Osage Valley banner. (Tuscumbia, Miller County, Mo.) 1879-1881, 1880-05-06
custodlanship Of others Character.

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CustOdIanship OF Others Character.
In addition TO that true responsible
| ty for others--respons on the part
Of parent, teacher, brother, friend, em-
ployer, fellow-worker-.which at times
must rest upon every member Of hu-
man society, there is also laid npon ey-
cry man duty not so much JoT others
as 10 others. We must stand IN a rep
resontatiye and responsible position, not
only rs substitutes for, or leaders Of,
those with whom we have 10 do, but
also as the medium by which their char
acters arc presented TO those who know
them only through us. Great and re-
sponsible rs is our duty 10 our fellows
| in the matter of our influence upon
them aud our necessary assumption OF
responsibility for their acts, our duty
does not end here. 1t also includes the
constant obligation 20 make a right
presentation of their character and
their work, and 10 extend their good
influences by our own offices OF ju-
dicious friendship, instead Of harming
their reputation and limiting or destroy
ing their fabors BY our own folly or wick
edDess.
An English essayist says, IN writing
Of the world greatest composer: II
Is, perhaps, one noteworthy evidence of
| the inherent greatness and stability of
Beethoyen's genius, that even his adj
mirers have not been able 10 write him
| down" How great Is the injury done
to eminent men. in every department Of
! labor, by ill-adviscd and eXtrayagant
eulogy, every student OF history aud
| biography we'll knows. Worthless
characters, 10 be sure, have for q time
been written up,v but such artificial
| fame Is less lasting than the real mis-
| chief brought upon the reputation OF
true heroes, and artists, and authors, by
those who have oyerburdened them
with indiscreet praise. The general
rectitude Of the motives Of extrayagant
| adulators does not save their work from
the mischievous results which surely
follow it In the minds Of a disgusted
| public OF readers. IN effect, though
possibly not always In morals, the ulti-
mate results Of the most sincere praise,
II Il lacks the needed elements Of dis
erection, and right thinking, and sound
mental regimen, may not be different
from those Of malicious detractiou.
Indeed, they are sometimes worse, for
good character can rally from mtan
hostility more readily than from sicken-
ing praise.
But our duty, as custodians OF the
character of others, Ia our prcsentatio
Of their dispositions and doings, is by
no means chiefly confined to our treat
ment OF the great men Of the world
To present a false or mwise picture OF
a man Of established reputation is u
slow and difficult process; TO present
such picture of one Of our equals, or
of AN ordinary social acquaintance, Is a
| speedy and easily-accomplished act.
Daily and hourly by our words and
manner, we are called on TO bear testi-
mony to others of those known 10 us,
and unknown, or partially known, TO
them. II that testimony Is Ia the line
of silly and unmerited praise, or hasty
and unjust criticism, or one-sidod and
| ignorant Information, We may by II
greatly. and perhaps permanently, In
| iure the reputation and the moral USE
| fitness OF those Of whom we speak
Amiss. The harm that we can do in
the one direction Of laying false empha-
sis perhaps unwittingly- upon some
particular deed, or word, or phase OF
character, may be as hnrtful as though
we had lied outright and SCI about to
wlgjak malicious vengeance upon those
whom we profess TO honor, Could we
always remember that when we speak
of one person 10 another, we are, 10
the extent OF our words, the custodian
Of his character, and that we have no
right To speak save in obedieliee 10
large laws OF truth and justice and
charity, the number Of wounds--nay, d
positive murders-of character would
be far smaller than Il is now.-S. 8,
! Times.