Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1897-12-16
SOME RAMBLING THOUGHTS.
BY MEMO


opponent in him than you have in YOUR
self in your careless method Of approach
ing him. In feet, it sometimes seems as
Though many good peop'e hold to most |
excellent ideas, more 10 crafty their |
sense OF pride at having ideas AZ ALI, than
to persuade others less enlightened At
any rate there are many who approach |
their fellows in such harsh, unsympa- /
thetic ways that they repel rather than |
win them. The impression subject |
makes depends on the way 1t il presented;
which is true whether the one who is
striving to make point il a moral tea her
or an irste bull. psrIeying is difficult |
when your victim is running away from |
you as fast ~ his legs will carry him.
1t is told OF ujamiu franklin that he
ascribed his extraordina powers OF per-
suasion to the fact that his manner al
ways showed respect Tor the opinions OF
others. Having secured his listener, he
would gradually lead up to the telling
points by saying, "Don't you think|'
rat her than ~ think" lie thus won by
leading his opponents judgment onward
eyer trut h there is in this-snd imagine
there is great deal it is worthy OF even
more than partial imitation by every one
who attempts to mould the thoughts of
others. But the Difference We show to
the opinions OF Others must be really sin
cere-and there is no reason why it should
not be, for not one OF sbsor bS in one
all "a
to convince; for the snare is set in vain
in the sight OF any bird, and the pit along
a line OF argument il never to be digged
in sight OF the victim.
Approach a man in a way that betokens
a belief in your own superiority, or with a
almost sure to resent it. You have for
the moment forgotten the veneration due
10 his individuality. With both OF you,
the whole universe Is centered on the spot
OF ground that each occupies, and neither
must forget the Others view. Respect
the thought OF others; believe In advance
that every man has idess--or thinks he
has, which comes to the same thing-and
you viii fad yourself moving steadily
toward the winning OF him, II he is less
firm in his facts aud thought and logic
than you. 1t is true indeed hat
successful attack on some one else's
thought is not hrough ut about merely by
force OF thought Tor force is too often
met with iorce-but by careful prepa-
ratio beforehand suited to the person
attacked, much h. a general disposes OF
hl- troops differently at every separate
fort assaulted. This ability to reinforce
strength with skill Is one OF the secrets of
power among leaders of men.
remember reading somewh here OF
misguided euthu,last who looked over
fence and hailed a young fellow In such
an alarming tone OF voice TINT the youth
iucoutiuently He'd. " hat did the slrang-
er then do but jump the fence and set
Of in pursuit. After n long chase he
winded his frightened fugitive, and then
care him a tract, with some religion adj
vice betw cen breaths. History does not
record the effect -presumabl it is better
imagined than desert bed-but it Is to be
hoped that the recording angel used lit
ting leniency. such II weii-intentIoned
one-is he not common apart sitoget her
from trscts?-such a one needs TO follow
the Contucian advice which suggests that
ain archery We have something like The
way OF the superior man. W hen the
archer misses the centre OF the target, he
turns round and seeks for the cause Of
his failure in himself"
In matters of religion and OF politics it
is especially true that many Of US do more
harm than good by arguing and persuad-
ing In the first place We often forget
that our opponent, however mistaken he
may appear to Us, has III all probahIl-
ty fully justified to himself his own line
OF act ION or belief. TINS Is true in re-
iation to tie famatIcsi followers of the
oldest vagaries, a- 81 ell ~ to deVout be-
levers in religion, pure and undetiled.
But forgetiulness of this fact produces
hates and distrusts and cruel:les and
mi-eOles immeHsurable.
Ina prolonged walking tour in Virginia
| caiile across peculiar sect on Chinco-
teaqu- Island Their membership was
less han hundred, yet they felt that
they alone OF all the myrads on earth
would get o Heaven. Strange as 1t may
sound, they were quite sincere IN thelr
Interpretation OF the bible, both on
this point and ON another, t" the effect
that all marriages and ali offspring, prior
to the "sauctilicaliou' OF the parents,
were iilegltimate. often recall this eX-
perience to guard myself against narrow