Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-12-12
Fools nnd Fanatics.


Many persons who think themselves wise
in their day and generation, are in the
habit of expending a vast amount of la
mentation and indignation over the folly and
fanaticism which exists in the world.
They do not seem to be aware that these
are necessary and beneficial evils in the
economy of human life; that like the poor
they will always be with us to the end of
the world; that they serve as excellent re-
minders of the fallibility and weakness Of
man, and stimulants to intellectual effort
and to the cultivation of the high moral at
tuinments of forbearance and generosity.
There is no small quantity of folly and
fanaticism in all the ranks of society, and
in all the departments of life. We see it
every where, like geological strata, crop
ping out on the surface, through all the val
leys, and along the mountain sides over the
whole earth. The foolish and fanatical de-
votees of conservatism are 40 strongly
marked and as dangerous to the welfare of
society as those of radicalism. The only
difference is, that while one extreme prevails
in certain localities, its opposite dominates
in others, and that while the evils Of con-
servative fanaticism are already about and
around US, those of radiealism are in the
future and less fully understood, which is
the cause why many timid and cautious
minds prefer to bear the ills that already
exist rather than fly to others of which
they know nothing.
The power of the malignant spirit of evil,
who delights to use as his instruments the
whole race of fanatics and ounces, from the
lowest to the highest walks in life, is al
ways visible, though sometimes his presence
is more strongly manifested than at others.
We trace his footsteps, sometimes covering
the sacred precincts of the household into
pandemonium, and ever we see him stalk
ing through the forum, around the altar,
in the senate house, and seeking admission
into every high place of power.
But folly and fanaticism are part of the
inevitable trials, temptations, and calami-
ties incident to human life. They are the
peculiar trials of the social organization,
consciously and inevitably to be combattei,
as are selfshness, avarice, revenge, pride,
and the host of other passions with which
human life is compelled to struggle. Within
prescribed limits they are useful and even
desirable. AS man who passes through
life without any occasion for effort, with
no care, no anxiety, or toll, no passions to
conquer, and no foes to encounter becomes
| an enervated, indolent, and useless member
of society, so that social, political or re-
ligious organization, which has no foes
both within and without to struggle with
becomes comparatively stagnant and worth
| less. Difficulties and obstacles and labo-
rious toll are needed to develop the strength
and power of manhood, to sharpen the
intellect, to give force of character, vitality
of body and, above all, true sense of the
relation in which man stands to- his Crea.
| tor. Just so in our communal organiza-
tions, if there were no discords, no con
tentions, no, necessity for untiring vigil
ance and earnest effort, the great laws Of
progress and development would never be
worked out and society would be but q
dead sea of stagnant waters and land
of arid deserts, instead of a soil teeming
with life and fertility, and an ocean puri-
flying itself by the ever-rOlling force of its
waves, and facilitating the intercourse and
the advancement Of nations. Although
then, within limited sphere, and to the, in
dividuals upon whom these ofenses, which
must needs come, chance TO fall, folly ant
fanaticism work evil, yet they are necessary
elements in the great problem of human
existence, and teach to the world lessons
which could not otherwise be learned.
In religion, the folly and fanaticisu
which leads to the most melancholy eGhi
bitions of superstition and bigOtry is NJ
worse than that which contends for Deism
and Atheism or Psntheism. SssBItg
In politics, those who struggle for th,
everlasting domination of privileged order
and contend that the hereditary 1Bondag
Of slaves and races is foreordained anc
blessed of God, are in no wise less fools ant
fanatics than the agrarain and he lowh
| would eIaltighOrance and pOFsrty and pul