The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1897-05-29
Some Rambling Thoughts.
BY MEMO.

By MEMO.
To the Envious:-How do you bet
ter yourself by coyeting the prosperi-
/ ty of others? Do you not rather let
loose In your heart ravening wolves
whose teeth are whetted to tear down
those who run well? Many untoward
things have happened to you, doubt
less, and you feel sick at failures, but
envy only leads you further astray.
Concentration upon your own affairs
lone of the ways to SUGGEST Is lmpos-
sible If your maleyoleut mind spends
its strength in estimating the seems
ingly unfair distribution OF worldly
goods. The brighter the sun
shine, the darker the shadow, and
your heart would almost stand still
with dread could you see the gloom
along some OF the ways you think so
bright and happy. Tread serenely
once more your own way, holding life
TO be a proving place OF merit, and at
the end there shall be peace.
50
To Bewildered Ones:-Buffettsd by
ill-Yinds, with faith shaken by miser-
les that seemed undeseryed, you some
times are tempted to cry out that life
Is naught but chance and mischance.
But every analogy OF nature Is against
you. Theretand with you too)everything
is concluded to I've the result OF cause
and effect. There is reason for all
that is happening to you, difficult
though it may be TO discover Learn
from the scientist. In number of
sciences; for instance, the study Of
the stars or the study of life, there
is point reached beyond which the
light OF reason fails and all becomes
impenetrable darkness. The scientist
must choose one or two ways. either
conclude that the origin of things
comes by chance, or that all Is ordered
and directed by power beyond his
ken. Which seems to you the iiiofe
reasonable? l need hardly enquire!
Then let your reason lead you to the
same conclusion in relation to your
own problem.
-
To Friendly Souls:-ln ancient
Mythology the world was believed TO
be held on the shoulders OF Atlas.
The man of mighty frame has his
counterpart in later years, and the
fancy of the ancients does not seem
so very remote, for / see this grand
Old age-fiarked world rolling along
and the most sustaining Influence In
it is friendship. The unselfishness of
those who wish us well, out of pure
goodness of heart, keeps many toiler
cheerfully in place. Gods vice.
gerents on earth are the friends we
have. When tempted and tried, even
before we turn to God for guidance,
our thought is almost invariably
"What would dear ---, my friend,
think?n You magnanimous ones,
whose eyes are blinded to our outer
faults, but keen-visioned for the ideals
and grandeur we are capable of, still
exert youf power tinsparingly. The
ways are hard and weary; stay hot the
precious influences that help us TO be-
lieve in good and in effort and in our
selves.
-
| TO Ministers: Let no man deprive
you of your right to take active part
in our country's affairs. You have
the right and responsibility as we'll.
Bear with me for d few lines In order
to see whether we agree.
The highest civilization is undoubt-
eddy that in which there is the read
lest interchange OF advantages and
opportunities among the members OF
the nation. We not only boast Of
high civilization but we even dare to
call ourselves christian" What is
Christian civilization? The reply must
be made that civilization, In order
to be Christian In any sense, must be
one that, DIS far as possible, from the
highest to the lowest, is actiiated by
Christian principles. If this be true
then, there is, as yet very little dan
ger of our gong too far in such d.
rection. In fact, IA glance over our
political life up TO this time, and a
consideration of the motives that
prompt many men into 1t, is quite
sufficient reason for our not yet even
approximating the Christian stand
ard. 1t must be borne in mind that
any further introduction Of Christian
principles into politics and business
will never be made by those who op-
pose such principles. The only hope
that gradual lettering of conditions
and gradual moving OF our civilixa-
tion forward to the humanity and
brotherly kindness that ought to char
acterize it, has to be found in the ac-
tive participation in all affairs OF life
by those who are the leaders Of men
along moral heights. The fact that
belief in relation to the future life
does not in any way free us from re-
sponsibility here. We still need food
and raiment; we still need money for
the comforts of life and they are still
obtainable only by toll. That toll still
remains hampered by the social con-
ditions of the day in which we live,
and those conditions must necessarily
remain hard and Objectionable so long
are solely brought about by those who
are prompted by selfish motives. Let
your light so shine before men in all
the ways of life that, in their reaching
after higher life they may not stumble
and fall over material conditions that
you could better. Hunger and thrift
lessness and oppression are removable
enemies to the faith you preach.
Study them and wrestle with them,
that straight paths may be made for
feeble feet.
~
To Self-Seeking Preachers:-It is
forbidden to speak lightly Of the
Lords anointed. This do not, for
the Lord has nothing to do with the
spurious Oil of desire for ease and
comfort, that sets some of you above
the throng Too polite to be honest,
too gentle to stir thistle-down, too
inexperienced to know life as it is
lived, too indolent to grasp the vast
opportunities of your position, you
pass through life like children play
ing on the sands. You have no hand
to spare for those who founder and
expire in the shadows of truth, for
both hands are busy holding close to
the ear in childish glee empty shells
of theory and hair-splittlng and mem
tai pleasures that shut out the ocean
like sounds Of human anguish and
human aspiration. You set before your
hearers mere husks, fit for swine and
unfit even for prodigal sons. You
draw your topics from every place ex-
cept the human heart, forgetting the