t because the onion is
useless. The real reason is because it is so strong. It is harder to
grow sentimental over great strong things,--though tears have been shed
over onions, as our essayist has pointed out. There are some we
praise, you know, because we think that they need it to keep them
going. They are weak. There are others we do not praise because they
are so strong, or because, being strong, we expect strong things of
them. The football hero receives an ovation when he makes a touchdown,
but no greater than the baby receives when it takes its first step.
There was more noise in the former case, but only because there was a
larger crowd of spectators. So it is not wise to conclude that because
nobody is praising you, you are of no account in the world.

Not only did Elijah for the moment lose faith in himself, but he lost
faith in others as well. He thought there was not a good man in all
Israel. And if you want a short cut to wretchedness, get to a place
where you do not believe in anybody. Some people seem to cultivate
this disposition as if it were an asset. It is not an asset. It is
the worst possible liability. If you want to make a hell for yourself
in the here and now, cultivate the habit of seeing a selfish motive
back of every seemingly unselfish act. School yourself to believe that
all men and all women have their price. Say not in haste, but
deliberately, that "All men are liars."

That is the leading characteristic of the devil. "Hast thou considered
my servant, Job," the Lord asked, "that there is none like him?"
"Yes," replied the devil, "I have considered him. I know him through
and through. I know him better than you do. He is deceiving you. He
is putting it over on you. You think he loves you for yourself,--I
know that he loves you simply, because you are feeding him bonbons.
Let me touch him and he will curse you to your face." That is the
devil's habit. That is what makes him such a success as a devil.

If you do not believe in people no wonder you are miserable. If you do
not believe that a fluctuating Simon can be changed into a rock; if you
do not believe that a Magdalene can, through the grace of God, become a
herald of the resurrection; if you do not believe that this world of
men is a salvable world; then it is not to be wondered at that you are
blue. If you do not believe in the honesty and goodness and purity of
at least a few, I do not see how you can be in