Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1907-08-18

| Duc1e BeCKham stevens new book
The Progressive Life and It's Require.
ments; or the Beneficence of Nature.
Laws" is one of the most interesting
and remarkable books of the year. The
authors object is to help the individual
build nobler character, dealing en-
tirely with natural law as relating tc
it's effect on human life. instruction
rs" on Deceit and Hypocrisy" is in full
as follows:
Had the human race not begun wrong
doing false representations would never
have entered the mind. When a spider
| weaves his web one strand forms the
foundation for another, and every fiber
of that intricate little mechanism con-
meets, directly or indirectly, with every
other, and the whole is the specific pur-
pose of entangling. In this same way
evil has woven the network of per-
| verified human nature and every indi-
| Vidual is caught therein.
| "The more complex human nature be-
| comes in its errors, and the more com
| plete its suggestions the more neces-
| sary does deception seem, and the more
varied does its forms become The
! further human nature descends from
the high state to which it really be-
longs the more it assumes to be VIII 1t
1
to ends, and the greater the necessity
of covering its tracks. The reas ons for
deceit and hypocrisy are manifold de-
| pending, we repeat, upon the density OIL
the errors in which the individual is in
volved. Generally speaking, because
people have never been able to forget
their ideals they are not willing to ac-
knowledge their iniquties.
THE individual represents himself to
| be better than he is, largely because he
has not the courage to face the Judg-
ment of his own errors. The con
demnation of others plays its part, but
even If one does not fear this the con-
science is less troublesome when the
evils in the nature are we'll cloaked.
The exception to this state is when one
is sufficiently awake to condemn ones
own errors, whether they are known to
others or not, but this is the first step
toward f-purification.
shane is probably one of the most
valuable characteristics that have en-
tered mans artificial nature. Had man
remained pure he would never nave
known shame, but because he zen anu
vet could not wholly forget this quail
ity developed. Not only in extreme
cases of degradation is shame lacking.
Had no means been devised to cover
evil, shame would operate to much
greater advantage than 1T now does.
when man found that he must either
give up his evils or be exposed the IN
tellect which has always ministered to
artificial development gave him the
mantle of misrepresentation. This
mantle he has used to its utmost until
today deception and hypocrisy are so
universal that their manifold hues have
consciously or unconsciously deeply
dyed the whole human nature.
Social relations reek with insincerity
and assumption.
Religious life has few corners that
are not infested with hypocrisy.
I'm home life turks secret disloyalty,
and business and political life f1aunt
their prostituted honesty, justice and
integrity to the four winds of heaven.
"There is probably no evil more theo-
retically condemned and practically
condoned than dishonesty. 1t is an
other of greed's hideous offspring and
an inseparable twin to injustice. Man
dare not effectually attack dishonesty,
for such an attack would reach back
to its parentage, whose roots are
buried deep in the vitals of civiliza
ton. He must tolerate dishonesty or
yield up greed, and shake the institu-
tions built thereon from center to cir
conference.
But let us sound another note of
warning. The individual must either
realize IndI lie Is eIlITGppeu anu II anu
by strand disengage himself, and enlist
his forces, intelligence, energy and
abilities on the side of right: or be
crushed by evil when either universal
or individual wrong grows too heavy
for its pedestal and crashes unto planes
below. 1t is not necessary to go into
further detail on this subject beyond
what is embodied in the caution; never
resort to Misrepresentation, either
direct or implied, to gain your ends or
to serve your purposes. There is al
ways better way, and if you are alive,
wide awake and able this way you will
find.
DO not try to make yourself any
thing but what nature intended you to
be. and at no time in your progression
assume to be what you are not. There
is great strength gained in being will
ing to have ones errors revealed. Do
not waste your forces In trying to hide
your weaknesses, but do your utmost
to conquer them. Remember that
whichever phase of it is viewed false
presentation serves but one purpose,
and that is to form a gilded casket
which hides a venomous serpent
He who would avoid more hopeless
ENHANCEMENT in the meshes of the web
that entraps to destroy must rid his
nature of all phases of dishonesty. de-
ceit, hypocrisy, insincerity, disloyalty
and injustice, for these things all CO.
operate to add density to darkness and
confusion to choas."
referring to the more petty forms of
deceit and hypocrisy, there is nothing
that will add more to your own self
respect and more quickly demand re-
spect from others than a non assuming |
attitude. Always be willing to ex-
press your own individuality. How
ever little, however humble, be yourself. |
Do not compare yourself with other
people nor emulate them. Remember !
that individuality never expresses it
self twice alike, and one phase is as
desirable as another and as much |
needed to make a perfect Whole.
Progressive Life or the Beneficence
of Natures Laws. By Lucie Beckham
Stevens. Los Angeles: Terrace Pub
fishing company Parker Bros.