The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1879-01-16
About Winding Our Own Business.

action in2
Now, when ] sat down to the dictation
Of this letter, ] had very wildly IN
mind the case 81 Sister Busybodv, 70
whom 1 thought 10 address my whole
discourse, not omitting To administer
such stern and cutting reproofs as GER
tain ohenses on her part seemed 10 merit;
but with the first impulse TO judgment,
there arose the disturbing question as 20
whether the fault was about TO attack
10 Sister Busy body is not, after all, in
greater or less degree, a fault inherent in
the whole human family?
Then, too, when ] began 20 argue
against the vice, as often happens on
such occasions, the negative side OF the
case presented itself 10 consideration,
and I fell 70 reasoning whether on the
whole. this element Of meddlesOrleness
IN society is not, perhaps, a necessary
and wise provision for the restraint of
wrong and for the suppression Of evil
appearance when wrong is not intended;
and while the office Of inspector and
supervisor Of other peoples affairs j., by
DO means, an enviable or an elevated
one in the social body, whether it does
not serve a use in that economy which
entities it 10 our respect, or which, at
II .
tolerant aud forbearing spirit.
But when all has been said, and due
credit has been given to the worth Of
service % which, at the best, very little
honor attaches, there yet remains
large percentage Of business, prosecuted
In the interest Of individuals and Of the
community in general, from which no
benefit can by any possibility accrue,
and which must unavOidabiy result in
harm 10 those who, from choice or
habit, deal in IL. For, conceive what
must be the mental and moral stale of
that person who finds eOugeuial and sat-
isfyiug occupation and recreation in
maliciOusly or even curiously spying
out the stains on other lives, hunting
with the fine scent Of a sieuth-hOuud
after secrets which may be used as cap
ital i'm trade to drag forth stiil more
strange and startling matters OF mystery
aud darkness 10 the wonder and amuse-
ment or for the horror aud c0udemaa-
tion OF the world
Think what "a barren waste must he
the soul that leaves its own resources
undeveioped, 10 search out the weeds, the
brambles, the sioughs, the pitfalls, aud
the tangled places i'm other grounds,
making them the occasion Of more se-
we're comment and criticism than is
even IN thought directed TO the neg
iectei garden at home
Consider what The same labor, care.
aud attention bestowed on foreign OLE
jecfs would accomplish if devoted 20 af-
fairs of personal concern; what tLe
Heen observation, the quick sense OF
wrong, the swift swesp Of Judgment SO
freely exercised in the case of other
moral offenders might effect 10 restricted
% the sphere Of the individual possess
ing such remarkable faculties; what,
in short, would be the marvellous and
happy result if the fine discriminating
powers, clear iutuitive perceptions, and
strong Tetributive impulses if the crit
ical soul were turned inward ON itself ?
Should We not straightVay have com
munity with rapidly improving spirit
ual conditions, ania world swiftly oueu-
ing mp 10 the lIghtof The m il.euuial DAY?
Should we not have "a brotherhood
grand, powerful, and generous enough
20 bear with the follies of the weak, and
20 carry their burdens without too close
aud curious scrutiny into their seusi-
lively concealed mysteries
10 Is sad 10 thiu6 OF the wounds, the
stings, the pains, the heart-buruIngs,
the strites, the discords, and the host OF
nameless evil things which come of
this miserable, profaue business Of spy
ing, and pryiug, and iutermeddiiug, and
gossipping, and graspiug with OPEN
mouthed greed al the sins or indiscre-
tions Of fellow -muTlals; for Iu general
there seems no mQtiye or purpose for
such indicate intulsiouiuto the affairs
OF another except to communicate the
astonishing matter discovered 20 the
frr.HrsH d e. a
the sweet morsel, with additional flavor,
90 the right-hand ueiehoor, aud 80 the
poor folly or falling "evolves" at length
into something So strange aud mon
strous that the most stuuhappy perpetrator
and possessor fails to recognize 10, aud
adds TO the foregoing ofieuse the uBpar-
d0nabie guilt of absolute denial.
IL is altogether wonderful-did YOU
never mark it?-how much more shock
ing 10 the sense is the blemish Of chaFac-
ter or the error Of conduct disclosed hy
our hitherto uususpected brother or sis
Ter than the same or greater imperiec-
ton of nature or vice Of habit is ia our
selves. We know the conditions, temp
tations, and all the exteuuating circum-
stances in our own ease, aud our trans
gressiOus, qualified 10y such insight into
our motives or impelling principles,
seem 90 Us triilug and veuial compared
with those of the stranger, or even Of
the inmate Of our household, whose gov
eruing forces We do not understand, and
whose peculiar temptations We do not
even care 10 know, before passing our
righteous judgment upon the offender.
Did We give but half the thought 20
reasons that we give 10 results; did We
pursue our study and analysis of the
causes OF evil as peFsisteutly and with
the same interest aud ard0r that we pur-
sue our investigation Of evils themselves,
We should undoubtedly arrive az wiser
estimates of the uulucky sinners whom I
we now condemn without mercy, and I
learn withal a charity which would eX-
ert a no less eunobling and exalted in
tIuepce on ourselves than on those
toward whom We should exercise il.
And inst here, ] think, We may trace
the determining line between the things I
which really concern Us aud those with
which we have no right or business to I
intermeddle. IN whatever lies at the
foundation Of the wrongs and follies !
which we see 10 society aud in the indi- 3
vidual, We have an interest that should T.
urge us 10 do certain work-aH interest I
broad as humanity, whose woes, and 1
pains, and sOrrOws have tender claim .
on Us; whose faults, weak nesses, and I
sins appeal TO US for that calm consider
alton which one who understands their
often hidden source will never fail 10
give. But when We carefully or obsti- .
nately close our eyes 10 causes and deal
solely with effects, making the mere
surface Of life the ground Of our judg-
ments; when we let 90 the benign pur-
pose which should govern all our in
nniriaa inIn tho III ~ -. ALLAN