Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1898-01-25

SOME RAMBLING ThOUGHTS.
BY MEMO


Copyrighted by DAVE 4 Tabor.
There came across my path few days
since. youny man of wide reading but
not OF deep thought who had among
other things, saturated his nina with
the thoughts Of Schopenhauer, the
pessimist. In weary tones he told OF the
disappointments and SORROWS OF life, oi
the selfshness of human beings, OF the
ssvagery into which some OF us find u
so easy to drop, Of the curse OF eauss-
tion In opening before US all vast heIds
OF learning that Time prevents us from
traversing. Of the mockery OF NE 10
giving us a mere peep OF great Things
and then sending US onward into death
and darkness. The dreary catalogue OF
woe-stricken thoughts grew more ana
more irksome as IL progressed. ana
fear there were replies given more force
ful than polite. since he IL one OF
class. NAV | lust In few crowded
words repeat some things that were said
during my portion OF the conversation
believe that man talks oniy 'p
such gloomy fashion when he Is such Mo
intense egotist that he regards the worio
as under obligation TO circle for him ana
his pleasure: that he makes the centre
of the universe mere speck OF com
plalping humanity; and that his own NJ
tie toothache or his own little misery Is
alone used in estimating the feelings OF
others.
| believe that rainy days have their
place fully "a much as DAYS OF sunshine
in bringing forth the fruits Of the earth.
So I believe that none OF us bring forth
our best when all IL sunshine. As the
glare and glory Of blazing sun cause
the desert. so perfect ease Of life de-
velops desert men and women, who
make the counterpart OF the wasted
miles Of Sahara, In the wasted years OF
their lives ardentlv spent for self and
therefore hostile to everv human being.
must believe this or else regard the
Creator as a mere teaser OF men.
believe that the selfshness OF human
beings Ia more talked about than real.
Even among the poor-snd that includes
most OF us-ihere Il so much unselfsh
helping Of one another. little doles OF
kindness given with freehsnd out OF AL
most empty wallets, that one Is COM
PEELED to believe that the example OF tn"
msiaritv Of us will finally become the
guide Of the world. As Sir Edwin Ar
mold says. "All the poor are piteous to
the poor" so "a long as the poor last
pity will last, and when the poor and
grisf-stSined cease, pity will no longer
be needed.
| believe that though ssvsgerv and
grossness lurk In the breasts OF all OF US,
there Ia an increasing control OF IN"
hereditary inner savage, and that the
general orderliness Of daily life proclsims
this truth. To prove il. run over In
your mind the things your impulses
would drive you toward; and then see
how YOUR hesitsncv Ia confirmed into
sctive enmitv 10 those feelings by your
knowledge OF the standard society-made
up OF units like yourself-expects OF
YOU. To see what we were few cent
uries ago, one might go 10 the natives
OF South Africa. According TO the word
OF missionsrv-blshop they are so un-
used 10 control by reason OF centuries
lacking in IL, that at present II IL impossi-
ble for the Roman Catholic church to
ordain native priests there. So foreign
to their thought IL any desire for self
conquest on behalf of others that celibacy
IL sn absolute bar against them. But
under our civilization when there Is res-
son for restraint, both men and women
pass happy lives without floating away
on the waves Of passion.
| believe that when we rise from the
first keen feeling OF our own littleness.
after education has opened our eyes, we
are driven TO n fuller understanding OF
what living really means; that II leads
US TO look around for the same unity
that pervsdes the universe, wherein each
body In the heavens moves with apparent
independence and yet all are moving to-
gether In one vast progress through
space. believe this unity of the human
race will some day be more than mere
glittering dresm,-even an actual fact,
with only here and there an erratic
creature moving like a comet across the
paths of others. | believe that pessi-
mism regarding Education arises from
wrenching 1t out of It's proper sphere.
Rightly used 1t gives US larger views.
II makes life more varied, fuller and
more interesting. II 1t does not do this.
| il is because We have loaded ourselves
down with its pebbles instead of Its
| rubies, and found darkness where bright
ness alone should be.
believe that the shOrtness OF life just
serves to show US that the race is more
important than the Individual, and that
therefore the test OF valued life will
some day come to be-not how much for
self was gathered and scraped together,
but how much service was done to re-
pay something TO the race for the
pleasures and opportunities that are our
heritsges as members Of one great human
fsmily.
| believe the world is thrilling to new
century Of new opportunities, wherein
better men than ourselves shall hold
sway, but In whose progress the feeolest
If US shall have q part, II we live our
little lives to their fullest.
| OUT OF MANY, ONE.
| win you come 70 the spring .decked woodlands.
Where kindly mother Earth