Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1884-05-29
ssThe .Brisf Fad. !

Now, little below these mountains.
on the LEFT hand. lieth the country of
Conceit; from which couptryz there
comes into the way Ia which tie pill
grims walked D little cro0ked lane.
There, therefore, they met with avery
brisk lad, who came out of that cOun-
try, and his name was Ignorance In
this '.Brisk lad," Bunyan pictures self
conceit and its results.
Solomon never uttered a truer word
than when he said: .sSeest thou man
wise in his ownconceit; there is more
hope of afool than of him. Religious
ly, it is easier TO deal with q drunkard,
a debauchee or harlot than with a
conceded person. There is more hope Of
success with the former. Business men
understand how this conceit works in
ordinary affairs, The boy, the clerk,
who knows it ALL has no fear of fail
ure, only wants an opportunity to exer-
else his wonderful gifts. is ready for any
position, the higher the better-this is
not the one whom the business man
wants. ~
'sThe brisk lad" from the country OF
COnceit, is not the one who promises
well for the future; but it is the humble
lad. readysand eager to learn, willing
to put his hand to anything, and whose
only plea Is a willingness to try, and to
do the best he can. The latter may not
have the natural quickness soruskill of
the formers but even stupidity ard
clnmsiness, with eagerness to Improve,
have in them more upon which to base
hope than intellectual quickness and
natural aptitude, with conceit. Not
Few are the failures to succeed in bust
ness springi1g from conceit. Emphat-
ically iss the same thing true in relig-
Iious matters. There is more infidelity
and skepticis1n, OF the blatant sort, COM
ing from self-conceit than from any
other source, unless It be from vice or
wrong living. and that springing from
conceit is the more hopeless
This produces the kind of skeptics
who are proud of their disbelief, and
brag of it. Instead of asking how be-
lever in the Bible interprets and ex-
lplains the account of Jonah, they ask:
what do you think of the nautical ex-
periences of Jonah?" Instead of argu-
ing reverently or respectfully concern
ing the. proof of the resurrection OF
Christ, they ask: ssHow can take the
evidence of Tom. Dick and Harry
against my sensesp' There are doubt
CLIO 0AAA '4uCoUioAOtS " Ao 6AC OdoAtlNu W
the warmest sympathy and the kindest
treatment; but self-conceited skeptic,
the '.brisk lad'' mouthing the cant of
disbelief is simply Contemplate. and
ESQ hopeless ascase as to forbid wasting
time and strength upon him.
When one of these brisk lads takes
religious turn, he is not only insuffer-
able. but has in him little upon which
tto base hope. He boasts Of his own
good-feeling, consistency and useful.
ness. and lectures Others, who IN prin-.
ciple and good sense are far his
superiors. He stands so high in his
own Judgment that he sees little need
of going higher, is SO strong that he
feels little need of help. Ten to one.
he is soon out of the way, and then
loudly proclaims the hypocrisy Of the
church, or Joins the ranks of Dragging
skeptics. Look out for the s.brisk Lax"
from the country Of Conceit. Do not
let him get inside you.-Golde,s Rs4te.