Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1895-01-17
COBWEBS ON THE CONSCIENCE.

They ARE the Sources of All Grades of
Crime, and Every man should strive to
Brush Them Away.
Morning News, January Is.
The London Spectator discusses, with
all seriousness, the subject of "cob-
webbed consciences," its text being the
denunciation by several eminently good
persons of the first use in Connecticut
Of the automatic gallows, by which
condemned murderer was compelled to
be his own Gxecutipner. Tho Spectator
starts oil with this bit of sound philoso-
ply:
some people seem to think that the
proper function Of the conscience is to ell.
velOp the soul with kind of network of
cobwebs, so that it cannot move freely in
any direction without the kind of shiver
which runs through us when the face en-
counters one OF the gossamer threads
which the spiders spread from tree to tree
on line autumn mornings. Now, we main
tain that though II IS perfectly legitimate
and even essential function OF the con-
science 10 send through lis that fine thrill
of fear when we are contemplating any
thing really and clearly wrong, no con.
science can be turned to q worse use, and
yet II is u very common use than that OF
manufacturing Il great number OF iinngl-
nary and artificial warnings against alto
gether fancitul sins which have no exist
enCe except i'll the morbid imagination of
the mind that invented them. The
healthy conscience is not like stroke of
paralysis on all our active powers--ls
much rather bracing and stimulating in
tluence, which helps Us To push through
our work in life instead of compelling us
to hesitate and falter over it. And nothing
can be greater perversion of the func-
al
from the best means OF making our way
straight and plain, to the invention of Il
great network of labyrinthine scruples in
the tolls OF which all energy and freshness
are exhausted.
Then the Spectator raises the point
that those who object TO and protest
against the automatic gallows have cob
webbed their consciences in the vain
attempt TO prove that the law has no
right to compel the slayer of a man to
Stay himself. The contention of the
Spectator is well made. So long as the
death penalty is enforced there is no
sound objection to be made to compel
ing condemned murderer to spring the
trap which sends him into eternity. The
result is just the same as though the trap
were sprung by sheriff. In addition
the sheriff is relieved OF the necessity of
| performing very Gistasteful duty.
But the matter of cobwebbed con-
| sciences is one which Is fruitful
| theme for essayists and writers of SER
mons. There are too many cobwcbbed
| consciences. The man who will per-
nit his conscience to be cobwebbed SO
| tia! he will do in business what he
would not do in private affairs, or SO
| that he will do in politics what he
would not do in business, has probably
no! reached q point where he believes
"that the proper function of the CON
science is to envelop the soul with u
Kind of network Of cobwebs." At the
same time the envcloping process has
been in operation. Men do things in
business and politics that they would
not presume to do in the private or per.
sonal affairs of life, and thus they have
unconscientiously spun around their
brains and their consciences u network
of cobwebs which blunts their very
being.
Tue cobwebs of the conscience are the
sources of all grades Of crime. Every
man should strive TO his utmost to brush
away tue cobwebs when he finds that
they are narrowing his mental vision
and his keenness Of perception which
are so necessary in order to be able 70
decide between right and wrong. A
conscience smothered in cobwebs can.
not perform its proper functions &C.
ceptably. The conscience becomes
scared and hardened and refuses 10 dis.
tinguish between good and evil. Not
only is this true, but many consCicnces
as the London philosopher points ont
are warped into narrow lines and create
pedantic preiudices which are mistaken
for lofty and high flown flights Of wis
dom and mental discernment. This Is
not an cru of cobwebbed cunsciences OF
at least it ought not to be. There should
be general housekeeping of the con
sciences, and We should have fewei
captious criticisms and hear OF tewei
breaches of confidence and fewer viola
tions Of laws.