Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-01-25
IL eide COwardicap

VINO murders himself
This was what a lady said. She spoke
from the kindness Of her heart rather than
from the charity Of her Judgment; for sho
was trying TO defend the suicide against my
assertion that it was cowardice.
The lady admitted that, IL self-slayer
could be held 10 be sane, then his act was
towards; for he is invariably trying 10 fee
from some danger that he dare not face, or
escape from some battle in which he Is
afraid longer TO stand and fight.
"But selfdestruction is so unnatural"
she exclaimed zone must be driven carry
before he can resort 10 it,
Now far be il from me TO snatch of the
mantle of charity from any poor shoulders
in this stormy life. But think moment.
Is ii unnatural 10 injure ones selft Do
we not eat ana drln TO eXcessi Do we not
overwork, knowing that we are doing so!
Do not men go into battle sanely, knowing
just what they are doing. Do not martyrs
to the truth deliberately throw away their
lives! All the glorious page Of history, is it
not writ with many shining chapter OF
"noble deeds" whose very nobility consist
ed in the conscious sacrifice OF life for du-
tys The fremen, the Grace Darlings, the
brave hospital nurses and attendants upon
plague stricken Jacksonville. do these not
know what they are about when they mold
life so highly III, then, it ever consists with
sanity TO offer ones onw life for destruction,
have we quite the right to assume that no
sane man can destroy his own lifes
The facts probably can never be quite
known. But, while sweet charity should
cover this awful sin, yet IL cannot be wise
10 encourage desperate deeds by mawkish
seutimentality1 The first steps toward sui
eide are undoubtedly coWardice. One is in
trouble, and begins TO think about escape by
this means Here he should check himself
IL is the beginnings that are comfortable.
Let him think on his family rather than
on self. Imagining the unspeakable grief
the grief of shame-that would oVerwhelm
parents, wife, children, he may be able TO
seethat it is rank, base cowardlce 10 shield
himself by imposing such misery on those
whom he should defend. Why should he
dodge a storm and leave them TO be drench-
ed. Why should he run from an enemy and
leave his home to appeal TO the pity of that
enemy The manly thing is to ply at ones
post. If the case is so desperate, a brave
man may easily earn an honorable death in
the fight; the much-coveted death Is just at
hand. Let the enemy infiict it, and have
the guilt of your blood on his hands, not on
yours. Let the enemy kill You, if he will,
and thus, becoming your murderer, earn a
murderer's punishment at the bar OF your
God and his God. But thou, brave man,
perishing with front TO the foe, dying sword
in hand, gain at once a martyr : crown, "a love
requiem from your family, and doom INFECT
ed on your prosecutor.
Now the cowardice Of suicide is that men
are not brave enough to suffer any longer.
They lack the courage 10 die by inches;
they sigh Lets end IL at once rather than
a month away" Courage TO suffer thous-
and deaths is surely beyond the desperation
OF a moments agony with knife. The
courage OF years, seen in many noble lives,
certainly impeaches the self-murderer If he
one is indeed excellent, then, logically, the
other is base, If we cease To blush for a
suicide how can we continue TO flush with
pride over the pat ent MARTYR.
Suicide is cowardice because it is never
seen 70 spring from holy motives Men and
women kill themselves for fear of poverty,
or loss Of monetary power, or dread Of the
law or shame in guilt, or hopelessness in
sickness, or selfish erieving over their own
lOnlineSs and personal privation by the de-
parture Of the dead. All these motives are
low. But we do not see men and women go-
ing off alone 10 kill themselves for the sake
of doing some other life service; nor TO
please the Christians God Indeed we have
two different words 20 describe these two
different acts. Martyrdom is one thing;
suicide is another. The motive makes al
the difference. The mar VI dies for others.
The suicide dies for himself. The MARTYR
dies loving life, and Offering valued thing
upon the altar OF duty. The suicide dies
hating life and flinging a despised gift of
God in the teeth of duty The martyr sacri-
fees. The suicide wishes To avoid sacrifice.
or laughed at or even execrated by those on
whose unoffending heads he has heaped
fresh troubles. To remember the martyr
is always precious, it grows more so as years
pass; 70 weep over him washes out the eyes
of honor and inspires the living with cour-
are and nobility To remember the suicide
is always torture; it grows more shameful
in the family with every added year The
tombstone bears no glowing eulogy. Chill
dren's children blush over II as the taunt is
ut thap fath nr Ii in1
himself" We weep over him, but the tears
are scalding hot, and the eran,pte is actually
dangerous in u family. How little is thought
OF this Yet. how true II il! a son cannot
meet crisis but the tempting devil suggests
that father shot himself stalks into his
dreams. at runs in the family is not an
unusual expression; and, alas, it has more
than the semblance of truth.
The truth IL, that moral courage is direct
~ opposed 10 this terrible human event The
culture of the man in habits of cheerful,
brave, patient thoughts, the habitude of
mental pluck, elaboration, GOODNESS, and
strength; the constant reliance on the ALI
Good, that in the end is sure 10 overcome
the All-Evil-these are antidotes most sure.
He who would escape must also never think
twice Of the terrible suggestion; once will
do-one glimpse Of hell Turn away and
look 10 life. Care of health, healthful recrea-
tion and rest, sleep, rambling in the pure
air of the fields, society of the pure and good
and joyous, specially children-these are
means TO escape from the hobgoblin of sui
eide.
Above all things, love not money so that
you could immediate yourself on the altar Of
the golden calf Love nothing in this world
so that you could. for the loss of it, barter
away the next world Remember that for
every wicked deed there is yet mercy to
him who will ask for it. A living dog is bet
ter than a dead lion. To leave this world is
not to escape ones self. BE brave and kind
for yourself. To live is courage.-New
York Weekly.
Tons Of Coal in LoudOn's Atmosphere.