DIVISIONS, SEPARATIONS DOGMATISM. 151 Wms., Th. At this day, there are many religious professors, and even some teachers of theology, who are very zealous for the doctrine of the Son's divinity, and almost as zealous against the true doctrine of the Father's divinity. 253. DIVISIONS, SEPARATIONS. Divisions are Satan's powder-plots, to blow up religion. Ed. And unions in error his armies, to wear out the saints. Ed. When divisions and separations will make schisms in Church or State, they become serious events, and ought to be well considered, and avoided, where the stern principles of truth, and practice of duty, do not absolutely require them. Ib. The envious, revengeful and heady, have more frequently been leaders in schismatic divisions and separations, than the meek, truthful, and humble. Ib. To separate husband and wife, action and reflection, theory and practice, principles and conduct, learning and teaching, piety and preaching, crime and punishment, religion and order, and politics and patriotism, are among the unhappy divorcements often made in our world. 254. DOCILITY. Docility and modesty set off the charms of virtue. Ed. One of the earliest traits that appeared in Christ, (Lk. 2:46) was docility, — a trait of all superior minds. 255. DOCTORS OF DIVINITY. Gibbs, B. This honorary title theological has been injudiciously conferred so frequently, fears begin to be entertained that D. D. may at length be taken to denote a Double Dunce, especially in reference to those who confer the title. Ed. Many, no doubt, have been Doctorated, Sainted, and crowned with the Tiara, who have not divinity enough in either their heads or hearts to be known in heaven. 256. DOGMATISM. Who will not reason is a dogmatist; who cannot, is a fool; who dare not, is a slave. The ignorant are generally the most decisive and dogmatical, because they see no reasons for doubting. Ed. Give me the dogmatist who is acquainted with the fun 152 DOLTS, DULNESS DOMESTIC ECONOMY. damental dogmas of self-evident and revealed truth, and who dogmatizes sufficiently to assert and defend them with confidence, even if he is somewhat of a blunderhead; rather than one who never asserts his opinions on vital and important questions, because he has none to assert. [See 262.] 257. DOLTS, DULNESS. An evergreen. One who learns little or nothing from experience and observation. Sh. Some persons never feed on the dainties that are bred in books; have never eaten paper nor drunk ink; their intellects are not replenished; they are only animals — only sensible in the duller parts. Ed. These must be the “Sculls that cannot teach, and will not learn." Machiavel. There are brains of three sorts. The first understands of itself. The second understands what is shown it by others. The third neither understands of itself, nor what is shown it by others. A blockhead can never conceal his character; for he neither comes, nor goes, nor sits, nor rises, nor is silent, nor stands upon his legs like a man of sense. Lavater. He who has no friend and no enemy is one of the vulgar, and without talents, powers, or energy. [See 148.] 258. DOMESTIC. A mother has the strongest affection for her weakest child. A child can never have but one mother. Sh. A grandam's name is little less in love, Than is the doting title of a mother; They are as children, but one step below. A mother is a mother all the days of her life. A father is a father till he gets a new wife. 259. DOMESTIC ECONOMY. In order to provide necessaries, and extend charities, spare superfluities. Ed. The most important thing in domestic economy is, to domesticate our partner and our children, by making ourselves and our home agreeable, attractive, and entertaining. lb. Be very frugal, self-denying, temperate, and unostentatious DOMESTIC HAPPINESS, STRIFE, AND MISERY. 153 at the outset of your domestic course, in reference to food, drink, clothing, and equipage; and by persevering in this course through life, you will find the best luxuries in your self-denial, besides securing the means of that affluence and usefulness which will bless yourself, your children, and others. [See 272.] 260. DOMESTIC HAPPINESS. Cowper. Domestic happiness, thou only bliss Of Paradise, that has survived the fall! Though few now taste thee unimpaired and pure, Thou art the nurse of Virtue. What a smiling aspect does the love of parents and children, of brothers and sisters, of friends and relations, give to every surrounding object, and every returning day! With what a lustre does it gild even the small habitation where this placid intercourse dwells - where such scenes of heartfelt satisfaction succeed uninterruptedly to one another! Ed. He who habitually treats his wife with proper attention and sympathy, shall have another, if he ever needs another; and beside, he has his pay down, thrice over, once in domestic happiness, again in internal satisfaction, and once more, in public esteem. 261. DOMESTIC STRIFE AND MISERY. Cowper. Alas! and is domestic strife, That sorest ill of human life, The kindest and the happiest pair And something every day they live, Sh. How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is Ed. Domestic misery the sorrows that come home. One accusing, fretful disposition, destroys the peace and unity of a whole family, as one jarring instrument will spoil the harmony of music. 154 DOMINATION, ECCLESIASTICAL, DRESS. 262. DOMINATION, ECCLESIASTICAL. Em. The Christian church has suffered great injury, for ages, from the bigotry and usurpation of those who have sustained the office of sacred guides. But it was not so from the beginning. The apostles and primitive preachers of the Gospel disclaimed all dominion over men's faith, and professed to be only helpers in promoting their knowledge and holiness. And none, who sustain the office of the ministry, have any right to impose their own opinions upon their hearers, by virtue of their sacred office. The pope and all his hierarchy are usurpers, whose pretensions to supreme power and infallibility in the church, are to be treated with disdain, as vile impositions. The people are their own proper judges of religious truth and error, and of ecclesiastical power. Christian churches have a right to form their own creeds and exercise their own discipline, independently of any superior ecclesiastical power on earth. As God has appointed none to judge and dictate for them in these serious concerns, so they are under indispensable obligations to exercise their own private judgment. Ed. Christ was the greatset enemy to ecclesiastical domination of any one who ever fell under it, and gave it the most decisive veto, when he said, (Lk. 22: 27) "I am among you as he that serveth." [See 256.] 263. DRESS. 66 Addison. The head has the most beautiful appearance, as well as the highest station, in a human figure. Nature has laid out all her art in beautifying the face; she has touched it with vermilion, planted in it a double row of ivory, made it the seat of smiles and blushes, lighted it up and enlivened it with the brightness of the eyes, hung it on each side with curious organs of sense, given it airs and graces that cannot be described, and surrounded it with such a flowing shade of hair as sets all its beauties in the most agreeable light. In short, she seems to have designed the head as the cupola to the most glorious of her works; and when we load it with a pile of supernumerary ornaments, we destroy the symmetry of the human figure, and fool DROWNING EARLY IMPRESSIONS. 155 ishly contrive to call off the eye from great and real beauties, to childish gewgaws, ribbons, and bone-lace. Lavater. As you treat your body, so your house, your domestics, your enemies, your friends. Dress is a table of your contents. Foster. Embroidery is crimson with the blood of murdered time. 264. DROWNING. A drowning man will catch at a straw. Ed. Drowning sorrow in strong drink, is drinking sorrow. Ib. When a man is drowning, he will drown another, therefore, look out for a man drowning, either in water or on land. Ib. The most fearful drowning is to be drowned in foolish and hurtful lusts, (1 Tim. 6:9). 265. DUELS, DUELLING. He who falls in a duel, attempting to kill, commits suicide. Ed. The duellist, to gratify a worthless will, and avoid a contemptible dishonor, imperils a valuable body, and an invaluable soul. Ib. Duellists are consummate cowards, for they are often frightened to death by the mere shadow of dishonor. 266. DUTY, DUTIES. Duty is ours; consequences belong to God. Greely. Duty and to-day are ours; results and futurity belong to God. Ed. Doing our entire duty will bring more satisfaction than persecution, let the adversary do his worst. The path of duty is the only path of happiness, safety, and usefulness. Ib. The dutiful always have a good conscience, and a smiling God, to comfort them in tribulation. New Englander. The Bible ever sets duty and principle above policy and interest; it is the basis of all human progress. The best teacher of latent duties, is the practice of the plain. 267. EARLY IMPRESSIONS AND OPINIONS. Early impressions are the most lasting. The opinions received upon the authority of others in childhood, often lie in the mind, unexamined, through life, with the weight of axioms, and produce very important results. |