The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1857-04-24
THE PROBLEM OF LIFE.


To its contemplation thoughtful minds have,
during all ages Of the world, given themselves
and the best energies of their lives, and the
results of their labors live in the philosophy,
the theology, and the sociology of the present
age, which stands forth as the exponent of all
the truth, the beauty, and the goodness, ns
well as OF all the falsehood, deformi,y, aud
vice, which has been developed by the thought
OF all the previous ages of humanity. And
the 'mp'r'e'lons OF their lnbors are visible in
the impersee'i"ns OF Their results. Al no pre-
vlous time IN the history OF the world was
there such confusion OF philosophical, theo-
'ogea'' ana social systems MS now, not be-
cause the iap"rs oil those VINO have toiled
over me ProcP's q -njc eave been nnproddc--
'"e VI soou' out pecause the results they
nave obtained afe a'' nns"'ls'ying' unequal to
'"e wants as wen as to The progress of the
nu"''''' '''hu' ana "hy mus unsatIsiylngf
nee""se '''e master mihds Oh all ages, from
>, ""e'' ''e ','s' ureek sage 10 huguste
|o"'e' '"e ao'es' OF mooerh philosophers,
""'o .'e' "''e'iP'eu 70 'eco"phsn 100 much
=" '""' '"ey "n'e enoeaVoreu 10 90 Tor hn'
""'' """' '"0" '"ous"'.u' 'ii'hu can alone
y, p''' ~. ''se''' H''er 'o"g years OF
"'''' 'o'' "''""s. every great mlhd
"' ""' .''''ue''u ''e ''AeRce' ana the
""y,' ""o ''e w nu'er OF human life, has
''"i''e"''y "sser'eu 'Ia' u mas solved this
e"'s"'" o' ages ana II mas MADE this assertion
oe'""Se " mas accomplished jor 'fsey 'chat ii
ra'"y SoUS" 10 accomplish Jor humanity
,"oug"' makes man earnest, and the loftier
'"e 'he'ie OF 'hought the more exalted, the
more hero'c does man become, Hence they
VINO nave contemplated this Iottiest of themes
nave s'owiy developed themselves into earn.
es'' eNa''eo' hefoic men, strong in thought,
perfect IN desire, bIamrless in life and calm,
c"mpoSed, and happy in death. And herein
CONSISTS me solution q The problem Of life! No
higher result TN this can be attained by
human thoughlShnd it is the consolation of
humanity, WI what is thus nttainable by the
soPher Is equally within the reach of the
luIHo'esl dweller upon earth who feels within
him the restless yearnngs of deathless
soul. 1t is equally nm act of heroism in the
peasant as In the philosopher to sit down
calmly before the grand realities of life, and
contemplate them one by one as they pass
before HIM IN all their awful grandeur, and
'hen slowly and Iaborously strive to interpret
the mystery which sits enshrouded on the
prov OF each. Ay, 1t does require the spirit
oil the nero, and he who thus contemplntes
'hus strives 10 interpret, must grow daily
more self'reVerent, more God d.reverlng, even
tho"gh MS labor lead him to skeptcism, and
HIS '"o"Sh' reVe"is 10 MN no hlsher dIvlnl-
W '""'' me-
men nave erred IN ihHt they supposed that
'"e pioo'eIh o' ne was 10 DC soiVed oy the
u""'u'u eho''s Vi 'nou9ht' lhought never
HAS ana never c"h' soiVe the enigma. From
'"e CONSTITUTION OF 'he human nina JaM is us
''a''Ve 10 II rs 'housht 'tseli' ana when
'h"uS"l mas pessareu 'tse'i IN 'he 'oitV 'aoor
II SINKS uowh INTO 'he weakness OF despair, OF
learns 10 lean upon the ou'stretched arm oi
i"i'"' ana 'h"s 10 s'aha IN the presence OF
mysteries whose woeiul bearing was weak
ness ana CONFUSION 10 It's uh"'oed strength
we trust 100 much TO ihte'ieet' TOO littie to
'he h'gher i"cu'ues OF our oe'hg' we pu'
asunder what u"d has joined together, and
lheh wonder ""t the house hol1 jar wlthin.
Let us theh rather 'urn ourselves TO The earn
est cont mpla'lon OF the duties, the trials, the
joys, ana the sorrows OF life, knowing thai
the earnest soul may lind perfection in accom-
pliShea duty; may ma Strength III every trla
-, .e -. ,.,. A.. -.
:. r'r
''''"''' y"
| Hooie, anu Puihg thc tHoubHiuI, IeNeEeHt
progressive mind. And how glorious re-
ward of faith does this begct! To know, 4
knop that eternity rectifies the errors of time
that the impcrfeclions of the present will fin,
an end in whole orbed perfrctior. soon q
l"te' IN mes long to morrow! IL is tn
thought that gives lie It's value, that sur
rounds II with The halo OF immortal hope an
Wv" Wv "e""'' """ ~
'''"' 'oo' ",",' y" 10 '''"s' ""' '',,""ua v