The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1894-11-17

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ever the forward, not the backward
look. We know that those who are
always looking into the past for their
ideals and inspirations, who are al
ways prating that "the former days
were better than these" are people
with whom growth and progress have
ceased. The change is in themselves
instead of the "times." They have
no longer the eager, hopeful vision
which leads them to quicken their
pace in order to reach the wished for
goal.
The person has generally ceased to
go forward who does not "forget the
things that are behind" This is as
true of people as of individuals. The
community which lives only on its
history is certainly in decline.
When the members of a family live
only on the glory of their ancestors,
it is a sure sign that decadence has
reached an advanced stage. To
cherish history and ancestry as in
centives to progress is we'll, but to
use them as means of minimizing
the present and beclouding the flu
ture is a sure token of weakness and
decline in families, communities, and
nations. The past can be most help
full to us when it is, in certain true
sense, forgotten. If we have brought
from it strength, wisdom, and expe
rience, we have in our possession the
very best which it can give us. We
should not have the past too much
upon our hands. AS the snake casts
off its skin periodically, so should we
shake ourselves free from the effects,
customs and worn devitalized envi-
ronments of our past. The present
can generally supply us with all the
material which we can work up and
assimilate. Hence Jesus taught that
we should not be distracted about
the future. And he who lives chiefly
in the past becomes brooding and
responding. Both are impractical
men. Their lives are unreal. The
one lives simply in visions of what he
thinks he is to be; the life of the
other is but the pale reflection of
what is no more. Neither is his true
self in the real, living present. The
leaves fall from the trees in autumn
and the branches are bare like men
robbed of treasures. This occurs
year after year; but every spring new
leaves clothe them in beauty again,
and year by year they grow a little
larger and stronger. The loss is
little more than made up. Men and
women are beaten about and robbed
of riches and beauty by the storms
and struggles of life, but all the
while, like the trees, they are gaining
more than they lose, and are growing
richer in knowledge and experience.
As we grow older there is borne in
upon the mind cheerful suspicion
that the Power behind our lives is
building for us better than we know
or think Nothing will give us en-
tire peace but the abandon of trust
trust that the future will mend the
rents and right the wrongs of the
past, and in some way turn them to
good. The gentle "Autocrat," just
called home, has not left us nobler
lesson in any of his noble thoughts,
than the one he learned from "The
Chambered Nautilus"
Build thee more stately mansions. O my soul,
AS the swift seasons roll!
Leave thy low-vaulted past!
Lst each new temple. nobler than the last,
Shut thee from heaven with dome more vast.
Till thou at length art free,
Leaving thine outgrown shell by lfe's unresting
sea-"