Biography of Rev. Hosea BallouBallou, Maturin M. (Maturin Murray)
Religion
Biography of Rev. Hosea Ballou
Ballou, Maturin M. (Maturin Murray)
Ballou, Hosea, 1771-1852; Clergy -- United States -- Biography; Universalists -- United States -- Biography
"One of his leading traits arises from Adhesiveness, which gives
attachment to, and interest in, friends.
"He still clings to his youthful friends, and enjoys their society.
This quality of mind enters largely into the whole tone of his
feelings.
"He is also kind to children, and interested in them, and quite
successful in entertaining them, and adapting himself to them.
"He is interested in woman, and capable of enjoying the marriage
relations highly, especially the social, domestic relations. He is
a strong lover of home, but lacks continuity of mind; his thoughts
and feelings are easily diverted, although he may finish a subject
that he commences; yet he enjoys variety in the general exercise
of his mind.
"His Combativeness is of the higher order, connecting with the
reasoning and moral, rather than with the animal nature; and it
gives him the disposition to overcome the obstacles in his way, and
to argument rather than the quarrelling propensity.
"He has fair energy, without any surplus, and a full degree of
appetite, without being excessive. He values property for its uses,
and is not selfish in money matters. He is remarkable for his
candor, frankness, open-heartedness, truthfulness, and
disinclination to deceive; he speaks the real sentiments of his
mind, as far as he speaks at all. He is not suspicious, but
confiding, and prefers to rely on the honesty of mankind rather
than to guard himself against the dishonesty of others. He is not
vain or showy; has merely ambition enough to stimulate him to do
what is his duty, without any reference to publicity; but he is
decidedly independent and self-relying.
"He does not lean on the judgment of others, nor does he feel that
his character depends on their opinions; he merely states his own
opinion, and allows others to judge for themselves.
"Firmness is another strong feature of his mind: he is uniformly
firm, each day successively; not stubborn one day, and
over-yielding the next, but consistently steady and persevering.
"He is very anxious to do as he agrees, and is just as honest at
one time as another; is consistent in his professions and
pretensions, and has always studied to harmonize and balance his
character, rather than to encourage any extremes.
"He neither hopes nor fears to excess; enjoys what good there is to
be enjoyed, and makes the best of an unfortunate occurrence. His
mind is open to conviction, is ready to look at new things, and to
be instructed; but is slow to believe, and requires positive
evidence before he gives his assent. He has a marked feeling of
worship, deference, and respect, and regard for superiority and
sacred subjects. Few persons have naturally more of the disposition
to worship than he.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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