There were more than 15,000 suicides in the United States last year! More American people voluntarily shuffled off the mortal coil during 1923 than any time in history. More people didn’t like this world, and took a chance on the other than ever before. In death, there is evidence of the spirit of adventure. None knows what the next world holds in store yet is willing to explore it, knowing that to make that exploration there can be no return to this life.
Why the increase in suicide? There are several reasons advanced by those who have given the matter thought, but which, if either, is right no man knoweth. It may be said with a fair degree of correctness that the fast living of the age has upset the nervous systems of humans, making them irresponsible for their acts. That brings up the old question regarding the sanity of a person who commits suicide. We do not believe that a perfectly normal person will commit suicide. When committing the act, he or she temporarily, at least, is mentally unbalanced. We don’t believe that anybody with full possession of their mental faculties would be willing to destroy themselves.
But, there are times when many persons would kill themselves were they to permit their feelings to master their common sense. When the world looks blue, when health, money and friends have forsaken; when all the hopes and dreams of a life are tumbled down about our heads; when the future looms up directly in front of us as on impenetrable black wall, despair seizes and for the moment attempts to dethrone reason. Then comes the greatest struggle of a person’s life. If he or she be healthy in body and mind, reason will withstand the assault, regain her throne, and all will be well.
There are probably few people who have not at some time in their lives contemplated self-destruction, though they didn’t call it that. They were pressed down by some trouble, and felt that they would rather be dead than try to carry the load. The person with normal mind and body and courage can overcome that depression. But some are weak and cannot successfully combat the weariness that steals over us, and the newspapers chronicle another suicide.
It is a foolish way to relieve ourselves of trouble. Any trouble can be lived down in a few months or a few years at most. The world is large, and the spirit of charity is more in evidence than many profess to see. If we are down, instead of trying to get out by our own hand, if we would take another hitch in our belt, determine to become a man, go out and fight hard and honorably, we can overcome those obstacles which at one time seemed insurmountable. It takes grit, but grit will win. No person has ever been so low down that he could not come back and live a life of service if he will but do it. That is far better than quitting.
There is an old saying that when you are dead you’re a long time dead. Most people at some time in their lives have a crisis like that to face, and were we not strong people there would be more than 15,000 of us yield. But, in yielding, we lose everything. In sticking to life, and fighting the best we can, we have everything to gain and nothing to lose. What is the trouble of this world compared to the uncertainty of the other, especially when we violate the law of God and many by hurting ourselves into the other world?
Suicide is murder—self-murder. But, we can’t help by have a sympathy for the poor devil who falls under the load; whose mental balance is not sufficient to carry him through. If we keep our minds and bodies strong and healthy, there will be no suicide. We can’t always keep our minds and bodies strong enough to be able to afford a successful resistance to the morbid appeal, but, we should do our best, and the man who doesn’t do his best is not worthy of being called a man. If we fail after doing our best, then may the Lord have mercy upon our souls. But, if we lay down without doing our best, we fear that we shall receive small consideration at the hand of the Great Master.
The toil of suicide is tremendous, and should cause much consideration on the part of the people. Its causes and how to prevent it afford a big problem. If a remedy is to be found, if self-destruction is to be checked, it must be done through the individual conscience of the people. Only some manner of arousing the people to the situation, and making them take it as a personal problems for their own handling can bring a staying hand on the great robber of human life. Of course there are social and economic problems having an influence, but the real source is in the human mind and soul. Cleanse the mind, purify the soul and suicide will decrease. An easy conscience will never bring self-destruction to any person.
From the editorial page of the Durham Morning Herald, Sunday, April 20, 1924. E.T. Rollins, president and manager; W.N. Keener, editor.
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