard of true manliness, or sink man deeper into the mire of immorality and disgrace. Judging from the; moral atmosphere which surseunds the. township, it would be absurd to uphold it as a healthy one, much more ridicuiousj would it be to suppose that Thames i morality had reached to such a pitch or j perfection that it heeded no effort to im-; I prove it. If we had attained to suoh a brilliant rank as that is the moral spherej of our terrestial heritage, there would be no opening for evangelists nor any apprehension for the morals of the coming generation. We would be r able jto^retire" to rest with; the full conscioushesWdfour ' moral rectitude, and with confidence in ' the poWers of our youth to resist temptation. It would be a hopeless task endeavoring to persuade some of our fellow townsmen that the morals of the coming inheritors of the" #arthj, were in jeopardy, and that with all |th 6 spiritual teaching they have received!, and are receiving, they are likely to stray into the wide path wmoh leadsfto" eternal slavery—but that suoh is the,case a vast majority will agree. In order that the "common" .people, may lead lives.of usefulness and goodness, it is 'of ' coursja necessary they should have a, good example set them by those who consider them selves,their betters. : That people conld be moral without the example of society would be scouted by its leaders,, who arje under the impression that virtue and benevolence are the deities,who.are constantly watching over them, and to whom they offer sacrifice with a remarkable degree of hypocrisy. If our superiors were,remarkable for theirvjujstsobservance of the leading feature in all true fnorality, sincerity, and exercised a wise discretion in their every day life, there would be little to fear as regards the truthfulness and virtuous behaviour of the future, generations^ * IJrifor tunatelytsjiofeis not the case; in many instances their sincerity is merely a cloak which but partially reveals their true character to observers df'human nature. Consistent so,far as their, own interests are concerned, they are forced into an inconsistency of word and action towards their humbler brethren, in order that they may seem good to the uninitiated without having the requisite moral courage to.resist the temptations which they embrace secretly and with lustful eagerness. Such actions as they are guilty of would not be regarded with so much seventy were they openly enacted, but when secretly carried into effect, and under a garb of virtue, they are sufficient to brand the perpetrators as hypocrites and impious pretender's. .When such examples are set? before;our young men and maidens it'is useless to suppose they will dravVf philosophic conclusions and steadily set their faces against commit tirig sins of a like naturel * Such a circumstance would be indeed remarkable in old and tried moralists, and would be not only unlikely but almost beyond human nature in young and inexperienced persons, who have never seen the y^orld. The example set is not exactly a command to "go and do likewise," but is morally certain to have the same ultimate effect. If we wish our children to be virtuous must we not eschew the smallest approach to levity or lewdness of diction 'or behaviour ? It behoves us to be careful, and to guard ourselves from committing any errors which might be copied by our offspring. Let us bequeath to them our^wisdom and our excel lencies, But "save them from inherit* lngjQu.r.legacy of,faults, of omission and commission. But -.while attempting to clothe our; children, >-.with honesty and integrity,' leV 'usjrecognise the all important fact thif^wePha^e each powers,of thought, and that if v^e adhere as closely as human nature 5 will allow to the path of 'Bight in the example we set our children, they will attain a higher degree of true morality than would be ever possible by 'the adherence to the code of rule so much .favoured by society. We are not such imbeciles, it is to be hoped, that we must have some one to think for us< and cannot reason with ourselves. Above all, '< let us consider that in order to be moral we must be sincere; that to be sincere we must be consistent; and that to be consistent we"must be constantly on our guard against the World and all its temptations. Let our social leaders but act, up to this line of conduct, and they would merit the approbation and respect of their (presumably) s inferiors, who cannot now acknowledge them as; bonefactors, but rather as dangerous plants jin tho great garden of humanity which ought to be avoided.—l am> <&c,,|, f < : Ltjcebzia; Bdi&iiJ '■; ■■■■-■ • ' * % "*T*rff~ :