The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1901-09-19
Paper Read
Before the
Cllautauqua
Circle.
BY ZOLL.
Some Impressions
From Our Nature Study.

Human nature comprises all the
senses of man and the influence exerted
in producing his actions. The man
begins in single cell and the whole
span of his life is one long or short
series of experiences, and each expert
ence, no matter how trivial it may
seem, goes to make up his nature.
Thus every mans life is a complete
whole in itself. Hence every man
undergoes different experiences from
every other man; consequently every
single mans human nature is whole
unto itself and differs from every other
mans nature, except in so far as the
main principle of lite exacts similar
conditions for each mans bodily de-
velopment, and compels him to undergo
the same experiences as his follow
men, and thus molds his nature like
his fellows, making his interests the
same as theirs; thus forming a COM
munity CT interests and widening the
term of "human nature" so that it
applies to all men collectively as we'll
as individually. The creative power
that rules the universe gives the human
being life and supplies him with senses,
and then in turn supplies the material
entities to act upon those senses, which,
all working in harmony and together,
form mans physical and intellectual
human nature. We speak of mans
volition or power of willing to do this
or that; but if we think deeply upon
the subject we will have to admit that
Shakespeare has struck the keynote of
the only conclusion that we can safely
arrive at in his lines:
There is destiny that shapes our ends,
Rough hew them as we wiu'
1t is often said that "man can make
himself what he Wills" or that 'there
is always room at the top" But the
lives of millions have proven the
falIacy of those assertions. 1t is the
variety of life that makes it attractive.
If every man was ambitious, even if all
possessed the same talents, and worked
up an indomitable energy like that
which pervades the spirit of some of
our most active men of affairs, the
ensuing strife that would be fomented
by each ambitious individual striving
to outvie his neighbor would become
intolerable and every mans hand would
be raised against his neighbors to such
an extent that no life or property would
be secure. If every man should become
a monk, life would soon vanish from
the earth, provided that the monks
lived up to their vows and were not
lewd impostOrs. A thousand familiar
illustrations of the same sort can be
adduced to show that all men cannot
safely follow the same pursuits or
vocations of life with good results for
the whole race. But man is an adapt,
able being and accustoms himself
readily to many varying conditions of
life, and as IN everything else, that
wise providence that shapes our
destinies instiIls spirit into each man
that compels him sometimes directly
against his willy to do that which is
best for himself and all humanity.
There is one trait in human nature
that should not ba overlooked here, and
that is the spirit Ill man which makes
him seek for peace and which he will
even fight to death in striving for.
Every man knows what makes him
peaceful. The strenuous life is often
the most peaceful for some, as it keeps
their minds occupied with material
existence, while the quiet precincts of
the hermit's cell is the acme of peace
for others. "Seek peace" were the