The man of character is also reverential. The possession of this
quality marks the noblest, and highest type of manhood and
womanhood: reverence for things consecrated by the homage of
generations--for high objects, pure thoughts, and noble aims--
for the great men of former times, and the highminded workers
amongst our contemporaries. Reverence is alike indispensable to
the happiness of individuals, of families, and of nations.
Without it there can be no trust, no faith, no confidence, either
in man or God--neither social peace nor social progress. For
reverence is but another word for religion, which binds men to
each other, and all to God.
"The man of noble spirit," says Sir Thomas Overbury, "converts all
occurrences into experience, between which experience and his
reason there is marriage, and the issue are his actions. He moves
by affection, not for affection; he loves glory, scorns shame, and
governeth and obeyeth with one countenance, for it comes from one
consideration. Knowing reason to be no idle gift of nature, he is
the steersman of his own destiny. Truth is his goddess, and he
takes pains to get her, not to look like her. Unto the society of
men he is a sun, whose clearness directs their steps in a regular
motion. He is the wise man's friend, the example of the
indifferent, the medicine of the vicious. Thus time goeth not
from him, but with him, and he feels age more by the strength of
his soul than by the weakness of his body.
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