The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-01-16
TAKE THE WIDE VIEW OF THINGS.

fence, it is we'll to remember that evil
in the universe, or that which is called
evil, is quite limited as compared with
the good. 1t is possible, for instance
for one to stand on gray patch OF
earth, and, fixing his eyes on that
alone, to deem the planet barren and
void of beauty. But that is partial
and unfair view. We are not required
to be blind to the gray patch of barren
earth, since it is a real thing, but we
are in duty bound to lift our eyes and
send them forth to survey wider
realm. Not less real are the countless
green resand fertile fields, although
unrecognized from our standpoint OF
barrenness, and over all are sky, and
cloud, ard star. Not counting out the
desert from measurement of earth's
surface, we must count in the almost
universal sweep of field and meadow,
and prairie, and conclude this is no
demons world, but one over which
love presides.
If, again, and for another illustra-
ton, bird were to alight on our fer
tile West in this midwinter season
from some distant cline, and at once
return to bear report, it would an
nounce the discovery of a land OF
snow and ice, to which no bird should
ever think of emigrating.
But how untrue would be that re-
port. Let the bird come also to explore
this land as spring banishes the win
ter, as April wakes the sleeping grass,
as May paints the early flowers, as
June supplies the waving grain, as
the later season ripens the abundant
harvest, and as the happy melody OF
bird-song greets the morning and
pours forth to the setting sun, from
the vernal to the autumnal days, and
how altered would be the tidings it
would gain to bear away to its native
sphere! 1t would now, with this wider
and truer view, sing sweetly of the
beauty and the fruitfulness it had
seen, and no doubt propose to its fell
low warblers to colonize a paradise
for birds it had discovered in State
known as Illinois or Iowa.
But not more wide from the fact is
that estimate of the earth's surface
that declares it to be all desert or
all a bank of snow, while these are
exceptional areas, than is the verdict
that in any sphere the evil is more
than the good.
For not thus, but the reverse, is the
reality. Widespread is the good in
space and in time, while the evil re-
cedes to narrow margin. Sweet and
not bitter is the world of food; and
nothing less than miracle of benev-
olence is the variety of charming
favors. The law of the body is
health and not sickness; health is
normal and sickness is abnormal;
and through all the years of child
hood and youth and mid-life the
blood is warm and the pulses go
bounding on with scarce a disturb
ance. There is much greater de-
mand for grocers than doctors; and
many of the doctors might be dis
missed to some other calling if man
were wiser eater, wiser drinker, a
wiser sleeper, wiser dresser, and a
more cautious being in thousand
ways. The headaches are not all to
be referred to Providence, nor are
the fevers arbitrary visitations of
God. In the average life, covering
the allotted seventy years, there may
be the amount of five sick days for
each year of the three-score-and-t ten,
a fraction more than one per cent. of
the time; but we still think this is
too wide margin of shadow
on the broad picture of health.
The one life we best know would |
be more truly reported by an assign
ment of five hours a year, instead of
FIVE days, as its quota of sickness;
and no doubt close inquiry into the |
sources of these few exceptional
hours would bring to view mid
night lamp or board too beautifully
spread; and maybe the ailing are
not as ailing as they think,
owing to an undue concentration of
mind on the lesser and more unwel-
come physical areas. The acute dis
eases are, indeed, acute, and allow
one little time for society, meditation,
or sleep. But their reign is as brief |
as it is intense. But, on the contrary,
the lingering troubles admit of much
physical vigor aud zest, and leave ]