al affair; and it is so, so far as the results are
concerned. And yet a morally high-bred man could no more
condescend to such a falsehood than a man of cleanly habits would
willingly steep himself in the mire. It is not the consequences, one
way or the other, that matter. It is the eternal issue between the
moral realities, truth and untruth, that is at stake. And in the light
of this issue, in the light of the principle involved, petty as the
circumstances may be, the occasion is not to be considered trivial.
The eternal forces that have been at war since mankind first
existed are at war on this occasion also; he must cast in his lot on
the side of the good.

Another instance of action seemingly trivial is that of simulating a
personal interest in others, of pretending agreement in the foibles
of others or of affecting a personal homage which one does not
feel, in order to use others as instruments for the achievement of
one's ends, whether those ends be selfish pecuniary advantage or
political preferment, or even financial aid and support for some
important philanthropic enterprise. As if philanthropy--which
is based on respect for the worth of man--did not defeat its own
ends, the moment it seeks to accomplish them by methods which
degrade both him who gives and him who receives. The occasion
is small, but the principle involved as to the choice of means is
great. Another instance relates to the degree to which we may
trench upon the personality of others, or seek to enter into that
part of their life which they keep secret from us. We may suspect,
for instance, that a friend is oppressed by some secret trouble, and
we may believe that we could help him if only he would consent to
reveal himself; but the act of self-revelation must come from his
side, and the permission to help him must first be granted. We may
give him the opportunity to declare himself, but we may not invade
the sanctuary of his silence. The principle involved is great; it is
that of respect for the precincts within which every soul has the
right to live its own life.

And there are other illustrations in abundance that might be
quoted. For instance, custom prescribes rules of behavior in
respect to many things which are really indifferent; in regard to the
cut of the clothes we wear, in regard to the accepted form of
salutation, in regard to the language of polite speech, and much
more of the same sort. Now, the ethically-minded man is not a