The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1889-09-12
and let bear the temptations Of this life for the
sake of the Saviour who died on the cross that we
might have everlasting life in His Fathers King
dom.
Pride and Vanity.

| liSh language so often miSuSed and so OPEN
to miscOnstructiOn as pride and vanity. It;
is common occurrence to hear and read
about ''purse-prOud persons" and the.
''haughty pride' of the presumptive class:
who would pass themselves off on the world
as being possessed of means and accom-
plshments to which they have no right or
title. Such people are vain. to say they
are proud is misuse of the word. A prin-
cipal reason for the general incorrect usage
of these two words may be seen in the fact
that while the original meanings of the
words are the very opposite to each other,
it takes but single step to fall from the
sterling worth of the one to the deceit of the
other. In other words. pride is virtue,
and vanity vice.
A person may be proud of the work of
his hands or brain, when such work pos
sesses true merit, and thus be stimulated to
still greater efforts. But if a person is what
is incorrectly called proud" of that which
it is plain to see has no merit then such a
person seeks the plauditS of his fellows
only to crafty his inordinate desire for the
admiration of the world for a selfish pur-
pose; he possesses no merit. but is vain of
his slightest accomplishments.
Pride is built upon rock; vanity has but
a qucksand for its foundation. 1t is but
natural that we should take honest pride in
our work, no matter how humble it may be
in itself, for it is such pride that urges us to
improve upon it. In speaking of the great
men of the wOrld-thOse who have won de-
served fame in the lines they have followed
great stress is always laid upon their be-
| ing the most unasSuming of men. This is
undisputed, and it serves to emphasize the
fact that they had the true quality of es-
Unable pride which impelled them to seek.
the highest and best in all their undertake
| ings. without being too demOnstrative. with
out trumpet blast to sound their praises
beforehand. And now, though they do not.
seek it, they draw their earthly reward. for
their true worth cOmpels the admiration Of
critical world.
The difference between pride and vanity
is not unlike that existing between true
and affected charity. | have read of
fashionable lady in New York who donated
fifty-cent tidy to fair held ''for sweet
charity's sake" and then wrote to the
manager cOolly requesting ten compliment
airy tickets for self and friends" on the.
strength of her donation. And of another
who protfered a sum of money to the same.
end on condition that she received a press.
notice commencing her charity. How
serenely happy both these ladies must have
been when the pictures of their unselfisht?p
charity arose before them! What beaut-
full. elastic English they must have used to,
calm the conscience that rebuked their
selfish vanity! How many such CHART
TABLE people we have in all walks and
| of yuhn hnffx of
the mere mention of vanity in connection,
with their actions.
| If the world possessed the added amount
of true pride that it now has of vanity, how
much better we would all feel and what
suffering and misunderstanding it wOuldl
avert.
AS sample of our commOnest and
meaneSt kind of vanity take that class of
men who are afflicted with what is express
sively, called the big head" Could there be
anything more OdiOus than their ridiculous
assumption of bOSsism and superiority? Is
there any more pitiable invention of our
God given senses than is exhibited by these
creatures of Fortunes bounty when they
seek at every turn to force upon us the
knowledge of their imaginary vantage? Is
there anything more OdiOus than their petty
tyranny and the homage they demand in,
payment for their good will? A person.
thus afflicted is truly sight to behold. He.
is his own God; and all the world below.
him is as naught when an opportunity Of
fers to air the vanity of his ninny- like
brain.
| AS a matter of justice to worthy people
| it is only right that the line of demarcation
between envable pride and disreputable
vanity be made more distinct. If we are
to ''call a spade spade" we should give a
true qualification to our estimation of what
is unstable and unworthy, rather than per-
vert reputable word simply because it
sounds better. Pride will always tend to
make lis better Vanity will make of ns