The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1894-05-12
SELF DEVELOPMENT,
Contracted with SeIf-saerifce-What is
Possible for Man.

aim in itself; self development is
possible, reasonable and co, sistent.
1t is capable of being law to all
rational beings. If we all sacrificed
ourselves, habitually and always,
the world would be so much the
more wretched in consequence; if
we all developed ourselves to the
utmost of our ability, the world
would be SO much the richer and
happier. Universal self sacrifice is
a meaningless conception. If one
person sacrifices himself Or herself
for the sake of another, it is in order
to make that other the happier.
And il the other too lightly accepts
the sacrifice, there is wrong and
injustice. Most often, indeed, we
feel called upon to sacrifice ourselves
through some act Of selliShness or
wrong doing on the part of our
| nelehbors. Sacrifice is then in itself
by no means a good thing.
1t is forced upon US as a bad
necessity by untoward circumstances.
If others could be as happy without
the need for our sacrificing ourselves
we should al! be gamers. But
Christianity has so exalted this false
! ideal of self sacrifice as in itself a
good thing that most people are
genuinely shocked to hear it even
called in question. They do not
see that they are apoloeizing for
injustice and setting up an impoSs.
ible and nugatory standard Of moral
action. Indeed, they are afraid to
reason upon ethical subjects at all
lest their whole house Of cards
should come down about their ears
and collapse eternally,
Self development, on the contrary
is an aim which will make ali stronger
and saner, and wiser, and better. 1t
will make each in the end more
helpful to humanity. To be sound
in the wind and limb; to be healthy
of body and mind ; to be educated
to be emancipated, to be free. to be
heautiful-these things are ends
toward which all should strain, and
by attaining which all are happier in
themselves, and more useful to
others. That is the central idea OF
the new hedonism. We see clearly
that is good for every man among
us that he and every other man
should be as tall, as strong, as well
knit, as supple as wholesome, as
effective, as free from vice or defect
as possible. We see clearly that it
is his first duty to make his own
muscles, his own organs his own
f bodily functions, as perfect as he Can
make them in like perfection, un-
, spoiled, to his descendants.
We see clearly that it is good tol
every woman among US that she and
every other woman should be as
physically developed and as hnel,
, equipped for her place as mother a:
it is possible to make herself. We
f Sc that it is good for every woman
r that there should be such men, anc
tor every man that there should bt
S such women. We see it is good fo
l every child that it should be borT
of such father and such mother
We see that to prepare ourselves TO
the duties of paternity and maternity
. by making ourselves as vigorous
and healthful as we can be, is
5. duty we all owe to our children un
born and to one another. We Sc
c that to sacrifice ourselves, ant
in!erentialiy them, is not a thin!
good in itself, but rather thing t.
be avoided where practicable, an
only to be recommended in the las
il resort as an unsatisfactory means {
'l escape from graver evil. We Sc
Of that each man and each woma
N holds his virility and her femininit
> in trust for humanity, and to pla
n fast and loose with either, at tn
ID ID bidding of priests or the behest
er puritans, Is a bad thing IN itself, an
X X is fraught with danger tor the stat
of and for future generations.
ID And what is thus true Of the bod
ct corporeal is true also of the bod
spiritual, intellectual, esthetic. 1t
the duty of every one among US
NJ develop himself and herself to ii
highest possible point, freely,
es. every direction. 1t is our duty
think as tar as we can think; to &
X rid of all dogmas, preconcepuo
sad prejudices to make sure we
1 -. fa14