Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1872-05-15
SELF.LOYE AND sELFIsHNRss.

1t is generally supposed that selfish
ness is only self-love running to seed
1t is that the natural affection which
each man bears 10 himself, and which
oil admit to be necessary and right
If not controlled and kept within
strict limits, will swell, till it finally
becomes
"a monster OF such frightful mein,
That to be hated needs but to be seem"
Most Of the crusades against selfish,
ness are attempts to set the limits o.
self-lOve-to affix the bounds beyond
which it may not pass, and to find
the point where as is said, it begins
to degenerate into selfishness. This
point will, however, never be found
simply because the two things do moi
run into one another, but are distinct
and really yantagonis1icin in their nature
All admit that at least some amount
of self-love is both inevitable and
necessary. Our very existence de-
pends upon it, and consequently all
our powers for geod in any direction.
But what is self Who can define it?
Who can limit it? 1t is body and
soul, matter and mind, substance and
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sions, desires, faculties, thoughts,
powers, ideas, will, affections, emo
tionH, conscience. Our conceptions
of its possibilities and our knowledge
of its varieties are ever increasing,
and will continue to do so with every
fresh insight into its mysteries.
There is, however, an aristOeracy
among these various portions. They
must all be recognized and provided
for, but some are higher and some
lower, and the lower can only fulfill
their true mission or attain their
own perfection by ministering to the
higher. Thus the appetites are to be
respected in proportion as they sub
serve health OF body and clearness of
mind if they Sre made an end and
not means, they sink into vice and
produce degradation. So with all the
rest. Self-culture is the due appor-
tioning and regulation of these various
parts, and true self-love is the spirit
that induces such culture.
The mistake made is in regarding
self-love as including only the lower
nature, the appetites, passions and
desires for pleasure, or riches, or fame,
or power. These, it is true, taken
alone, come often into conflict with
the happiness Of others, but to love
them is not to love self, but only a
small part of it, and the part the least
worthy of honor. Macintosh says,
"the weakness of the social affections
and the strength OF the private desires
constitute selfishness,n and a true
self-love will tend to strengthen the
affections and regulate the desires,
thus becoming itself powerful foe to
selfishness. There is no antagonism
between enlightened self-love and
pure benevolence. II their motives
are distinct, their effects are similar.
The command to love our neighbOr
as ourselves imposes no limit on our
self-love. On the contrary, the in
crease Of the one necessitates the
increase of the other. All history
shows that the permanent good of the
is also that of the COM
and that of one nation is also
that the world. The truth is becom-
ing recognized and acted upon.
Peaceful negotiations or arbitrations
are snperseding the horrors Of war,
and the most profitable commercial
dealings are now acknowledged to be
those which recognize the common
interest Of both parties.
We are indissolubly bound to one
and no man is by himself
or independent. Directly
be regards himself so, he sacrifices
his own highest interests We lean
and depend on each other, we prune
away each others redundanees, and |
supply each others deficiencies. Our !
are as truly ourselves as
bur appetites. our social nature as our |
physical, our moral sense as our |
desires. Indeed, our higher natures
IRE most truly ourselves, and he who |
sacrifices them to anything less wor- |
.hy cannot be saiu to have, in its full /
an enlightened self-love. /
In this large and true sense, self-love
will lead US to be Just, honorable in
III our dealings, kind and faithful in
III our intercourse. merciful and COM
PASSIONATE TO the unfortunate, bene-
icient to the needy, loving and true
o our kindred and friends. If a man
owe not his neighbor, he cannot truly
oYe himself; for he ignores his best
nd highest self, and only indulges
n inferior nature at the expense not
My Of his neighbours good, but also
4 his own.-Ez.