Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1890-03-22

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Confidence sn Their DIVA Position.
II has been said by devotees oi Shake.
spcare that every thing can he found in |
his plays; and certainly the beat de- |
scription Of the newest intellectual |
foible on mankind IN 10 be found there. |
The native hue Of resolution" WAS
never 10 .ssicklied DER with the pale
cast OF thought as 10 Is nowadays, when
skepticism attacks other things than
belief in theology. Not only have men
begun 10 doubt the creeds, and the ac-
cepted moralities, and in certain NUM-
Der Of eases, the existence Of a sentient
Creator: not only do they call on all in.
situations 10 give valid reason for their
existence, but they are inclined 10 doubt
their own right to be or to act, 10 qnes-
ton whether they are not themselves
mistaken. and to argue that Ii would be
either morally or intellectually wrong
to resist those who intend to sweep
them away. They have, TO use popular
language. no " confidence In their
own position not on account OF any
want in the position itself, but Of an
inner skepticism either as TO their capac-
ity TO fill 1t, or more generally self
conceit showing no sign of approaching
death OF the rightfulness or utility OF
the position itself. 1t Is usual, We
think, in our day 10 regard this condi-
ton OF mind as rather a fine one. Such
doubts, ii il said. show an open mind,
capable of sympathizing even with oppo-
sition. III that il SO, IL IN a rare instance
of correct thought producing weakness,
for we may be sure that no man thus
skeptical of himself and..the rightfulness
OF his own position will ever do his
whole duty, especially that part Of 1t,
self-d.sonse, which is often 10 essential;
but we question whether the condition
is admirable at all. There is, we fancy.
quite AS much weakness as virtue In IT,
or intellectual openness either. One
likes sentry TO go on pacing. and not
10 be so ready to argue with the first
confer whether sentries can be part OF
the tiy.nely-appointed scheme, An in
capacity OF fully believing Ii not n
strength, but only sign of mind
which may In rare eases be- strong, but
(. moSe often fiabby and undecided. A
man may think his position or occupa.
ton wTsgsg, and then he IL bound ~
leave IL: but Ii he does not think so, he
should quell his doubts, and do the duty
he was set by Providence or his own
history To do. We should never blame
an officer for throwing up his commits.
sion rather than command in a war he
believed to be utterly unjust; but II he
aees not believe that. and only doubts
that In commanding In war he Is some
how out of place, and intellectually :
little ridiculous, we should say hii
duty was to do the work before him a,
well as he knew how We suppose il il
thought which produces these hesita
tions of our day. Shakespeare though
So. and he knew human nature as ",
can not pretend to do; but IL some
times occurs to us that IL may not b.
thought at all. There may be forms o
moral cowardice as independent
of thought as physical COW
ardiee IL sometimes of ih'
will and almost a. much exemp
from responsibility. Men admir-
strength, and have studied il, and knoy
, even how Ia generate II: but they hav
been neither SO patient nor SO obsery
ant about weakness. We suspect tina
there are good many men like tn
/
face his position AS clerk Of the llous
OF Lords and. long before his mind ha,
g given way, threw II mp in III OF sell
5 distrustinp horror That WAS not a RI
suit OF thought ut all, but II he wa
[ sane, of weakness exactly correspond
$ ing in the mind to eowardice in til
0 physical nature. II Is quality 10 b
+, lamented over, and sometimes pitied
. but 1t IL never praiseworthy. Indeed
1 Ii never Is praised. except by those VIII
a like it, results and who. desirin
u change. see that under the operation Q
this dread responsibility, this uncertain
! ty as to duty, this doubt whether an
!. thing but remuneration can ever be righi
I no stable thing can exist The ma
/ who does not believe in his own fun,
s tions. be they kings or beadle's, is eel
q tain to be partially useless. and thong
e he may be sometimes an enlightcne
n man unable not Ia see the ridiculon
|. aspect of his crown or his red coat. b
Q may he also, and usually IL, much OF
], moral coward. Nine times out Of te
il the work you have To do Is work yo
L ought not TO shirk. and TO leave tina
a work undone because of faint inner he
4 itations. especially If YOU never act o
a them when all Is smooth. il nothing bn
Sinking. which would b. discreditabl,
II but that the Who'll. world Il doubtft
q whether any man has right to an
Il thing, even to the position in whic
!. Providence has obviously placed him.
A