NUGGETS OF THE NEW THOUGHT/PART 14
JERRY AND THE BEAR.
The Law's plan of developing an individual—Folly of clinging to old worn
out sheaths—The story of Jerry and the Bear—Who Jerry was—He meets the Bear—The
fight—The result—The consequences—The change in Jerry—The moral.
The Law,
in its efforts to develop Man into a self-reliant being—into an
individual—first tries the simpler plan of bringing a steady pressure to bear
in the direction of gradual progress and growth, impelling the man to think and
act himself into a more positive condition each day. After a while the man,
feeling behind him the steady push of Life, and being conscious of the
attracting power of the Absolute drawing him to higher things—leading him up
the mountain path of Attainment—learns to trust the propelling and attracting
power, and, ceasing his resistance, moves along in the direction of gradual
unfoldment and growth. He casts off sheath after sheath—and grows. He does not
attempt to impede or interfere with his development, but cheerfully and
joyfully presses forward to his unfoldment. He finds pleasure in each stage, and
should pain manifest itself he knows it as the growing pains of the child—a
promise of greater things.
There are
some, however, who seem determined to cling to their old sheaths, and resist
the pressure of growth to the utmost. They are unable to withstand the steady
pressure, and the attracting power, carrying them forward, and their resistance
brings them much pain and friction, and they are pushed this way and that by
the pressure of the growing Self, resisting and struggling all the time. The
Law has several ways of dealing with these people, for their own good, and
often, with a supreme effort, tears them from the surrounding sheath to which
they are clinging and forces them into a broader and wider life, against their
wishes and in spite of their struggles and cries.
Many of
us, looking back over our past lives, smile as we recognize how we were forced
into new fields of work and endeavor—how we were broadened out in spite of
ourselves—how we were torn from our old surroundings and environments, in spite
of our lamentations, reproaches, and cries, and placed amid new scenes and
faces. This thing is repeated over and over again, until we learn the lesson
and cease to be unduly attached to persons and things, and become willing to
yield ourselves to the onward moving force and co-operate with the Law instead
of opposing it.
Many men
and women who steadily refuse to stand erect and assert their independence, are
deliberately worked into a position where they must declare
their freedom from the things upon which they have been leaning, and are forced
to stand up and face conditions from which they have shrunk all their lives.
The Law has a way of picking up those shivering mortals who stand around the
river's edge, and throwing them into the stream, bidding them to strike out and
SWIM. It prefers the easier way of teaching you to swim by degrees—of acquiring
knowledge by easy stages—but if you refuse to learn in this way, it will resort
to the vigorous plan just mentioned—but swim you must, one way or
the other.
I am going
to tell you a story—not a particularly pretty one, but one that will give you
an idea of what I mean, and how the plan works. It's about animals—but many a
truth has been conveyed by fables in which animals were the actors, and this
homely little tale from the wilderness may convey to your minds the point of
this talk better than do my words. Here's the story:
Once upon
a time a man, away up in one of the Northwestern States, owned a dog named
"Jerry." He was not very much on looks—and less in good qualities. He
was not of any fancy breed—just Dog, that's all. He had drifted on to the farm
from Somewhere and had been kicked and cuffed around in his early youth, until
he was afraid to claim a right to live at all. He grew up into a worthless animal—snapped
at by smaller dogs—bullied by those of his own size—looked down upon by all. He
expected to be kicked by everybody in sight—and, of course, got kicked. (Men
and dogs who go around expecting to be abused, always draw upon them the thing
they fear and expect.) His tail seemed a magnet which attracted all the tin
cans around that neighborhood. Pitying did not seem to do him any good—it only
made him more miserable and abject than ever, just as it acts in the case of
some people. The poor chap gradually dropped down to the lowest state of
dogdom, and his case seemed hopeless. The farmer would drive to town every once
in a while, and Jerry would sneak along under the wagon, in manner seeming to
apologize for taking up even that space. His appearance would be the signal for
all the dogs of the several farms along the road to chase down to the wagon,
rout him out, and roll him over in the dust, the performance being repeated at
every farm to and from the town. The farmer, at last, feeling that the dog was
bringing his establishment into disrepute, and knowing that "Hopkins'
Jerry" was becoming a township jest, determined to put an end to the
animal's unhappy career. But Destiny intervened—possibly in order to give me a
tale to point the moral of this talk—and to give you something to remember in
trying circumstances.
Jerry
strayed away from the farm one evening, being chased a part of the distance by
some of the smaller dogs who delighted in bullying him. He traveled some
distance from home and entered the woods. Bear tracks had been discovered in
that region, and some of the boys had dug a pit, baiting it with some choice
tid-bit pleasing to his bearship, and covering it over with a thin roof which
would yield to a light weight. Jerry started across the roof, and in he went.
Some hours after a young bear came sniffing around, and he, too, dropped in the
pit. Then the trouble commenced.
The bear
feeling infuriated by his unceremonious drop, reached out for Jerry and gave
him a scratch which caused him to yell. The bear, seeing that there was no
fight in his opponent, chased him round and round the pit, until it seemed only
a matter of a few minutes more until the dog would be relieved of his misery.
Things took an unexpected turn, however. The bear knocked Jerry over on his
back, and began giving him the finishing touches. This seemed to bring to life
the last remaining touch of self-respect left in the poor brute, and with a
mighty effort he sprang straight at the bear's throat and gave him a bite in
which was concentrated all the repressed bites of a lifetime. The bear, with a
roar, sprang back to the other side of the pit. It was hard to tell which was
the most surprised of the two, the bear at the sudden courage of his opponent,
or Jerry at the fact that he could fight bear. The dog's self-respect and
confidence went up nearly to par. The bear's caution adjusted itself
accordingly. After a bit the bear cautiously worked his way over toward Jerry,
but the dog snarled fiercely and showed his teeth. They had several rounds
before things quieted down, and each time Jerry showed his mettle, and although
he was badly scratched he had bestowed upon the bear several tokens of his
valor. His self-respect and confidence was now an assured thing, and the bear
treated him with considerable deference and consideration. After matters
adjusted themselves, the bear and the dog each retired to their respective
sides of the pit, and declared a truce.
In the
morning the boys came to the pit, shot the bear and lifted Jerry out and
carried him home. His tail was several inches shorter, and one ear was missing,
and his body was scarred and scratched like the face of a Heidelberg student,
but away down in his heart he felt good—and he showed it. The farmer, feeling
proud of the animal, carefully nursed him until he was able to move around the
house, and then allowed him to go out of doors. As soon as he appeared the
other dogs made a rush for him, but something in his look caused them to keep
at a safe distance, and they contented themselves with barking at him and
keeping out of reach. He did not seem anxious to fight, but he had that look of
confidence in his eyes that kept them where they belonged. He had ceased to
fear. His tail no longer drooped between his legs, but was held aloft as is the
tail of every self-respecting dog. And somehow, that tail did not have the
attracting power for tin cans that had formerly marked it. The boys recognized
that Jerry had advanced in the scale, and there was something about him that
they liked and respected.
About ten
days after the dog got well, the farmer took a trip to town, and Jerry
accompanied him, trotting along in an unconcerned manner, alongside, behind, or
any other place that suited him. As the first farmhouse was reached the dogs came
rushing down to have some fun with our friend. They pitched into him as of
yore. Something happened. The pack ran yelping back to the house for surgical
attention—and Jerry trotted on just the same. This scene was repeated at every
farm along the road, Jerry repeating the object lesson each time, finishing up
his task by rolling into the dust the big bull terrier in front of the
postoffice, who, heretofore, had been the terror of the town. The homeward trip
was a triumphal progress for the dog, and all his old foes vied with each other
in tail-wagging and other demonstrations designed to let Jerry know that they
were proud to be his friends. But he paid little attention to them—he had
developed into a canine philosopher. After that he led a happy life. He was not
seeking fight, but no boy or dog seemed to seek fight with him. He had cast out
Fearthought. He feared nothing that walked on legs. HE HAD MET BEAR.
Now, some
of my critics will call the attention of their readers to the fact that I am
advising fight. Not so, good friends. I am using this dog story as an
illustration, and am trying to show you how the Law will sometimes force a man
into tight quarters in order to bring out his courage and self-confidence. It
knows the man "has it in him," and it proceeds to use vigorous
methods to bring it out into action providing, always, that the man has not
developed it before. When a man has been placed in a position where he faces
the worst, and is compelled to grapple with the bear, he finds that he has reserve
force within him of which he never dreamt before, and he puts forth all his
energy to save himself. He finds that when he boldly faces the difficulty the
difficulty seems as much afraid of him as he had been of it. He gains more
confidence, until at last he beats off the foe, and rests secure in his own
strength. He finds that to the man who has abolished Fear and who can smilingly
face any situation, Fate is very respectful and obliging, although to the man
who fears it is a tormentor. In proportion to a man's fear will be his
troubles. When he reaches the position when he can laugh in the face of
Fortune, he will find her ceasing her coquetries and falling desperately in
love with him.
And after
the man has met the great difficulty—fought the mighty fight—he finds that he
has ceased to fear the little troubles and trials of life—he feels his
strength—he knows his source of power. He holds his head erect and breathes in
the pure air of heaven, and feels the warm blood tingling through his veins. He
has found himself. HE HAS MET BEAR.
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