Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1901-04-22
%NAPOLEON'S WISDOM.
THE GREAT 'GENERAL UNDERSTOOD
THE VALUE OF DISCUSSION.

THE VALUE OF DISCUSSION.
1t Does For the Brain What Exercise
Does For the Muscles-The Mighty
Corsican's Ideas ON Religion and
the First Great Cause. .
Man exercises his muscles to improve
them. HeScompetes muscularly with
his fellows, and rivalry of muscle ends
in muscular improvement all around.
What exercise does for the muscles
discussion does for the brain.
The Importance Of discussion Napo-
leon appreciated thoroughly. =
And when he discussed, he discussed
like a big man, selecting questions to
exhaust the mind and lead far away
into fields of conjecture and widest
speculation.
to speculation the time needed for do
ing. First came the real work Of the
day or hour-the planning and finish
ing Of details, from the disposing Of ar
my corps to the smallest final arrange
ments.
Then, free from actual work, seeking
relief from concentrated application,
his brain sought rest in talk worth
while.
On his voyage to Egypt, determined
to waste no time, he organized serious
discussion as methodically as he ever
organized a fighting plan.
The discussions were regularly ap-
pointed affairs.
Needless to say, Napoleon arranged
everything and controlled everything.
He selected the subject for discus
sion, he chose the three or four on each
side to support and oppose any given
proposition.
These were his favorite topics: First,
the art of war; second, the art of gov
eminent; third, religion.
From his point of. view his chief sub
jects for discussion were admirably
chosen. They represented the only two
things he cared for here below and the
final question affecting his fate here
after.
But his field Of thought, like the
scope of his ambition, was unlimited.
Once he asked his chosen debaters to
decide whether the planets are inhab-
tied.
Again, he discussed this earth's prob
able ending, by fire Or water.
He discussed also the meaning OF
dreams and the value of "presenti.
,ments."
In practical life he discarded every.
thing save realities, but in discussion
all abstract questions interested him.
It may interest you to know that in
general he denied positively the exist.
ence Of hell-perhaps that was caution
on his part-and maintained that nc
man should die without confessing his
sins: -.
"Only a fool says that he will. die
without a %confessor. There is so much
we do not know and that we cannot
explain" 81"
1t is deeply characteristic Of Napo.
Icons thought that he should have de.
clared for Mohammedanism in prefer
ence to Christianity.
He admired the religion Of Moham-
med because it conquered one-half the
world in ten years, whereas it took 300
years for Christianity to establish it.
SELF"
The old French king became convert.
ed because he thought the Christian
God beat his pagan god in battle. Ma
poleon had not travelled far beyond tina,
old king.
The nal who seeks for all sorts of
wisdom in Napoleon will be deeply dis.
appointed when he comes to analyze
the great fighters religious thought.
But for the hero worshiper there is
comfort in this:
Napoleon trided with everything ex-
cept the first great cause. ,
On the deck Of his ship on a fine
night there was much irreverent, flip
pant, materialistic chatter. The revo-
luton had made stupid atheism fash
ionable.
But Napoleon was impressed by the
calm night, the blue, dark water and
the silent, beautiful stars shining down
in cosmic rebuke of the tiny bias.
phemers below.
He stopped very abruptly the prattle
Of atheism. ,,-.- 3.
Toward the stars he pointed the
short, thick arm so soon to rule this
little planet. .": s. {
"You may talk as long as, you please
gentlemen, but who made all that?"'
There was no answer, and there was
no more atheism that night ..,
~ Tho xp1,1 IT IN h,,S1I -, ~
code Napoleon could appreciate the
force and necessity of law. His mind