Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1889-06-21
CRUSH ALI SUSPICIOUS.
Tow - Avoid prsftl1g u Mtsefnb3o
C0ndftfou ~ Mind

G0MNtft9u NJ Mtnf1s
There are few things more productive
u evil Ia society than suspicious dis
position. He whoi Il aiwa ys On the watch
or wrong-d0ing actually fosters II. He
nay fancy that he ii i foe to evil. but
ID truth, BY letting Ii dwell II his mind,
le becomes It promoter. The gross in
Justice he does to the Innocent Is but
,art Of the injury. He stirs up ~
'entful feeling. destroys friendship.
,mhitters Intercourse. sows seeds of
iistrust everywhere. poisons both his
,wn happiness and that Of many Others.
30 manifest are these results that there
. very general stigma placed not
,nly upon the suspicious person, but
lpon ali suspicion itself. III its con-
inual presence be so banefuf, let us
1anish it altogether. Z say many social
xell-wishers- A little deeper rehec-
lion, however, would show that this
litter determination of suspicion Ii
neither possible nor desirable for as
ong as there il evil in the world there
must be the fear OF evil. and q suspicion
In its first formation il bnt fear.
doubt, an uncertainty in the mind.
based upon more or less rsasOna
ole grounds. A man. for example,
suspects some one IN his employ Of nm
iaithfulness. He may have strong
cause for the suspicion. or there may
be but slight foundation, or it may be-
entirely figmenf OF the imagination.
In any ease he. perhaps. can not avoid
| In the first instance the entrance of tho
suspicion into his own mind, and 1t
may be well that he can not. His own
| interest and the cause Of Justice might
otherwise both suffer. Being there.
however, the question i'm mediately
| arises What shall be do with it, There
are three paths open TO him and To
every one who suspects anothe: OF
wrong-doing- He may test the suspi-
eion. he may quench it or he may
cherish and retain it. The last Of these
methods is the most common. ana this
1 it il that works so much evil and grad
ually develops the suspicious DISPOSE
ton. To retain the suspicion. to lot it
r;snkle in the mind even slightly. il
both unjust aud unwise. and when to
this we add the very common habit Of
,onfiding these nnrrovoked doubts and
fears to a third party the injury il
multiplied.
There are many suspicious that need
crushing in the bud. We fancy our
fre.nd is cool to us: we imagine some
one has sighted us; we suspect our
neighbor OF having spoken Ill OF ".
Most likely we are mistaken. and, in any
Ease. we could never profitably search
INTO the matter. Our trust in our
friend or our own self-respect. should
lead US to put away such thoughts, to
abandon such suspicious Some enc
has perhaps, dropped poisonous
word of scandal into our ears. Let us
Danish it from our thoughts with scorn-
Circumstances may tend to cast SITS
picion on one whom we may honors let
rs continue to trust him in our heart
IT hearts We may fear that some one
mas committed FAINT. which. how
ever, does not concern us in the least.
and in which we are not called upon TO
, interfere: let lis expel the idea OF an
lnwelcome intruder. In one OF these
, two ways every suspicion may be right
! liz dealt with. Ii as a warning it has a
. ! mission to perform. it will do its work;
: fit is an unworthy or an idle conJec-
i ture. it will he dismissed. In either case
: it will pass away as all suspicious are
! meant to do. As transient guests OF
; he mind. they may be useful IN
D establishing the innocence whitn
should be brought to light. or in prov
inc the guilt which should be pnrged
away But as permanent inmates OF
the mind. their influence IS most per-
ricious. Suffered to remain. they
a rankle and tester, and produce all man
: ner of social eorrnptions. People are
n not naturally suspicious. as is some
p times supposed. They have brought
h themselves into this uuwholesome and
h unhappy condition BY failing to deal
: rightly with each separate suspicion as
A it arises. Instead OF corrageously test
: ing it. or firmly resisting it. they have
permitted the constant presence OF one
=. suspicion after the another until they
:. clond the mind, darkeu the thoughts,
= and fill the heart with distrust and
bitterness. But he who deals intelli-
4 geutly and faithfully with his sus-
,icions. mastering them, and never
suffering them TO master him. will
. never sink into the miserable and
. misery giving condition that every one
Il must occupy who has a suspicious
;, character. Moravian.
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