The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-04-24


brews xii, /.
TIME most important occupation
of man is character-b building.
In olden days this sentiment was ex-
pressed in the words: Religion is
the chief concern of man." Inc
modern statement not only tells us
the fact, but also hints how religion
is obtained-i. EN- building char
acter.
To build character one must equip
himself with two instruments. The
first is system of useful ideas.
Ones thought should be broad
enough to have place in it for every
known fact of the universe.
But it is not enough to be broad
minded. to build strong character.
One must be deep, as well. loo
many men are broad without being
deep, and deep without being broad.
Both are liable to intolerance and
bigotry. If the broad-minded man
is broad and nothing more, his knowl-
edge, although broad, is too shallow
to be useful and is liable to be ex-
hausted in any real crisis OF life. The
Platte river, of Nebraska, is broad
but very shallow, and dries up at
imest when men most need its water.
Th. .seep, narrow mans knowledge
is all on one line, and so, must be
useless when one leaves its special
range. The miner digging shaft
cannot see the largeness nor the
grandeur of the world.
There is no practical difference be-
tween the broad and the deep man.
The broad man is deep the long way
and narrow the deep way; and the
deep man is broad the deep way and
narrow the broad way. The world
needs men, such as all great reform
ers and saviours have been, both
broad and deep.
The second instrument the charac-
ter-builder needs in doing his work
is practical virtues, such as kindness,
confidence, courage, honesty, pa
thence, meekness and others. Among
the most important of long list of
human virtues, is the virtue of pa
thence. Patience occupies this promi-
nent position among the virtues be-
cause it is never alone. 1t draws
other virtues to itself and makes
them help to do its work. In its
company you will find courage. 1t
takes courage to be patient. Kind
ness and confidence will also be in
this little band. We will be kind
with the failings of the unfortunate
if we are patient enough to assist
them; and we must have confidence
to believe that the Feasibility and
Observation-Disclosures of our subjects
are only temporary weaknesses of
human nature, which, under the sun
shine of love will be outgrown.
If any of you have carefully OBJ
served the practical operation of pa
t;ence in human conduct, you must
long ago have seen how patience
strengthens physical weakness and
the lack of patience weakens physi-
cal strength. You perhaps have seen
this fact illustrated in the life of the
natient weak man and the impatient
strong man. Both have the same
task. The strong man applies his
nonderous energies, and raises a
regular cyclone of dust with his busy
activity. To see him at work one
would think he needed only few
minutes to do his task. But just be-
fore him lies an irritating obstacle.
He meets it. His patience is soon ex-
hausted. In fit of vexation he des-
troys all he has accomplished. He
must begin his task all over again.
This happens not only once, but a
number of times each day.
Meanwhile, the patient weak man
is plodding on in his unpretentious
manner, meeting and overcoming all
difficulties. He makes no mistakes
of Judgment or in execution. What
he does once is done for good. Nine
times out of ten the weak, patient
man, with all his inability and lack
of energy, will finish a given task.
while the strong, impatient man is
Tuning and fretting in the throes of
his latest difficulty.
Martineau says: "Swarms of insect
vexations are always on the wing in
the MONDAY heat of care and unless
ones soul be possessed by the God of
patience, they buzz about the halos
of the saints and provoke the most
war"
Patience underlies every form of
conduct. To acquit ourselves of any
responsibility, to render useful judg-
ments, or to perform any duty what
soever, requires an adequate patience.
In this sense patience may be said to