He pleases
himself with the example of brave and righteous deeds, even though
he fears that he cannot copy them; and so he is always looking up.
His mind is filled with high thoughts, though they be about others,
not about himself. If he be a truly Christian man, his thoughts
rise higher still. He thinks of Christ and of God, and compares his
weakness, ignorance, and sinfulness with their perfect power,
wisdom, goodness. Do you not see that this man's mind is full of
higher, nobler thoughts than that of the proud man? Is he not more
high-minded who is looking up, up to God himself, for what is good,
noble, heavenly? Even though it makes him feel small, poor, weak,
and sinful in comparison, still his mind is full of grace, and
wisdom, and glory. The proud man, meanwhile, for the sake of
feeding his own self-conceit at other men's expense, is filling his
mind with low, mean, earthly thoughts about the weaknesses, sins,
and follies, of the world around him. Is not he truly low-minded,
thinking about low things?

Now, I tell you, my friends, that both have their reward. That the
humble man, as years roll on, becomes more and more noble, and the
proud man becomes more and more low-minded; and finds that pride
goes before a fall in more senses than one. Yes. There is nothing
more hurtful to our own minds and hearts than a domineering,
contemptuous frame of mind. It may be pleasant to our own self-
conceit: but it is only a sweet poison. A man lowers his own
character by it. He takes the shape of what he is always looking
at; and, if he looks at base and low things, he becomes base and low
himself; just as slave-owners, all over the world, and in all time,
sooner and later, by living among slaves, learn to copy their own
slaves' vices; and, while they oppress and look down on their
fellow-man, become passionate and brutal, false and greedy, like the
poor wretches whom they oppress.

Better, better to be of a lowly spirit. Better to think of those
who are nobler than ourselves, even though by so doing we are
ashamed of ourselves all day long. What loftier thoughts can man
have? What higher and purer air can a man's soul breathe? Yes, my
friends; believe it, and be sure of it. The truly high-minded man
is not the proud man, who tries to get a little pitiful satisfaction
from finding his brother men, as he chooses to fancy, a little
weaker, a little more ignorant, a little more foolish, a little more
ridic