The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1895-10-03
THE QUESTION OF PENALTY.


Men in all ages, of ali classes, beliefs,
opinions, prejudices, superstitions, have
been able to convince themselves that
they were right. There have always
been men who believe that "WhateVer
is. is right" There has never been
wrong that has not been defended as
right. There has never been a super
stition or false doctrine or an absurd
theory that has not been championed
and defended as strenuOusly as the
truth. Men have shown as great will
ingness to die for error as for truth. !
Slavery, intemperance, the inqulsitlon, |
the divine right Of kings, the temporal
infallibiity of the pope, the old inter-
minable series of false theories OF hui |
manity, government, religion, down to
our modern class distinctions and legis-
lation have been fought for by devoted
believers, and every one has had It's
MARTYRS. Men have believed it was
right to offer human sacrifices. No
government has been SO monstrously
| bad. but it has had moral defense, no
cabal but has taken the sembIance OF
right. Nothing is more common than
self deception with regard to our own
conduct and motives. Under the tyr
amy of evil habit and example we
readily grow to receive as tolerable, and
even pleasing, theories and methods
which once conscience and self-respect
would have recoiled from. The penal
ty of any given sin IS not as terrible as
the ease with whicEs it leads to larger
offenses. and the benumbing of the
moral sense. Men are deceived by their
imaginatons. They choose some fas-
/, cinating vice, glorify it and cover its de-
formities from sight. Solomon was
, never wiser than when hesaid: There
. is way which seemeth right unto a
man, but the end thereof is DEATH
To some men work is irksome, idle
ness fascinating. AS rule, only ne
cessity drives men to systematic actiy-
t ity. Idleness, ease. luxury, have charms
5 for most. Yet all experience shows
that they are the carpeted road to death
:, The real delights of this life start out
: of labor. while idleness is the fecunc
S source of all evil. Struggle and toi
t and self-denial, which seem so hare
d and are so unattractive, are the only
h means of human development, the rea
s foundations of physical and menta
q and spiritual sanity. 1t is easy ant
natural, perhaps, for men who are abOv'
material wants to claim the right t.
leisure and the enjoyment Of idleness
But it is mistake. When a man turn
e his back upon work, physical decay be
is gins. Longevity is one of the fruits
E active labor. Every man is under OF
is legation both to himself and his neigh
" Dor never to abate his activity. Their
v is no favored age in human life. Their
~ is no point at which man can witt
a draw his personal force from th
10 mighty community, without grave II
Ill jury to himself. Real pleasure is ST
st cured by overcoming the inertia ofevi
th The Joys Of character, all the triumph
LII of life worth glorylng in, are won, n'
u bestowed. All the gates Of evil al
ze garlanded and idleness and dissipatic
ne put on the guise of right. The gre
ur highway question is: is it the rigl
at road?' not "Is it the pleasantest?'
lat Men, probably the majority, spe1
at life in the pursuit of material ami
ect tions, who have no higher ideal Of su
lg. cess than wealth, or public office or
Ike cial position. This is the road that
I'll them seems right, because their lin
ou instincts are deadened, their spiritu
me natures stunted. Human developme
-ou means the use of their intellectual for
ion to distinguish the true from the fal
or The growth of mind is marked by t
the explosion of fdelusiOns. The Wisest m
to is he who has looked through
tell shams. Men are equipped to ascerts
,iss the truth, and that is their first a
len highest duty. They are aided in
lot, search by all the past, by the accun
5 to lated experience and wisdom of all
V. ages, and by the instructive impulse