Mexico Missouri message., 1905-05-11

which isolates them from their neigh
bors. There they are, intrenched, bar
rlcadcd with their ambitions and their
contcmpts, as inaccessible as the pow
erful of earth behind their aristocratlc
| prejudlCes. Obscure or illustrlous,
pride wraps itself in its dark royalty
| of enmlty to the human race. 1t is the
! same I'm misery and in high places
! solitary and impotent, on guard against
everybody, embroillng everything. And
the last word about It is always this:
II there is so much hostility and ha-
tired between different classes Of men
it Is due less to exterior conditions than
to an interior fatality. Conflicting in
terests and differences Of situation dig
bitches between us, II Is true, but pride
transforms the bitches into CULTS, and
in reality it is pride alone which cries
from brink to brink, There is nothing
in common between you and u.s.!
We have not finished with pride, but
it IS impossible to picture it under all
its forms. feel most resentful against
It when it NEEDLES with knowledge and
apprOpriatcs that. We owe our knowl-
edge to our fellows, as we do our riches
and power. 1t is q social force which
ought to he Of service to everybody,
know remain alphabetically near to
those who know not. When knowl-
edge is turned into TOOL for ambition
it destroys itself.
And what shall we say of the pride
of good men? For 1t exists and makes
even virtue hateful. The just who re-
pent them of the evil others do remain
in brotherhood and social rectitude.
But the just who desplse others for
their faults and misdecds cut them
selves Off from humanity, and their
! goodness, descended TO the rank of an
| ornament for their vanity, becomes
like those riches which kindness does
not inform, like authority untempered
by the spirit Of obedience. Like proud
wealth and arrogant power, super
ciliOus virtue also is detestable. 1t
fosters in man traits and an attitude
provocative Of know not what. The
Sight Of it repcls instead Of attracting
| and those whom it delgns to distin-
guish with its benefits feel as though
they had been slapped in the face.
To resume and conclude, it is an error
to think that our advantages, what
| ever they are, should be put to the
Ecryicc Of our vanity. Each Of them
constitutes for him who enjoys it an
obligation and not reason for vain
glory. Material wealth, power, knowl-
edge, gifts of the heart and mind, be-
come so much cause for discord when
they serve to nourish pride. They re-
main beneticent only so long MS they
are the source Of modesty in those who
possess them.
Let us be humble If we have great
possessions, for that proves that we
are great dcbtor7. All that q man has
he owes to some one, and are we sure
OF being able to pay our debts?
Let us be humble if we sit in high
places and hold the fate Of others in
our hands, for no clear sighted man
can fail to be sensible Of unituess ror
so grave a role.
Let us be humble if we have much
knowledge, for it only serves II better
show the vastncss OF the unknown and
TO compare the little we have dis
covered for ourselves with tie umpli.
tude of that which we owe to the pains
~ others.
Aud, above all, let lis be humble IL we
are virtuOus, since no one should be
more sensible of his defects than he
to
since he, more than any one else, should
feel the need Of charity toward evil
doors, even Of suffering in their stead.
"And what about the necessary dis.
tlnctlOns in llfey some one may ask
'As a result Of your simpliflcations
are you not going to destroy that sense
Of the difference between men which
must be maintained If society eXlstl
at all?'
have no mind to suppress distinc,
tons and differences, but l think that
what distinguishes n man is not found
in his social rank, his occupation, his
dress or his fortune, but solely in him
self. More than any other, our own age
has pricked the vain bubble OF purely
outward greatness. To be somebody
at present It does not suffice to wear
the mantle Of an emperor or n royal
crown. What honor is there I'm WELD
ing power through gold lace, coat of
arms or a ribbon? Not that visible
signs are to be despised - they have
their meaning and use-but on cOndi-
tlon that they cover something and not
a vacuum. The moment they cease to
stand for realities they become useless
and dangerous. The only true dlstinc'
tion is superior worth. If you would
have social rank duly respected you
must begin by being worthy Of the
rank that is your own; otherwise you
help TO bring 1t into hatred and con.
tempt II is, unhappily, too true that