The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-01-24
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essserfgnx room. Old faiths. old laws aud
customs are being looked into with scra-
fir1szfng care. II L. an age. too IN many
Respects Of ambiguity. IN regard 20 NOR
ais there are fewer rules. and these Jess
rigid than they used 70 be. There - more
morality and fewer naxinos. just az there
Is deeper faith and fewer formulas. Great
changes are going on around as The AZ
r being laid TO the root Of many an Oh
tree. The world OF thought - being stirred
70 liz dep1h. Thus. OF necessity. come
shaGowy conceptions OF moral and spir-
ftaaI Ideals This ss seen IN literature.
The plot Of the average modern noNel
presents q somewhat complicated eondi-
ton OF things, unrelieved BY any clearly
defined moral RBtde-posts- In clever rs-
view OF a popular novel NOT long since y
was stated sS1at the book had no moral.
or rather. a dozen morals. Novels are
not written nowadays for moral pur-
pose: they portray life as II Is. and the
reader u 20 work out MS OWL moral The
same state Of indenniteness r. witnessed
FL other avenues Of life. For example.
ia practical politics as well a. In political
science things are badly mixed. Even
when the principles seem clear enough
the people are often muddled. Compi-
cations create confusion. 50 In
religion. Even the religious sphere is
rot free from perplexisy and
suspense. 70 Is a tim. OF transforma-
ton from old 10 new Interpretations OF the
Fundamental facts OF the universe IL Is
the same God. the same Christ, the same
need Of salvation from sir. but these terms
have a new and more real meaning in the
ljgat Of modern science. some are so dis
turbed By the demand upon individual
.nought and personal purpose that they
would escape the responsibility by blind
conformity 20 an infaiiibie church. or ao-
Holuts reliance upon the letter OF the infal-
isble book. II l. such relief not 10 have
TO work oat philosophy of religion. not
even 10 think for ones self. but 10 have II
ali laid down in black and white. every
particle OF the truth definitely defined. the
mechanism complete. A large portion Of
mankind have still 10 take their religion
rs well az their politics on the say so OF
others. A. little children learn geography,
- many grewn~up people learn their les
sons IN life dogmatiealiy None may alto
gether demonstrate every truth on verify
every fact fos themselves. bur no truth can
ever be thoroughly possessed until the In
diyidual makes 81 a part Of his very life.
Thus. while thks condition % inceriitude
and this period of Transformation are lat
sraI movements In the evolution OF human
tiy. there Is all the greater need of sound
Ing some strong keynote OF positiveaess
and purpose and concentration In life. We
need to be reused 10 the realization OF des-
tiny TO be attained through doing, not
dreaming. This was Paars idea Ia the
declaration. This one thing do" 1t Is
very shoTt text. Only two little syilables
IN tine Greek. The rest was understood 10
the Greek mind. It's very brevity suggests
something sudden. quick. pointed. IL is the
image Of the Greek racer He Is flying for
ward with, eve centered on the prize at the
end OF the course. Past steps or mls-steps
~.
the body in its eager forward motion. SO
Paul would dismiss the past, It's attain
menis. It's failures. its joys and sorrows.
II Is not. what has been done or left I'M
done. but what can ] do now?
This principle of Paufs stands IN the
first place for positiveness In life. Life
IL TO be treated afirmatively. IL is ex-
pressed by the emphasis put on do"
raui's life had Just that ring 10 Il. He
did not stop To- ask. Shall do this or
that7'' He did not waste time over nom
essential and uncertain things but OF
duties straight before him he said posi-
lively. definitely. This one thing l do"
In the problem OF the discrimination be-
tween right and wrong there Is always
one course open. Do not take any chances
where there Is the least wruus, but where
right Is known. do It. The negative
method viii not prevail In the treatments
Of moral difficulties. Any day one may
be brought face TO face with some test
question. some temptation or trial inyolv-
ing duty, principle Treat II positively.
When the inner voice says. You must. -
obey. One known duty we'll done is worth
a score Of half-hearted services where
motives are mixed and results uncertain
II Is not well 10 brood too long over
things 70 be renowned. There r. enough
for one 90 do along the line OF understood
duties. In matters of faith the same prin-
cipls holds good. Better a very little real
faith fresh from the heart than vast
amount 81 vague belief. There Is a pro-
testantism that protests too much. a form
% creed that catalogues too many don't
believes" There Is criticism, too. that
destroys old faith without creating new
\ man'S religion should ~ in the lire OF
construction. not destruction Cling 20
first principles. Don't worry about non
essentials, Grasp the great truths. Hold
fast 20 eternal verities. When doubt en-
ters into the heart. one way Is 20 try
- argue Il out. Another way Is 10 60 live
Il down and thus drive n out. "He that
4doeth the VIII or the Father shall know
90 the doctrine" In tho treatment OF sin
the same two methods mav be used but
the positive way VIII save whore the
negative way will fail ono may spend
much time and thought in the analysis
of SIN. aud may even derive much
strength from battling 18th A. hat Tho
tlEht y cften frausht with danger and
the bold wsFrlor Is overcome ~ last. 'Ra
not overcome 81 evil. but overcome evil
win good -" Put ga the good and that
Will drive o0t the had. TIE hest way Is
rot - think too long On sin Fin the
mirf with good thoughts Read the hest
books. nwet In the atmosphere 81 love
and purity. Avoid tire association hy talk
or action that levels one 80 too iow "a
n sue FIJI up the lifo With noble deeds.
1ie so much occupied with Chvist-Nke SER
vice that sin cannot b entertained The
same apostle On the very next chspfer
- this same epistle preseribes Tire posi-
tive method ia the treatment OF evil when
he SAYS. Finally. brethren. Whatsoever
things ere honest and iust and pure and
le>ely ana cf good report. think on these
thleas"
This principle - Paurs pets forward a
parpcse iD lfe. u IS grand ching ga have
q purpesc in ones hfa. No Roadway can
p nna#e WitRoui it. Fach ore must lsa-
Reeve that he has something - DO with his
j}fe, tHst De IS here far ara object Tho
question ~ whether llfc Sc worth living de-
ren8s flpcn tbis other ana more irluart-
ant aaesrsoa. whether Gre has a purpose
en- living TAa tranh.c Wits s., many vo5frs
people TODAY s sheJ 11ey fsU "a Krasp me
FIRST nTfst sole of i.tsgw Eavpv Is ~ wno
early learns the importance of having an
aim in iifc To le ~ any moral worth 60
so or others we Iacst apa1r h-s.d than r-r
walsh we are aprrehenaed ~ Goa
Through christ. o.. tire al1,fsss Twas
che tive. ihst 6r8tt ans sras
sud know net whst - a. Win
themselves How insN pT sSss,>y ssssehfgtl,
e Is % feel within the nNart tnsf t-.~s a
a grsnE. strong purpOse go rursue. that
even when cne Is thEartea !1 th- farv
fssl, Fl 50 go r~,f Fa.v FsffN meats 1~s &c. a.