Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1906-07-20
COWARDLY RIDICULE.
By Rev. c. G.

By Rev. c. G. Wright.
"Whosoever shall say to his broth
err 'Racca' shall be in danger Of the
council; and whatsoever shall say Thou
fool shall be in danger of hell fire. =
Matt. 5: %.
Ridicule is an edged tool, satire a
deadly weapon, AM. scorn may become
an accursed instrument.
These powers of speech may be used
rightly to correct, heal and to save
but never to hurt, poison or destroy
The vast press, the multiplied facilities
of speech and the ever-increasing forms
and methods of art for the conveyance
and display of ideas, together with the
thousands of educational institutions
and the wide ramifications of our mag
ical modern delivery and transporta-
ton systems, have all Joined to in
crease enormously the power Of satire
TO help or to harm. Therefore it should
be used conscientiously, discreety and
mercifully. Otherwise it is cowardly,
| pernicious and fatal weapon.
Virtue and worth may be MANNED
or slain as easily as vice and meanness
and misfortune Adversely and misery
are all too often the pitiable victims OF
the unspeakably cruel attacks OF the
satirist and the scorner.
What worse calamity could be
brought upon sensitive women or high
spirited men than to make them feel
that they are absurd or contemplate or
outcast or that they are mentally disor-
| dered, materially ruined or spiritually
| lost? Day after day we see the results
| of this idle, mischievOus fun or vicious
satire in the forms of terror, humilia-
ton, disgrace, loss, grief, insanity, sui
| eide.
A sensational but unfounded story in
the newspapers worked the professional
ruin of young hero Of one OF our wars
"a man of loftiest attachments and
! faultless life. The idle, mischieyOus
whisperings of a ships company made
to be overheard by a sergeant as he
goes the rounds of the decks at night
serve to drive him insane. Persistent
| ridicule on the part of his pernicious
i comrades in camp worked the mental
wreck of a fine little bugler whom |
knew and loved. But examples like
these are without number, familiar to
us all.
Society, trade and politics turn out
victims of this order continually, and
| their misfOrtunes proclaim again that
"mans inhumanity to man makes
| countless thousands mourn" Even
one such victim should sufficiently adj
monish us against this too prevalent
! vice-the wicked use Of satire. We
should avoid it because it is cowardly
| and cruel and because it is so danger
ous-so very dangerous. 1t is so often
aimed at the helpless and unfortunate,
whose condition or peculiarities they
cannot help, and which should make
them rather objects of compassion.
These are creatures for whom Christ
| died, and whose presence in the world
entities them to place, consideration,
| fellowship and the helpful word and
! hand. Let us follow the maxim, Live
and let live"
Let us learn to "enjoy the imperfect
| in a life that can never be perfect, y
and more earnestly to pursue the gold
en- rule" and strive after the grace to
! love our neighbor as ourself. To think
to put ourselves in his place will serve
to guide us in the way Of kindness to-
ward our fellow being in all situations.
CHI mir,
ture: Jesus Knocked as crazy king by
brutal Roman soldiers; a filthy cast-off
robe is put on Him, to cover the bloody
stripes on His scourged back; crown
of thorns is set on His head, a weed
is gathered from the yard and placed
in His hand and then with outlaws and
insults these ruffians bow at His feet
in mock obeisances and hail Him in
derisive terms as king. Last they smite
and cuff the blessed sufferer and COM
mand Him to prophesy-to name the
offender. Not one brave voice raised
in protest, nor one hand raised to de-
fend Him who was the most peerless
man Of his day, the most superb hero
they had ever seen, and who was soon
to defend them and all the race with
His life.
Let that sickening scene of cruel
hooking stand before the shamed eyes
Of all men as Gods rebuke to human
ridcule.
THE HEALING OF THE NATION.
By Henry F. Cope.
The leaves of the tree were for the
healing of the nations.-Rev. xxi, 2.
There are lives so small that they
never think beyond themselves with
others the interest widens out to the
limits of the home, the business, the
city, the state, and with the full-grown
nan To tllo whole universe This Is