The Washington herald., 1915-12-03
Courage.
~ JOHN D. RARRY.


NJ JOHN D. BARRY.
When we speak Of courage VIC usually mean
physical courage, bravery. This quality we have
placed among the great virtues. To man .:e
lack of this quality means grave diseredit
Like many other words courage" has been
kidnapped from its family.
1t has been taken into the camp of the war
lords.
As result we have all suffered something of a
loss.
For by our use of a word subtly in
fluenced in our thought.
There arc signs of change of attitude among
many thoughtful people in regard to this thing,
called courage. They realize that courage is far
bigger word than the thing. They arc impatient
at finding the word so closely allied TO this conf
paratively unimportant thing.
For mere physical courage may not in itself be
any great virtue Often find il associated with
qualities that are in no way attractive And vir-
tue may often be estimated in its true worth by
the company it keeps
Physical courage associates with such qualities
recklcssncss, cgotism, selishncss violence i'll
will.
There are many courageous people, who. di-
rectly or indirectly, make those about them paw
dearly for their courage. They use their courage
as means OF taking advantage, of bullying Of
securing for themselves far than their rights
1t pity that fine word should be
associated with much that is odious.
There is. however. another kind of courage, a
beautiful kind. In speaking of it we have to idcn-
tify it by using another word. 1t is seldom that
in our everyday life, moral courage receives its
mcrited recognition. Like so many of the more
beautiful virtues, the surface il seems common
place. Seldom does it express itself dramatically
Nearly always it is quite unassertve self-deprcci
atory.
And when circumstances obligc it TO achieve a
dramatic effect, the effect may be lost on most of
those who look For in order to appreciate
the effect one must have a certain amount Of
moral courage oneself, as well as an appreciation
and love of moral courage.
When we speak OF moral courage VIC usually
speak of it as overcoming certain difficult obstacles.
of working against odds.
For example, We give statesman high credit
for moral courage when for the sake OF the right
he opposes public opinion
AS a rule, don't appreciate such an express
sion of moral courage until long after it has been
met Nearly all public recognition OF such courage
is recognition in retrospect
And there other kinds Of moral courage lust
as impressive and just true II we take the
trouble to look for them see them all about
US. They are the forces that keep people walking
quietly and steadily in the path of rectitude
Most Of US are obliged to walk in the path OF
rectitude. We know that if we do not We shall meet
severe punishment And SO far as our character is
regulated by concern for punishment, We deserve
little credit.
1t is when there is no such concern when turn
ing from the path of rectitude carries no threat
that moral courage realizes itself more nobly. We
all know people who do wrong just because they
wish TO do wrong and because doing wrong appsr-
emily entails evil consequences
There certain kinds of wrong doing among
men. for example. that. according to the moral
code established by men, entail no discredt what
soever
Some Of these actually take pride in their
violations They speak of them openly as f those
violations were creditablc. They even laugh at
those who do not share their belief and who. if
they discussed the subject at all, would say that
such violations were wrong.
Where these go astray is, of course, in
not recognizing the positive advantage of resisting
temptation.
What they lack is grit.