Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-01-14

turerS).
mankind, and, more than that, to the
whole sentlent creation.
Opponents without number have
risen to cry: But happiness in any
form cannot be the rational purpose
of human life and action, for, in the
first place, happiness is unattalnable
Moreover, men can do without happi-
ness. Is not the lesson of renuncia-
ton the necessary condition OF all vlr-
tue?"
To these objections utilitarians re-
ply: If human happiness be an ele-
ment of life utterly unattainable, then
surely utilitarianism may prevent or
mitigate unhappiness. Regarding the
second objection, that man must learn
to do without happiness, that happl-
ness has voluntarily been resigned by
the hero and martyr, the unitarian re-
plies: Would the sacrifice be made If
the hero or martyr did not believe
that it would earn for others immun-
ity from similar sacrifices? Would 1t
be made if he thought that his renun-
citation of happiness for himself would
produce no fruit for any Of his fellow
creatures but to make their lot like
his? 1t is a grand thing to abnegate
the enjoyment of life, when from such
abnegation is born happiness for the
rest of the world. If for any other end,
it is a criminal waste Of life.
But, some DIRECTORS say it is a god
less doctrine. To this Mill replies: II
it be true belief that God desires above
all things the happiness of his crea-
lures, and that this was His purpose
in their creation, then is utility not
only not goddess doctrine, but more
profoundly religious than any other
Mills friendships were potent forces
in making his philosophical teachings
tender and sweet. During his early
| manhood he came in close contact with
two young men who, at this time, were
attracting considerable attention, Fred
erick Dennison Maurice and John Ster-
| ling. Maurice was the leader of the
Broad Church movement in England,
and eXerted a powerful influence on
Mills mind, as on the minds of all with
whom he came in contact, by his char
| ity and lovable character, most potent
of all arguments. Maurice possessed
a broad sympathy and practical spirit
udllIy WHICH SOuSuI W SI6Ndle lie Id
| boring classes, and which, in the place
| of dOgmatism, strove to inculcate actual
brotherly love. Coming in contact
| with Maurice, as Mill did in early man
hood, such a personality must have
touched and influenced him not a lit
| tie.
Sterling was one of band of Cam
| bridge young men, who, under the
| leadership of Maurice, aided the Broad
| Church movement. OF no high place
| in the political or religious world, his
| rare qualities of mind and lovable char
acter elected from Mill the words: Il
loved him more than | ever loved any
| other man." The charge of harshness
| and lack of feeling can never justly
| be imputed to Mill or to his teachings,
| No man possessing SO many warm
personal attachments as did Mill could
have lacked on the humanitarian side.
Do you remember Olive Schreiner's
legend of the hunter-in her little
| book called Dreams the hunter
set out to find the bird Truth. a
great white bird, with silver wings out
stretched sailing in the blue, of which
people had seen nothing but simmer,
a reflection in the water? The hun
ter determined to devote his life to
the search for this wonderful bird, and
never to give up, while life lasted, till
he found her His friends Knocked him
and called him mad, and told him he
would never find his bird Truth. But
he kept on in his search, toiling pain
fully through weary deserts, struggling
through the valley of superstition,
finally leaving the lowlands where peo-
pie dwelt, fighting his way up the
mountain side, slowly and with diff
Guilty, laboriously cutting his way,
step by step, into the iron rocks,
catching now and then faint, far-off
glimpse of the object of his search.
as it mounted higher and higher, until
he knew that if he found it, it must be
on the highest point of the mountain
up which he toiled.
But the sleeping time came at last.
and the old hunter folded his tired
hands and lay down by the precipice
where he had worked away his life. Il
have sought" said he, for long years
l have labored; but I have not found
her. l have not rested, have not re-
pinned. but I have not seen her; now
my strength is gone. Where l lie
down, worn out, other men will stand
young and fresh: by the steps that
have cut, they will climb; by the
stairs that | have built, they will
mount. They will never know even
the name of the man who made them.
At the clumsy work they will laugh;
when the stones roll they will curse
me; but they will mount, and on my
work; they will climb, and by my
stair. They will find her, and through
me, And no man liveth to himself.
| and no man dieth to himself
Then slowly from the white sky
above. through the still air, came
] something falling, falling, falling.