Podcast Excerpt: The truest criterion of a person’s character and conduct, is, invariably, to be found in the opinion of their nearest friends and family, who having daily and hourly opportunities of forming a judgment of them, will not fail in doing so. It is a far higher testimony in your favor, for you to secure the esteem and love of a few individuals within the privacy of your own home, than the good opinion of hundreds in your immediate neighborhood, or that of ten times the number residing at a distance.

Deportment, honesty, caution, and a desire to do right, carried out in practice, are to human character what truth, reverence, and love are to religion. They are the unvaried elements of a good reputation. Such virtues can never be reproached, although the cynical may scoff at them. Let others scoff and sneer (let them laugh and ridicule as much as they may) — a firm, upright, onward course will show the world and them, that there is more strength and independence in one forgiving smile, than in all the cynical habits of the mean and vulgar.

Virtue must have its admirers, and firmness of principle (both moral and spiritual), will ever command the proudest testimonials of the intelligent world — and to the exclusion of every other thing connected with human existence.

“That character is power” is true in a much higher sense than that knowledge is power. Mind without heart, intelligence without conduct, cleverness without goodness, are powers in their way, but they may be powers only for mischief. We may be instructed or amused by them, but it is sometimes as difficult to admire them as it would be to admire the dexterity of a pickpocket or the eloquence of a con artist.

Integrity is the foundation of all that is high in character. Other qualities may add to its splendor, but if this essential requisite be wanting all their luster fades. Our integrity is never worth so much to us as when we have lost everything to keep it. Integrity without knowledge is weak. Knowledge without integrity is dangerous and dreadful. Integrity, however rough, is better than smooth dissimulation.

Let a person have the reputation of being fair and upright in their dealings, and they will possess the confidence of all who know them. Without these qualities, every other merit will prove unavailing.

Become a patron of the Inspirational Living podcast to get access to the full transcript and access to the Our Sunday Talks series: http://livinghour.org/patron.

Subscribe to the Inspirational Living Podcast at iTunes & Stitcher

All transcripts from our inspirational podcasts are edited adaptations of the original work and copyrighted by LivingHour.org.