The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1879-09-25
BEAUTIFUL THOUGHTs.--KO. 2.
BY NoRMAN HAnILroN.

BY NORMAN HAMILTON.
II we are TO become the nearly perfect
beings that nature designed US to be,
we must use the whole of ourselves and
seek to develop every faculty that has
been implanted within Us, especially
the chart Of life, called the noble faculty
Of reason.
We sometimes call this world a mis-
erable abode; again, We call it "all a
fiSsting show, for mans illusion given;"
aRi sometimes we say it is place TO be
happy, a world OF beauty, love and
pleasure; yet the truth is, We can trans
form it into any appearance that we de-
sire. II we have beautiful thoughts,
the world will seem beautiful to Us. If
we have evil thoughts, the world will
seem evil to Us. II we have beautiful
thoughts, our lives will be beautiful, for
as surely as we exist the intricate work.
ings Of the mind are manifest through
the physical operation Of everyday
life. The germ Of thought is in every
mind, aud it needs only to be cultivated
to expand, progress and develop until
the fires Of life burn low with old age.
or life itself is extinguished.
Thoughts could be guided by firm
effort Of the will into beautiful chan
mel. They could always be made to
spring into active existence by seeking
TO know why's, wherefores aud causes Of
everything aud observing the miuutest
objects and contemplating their Won
drous mechanism. The most uncouth
objects that meet our view have numer-
Gus beauties, delicate points, shapely
mouldings and exquisite forms, which
cannot be seen by a superficial observer.
but require penetrating eye; that is,
one beautiful thought must originate to
grasp the chain Of golden thoughts a
conception Of the microscopic beauty Of
earth aud the workings of exquisite
forms Of molecular matter and their
ever-changing condition. IF one con-
tinues 10 this train Of thought, he will
soon arrive at the unfolding Of the
grand, lovely and fair throughout .crea-
tion. Each day and each hour he will
find something that he did not know
all about before-some new page from
nature 10 read, and a thrill Of ioy
Herewith.
1t seems to me that the basis Of beau
tiful thoughts is analysis Of matter-a
searching among the material things
that we come in contact with every day
as far as the human mind Is capable Of
extending in that direction, and, dis
cardlng all that is gross and groveling,
lift ourselves out and up from the coarse
and base.
evil thoughts are worse enemies
than lions and tigers, for we can get out
of the way Of wild beasts. Keep your
heads full Of good thoughts, that evil
thoughts may not fiud room" 1t has
been said, "Where there is a will, there
is a way" then why is il not the will
OF every person to grasp and entertain
beautiful thoughts? ? His life would re-
feet respondent rays Of faith, hope aud
charity, and all those with whom be
associates would feel his influence and
would in a degree be stimulated TO lead
higher life.
Beautiful thoughts will bring rs aout
OF The depths" that we NAV 90 mon-
ward, upward and true to the line -
They will compel our "sulils broins
and nimble fingers to find scona ,, ca
teach US TO promote the well-bei,a -
the community. Look at tbo-o -
have been the parents Of our lptell.o,,.I
life, Bryant, Mrs. Southwortb. Carlo.
Emerson, Phoebe Cary, Lonpfello,v
Fowler aud many others. How ,5a.
have covered our lives with -
broidery of beautiful and insn;rin,
thought" Though we may never be
as lofty and eminent in intelleet and
Imagination as they, yet We can weave
into the life Of ourselves aud the life
OF our children "thO0ghts aud feelings
rich, beautiful, grand and noble, which
will make all after-life brighter and
better;n and if we do thus, our home: