The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1893-02-11
DISCOURAGE ENT.

There is vast amount of harm done
in the world without any evil intention
and large share of it may be traced
to those persons who are habitual dis
couragers. They do not have malice
in their hearss they have no desire to
poison the happiness, enfeeble the
energies retard the advancement of
mankind. They would be shocked
and dignant if accused of such things
and yet this is exactly the influence
which they are unconsciously breath.
Ing forth in their intercourse. We
have all occasionally met such such
people. In the home or friendly circle,
let some new plan for pleasure or profit
be suggested, and they Immediately
begin to start objections. If 1t is an
excursion, the weather is threatening,
or the roads are bad, or the distance
too great, or some accident may
happen, and an apt story is told Of a
similar mishap and its disastrous con-
sequences, until the heart is taken out
of the whole project. After all, it was
only for pleasure, it will be said, and,
if so many dangers and difficulties
attend it, perhaps 1t is not worth while
to attempt it. Some social interest is
discussed, book club, literary So
ciety, a course of lectures, musicale,
an educational or charitable enter
prise; at once the discourager appears
with his wet blanket-the members
are not we'll chosen, the plans are not
well laid, the methods are defective,
the whole idea is impracticable, and
will end in disputes and probable
failure. There are always enough
timid souls to be enlisted on their side,
and if some one be found with courage
and .orce enough to overrule the objec-
tions and carry through the enterprise,
he must assume great Responsibility,
and stand ready to endure all the blamc
OF its possible mishaps. And yet these
people would warmly resent the charge
of having spoiled the plan. They did
but state its difficulties. they will say,
which ought always to be faced it was
not their dong that it was given up or
commenced with half-heartedneSs.
They are quite unaware that their in
luence has descended like heavy
pail, shutting down the hopes and de =
stroying the enthusiasm that otherwise
might have bloomed forth into both JOY
and profit.
Most of the inventions and discov-
cries that have combined to make our
civilization have been in turn exposed
to this poisonous influence. Mr.. Helps
thus humorously suggests what may
probably have been said to the man
who first contrived the wheel, by one
of these objectors: owe seem to
have gone on very we'll for thousand:
OF years without this rolling thing
Your father carried burdens on hi:
back. The King is content to be
borne on mems shoulders. The High
Priest is not too proud to do the same.
Indeed, l question whether it is moi
irreligious to attempt to shift from
mems shoulders their natural burdens
Then, as to its succee ding, ;or my par
l see no chance of that. How can i
20 up hill2 How is one to stop ii
going down? And even i
you could succeed with this new anc
absurd rolling thing, the State woulc
be ruined. What would become o
those who now carry burdens on thei
backsP Put aside the vain fancies of
childish mind and finish the planting 0
your yams."
We laugh now at the absurbity o
such objections, yet similar ones havi
been made against nearly every i'm
proyement. The first man who ven
tured to suggest coal for fuel, steam
for locomotion, gas for lighting, elec
tricity for power-the inventor of th
plough, the spinning wheel, the print
ing press, the sewing machine-th
discoverer of every new country, tn
founder of every new enterprise, hav
all had their hopes derided, their plan
discouraged, their failure prophesied
Hai it not been for the firm faith, tn
courage, the patient persistence c
these men, triumphing over their crue
discouragements, we should not hav
been enjoying the results of thei
labors. And although they succeeds
in spite of opposition, how many un
noted failures may not have been du
to similar influence How man
humble souls may have had gres
4h1ht1eaughts and hopes burning with
Sa that have been quenched by tn
: S,,eate waters OF encouragement and fol
c ~ lost The man capable of cor
,esting to the worlds welfare by HI
nal thought is not always the on
III his thought into notice, or t
+ gainst opposition. Not unfre
,,%.I : he retires discouraged, an