The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-06-25
may be good man, even good Christian;
but he cannot be Church leader unless
he gives much time to it. No man may
serve two masters.


The Supreme Court of Iowa has decided
that the fact that man shows "a glare o.
the eyes and wild expression in his face
when engaged in quarrels" does not prove
him to be insane. nor dos the fact that. as
testified in a certain trial. you could smell
the aroma from his head
This is encouraging. 1t really began 10
look, after the developments which have
occurred in certain trials, as ii a man
might be considered insane when lie vas
only ordinarily mad, in the American sense
of that term. A great many people, when
irritated or euraged, behave with an unac-
countable lack of judgment, the first sep
in which is usually shown in their allowing
! themselves to become angry. There are
| very few things in ones personal OK
perience which are really worth getting
seriously angry about. As to pI5li
| abuses, there are some in existence VIII b
are likely to keep an honest man and in
| tell!gent citizen in state OF subdued but
righteous wrath for most Of his time; but
| that is not sign OF insanity; rather the
| reverse.
But for the irritable person who knows
| that when he is angry he says and does
things which are not reasonable. there Is
| only one course that is wise; he must not
allow himself to get into that condition.
Temper is like the measles: it is easier 10
keep from catching the disease than TO keep
from breaking out with it when one has it.
Certain notions Of civilized and relig. ous
cocioty have haep rasnnpsih,a for a great
deal OF temper. Some OF the old-fashio2ed
Sunday school books, in delineati as the
typical saint a person who always did right
and never got angry, though subjected to
abuses that made the reader Jingle all over
with indignation even to read about we're
directly provocative Of much temper in the
children who read them. II the child was
possessed Of a certain sense OF justice, 1t
had a strong impulse to pound the sanity
hero or heroine for being so good and IT,
reproachable; the youthful reader of les
self-confdence felt a burning sense OF
shame at never being able to come up TO
the standard The result in beth cases was
the same The youthful reader was crozs.
Irritable people ought not to try to make
themselves over on TIE pattern Oh tncSs
calm and placid souls who never show tenn
per because they have roIe. They shou d,
instead, frd some legitimate outlet for
their nervous excitabiiity. They should
cultivate a sense of humcr, and find soIe-
thing funny wherever they can; ard they
should engage in work which demand, al
their energies, without Increasing their IT.
ritability. Thus they will avoid emotional
insanity and trials for murder, which are
unpleasant things. even when one is ac-
quilted.
Ordinary crossness, however, is not what
is the matter with some people. There are
men who have a downright bad temper
sullen, mean, truculent temper that will
not stand opposition. This is not insanity.
1t may degenerate into some form OF men
tai disease, and occasionally does. but
when that happens the fact Is apt to be
generally known. That a man has ia
cpient insanity is not sufficient reason for
allowing him to go scot-free IL he murders
| somebody. He should be punished as a
| warning to others of his temperament, il
| for no other reason.