Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1889-12-18
INSPIRATION OF HOPE.
9SUG Enjoyment OF Life Consists In Gene
erous Employment of Time.

16Us Enjoyment of Life Consists In Gen.
erous Employment of Time.
II may be said that hope is the
courage of youth, while resignation is
che philosophy of age. But though it
is true that time is destined sooner or
most magnificent air castles, we seldom
permit ourselves to believe that there
are NO reprisals in store for us. Ger
calmly, it issbetter SO; for otherwise the
nssinsprings of endeavor and enterprise
world be broken, and there would be
an end to progress. There are, prob
atly, not many men who are as happy
- they expect to be; but this expecta-
ton cheers US all along the road, though
VIE may be travelling only from one dis
appointment to another, and he who
sever loses hope is never altogether
miserable. These things are sue, we
say. of the race as we'll as of the indi-
viduaL The world has always dreamed
Of perfection. Its habit is to regard
It's condition at any time as temporary
and provisional. Its golden age is
always just ahead. For a long time
tt hoped to fad the secret of happi-
hess by some surprise of nature, and
with child's heart it went in search
Of the treasure at the end of the rain
bow. Meanwhile, it has made some
aetual advance 1t has not yet invented
d perpetual motion machine, but it
has unquestionably made great many
Improvements in machinery. 1t has
not discovered the philosophers stone;
but it has unearthed vast deal
Of gold and silver, and it has learned
that iron is. after all, the most
precious of the metals. It has not
found anywhere a fountain of youth,
or compounded the elixir Of life; but
It has made very valuable additions
TO its nadterid maedicd, developed a
science of sanitation, and elaborated
rational system of hygiene. The
world, as whole is healthier and
more comfortable than il used to be.
On the other hand, philosophy has not
kept pace with practical science.
There was once hope that perfect
system of philosophy would some time
be- evolved. Men hoped to think out
true theory of life and faultless sys-
tenn of government. They sought to
demonstrate by logical processes the
Immortality of the soul, and to solve
the problem of the origin OF evil. But
philosophy. though it is still fascinating,
has never answered its own questions.
System has followed system, and specu-
latlon after speculation has been aban-
doned In the dark until the world has at
Last lost faith in mere metaphysics. Year
after year the old earth rolls around
Its orbit, grinding out the lives of men,
while the Sphinx remains silent and
inscruta BILE in the illimitable desert of
human ignorance. The multitudes
Who have wandered there have left no
frecord but bewildering maze of con-
fused footsteps. But the world endures
these failures without losing heart. 1t
hopes on and ever, refusing to accept
death as the last word of destiny to
man. Science has its limitations,
philosophy moves nowhither, and
craftsmanship is baf1ed in the hour
OF its seeming triumph; but the world
has no room for despair. There is
more pessimism on paper than in the
human heart. Good men and true are
every where at work under the in
SEPARATION of faith and hope. School
houses, hospitals, asylums, homes for
the homeless. churches, multiply con-
tinually. Hope inspires activity, and
action is the solvent of doubt. He is
TO blame who does not know more than
he can prove. It is possible, at least.
to know that the true enjoyment of life
consists in the generous employment
of time. ''Do the duty" said one sage,
''that lies nearest to you" Sit not and
question, stand and act.-N. O. Plea
Yune.