The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1890-12-11


There is so much make believe''-so
much unnecessary talk and pretension, in
these days, in every department of life,
public and private--that anything like prac
teal honesty of purpose and genuine sym
pathy or OutspOken opinion on any subject
is almost as rare as snow in summer.
The spirit of discrimination, evasion and
hypocrisy has crept into every section of
society and every walk of life until the
social circle, the club, the workshop and even
the church itself has become so thoroughly
inOculated with the poison of pretence-
that person whose professions are borne
out by his actions, and whose deeds are the
spontaneous and natural outcome of his
principles or thoughts is looked upon almost
as wonder. They are like angels visits.
few and far between; and, when found,
should be made note of and highly priced.
1t is lamentable but indisputable fact that
the chief passports to society" are money
and political or family influence. If man
relies solely upon his own merits or the
genuneness of his principles of action-his
progress will be very slow. his journey la
bOriOus, and his final success very problem
atcal.
The general public are largely governed
by outward appearances. and seldom care
to take the trouble to go below the surface
analysis and investigation into the rel
alive merits of schemes or persons being sim
ply abhOrrent and irksOme to them. They
take the ipse diXit, eXparte statements and
even crude opinions of acquaintance or
friends on the subjects or individuals in
trOduced to their nOtice-accept and act
upon them as absolute facts. and either &C
cept or reject the matter. being all the time
in utter ignorance of the case in its merits.
Consequently, practical or active sympathy
with the chars cter of or principles underly-
ing certain popular or deserving projects is
ignored or set aside. and the Ostensible OBJ
jects of many charitable, benevolent and
refOrmatOry organizations, prOfessedly es-
tablished for the elevation and benefit of
the community are either frustrated or per-
verified to base and selfish purposes. and
only serve to vaunt the reputation of those
whose names are emblaZOned in the pro-
spectuses and advertisements. This unhappy
result is also attributable to total misap-
prehenSiOn of the true meaning of the word
''sympathy'. 1t does not mean pity or
cOmmiseratiOn. Far from it; it is, liter.
ally. cOmmlngllng OF intereSt-an actual
participation or fellow feeling with others
in their varied conditions of joy and grief.
We have pity and compassion for all who
need it, or whose condition appeals to our
sense of suffering; but we have sympathy
only for few-true sympathy being a
tangible identity of thought and feeling with
the sufferer and thorough appreciation of
their circumstances and surroundings.
Sympathy cannot find satisfactory expires
sion IN set of stock phrases-which, like
a ready made garment, is alike unsuitable
and unbecOming both to the donor and the
recipient.
Charles Reade. the novelist furnishes a
practical illustration of the primary essen-
tial in all humanitarian undertakings in his
Put Yourself in His Place. and his
Never Too Late to Mend" Lloyd Garri-
son. Wendell Phillips. and a number of
others, whose names will ever live in the
hearts of the people. have demonstrated, in
self denying. active lives. what true SYM