True Moral Manhood and Life of Duty (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1880 Excerpt: ...which overstrain and ultimately paralyze it; ceaseless and unresting exertions, which wear out and wreck its powers; all agencies and influences whatsoever, which tend to mental weakness and sluggishness, --are to be guarded against with the utmost moral vigilance as enemies to man's true mission. Freedom to be Preserved in its Integrity.--It has been seen that, along with self-activity, freedom helps to form the basis of the true moral manhood, and is therefore essential to the moral wholeness or health. It includes the right of a man to the disposal of his powers of body and soul according to his own will, subject only to the law of his moral agency. Next to life, it is man's choicest possession. The loss of it puts the full mission beyond his reach. In the course of a free and right development, it is therefore a most sacred duty of man to preserve his liberty, from the encroachment of his own perverted appetites and habits, and from every influence, agency, or being, that would tend to enslave him. Truth to be Preserved in its Integrity.--Truthfulness will be exhibited under Social Ethics as a duty toward mankind; but duty toward self requires that man be true--even if there be no human being besides himself. The integrity of his being requires, that in his development he should be true to his nature; in his acts, true to his law; in his words, true to his character and being; in his whole life, true to his mission; in short, that he be in every way true. Development contrary to nature, action not in accord with the law, speech not the expression of the man, and life neglectful of the mission, are all indications of an abnormal and unhealthy condition of the spirit, and are therefore to be conscientiously avoided as fatal to the moral mission. Subjection...