The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1884-08-15
COW ARDISE.

quentl and uneonSciously fall into as
cowardiee. 1t is the handspring Of so
much wrong-doing the cause of so much
self-reproach and misery, and the preventa-
tive of SO many noble and valuable deeds
that no pains would be too great and no
sacrifice too severe to Danish or even to
diminish its power in the human heart.
Like most other failings. however. it has
its roots in something necessary TO life
and happiness. 1t springs from fear, and
as long as danger of any kind exists fear
must be hailed as a friendly safeguard.
The fear of winters cold and summers
heat, of fire and food of earthquake and
volcano. of famine and drought. teaches us
the art of selfprotection. The fear of
public disgrace or private displeasure re-
strains many hand when stretched forth to
do an unjust decd, and in those of tender
conscience and warm sympathy, the fear of
losing self-respect or of causing pain to
Others, is strong motive power Of good.
But when any kind Of fear so takes
possession of a man as to destroy or palsy
the antipodal quality of courage, then it is
that it degenerates into cowantlice Fear
and courage are eounterparts i'll the human
character, each needing the other to bal
ance and limit it. The fear of fire, for the
example. is absolutely essential to pre-
serve life, but let it be unaceompanied by
courage, and the pitiful coward crouehes
in terror, while his wife and children
perish i'll the flames So the fear of
criticism or contempt is useful in hui
man society to restrain self-hdulgence
and to cultivate virtues which society
esteems. but dissociate it from cour-
age, and we have the paltry hanger
ON who squares his every action by the
nod or beck of Others and who falls
into irremedable folly and misery because
he cannot say mo" Even the fear of do
ing wrong will have but palsyimg
effect unless the courage to do right
follow close upon it, and the fear of hurt
ing our fellow though an element in
every generous nature, may degenerate
into maudlin pity that will sacrifice their
highest welfare. il there is no courage to
endure seeing or even infiictmg needful
pain.
Cowardice then is not the presence of
fear, but the absence of courage. We
sometimes hear man boast of never
having known fear. but it is an idle vaunt.
1t cannot be true, but if it were it would
bespeak him less. not more manly.
One of the bravest soldiers of our late war
confessed to having felt fortunes of fear in his
first battle. yet he swerved not an inch, and
his comrades thought him utterly fearless.
His courage kept him firm in the path of
gentleman conversing with a friend as
they walked in the streets of London. con
fessed with some shame to being very much
afraid of a runaway horse. In fact, he
were | thus confronted. just then
horse. with reins entangled, came rushing
down the street, dragging after him
small carriage in which sat a lady pale
Wlth terror. IustdlAiN tilc gehoiSiii''h VIM
had made the admission rushed in front of
the horse, and seizing the Birdie stopped
him and saved the life of the occupant.
His friend lost all faith in his previous
statement yet it was true as to his fear.
which was great, though not as to his
cowardice. for a noble courage came to his
relief and saved him from the self-imputa-
ton A truly courageous man may be
very much afraid, but he can never act the
part of coward When the crisis comes
he will nerve himself to action and prove
not that he is fearless, but that fear is his
servant. not his master.
This thought should prevent us from I'M
derating people because of their fears.
| Children are often injured and made to
! suffer because they are afraid. They are
scolded or laughed at until they think
| that fear itself is something degrading
| Instead of learning to cultivate courage to
meet every emergency. they merely learn
to despise and disown fear. You re
afraid is a cruel taunt among children,
CARRYING with it the same sharp sting,
whether it refers to a dangerous feat or
disobelience to a parents command.
! Thus their moral sense is blunted, and
their ideas of right and wrong hopelessly
confused.
The real eowardicc which is degrading,
and which we should all deeply despise, is
that lack of moral courage which leads us
to stife our own convictions and violate
our own eonsciences for fear of the ridicule
or contempt of some one who stands by.
! Usually we shall find that the one whom we
thus fear is neither worthy of our respect
nor admiration. Perhaps we lack the cour-
age to live within our income for fear ofthe
sheer of a neighbor, whom in our hearts we
despise. and financial ruin is the result.
Or we dare not uphold a truth which we
really believe because ii is unpopular, orwe
persist in the practice of something our
conscience condemns because it is fashion
able. and thus we forfeit our sincerity and
our influence for good. The ways IN whiell
this moral eowardice is shown are legion
and its effect is always disastrous To the
character and life To do wrong, or what
is the same thing, to refrain from doing
| ~. +;,,,., f..r a.fian arriN.ss