Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1889-01-31
Ia Suicide Cownrdicep

from the charity Of her judgment; for she
was trying to defend the suicide against my
assertion that it was cowardice.
The lady admitted that, If q solf-sayer
could be held TO be sane, then his act was a
coward's; for he is invariably trying to foe
from some danger that he dare not face, or
escape from some battle in which he is
afraid longer TO stand and fight.
"But sef-destruetion Is so unnatural"
she exclaimed. zone must BIO driven carry
before he can resort TO it."
Now far be il from me to snatch OF tho
mantle of charity from any poor shoulders
in this stormy life. But think moment.
Ia it 'unuatura TO inlure one's self Do
we not eat and drin k TO excessl Do we not
overwork, knowing that we are dong sol
Do not men go into battle sanely, knowing
just what they are Goipgl DO not martyrs
to tho truth deliberately throw away their
lives! All the & orlous p .ge Of history, 10 II
not writ with many shining chapter OF
''noble deeds whose very nobility consist
ell in the conscious sacrifice OF life Tor "A du-
tyl The firemen, the Grace Darlings, tho
brave h spi al nurses and attendants upon
plague -stri exon Jacksonville, do these not
know what they are about when they hold
life go highly! II, then, it ever consists with
sanity 10 Offer ones onw LIE for destruction,
have we quito the right 10 assume that no
sane man can d. stroy his own lftei
known But, VIII lie sweet charity should
cover this awful sin, yet u cannot be wise
TO eucoura 20 desperate deeds by mawlliSh
sentimcntalty. The first steps toward sui
eide are undoubtedly cowa dice. One Is in
trouble, and begins 10 think about escape by
this means. Here he should check himself.
1t is tho beginnings that are Comfortable.
Let him think on his family rlther than
on self. Imagining the unsp ,aIable grief
ths grief Of sham that would ovCrwhelm
wifi gli1 IN mn Va q N
see that ii il rank, base cowardice - 50 ED
himself by imposing such misery on thOS3
whom he should defend. Why should no
dodge q storm an leave them TO b. Grench-
edi Why should he run from an enemy and
leave his homo to arp sal TO the pity OF that
enemy! The manly thing Is 10 ply at one
post. If tho case is so desperate, brave
man may easily earn an honorable death IN
the fight; TIE mCch-coSStod death il JUS. at
hand. Let tte enemy inhict il, and have
the guilt Of your God Oh his hands. not on
your'. Let the enemy kill you, if he will,
and thus, becoming Your murderer, earn
murderer's punishment at thu bar OF your
God and his God. But thou, brave man,
Peri7hing with front to the Zoe, dying sword
in hand, gam ut once martyr CROWN lovo
roqu.om from 20 II family, and doom inAct-
ed on your prosecutor.
Now the cowardice of suicide ia that mon
are not bravo Cnou n TO suffer any longer.
They lack the courage TO d g BY ineAcs:
month away" Courage u suffer thOus-
and deaths is surely be ond the despcra ,C2
of moments agony with kni o. Tho
cOura q Il We re, o'n in many noble u eS,
certainly impelche5 the self-murdGrcr III the
one Is in tccd excellent, then, logically, the
other is ba @. II we &C lsc 10 blush for
! suicide, how IAN We continue 10 Hush with
pride over the Dat elt MARTYR!
Suicide is cowardice because IL is never
| seen - spring from holy motives Men and
\ Iii 4 n Of
/ or loss OF monetary power; or dread Of the
! law, or sla ne II guilt, or hopelessucs5 in
! sickness, or selfish Cricving over Their own
/ lonlinoss AMI persona. privatiOn by the de-
! p1rture Of the dead. All these motives arc
/ low. But we 10 not sec men and women 60
/ inc of al 10 kill themselves for the sake
\ of doinr some Cth"r life a sersice; nor 10
/ please tn Christian God. Indeed we have
/ two din rent wJrlS o describe these two
/ diff 'rent a is MGrtyrdon is one thing:
/ suicide is aIoJhcr. Tn motive makes al
/ the difference The II ar yr dies foc others.
! The suicide dies for himself. The MARTYR
dies loving life, and Offering valued thing
/ upon the altar Of duty. The suic de DIES
hating life and tiing'ng q de5pjScd gift q.
/ God IN the teeth of duty. The martyr sa"Ii
! fees. Tho suicide wishes 10 AVOID SGCrihCc.
| The martyr is beloved. The suic &c is pitcd
| or laughed az, or even cXecr tied by tGOs1 on
whose unolfonding heals lie has hcapsd
fresh troubles. To remember tie martyr
y y
pass: h weep over him washes out the eyes
! o. honor and iusp res the living with cour
age aud nobility. TO remember ths suicide
is n ways torture; ii grows moro shameful
in the family with every added year. Tho
tom DSt0nc bea"s no glowing culogy. Chill
dren'S children blush over it IS tho taunt 3
flung at them, Your grandfather kilc /
himself We weep over him, but the tears
are sca.djng hot, and the cTTDlLie is actually
ddJt7erOuS IL u fdHihJ. How lite is thought
Of thisi Yet, how true IL isl A son cam 1t
meet a crisis but tho tenn, iEgde Ill suggests
that "father shot hinsO ~ stalks into has
dreams ut rams in the flmilyn is not an
unusual EXPIRE Ision; AMI, alas, it has more
than the semblanCc of truth.
The truth IL, that moral courage is direct
ly opposed TO this terrible human event Tho
culture OF the man in habits Of cheerful,
brave, patient thoughts, the habitude Of
m0ntai pluck deiberation, GOODNESS, and
/ strength; the constant reliance on the All
/ Good, that in the end is sure u overcome
! the Au-Evil-thcse arc antidotcs most sure
He who w llld escape must also nevc-: think
twic1 of the terrible suggestion; once will
do-one glimpse of holl Turn away and
look To life Care OF heath, healthfu re rog-
ton and rest. slecn, rambling in tn paro
| air OF the fields. society OF the pure and good
and joyous, srea'ally childr, n these ara
means 10 escape from the Eobso5l.n of sui
| eide.
Above all things, love not money an that
you could immediate yourself on the altar Of
the golden calf Live moth ny in this world
| so hat you could, for the loss of 1t, bartoc
away tho next world. Remember that for
every wicked de>d there Is yet mercy 10
I him who w II ask for IL A living dog liz bet.
ter than a dead lion. TO leave this world rs
not to escape ones solf. Be brave aud kind
for yourself To live is courage.-New
| York WcolSly.