The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1889-05-30
CREDuLITY AND SUSPICION.

CREDuLITY AND SUSPICION.
Credulous men and women are
sometimes congratulated on the sim
plicity of their natures because It is
assumed that they would not be cred
ulous if they were not good-hearted,
and, on the other hand, suspicious
people who accept nothing without
proof are very often condemned as
being themselves too artful to trust
other people.
But this view of credulity and
suspicion is based upon the assump-
ton that the disposition to one or the
other is wholly matter ofthe heart,
whereas it may be nothing Of the
kind. Mere ignorance gives rise to
credulity in some directions it Is re-
sponsible for suspicion in other di-
rections. It is true that within lin
its a frank, kindly person quite COM
monty assumes that other people are
frank and kindly until he learns to
the contrary.
1t is also true that within limits
the suspicious man is q just object of
suspicion, but this is because every
one necessarily uses himselfas kind
of standard by which to judge other
people, and the view he takes of them
reflects, to some extent at least, his
own mind and disposition. But the
m ost mischievons~ forms ef.ess''aaeaulity
have no relation to the heart or char
acter, but are the simple results of
Ignorance.
Thus, a man who is suspicious OF
banks, untrustworthy himself and
therefore doubtful Of others, if he be
ignorant Of the ways of sharpers,
falls an easy victim to one who plays
upon his cupidity and his credulity
with some plan of money-making
which he does not understand, but
which promises to give large returns
in way that must not be talked
about. This kind Of credulity is
simple product of ignorance and does
not at all commend its possesSor TO
his feilow-men. On the other hand,
suspicion may not be the fruit OF
devious, hypocritical ways on the
part of the suspicious man, but re-
suit of his large experience pro
duct of his intelligence. Such a man
is simply on his guard, but ready at
any time to surrender his suspicious
when he is given some reasonable
assurance that it is safe to do SO.
Men who have had extensive deal
ings with inventors and projectors of
large undertakings are nearly always
suspicious-not necessarily Of the
honesty of those who come to them
with their schemes, but of either
their sanity or their honesty, without
inquiring which may be at fault. 1t
is their knowledge that makes them
suspicious it is the ignorance of
others that makes the latter so cred
ulous whenever a marvellous tale is
told of discoveries and inventions
and plans for great works. The ex-
perienced man has seen scores, per-
haps hundreds, OF failures, some of
them resulting from delusions some
from dishonesty. He has been taught
by such experience to be suspicious
rather than credulous, and to demand
proof of all that is asserted, demon
stration of that which is declared to
be possible.
The credulous, on Me other hand,
if their credulity be the result of ig~
norance, accept what they see or
think they see as being a fact, de-
mand no reasons, ask for no expla-
nations, and too often suffer the con-
sequences of their folly, sometimes
at the hands of designing knaves,
more often because they are "the
blind led by the blind" The best
attitude to maintain is one of neu-
trality, involving neither credulity
nor suspicion. Thus the mind Of an
intelligent man may be kept open to
receive truths, but closed to deceits.
To be credulous is to invite deeep-
ton; to be suspicious may do injus-
tice to others.
For our own sakes therefore, as
we'll as for the sake Of other people,
it is our duty in social relations to
maintain the attitude of true SCENT
list when he questions nature. So far
as it is possible to do SO he banishes
prejudices and theories from his
mind, is unmoved by his emotions
aud simply looks for the truth, eau
r Z