and courageously perseveres in the path of duty, at whatever cost
of worldly interest, he may be said to approach the summit of his
being. He then exhibits character in its most intrepid form, and
embodies the highest idea of manliness. The acts of such a man
become repeated in the life and action of others. His very words
live and become actions. Thus every word of Luther's rang through
Germany like a trumpet. As Richter said of him, "His words were
half-battles." And thus Luther's life became transfused into the
life of his country, and still lives in the character of modern
Germany.

On the other hand, energy, without integrity and a soul of
goodness, may only represent the embodied principle of evil. It
is observed by Novalis, in his 'Thoughts on Morals,' that the
ideal of moral perfection has no more dangerous rival to contend
with than the ideal of the highest strength and the most energetic
life, the maximum of the barbarian--which needs only a due
admixture of pride, ambition, and selfishness, to be a perfect
ideal of the devil. Amongst men of such stamp are found the
greatest scourges and devastators of the world--those elect
scoundrels whom Providence, in its inscrutable designs, permits to
fulfil their mission of destruction upon earth. (10)

Very different is the man of energetic character inspired by a
noble spirit, whose actions are governed by rectitude, and the law
of whose life is duty. He is just and upright,--in his business
dealings, in his public action, and in his family life--justice
being as essential in the government of a home as of a nation. He
will be honest in all things--in his words and in his work. He
will be generous and merciful to his opponents, as well as to