The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-03-23
a WORD ABOUT ovnIcs.

There is a generation whose teeth are
as swords and their jaw teeth as Knives
to cevour the poor from off the earth
ana the needy from among men.
4NHEN Solomon wrote those words
" he must have been thinking Of
mex who are pleased to call them
selves cynics. According TO the Centu-
ry Dictionary, cynic means "Of,or per-
taifing to a dog: dogliks.' Further on
the cynic IS described as "a sneering,
fauit-inder." Tt viii be noted that
the synic IS coupled with dog arst an
unWarranted insult to the general run
Of dogs. IL the Century Dictionary had
specified that the synic was only ike
the eur that sucks eggs. alays sheep
and suaris at children. the real deflni-
tiop would have been more nearly at
tened
No cur I'm human form is 50 despisa-
bic as the cynic, and yet there are
some men and some writer's who pride
themselves on their cyniclsin. such in
dividlals imagine they are witty. but
they are not 4 man who knew what
he vas talking about once said: 1T is
a great deal easier to say smart mean
thiEg than a smart good thing" Do
the writer's of cynical editorial para
graphs, the originators of cynical cpl
grams. ever stop to think ab0ht this?
The milk Of human kindness must
have dried in the moral being Of tho
man who can never hnd anything cool
70 say about his neighbo1- Il may be
SGT down as an axiom that the indi-
vidual who is always criticising the
motives of others, who is always try
ing TO find an Interior reason for some
act OF charity, some instance of self
folgetfulness. would never himself per-
'orm an act Of the kind described with
but some self-seeking purpose in view.
Cynicism. like vinegar. il good for
'alads but as salads ruin the physical
iigcs ticn, so Jynicism warps the moral
One verse OF the Sermon on the Mount
Is worth an the bon mots that have
fallen from the lips Of cynlus since the
world began and every verse of it win
be remembered when all the rest have
been forgotten. We all know men who
would see a design for self-asgrandize-
ment in the Widows donation of her
two mites. They would see some selfish
purpose in the love which induces a
man to lay down his life for his friend.
And what docs the cynic receive in
exchange for the distrust. the misery.
the suspicion he causes2 Little but the
cordial dltestation Of these with whom
he comes in contact His associates
may show him outward evidences Of
esteem. but it is fear. not love. that
actuates them No man can be beloved
by his felloWman who does not give
love and evidences of love in return
The popular man is not the tynic.
RE is the chap who goes ioyousiy
through life finding good things where
others find ashes. a kindly word for
everybody. q friendly grip at all times.
WHAT a world this would be if it was
made mp al cynics. Wouldn't they have
q good time yelping and Swapping at
one another and wouldn't they all
down deen in their hearts. be glad
When their short race was finished?
some consolation for those who don't
ike cynics may be drawn from a writ
ing Of Epictetus. There is a fine cir
cumstance connected with the charac-
Ger Of cyaic-that he must be beaten
like an ass. and Yet when beaten must
love those who beat him, as the father
as the brother of us all And again:
-'I-et not anOther's disobedience 10 M
ture bscome an IN To you for you
were not born to be depressed and un-
happy with others, but to be happy
with them And Il any IS unhappy.
remember that he Is so for himself. for
God made all men to enjoy felicity and
peace