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VENERATION. - This faculty was localized by Dr. Gall. It lies between firmness and benevolence. Its normal action gives veneration for authority, religion, age, antiquity and superiority.
Perverted, it results in a spirit of servility, idolatry religious intolerance. With spirituality weak, it is likely to place creeds and dogma above God's laws. Under these conditions it observes the letter rather than the spirit; and when the executive and governing power is strong and benevolence weak, it manifests in a harsh, reactionary manner.
Restrain, by broadening the outlook, by wider study and association with those in whom spirituality and benevolence are active. Listen respectfully to the opinions of others upon religious subjects and observe the spirit rather than the letter of your faith.
A reasonable amount of this faculty is a blessing, both to its possessor and to society; first, because it permits our profiting by the advice, example and experience of others: second, because it reacts to such influences, causing- self examination and awakening a desire to emulate the excellence and superiority in others. With spirituality and sublimity well marked and a consciousness of the majesty of the universe and its Creator, coupled with the ambition to live in accordance with divine law and command, this faculty is a precious possession.
Deficiency of this faculty leads to a genetral revolt against the rules laid down by authority, whether in the home, school, social life or government. Especially when self esteem is strong, this deficiency results in a sort of unholy joy in shocking society, flouting its conventions, and where the nature is aggressive and shortsighted, in a general spirit of anarchy.
To Cultivate this Faculty, avoid lawless companions, become considerate of the rights of others; and reflect upon what would result if all individuals assumed the right to be a law unto themselves
CONSCIENCE was localized by Dr. Spurzheim. It IS situated between hope and approbativeness on both sides of firmness.
The normal expression of this faculty is seen in perception and love of justice, an innate sense of duty and obligation, integrity and veracity.
Excess or perversion give an abnormal sense of one's own wrong-doings as well as those of others, leading to unreasonable self condemnation and censoriousness in respect to the failings of others. 'Where the aggressive faculties are strong and benevolence weak, there is a tendency to inflict undue punishment.
Restrain by wiping the .word blame from the vocabulary. Study underlying springs of action in others, and causes, remembering that "to know all is to forgive all"; and that prevention and reformation are the watchwords of today. Condemnation and punishment are relics of a barbarous age.
Deficiency results in the individual's habitually justifying himself in his wrong-doings. He is always ready with excuses for his own shortcomings. If of a loving, friendly nature, he easily excuses lapses from rectitude in his friends. As a parent, he is usually lax and spasmodic in discipline; sometimes unduly severe because the child has transgressed some law which happens to annoy or inconvenience himself; but frequently oblivious to the annoyance or causes of irritation his children may inflict upon others or to actual moral values in motive or conduct.
Cultivate this faculty by a study of the basic principles of Iight action; consider the results if all men acted without regard to these principles, together with the outstanding fact that Life is a school in which the all-important lesson of self discipline is to be learned. George Combe declares that "after more than thirty years' experience of the world in actual life, and in various countries, I cannot remember an instance in which I have been permanently treated unjustly by one in whom this organ, and intellect, were large."
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