The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1888-04-20
Understandsng One's NeighDOr.

IL Tue proper Stuuy OI HdiiklHu
/ is man then, as the nearest man,
ones ueighbor naturally suggests
himself as an object of examination
and reflection in spare moments.
People ordinarily imagine they
know their neighbors pretty well,
| but this is apt to be au illusion a
neighbor, in TACT, IL generally an
uncoInprehended entity; even his
hat is different from our hat, aud
how much more that complex gar
ment, his mind. To understand
this mind as it is in itself, though
a difficult natter, is of course what
we all should attempt instead OF
thinking it mere dumb appeBdage
of our own lives. If, for instance,
our neighbor is commonplace, in
stead of condemnins him it may be
better to ask why he became so,
aud whether he suspects il, and
what effect the suspicion has Oh his
mind. Is he, for instance, a young
man weakly aware that nature has
clothed him with inferiOrity, aud
does he walk through life with per
sistent, half-fOOlish consciousness
OF being at the foot of the class
For one to comprehend such life,
not from ones own Standpoint, but
from the possessor's, is to feel a
nameless, mother like pity for the
victim.
Or perhaps this neigbbor is com.
monplace in the conceited way,
which it knows everything because
it knows nothing. To argue such
a neighbor out of misconception
is like getting pig to market, and
so the pig gets mathematical.
This, however, is not comprehend
,, ing the pig; and if Que ceases ana
thema and turns to comprehension,
it will be seen that the pig thinks
he is right and cannot help what
he does. Perhaps after all the best
way with an ignorantly disputa-
tions person is to bumor him in his
conceit.& Let him have his pleas
ure; accept his opinions; confirm
them by unsuspected instances;
poor, concerted fellow you are the
first person who ever agreed with
him; he will blossom like "a rose
with delight, and will greet you
with smile for months afterwards.
To man with theological lean
ing his neighbours creed is always
matter OF interest, but this, too
is likely to be viewed IN an extern
al and uncOmprehending way; aud
what is asked is not. Why does be
have his creed but, Why doesn't
he have mine7 This is to forget
that our neigh Dor IS an Independent
being With a mind aud heart of his
own; with an inner history OF
which We know little; and with
perhaps a whole range of feelings
inscrutable to our experience.
Here, for instance, is MIR. Matthew
Arnold, one OF the most rational OF
neighbors and yet he exasperates
his American readers by advocating
the retention of the Church of En-
gland, and even its retention as a
state church. By an effort at com
prehensiOn, however, it is revealed
that what impresses Mr.. Arnold is
the inesIimable role his English
state church has played in fostering
a cultivated life among the clergy
and the people; and this role no
one can 90 to England or to English
literature without observing. 1t is
as much q part OF the country as
the soft greenuess of the landscape,
or the impressive prevalence OF
we'll l.established amenities In family
life. Moreover, Mr.. Arnold knows
that the Church of England is a
very elastic institution with II pow
or of progressive growth; aud be
bumors iC as one humors good
mau of great influence but partly
mistaken opinions, in order not to
lose the influence of this good man,
aud with the hope that his opinions
will gradually change for the bet
ter.
II our neighbor is commonplace
man his creed of course iscOmmOn-
place. Yet in its poor old way how
much it may help him, who perhaps
would fare but poorly on our ration
al diet. Our commonplace neigh
Dor knows little of Truth with a
capital I. although be will give rea-
sous for his creed ii you drive him
to il, as a hen takes to water in ex-
trenity, aud will even refuse to give
mp a single one of Its particulars.
But we shall be more commonplace
than he il We suppose that he real
ly prays to God when be goes TO
bed every night for these reasons.
On the contrary, this creed is sim
ply bis because it was bis fathers,
or because his wife taught it to him,
or because when q young man some
s'experience meeting changed him
from a careless youth TO a serious
believer. And since that time be
has taken bis bath every Sunday
morning, and then gone to church
with bis wife aud children, and it
makes him feel right aud good
aud so be believes bis creed must
be right aud good, too
Quite different person is our
opinionated neishbor, though he
too will repay an unsel6sh effort to
comprehend him. An arly result
OF this effort is the perception that
il is foolish and useless to argue
with him, Is time thrown away for