Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1896-04-29
The Pursuit Of Happiness.

The Pursuit Of Happiness.
whose trusteth in the Lord, happy is he.-
xvi. ~.
In this world we may, under peculiar
have moments OF unal-
Logged happiness, but only moments.
The human mind seems to be so con-
stituted that it is impossible, so far as
material things are concerned, to be
satisfied with that which is possessed.
The unpossessed alone is desirable.
What we attain to seems, for q little
time, to be the highest rung in the lad
der. and during that brief period we
may be content; but when we discover
that there are other rungs still higher
up ambition gives birth to discomfort,
and we begin once more to climb.
There is absolutely nothing in this
lower world in the way of wealth or
riches or honor which can do more than
merely contribute to human happiness,
Just as a slender rill that rlpples
through the forest contributes to the
lake into which it flows. You can't
make a man happy or satisfied or con
tented by giving him all he wants, for
the simple reason that he only thinks
he wants certain things, but would find
youth, with the great glow of fire in
his heart, looks toward the heights and
believes that unfathomable bliss would
be his if he were only there. Then,
with a sturdy effort that stretches
through years, he tolls along the up
ward path, and when he reaches the
summit discovers. to his great disap-
pointment, that his happiness was in
climbing and not in attaining. There
is a great deal of certain kind of salts
faction in the successful struggle for
wealth, but there is no more miserable
class of men in the world than those
who have won fortune and given up
the struggle in order to enjoy it. The
whole purpose of life seems to have
fallen away, for it was the struggle and
not the money which made them con-
tented, though they knew it not.
I find that the community may be
divided into two classes who
have very little money and good deal
of happiness, and those who have q
good deal of money and very little hap
piness. That fact proves that, to q
c, rtain extent, money and happiness
are Independent of each other. The
former is by no means the source of the
latter. They may flow together, like
the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, or they
may flow apart.
1t is therefore perfectly safe to con
clude that what is inside of the soul is
not pub there by anything that is out
side of it. If 1 wish to find out wheth
er soul is happy shall not make the
discovery by exploring its environment,
for may feel assured by the nature of
the environment that the soul is quite
contented and yet be- great mistaken.
In order to satisfy myself must knock
at the souls door and examine the in
side of the house. This is SO strangely
true that you will sometimes to your
surprise find utter wretchedness in a
palace, and sometimes the sweetest
contentment in howell.
Wherein, then, does the secret lie,
for secret it certainly is, and not ev
cry one has learned it !? OF course there
are extreme and exceptional cases
which require special consideration,
but what does the average human be
ing in the midst of the average environ
ment need to make him at peace with
himself?
Well, tell me what the lover needs
who is separated from the loved one
There has been misunderstanding
l duu Uu0 OAO Ado low II dP0l lAOAA ohS
other. He can never be himself again
until the two hands are clasped and
the dear old confidence has been re
stored After that their daily inter
course smooths the rough path Of life
and the air is filled with music.
| The soul of man finds its strength
and happiness in it's love of tsod, and
| without that love it is as aimless as {
ship on the ocean that has lost its rud
der. No matter how much love yor
may give to wife and children and
friends. it is absolutely imperative thai
your love shall also soar from the earth
ly to the heavenly home before yor
can be entirely satisfied. Love is relig
ion and religion is love. When you ge
down to the root of the matter you viii
find that there is only one proposition
in the creed which Christ revealed
and that is love for and confidence in
God. If you have that you have al
i most everything else, for it is to the
nature of man precisely what the sur
and the showers are to the earth in
springtime. If God has your heart HI
has the whole of you. for out of The
heart proceed all things-the bliss oil
heaven, the pangs of thousand bells
| Oh 1.-The divine simplicity of it all
and at the same time the strange diff
ficulty of it all. The Hand is there
even underneath you in time of iron
BILE, but you will not see it. Sod ano
the heavenly hosts are round about
you. Dear ones are never far away
True love never dies, and is not disturb
ed by death. Believe these things and
your soul will be as quiet as the Sea o.
Galilee when He cried, Peace b
still /"
GEORGE H. HEPwoRTH.