The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-05-03

There has sprung up somewhere re-
Gently an apostle of clearness in
thought and literature which should it
become fad will be the death of many
a cult and perhaps to much that is
known under the name Of new thought.
The idea of this movement is to decry
the vagueness which has been charac-
teristic of much that has been con-
sidered very beautiful by persons who
were not at all sure what it meant.
So common has this sort of thing be-
come that even intelligent persons have
been almost afraid to confess they
found no message in books and ideas
which have been much praised by
others who have prided themselves on
their discernment.
1t would be perhaps invidious to
mention names of writer's and speak
erS who have advocated these haZy
ideas, but in the last ten years there
have been books from a group of writ
ers, some of them in Paris and Lon
don a few in New York, advocating
ideas that the ordinary mind could
not grasp, but claiming to be higher
and better than the old orthodoxy or
an ancient moral code. In this man.
ner cult for haZiness and vagueneSs
has come about, and the more incom-
prehenSible lingo one can talk or write,
the more advanced and ethical is he
considered. OF course, it was clearly
evident to an old and conservative
class of writers and thinkers that this
was but a phase, bound in the course
of events to take its place in a long
list of fadS that come and go. So sure
enough the death knen of it has been
sounded, but timorously as yet, as if
by one who feared that by letting the
clear light of day in upon ideas dear
to many, he was committing some
sort of crime. But it was bound to
come sooner or later, and one brave
man admitting that he does not I'M
derstand a thing, and stating moreover
that he does not think any intelligent
mind can grasp it, often clears the at
mosphere, and he finds himself the
leader of many.
In fact, sincerity is one of the most
valuable things in the world, and if
a person discovers that he is naturally
not so, he should cultivate it, for sin
certify is not only moral quality, but
1t is like honesty and pays best in
the end. So many persons will not
admit that they do not understand an
idea or a doctrine, fearing thereby
they may be rejecting upon their own
Intelligence. But it is much better to
say at once that one does not compre-
bend. This fear of not appearing to
know things is common among the
very young; indeed. there is an age at
which We none of US like to admit that
we do not know things, nor read GER
tain books, hear the best music and
SO fOrth-a sort Of intellectual pride
that results in lots of little deceits and
subterfuges which tangle us up and
deceive but few. Then there comes a
time when we are willing to admit
that there are a few things we do not
know, & most hopeful period when we
may really begin to learn. For we
never learn until we realize our own
limitations. But this growing cult for
clearness of thought and expression is
going to drive away the mists from
many minds, and may, in certain in
stances, deprive some persons of their
living. For there has grown UP
class of teachers or lecturers who talk
hazily to audiences not knowing what
they want and who are vaguely in hope
that this self-appointed leader may be
voicing their sentiments, and the hail
ness only adds to the charm These
persons may find themselves out of a
job when this practical fad for saying
what one means gets into good working
order