The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1889-08-01
RemOrse as an Active Moral Sense.

HemOrse as an Active Moral Sense.
When in of his cynical moods. brought
about by the contemplation of Becky Sharp,
Thackeray remarked: And for my part I be-
lieve that is the least active of all mans
moral senses-the very easiest to be deadened
when wakened and in some never wakened at
all. We grieve at being found out and at the idea
Of shame or punishment. but the mere sense of
wrong makes very few people unhappy in Vanity
Fair The general truth of that observation as
applied to a good many people who accounted
fairly moral and respectable may be accepted, al
though it is not pleasant reflection that very
few people" abhor wrong because it is wrong. The
fault lies with the false code of morals that is
very generally taught. not only in school, but in
society. Children are taught that honesty is good
pOlicy-that there are substantial rewards for good
behavior. punishment for bad deeds. Few teachers
or parents take pains to awaken the moral sense
to nculcate principles of broth erhood upon
which moral obligations are founded. One who
has acquired, through religious training or by
study of what is called social science. a rational
sense of the relations men sustain should sus-
tain to each other has before him at all times a
guide to right behavior. When he does wrong he
knows it, without having to refer to law pre-
cept, and if his nclinations right, he will re-
he has been trained with proper sense of duty
and Obligations except that certain guides have
pointed out what they are, and has been taught
that if he does right he will be rewarded and if he
does wrong he will be punished. his reason tells
him that in this world at least the punishment
does not come at all if he is not found out. 1t is
logical result of such imperfect moral training
that many should lose sight of the wrong and fear
Op1 dot hat
remorse, though dreading shame and punishment.
What may be called for want of better descrip-
tive title the genteel rascas of the world exhibit
in striking way this absence of real remorse.
They violate the trust reposed in them, not once
only but daily. perhaps, for years, living at the
same time apparently moral lives. very often hyp-
ocrtically parading their religion a cloak to
their nefarous doings. The wrongs they COM
NIT do not excite their consciences no trace is
shown in their expressions or behavior of remorse
as long as their deeds are unknown, but when ex-
posture is threatened their sufferings become in
tense and often awake undeserved pity. Then
for the first time they think oftheir mothers, wives
or children exposed to disgrace and possible ruin
and use these innocents to shield themselves from
harm. Men of this class will rob the widow and
the orphan for years with cheerful countenance.
but break down at the first hint Of shame pun
ishment for themselves. They are, properly
speaking, without moral sense. for if they pos
sessed it they would dread and shun the wrong
without regard to exposure. But how is this
moral sense to be aroused or impaired? 1t is with
respect to many relations of life largely artificial.
The occasion for its existence is the social life of
mankind and the rules and regulations made nec-
essary thereby. Without neglecting other means
of moral training, effort should be made to
tablish, through an appeal to the reason, clear
| understanding Of the origin and nature of social
duties and obligations the fairness of the rules
that civilized man has laid down for the conduct
| of himself. Upon this foundation some minds at
least would get sense of wrong that would make
it athorrent to them; they would have the moral
perceptive sense. without which there can be no
remorse. To them the wrong would appear in its
true light there would be confusion of the
wrong itself with the exposure of it. such as is sp
parent in many so-called moral sayings and in the
teachings of many moralists. So much public at
tention is directed to men who violate trusts and
rob their fellow men while leading apparently re-
spectacle lives that even close observers like
Thackersy sometimes overlook the vast army of
faithful honest people who pass their simple lives
doing wrong to any one. Some among these
are restrained, no doubt, by mingled dread of do
ing wrong and fear of punishment. some perhaps,
by fear of punishment alone but the distinctively
honest men-trusted employees who deserve the
trust reposed in them-are naturally honest; they
do unto others as they would have others do unto
them because it seems so obviously right for them
to do this. so obv iously wrong to do otherwise.
morality founded upon alone would prob.
ably find few fit subjects. but reason should ut
least supplement moral TIA ming that the sense
OF wrong. and not d-t-ct in wrong. doing. might
make people unhappy in Vanity Fair-Baltimore
Weekly Sun.
Jersey City policeman having offered his hand