SELF-ASSERTION.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIX, Issue 3121, 16 July 1892, Page 2 (Supplement)

SELF-ASSERTION.

Tiie Right Rev. Dr. Barry, late Bishop of Sydney, and now Canou of Windsor, preached at Westminster Abbey lately on self-assertion. The preacher why self-assertion was characterised as a folly want of acquaintance that is, with the true laws of lminauity and with the dis ponsation of God. Our own experience tells us that it is always a painful and tinwelcome work. What seems the very courtesy of outward life in what we call good manners is just the prohibition of self-assertion and the esteeming of others better than ourselves. Oil the other hand, our deepest experiences, our inmost selfreflection, bring to ua, with certain solemn emphasis, the folly of self-reliance and of self-assertion. But why, after all, do you call it a folly? In ancient times men never thought there was any folly in it whatever. The great master of Greek thought actually describes his high-souled man as one who knows well his own suoeriority, and asserts fearlessly his own dignity. The very spirit of marlines which all ancient freemen so highly prized is just a rightful self-assertion, finding out cur place in life and determining to fill it, defending our right and o-loryiug in onr freedom, and even asserting our dignity. And in our own modern practice, although in conflict with some heater ideas that are due to our character and training, after all much of the old worship of this manliness remains. It is recognised as an element in our education, it is accepted as a principle of social and Doiltical life, it is almost gloried in as an evidence of strength and freedom of character. I believe thai in this tendeniy of ours there is some good, for in its own place, self-asser-tion there must be. Every human being is born to a certain work, and to make his mark upon his own generation. He has the mysterious of a will that must act for itself, of a reason and conscience which must determine actiun and devotion for the sake of humanity. He has to assert these gifts, and defend his life from being trodden down, and to insist that his place in the world shall not be taken away. And those who are born to any leadership, to the responsibility of power of any kind, to dignities that are not their own to sacrifice, to opportunities to which hang the destinies of natious, they have in a special decree this duty of self-assertion laid uponthem. It is felt that they are in-noble and unworthy of high calling if they neglect it. Dante, as you will remember, in a well-known passage, expresses indignant contempt for one who in false humility and cowardice made the wreat refusal, and failed to assert himself. No doubt, in the absence of antagonism, this self-assertion should be quiot and humble; .but when antagonism rises against it'the very conflict of forces brings out the latent powe.-iu full energy. No, this is not folly when it is in its right place, but that placo, as the great master of Greek thought has told us, is always a subordinate place. There is in it the power of action, but it is to be guided and controlled by a higher power. The man, no doubt, is free, but his freedom is conditional. He cannot pretend even for a moment to live or to die for himself.