The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1894-11-03
HUMAN EMOTION.

not all intellect. Thought is not the
only function of the human soul
There are other forms of mental &C
tivity besides knowledge. He is en-
dowed with intellectual, moral, social
and religious sensibilities. He has
rational, moral and religious emo
tions. He can feel as well as think,
love as we'll as know, plan for enjoy
ment, as we'll as work for gain.
The emotional nature is a natural
part of the human soul. 1t is uni
versal form of mental activity. We
find the results of its action in all ma
tons and all ages. The mind is a
unit. If it is strong it has strength
in all directions, if it has been edu-
Gated in all directions. The ability
to think strongly is accompanied by
the capacity for strong feeling. In
tense thought is always associated
with strong emotion. God did not
make men to be one-sided but many
sided.
In the constitution of the human
mind we have intellect, sensibility
and will. The emotions tie thought
to volition, and bind rational pur-
pose to intelligent action. All moral
conduct and moral character are the
result of this united and COM
bined action of these three depart
ments of mans nature. Man first
thinks, then feels, and then acts.
knowledge awakens desire, and
prompts to effort. Strong thought
produces intense emotion, and strong
emotion causes earnest effort. Men
act in reference to interests about
which they think constantly and feel
intensely. Real and practical life
has its origin in the ideal.
By this law of mental action
thoughts become things, ideas are
turned into reforms, are converted in
to laws and then developed into in
situations. Emotion starts great re-
forms, organizes societies, creates lit
erature, enacts laws, changes ad-
ministrations, alters constitutions,
and revolutionizes governments. The
two found empires, build character,
and make history. The Intellectual,
social, moral and religious life of
man is the result of thought, feeling,
volition and action.
Emotion is the source of all active,
earnest and successful life. What
would life be without love, joy, hope,
fear, benevolence, sympathy, graft
tude, confidence, desire, ambition,
patriotism and religion. These emo
tons constitute the psychological
basis of the family, society, the
church. and the state. They under
lie all the great movements for mans
good recorded in the worlds history.
They constitute the great motives
that influence in all business enter
prise and prosperity. They are con-
trolling elements on all conduct, char
acter, and life.
Out of mans emotions have grown
fanaticism, the most destructive, and
enthusiasm the most progressive for
ces in society. Fanaticism as form
of emotional excitement is irrational
and destructive because it is insane.
Enthusiasm is rational emotional ex-
element and is progressive because
it is controlled and directed by reason.
We should certainly not object to ra-
tional enthusiasm and it's great bene-
fits because of the evils we have suf-
fered as the results of insane fanatic
ism.
But our emotions are net only the
source of human effort, but their ex
ercise is necessary to all human hap
piness. All enjoyment is emotional;
10y itself is an emotion, and it always
comes to us through the exercise of
the emotions. All our emotions are
not joyous, fol sorrow is an emotion,
but all happiness is a form of emo
tional excitement. While there are
painful emotions and we sometimes
suffer from them, it is also fact that
all enjoyment is born of the emotions.
The function of the emotions in
religion is of great practical import
ance. They are necessary to the
very existence of religion. There
can be no religion without them. Re-
ligion is largely state of the emo
tions,-it results from their exercise.
Confidence, faith, reverence, fear,
gratitude, devotion, love and worship
are all emotions. These are all active
in the truly religious life-they are
all elements of strength in strong re-
ligious character.
But the emotions are all called into
play by the great enterprises of the
church inaugurated for the salvation