Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1893-06-15
The Problem of Life.


lens. Men and women all have ide-
ais which they wish to emulate by
correctly solving their problem Of
life. In ancient Greece the highest
ideal of human perfection eyer
reached was physical development.
Their greatest feast was devoted to
athletic sports and contests. The VIC
tor crowned with his simple wreath Of
wild olive was brought home through
breach IN the city walls, for he could
not enter by the gate with the COM
mon people. He was honored by bar
barians In several instances affairs
we're built and sacrifices offered to
the victor of Olympia,
Political power marked the ambi-
ton Of the early Romans. They first
brought into submission the colonies
near them Inch by inch they gained
territory until they were masters Of
nearly the whole world. So intense
was their desire to rule that writer
says of them: "When Rome con-
quers the earth, she will Immediately
go in search of other worlds to con-
quer."
Many, both ancient and modern
people, have made gold their ideal.
Numberless are the lives spent in
speculation, This led the tyrannical
Spaniard to the new world. 1t was
the golden image" that whispered
in the ears of men, when in 194S news
came Of gold mines in California. OF
all such ideals and images Lord Ten
nyson has said
"Cursed be the sckly forms that err, from honest
natures rule,
Cursed be the gold that gIlds the stroiten fore
head Of the fool"
Glance q moment at some prob
lens. Note the distinct parts. First
the conditions must be clearly under
stood, thus a statement is necessary.
The solution is easy, for correct re-
suits follow logical statements. While
no two persons are required to solve
the same problems, each one is
equally Interested IN his own. The
never ceasing study of life's problem
has held the attention Of wise men of
the past, and wise men Of the present
are devoting their time and abilities
to its solution. Many have left their
answers in black and white, and they
remain for investigation by the gener-
atoms that follow,
About the 9th century, B, G., it was
thought that self was all that should
interest an individual. know thy
self" was inscribed on the walls of
Apollo's temple. In the I'd century
Is. c., the great philosopher Antoni-
nus wrote "Look within" He had
discovered that in man there exists
more than the physical nature. Thus
each successive reasoner lays his an-
swer at the feet Of the Sphinx and
passes on into the great unknown. In
the problem of life as we'll as in other
problems unknown quantities enter.
Great skill is required to manipulate
these without danger Of producing
inaccurate results. Not few reach
logical conclusions for majority of
the problems they attempt, while 9th
ers seem to totally fail. OF these
Burnes says:
Yet they wha IA in fortunes strife,
Their fate we should ma censure,
For still the important end OF life,
They equally may answer"
Man is volltlonal being, capable
of determining to II great extent his
course in life, and since he is posses
sor OF q will he is responsible 10 a
great degree for his own destiny
This is just as surely true as that he
is capable Of thinking, reasoning and
judging Of matters that come under
his observation. Men may work and
plan to discover a correct answer tc
the problem of life, but it is too deer
for them. When they lay their solu,
lions before the Sphinx she hooking.
ly binds them in the icy letters Of
death and carries them into the I'm,
known world.
The Christians of the medieval
ages had a much broader view of lif,
than any who preceded them. They
sought spiritual publication that they
might be prepared for life beyond
But they did not reach the desired re