Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1885-03-18
The True object of Life.

BY CharIeS AlneS.
Do you ever wonder why there SO
many damaged-looking men and women2
Every day you meet dozens of elderly people
in whose face there is no clear intelligence
their features wooden and animalish, their
eyes muddy or false. Yet they were once
bright and young as you are; they were visi-
ted, as you are, by rays of the true light;
they heard, as you now do, the soft calls OF
truth and duty; they dreamed as you dream,
of great and good things to come. And they
had moments of serious thought and high
resolve Their friends thought them prom
ising; they stepped forth into life with care
less confidence. All these damaged old peo-
pie are SO many once young people who have
failed.
What are the causes of failurea Possibly
SEINE of them are victims of blighting mis-
fortune or injustice; possibly some of them
passed through their early years without
adequate guidance, wise instruction kind
ly encouragement. But mu1titudes have
failed from unfaithfulness to themselves;
from an indolent moral habit, "a habit of
not needing the gentle monitions of reason
and conscience; from neglect of every day
advantages,-always from some inward de-
feet. =
None of us can live we'll by an occasional
good resolution. Everything depends on
J
creasing fund of moral power, which viii be al
ways available to sustain you in carrying out
your better purpose and to hold you steadily
to the ideal by which God ever draws and
leads you toward the SUBMITS. Unless We
are willing to live as moral tramps, on the
brink of inward poverty and misery, we
must invest our all in this higher business,
so that every transaction of Efe shall yield us
spiritual income.
Nothing is secure till we are established in
right habits, rooted and grounded in heaven
" principles. We want to become fixed and
unchangeably good. This comes from max
| ing this love of good, which is identical with
| the love of God, the supreme and control
| ling law, the central interest and the foun-
| tain of motives Thus, everything will help
US toward the perfect life We shall do bet
| ter than keep ourselves decent; we shall be
purer and truer than the world asks us to
| be; we shall require ourselves higher stan
| dard than our lest friends expect We shall
be continually transformed by the renewing
| of our minds.
| You have read the legend of Basic, the
| good monk, who sent to he'll; but NO
| fire could burn him and no evil spirit could
| torment him, because he carried heaven with
him. This story hints the true object of his
| life; the secret of peace of mind amid al
| trials and losses; the secret also of mora
| safety amid all temptations and exposures
| The main question is not What is TO become
of us?' but "What are we to becomes" No
is the answer difficult. We need not wrestl'
painfully with questions of doctrine, MOI
| wait to construct our theological creed. L
we are simply faithful we follow tht
light that God gives, if we are humble enough
to learn from all sources, and yet firmly true
| to reason and conscience cannot miss
| the road; we shall move toward our place il
the universe. We shall be safe and SOUND
wherever we are, sin this world, that one
and this vast forever"