The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1877-02-08
REASON AND IT'S USE.

REASON AND IT'S USE.
Which is it, Reason Or the use that is
made of it, that places man above the
brute?
1t is a sober and humiliating fact
that man in his nature is far below the
brute. Indeed, man, at his birth, is the
most helpless Of all animals. [ saw q
little pig help himself in three minutes
after his birth. The newly born babe
is not obliged to hunt around for his
nurse; there is anurse and family ready
to receive him, and he accepts the stu
alton without difficulty. There is no
trouble the first few years that he is
subject to domestic authority; he has
not thought Of his own, al he can do
is to adopt the notions Of his parents
who teach him, until his passions are
aroused by the restraints of duty and
social obligations imposed on him by
his family and society. At this time he
begins to learn the difference between
good and evil, and if he does wrong, he
does it innocently and becomes a slave
to sin, while his mother is teaching him
what sin is, and what is thus begun is
continued, by the force of habit and
claims Of memory, until he comes to
the use Of reason, at which time he is
skilled in all the views and follies of
the day.
These reflections were suggested by a
youth of fourteen years who rode with
me few miles. He confirmed every
word he spoke, with an oath, he offered
me his tobacco and showed me a revol-
yer he had just received through the
Post Office, and in answer to my inqui-
ries about his habits he said, Il never
was drunk but once, at Burlington fair,
| met lot of the boys and we thought
we might drink a little as we'll as other
men," Here, then, is one boy whose
reason told him that he was man and
consequently above the brute. Let us
see. The donkey like this boy, learned
by force of habit, but he could not be
forced into the habit of chewing tobac-
co nor drinking whisky. Why? because
his appetite is regulated by far supe-
rior reason, and, no matter how long
his ears may be, he cannot be forced
down to the level of man. Therefore [
insist that it is not reason but the use
that is made Of it, that places the man
above the donkey; and if he is ever lift
ed up, above the donkey, to the place
intended for him by his Creator, it
must be by teaching him by the most
powerful example Of humility, that he
must destroy in himself, the pride, GU
pidity and sensuality he received from
Adam; and the laws of nature and the
voice of reason have declared that his
mother must be his teacher. No one
who reflects upon the incontestable SUI
periority of the mother influence over
her child's heart, will dispute this.
I am well aware that the greatest
vigilance Of the mother cannot always
save her child. The virtuous senti-
ments impressed by her love into the
hearts of her children, may, indeed, be
almost choked by the thorns Of pas
sion, inhamed by the influence Of bad
company, and bad books; and in my
opinion a bad book will ruin a family,
or community, quicker and more effec-
tually than all other agencies com
bined. The teacher at Bassett's Sta
ton, last winter, burned book of very
doubtful morality, and the act, though
laudable, gave great offense toxthe pa
rents Of the young ladies who perused
it's pages; nevertheless I would say to
the teachers Of Kenosha County, burnt
such books at sight without regard to
consequences; your conscience and rep
utation demand the sacrifice. Reprove|
vice and encourage virtue. Try, by
word and example, to lift the youth I'M
der your charge up to, at least, the level
of the donkey. Alas! some never can
be lifted SO high. LARRY MCMANUs.