The Lehi banner. [volume] (Lehi, Utah) 1891-1917, 1895-07-11
THE STUDY OF SELF.
Tle way to Proper Valuation Of Our
solves aud Our Attaintn snts.


solves aud Our Attainm snts.
tits little singular that quality which
really essential 10 dccency, not TO say or.
cllcncc, is yet one capable Of producing a
iu'crieration Of character, quite a. low In
iis descent "a IT'S opposite Is lofty In alti-
tudc, says Harpcr's Bazaar. For certain
amount Of consciousness Of ourselves Is
rood and necessary, while too great an
amount Is dcbasiug and unworthy. With
out proper pride, as II Is called, where are
wei Wo arc ALMOST without self-respect.
tOr pride Of personal kind keeps one In
the observance OF those lesser duties, which
not TO observe would render one rccreant
IN ones own estimate. IL will allow one 10
do nothing at odds with onos ideal OF honor,
Of honesty, of civility, OF kindness, and,
whore religious props and stays are miss.
ing, IL keeps one from much OF tho evil
THAI lies In wait. II IL is not good morals in
itself It cnforces good manners, and leads
the WY 10 good morals by such regard Of
tho real reason and motive of good manners
az springs from tho Golden Rule II hav-
ing nothing 10 do with that rulo In IL
self But, INDUCED beyond proper
point, this characteristic In capable OF as
sumig double mask, either aspect Of
which Is hateful. IL hos on tho ono side ar
roi zee, IN expression Of self utterly out OF
proportion with right aud truth, where the
claimant gathers to himself all tho wisdom
aud virtue aud admirable quality that there
may be IN question, and II he does not ex-
clalmi ~ nm Sir Oracle and when speak
let no dog bark" nc thlnks II, and therefore
bears himself % " he were infallible. IL 10
into this detcstable quality that prideo OF
birth and pride Of money merge themselves.
Adventurous circumstances as both birth
and money arc, the person who manifcsts
pride in them. and claims superiority be-
cause Of them, acquires unconsciously Q
haughtness Of manner that makes him not
only unbcarable but laughable, the haughti-
moss being only tho external manifestation
OF the undue estimate OF tho facts Of ones
individuality and showing, on the whole,
less nobility aud worth than thoro might
have been, without either high birth or
great wealth, inasmuch as pride in ma
terial and porishable things Is less TO be
esteemed than pride in spiritual ones. A
man Of proper pride could never arrogute 10
himself the possession OF tho mercst trine
Tint was not really his; he would consider
u os all OF piccc with auy other dishon-
esty, aud he win never drag his name In
tho dust OF assertion, struggle and dissent;
but an arrogant man, assuming to be the
equal OF his supcriors, Is never any thing
bus ridiculous object 20 those whose finer
senses arc not offended by him. sas;-I
The othor aspect Of this double mask IL
that presented by the activity ~ vitality
and sclf-conccit Not that tho presence OF
vanity always implies that OF an overween-
1 ing concoit IL mny be that It's possessor by
no means Oycrestlmatos a particle Of his
| powers OF belongings; he may have all that
/ OF which he Is vain, and be really marvel
| Of capacity or beauty, or whatever is the
| thing most valued IN his category. When
/ tho preacher said IAN "a vanity" he
meant TO use the literal Specification of the
/ word--all ~ hOll0wness; and hence some.
| times we attach to the word an idea OF
/ falsity and protoncc which, as the word Is
| now used, IL erroneous, as one Ia vain only
| Of what one actually possesses, or sincerely
thinks he possesses, and vanity pure and
simple Is as much an expression OF active
interest In ones self as any thing else.
| There Is, indeed n certain questionable
/ variety Of vanity which Is 80 spurious and
/ dcp0rable as hardly 10 be claimed by
either pride or vanity and Ia 10 be classed
under the head Of solf-righteousness; but
kept out OF sight IL does no special harm TO
any one, and II IL does not clog his moral
endcavor, acts only as a stimulant 10 the
possessor; always odious In tho angelic
and superior eyes, II Is only when 1t be-
comes 80 overlapping as to obtrude
itself upon earthly neighbors that
II becomes odious to them; or
whom IL Is founded on next TO moth
Ing that II makes its victim absurd /,
II Is then form Of selfconcoit that Is an
abomination In all eyes and cars. To tho
self-centered person the outer universe is a
trino; the ogo is tho only universe; tho
rest OF mankind arc more notes, or at beet
parasites ho himself walks with his head
In the clouds, and so loftily that ho fails TO
sec the pebbles on which his feet stumble,
or tho par,y-oolor with which his folly has
dressed him like Harlequin. On tho whole,
If IN some relations there is any braclng or
stimulating quality In tho possession OF q
certain amount of pride, yet It's abuse Ia so
tempting and so easy that one is led 10
think 10 would DO better when tho good
fairy gives gifts TO decline that one alto
gcthor, INDUCING no vanity, and running no
danger OF trampling over tho weak and
poor-spirited The safe and wise maxim,
'Know thyselfn which used 10 DO worked
by little maidens on their book-marlxs, In
the dogs Of perforated paper, points out the
way 10 a proper valuation Of ourselves and
( our attainments. Possibly no ono ever
really acquired tho knowledge thoroughly
or accurately; but no who has endeavored
% DO so can not help agreeing with the poet
when he writes;
Selfreverence, self-knowledge, seif-controi--
These three lead man TO sovereign powa."
!