The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-08-21

painter aud prophet plerces beneath
the surface and beyond the vail, ex-
lists and acts in us all. In each brain
it asserts itself. To each soul it de.
clares: "There is more about me and
above me and before me than the eye
can see or the hand handle; beyond
the horizon there is a vaster horizon
whose view eDcircles mightier reali.
ties than the everlasting hills or the
works of man." 1t says: There are
other voices than the Babel sounds
which rise around me, other guides
than my human advisers, other goals
set up than those towards which rush
the eager, painting multitudes."
In the larger and more inclusive
sense, Imagination is the tie that
binds us to the unseen and spiritual
1t introduces us into a new realm
and makes us citizens of better
country. 1t lifts us from the dust Of
the arena into sphere of triumph
1t takes us from the humdrum and
drudgery of life, and bears us aloft
to the starry spaces!
There is quaint Arabian legend
which tells of the pilgrimages to
Mecca of two devout followers of the
prophet. Abouk journeyed on foot,
Selim was mounted on camel. AT
nightfall, both pilgrims had reached
spring of water in the desert where
grew few palm trees. They pre-
pared to spend the night together.
SIT is long and tedious journey"
said Abouk; "On the contrary, it is
short and pleasant" answered Selim.
Il was cheered by mirage on the
horizon, wherein l saw the spires and
temples of the Holy City" "There
was no mirage, no holy city to be
seen," angrily declared Abouk;
there were, instead, legions of
poisonous ants in the sand. that bit
and poisoned my flesh" "Not a single
ant was on the DESERT" rejoined Sc
lin. The two pilgrims were quarrel
ing fiercely when good priest, also
journeying toward Mecca, came up.
He listened to them patiently. Peace,
my brethren" he said at last. "Let
us leave these questions until to
morrow night to decide. In the mean
time, let Selim 60 on foot and Abouk
ride the camel" They consented to
this change of places. On the next
night it was Abouk who had seen
the glorious visions and found the
journey pleasant, and it was Selim
who had been bitten by the ants.
"My brothers." said the priest, 1--WE
are all going to Mecca, whether we
walk or ride; but Selim cannot see
what Abouk sees unless he stands
where Abouk standsl"
Abouk's point of view the second
day was higher. He had been lifted
above the stings and cares and
WEAKNESS of the desert. He beheld
pictures of things fair and glorious;
and did not mind the ants and dust
aud heat. Such a point of vision the
imagination furnishes. In the midst
of the forest and most unfavorable
surroundings;-in the midst of sor-
row and poverty,-we may rise. In
the beauty of the unseen we may for
get the seen; the poor furniture and
cracked windows and bed of straw;
or we may see even these TRANSPORTED.
Dore was asked, when his good for
tune was at its height, why he did
not build himself chateau. "Let
my patrons do that" he answered;
"Why should l, who have no need of
it, My chateau is here, behind my
forehead" Whittier has written of
one:
Sometimes her narrow kitchen walls
Stretched away into stately halls;
The weary wheel to spinnet turned,
The tallow candle an astral burned.''
And even though we take up the
burden of life again" it is better to
have seen the vision. We are all the
stronger for it. There are single
moments in life that are worth the
WEAKNESS of score of years. These
beacon moments throw a tender radi-
ance over the past and illuminate
the future. They make life endur-
able. They break up its monotony.
They give us glimpses of the great
purpose that, back of our little pur-
pose, back of our Intellectual plans,
is being wrought out by the wise and
loving power from which we came.
2. But there is another element an
oar definition Imagination is that
power Of the mind aohich takes the
,Oork Of the other faculties, unifes,
completes and crolcns 1T. 1t is the
creative and constructive facts.
a. While this faculty is used in
poetry and eloquence and art, Goethe
declares that no one can be truly