Coitformity.
11
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y
and kneeling, one of llicm enquired what
church they were In. On hoing told that
it was not their own, they botli left imme
diately. Like these Germans in a strange
church, wo arc constantly bowing and
kneeling and fawning, and for what pur
pose, wo know not. Through our own
impersonality we live as stranger? to each
other and die as fugitives; the real man
being almost sutfocated with the fumes of
conformity is hid from our view.
This conformity is the cause of social
despotism and hypocrisy. If wo will not
conform, we are persecuted and ostracised
from society. A person whoso mind is
too magnanimous to be trammeled by the
arbitrary rules of society is looked upon
by the smaller minded conformists as a
clown or heretic. "What right has etiquette
or religion to dictate to you or me how to
converse or worship ? How others should
converse and worship, is not how you or I
should converse or worship.
Were it not for conformity there would
bo little hypocrisy. Aj person wishing to
conform with the world joins a popular
church, lie being of a diU'ercnt temper
ament, the church is no more fit for him
than the Hottentot religion. What is the
result? Ho is almost unconsciously and
continually going through with the most
contemptible forms of hypocrisy. Could
wo but know the thoughts of a congrega
tion at worship! 1 have often looked
around the church endeavoring to read the
thoughts that seemed (o bo stamped on the
brows of tho hull Herein. There is the
large and corpulent Mr. 1$., bowed in hum
bio prayer. It seems plain that his
thoughts arc all lodged in a fat turkey
which ho expects to havo for dinner.
There is Mrs. C, arrayed in costly attire,
also bowed in humble prayer. It appears
evident that her thoughts arc lodged in
her fashionable bonnet.
Thoy say there is nothing so bad but
what has its good. Conformity and fash,
iou will no doubt result in good with the
poor down trodden negro. As black is a
fashionable color for tho clothes, it may
also be a fashionable color for tho com
plexion. Instead of using lily-white, tho
young ladles and maybe, gentleman will
use lump black. The negro will then no
more be scorned, but will then be looked
upon with an envious eye.
Each person has a law within himself,
and it, is only by conforming to this law
and observing its workings that wo can
become grand and noblo beings. Why do
legislatures make our civil laws? Why
does the church dictate the moral and
spiritual law? If every one should con
form to and strictly watch the law within
him, wo would have little need of tyrran.
nical legislation and despotic religious
weeds. There is no law, either civil, mor
al or religious, that will make a man like
him who strictly guards tho gates of his
own soul; and he himself only is fit to
guard these gates. Though ho should
deputize tho whole clergy and tho infalli
ble Pope as guards, it would bo of no
avail. As well might ho set them to
guarding the gates of heaven and hell.
When wo cannot gather knowledge at
our quiet homes, wo repair to tho collegB
or university, thinking its shades will lend
us a charm. When its curriculum has
become exhausted, we journey to foreign
climes in search of greater charms. Hut
how we are deceived I We return to our
homes and find that wo are no wiser than
many who never entered college or saw a
foreign hind. Whether we go to college,
or Europe, or remain at homo, wo must bo
selCmadc or never made. Why not solve
the problem by sitting quietly down at
home? Can tho college atmosphere, or
the ruins of antiquity, aid us in our learn
ing? It is as if our very manhood and
inward law were repulsive, and wo wero
endeavoring to evade them by conforming
to the llcklo world.
Lot us not conform to man, but to Na
ture. For
" Tho roundod world Is fair to bco,
Kino Union folded tn myutory:
Though ImllliMl Hvi'i'8 enn not Impart
Tho Hocrol of ItH laboring hunrt.
Throb thlno with Nnturo'H throbbing breast,
And nil Is clour from cant to west.
B5H
