The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1901-02-09

AnN secret OF MNNNtuEaA
The secret Of happiness lies In the
art OF appreciation. Robert Burns des-
cribed the happy man when he said be
was contented with little and happy
with more. An acquaintance who lives
in the hustle and whirl Of business,
where men are eagerly pushing for
wealth and power and position, said
The world Is full Of dissatisfied and
unhappy people. II there Is any way
70 find the secret Of happiness. It ought
70 be shown In this present dlscontent-
ed and restless generation" Yes. there
are a great number OF unhappy people
in this world today. and perhaps we,
each Of us, sometimes imagine We be-
long to that company. No doubt We do
pass through moods and periods Of dis
content. doubt. depression and despair
But. without ignoring llfe's seamy and
sad side. ] believe there are nameless
multitudes OF men and women still liv-
ing on the upper side OF this goodly
frame. the earth" ! never see a
healthy. chubby. smiling infant. fairly
bubbllng over with life. or watch the
school children at play. or see the boys
and girls 90 rushing breathlessly
through the streets. with the glow OF
health on their cheeks. and the iire OF
enthusiasm In their eyes, but I say 10
myself. the cynics may whine. and
the pessimists may snarl. and the faith
less may moan. but eternal youth and
Joy still reign on the earth. and the
everlasting miracle Of happiness Is still
the witness and evidence Of the good
ness and love Of God" believe the
power OF the will. the influence OF our
own mind. the way We accept life. the
Interpretation We give 70 facts and ex-
periences Il a determining factor In
our enjoyment Or disappointment In
this world. do not mean one can be
happy. face TO face with the hard and
crushing sorrows which shatter and
overwhelm-though even In the dark
est hours and the bitterest grief. reso-
lutte faith and Christian fortitude will
see the face OF God and hear the words
Of courage and cheer. The doctrine
that sins and evils. disease and death.
misfortune and disappointment are
not real. though accepted as a divine
revelation By many. Is as fallaclous
and sophistical a dream as 10 call q
silent corpse a myth or a cyclone a
summer zephyr There is a dark and
tragic side to human life. and happl-
ness can only be found By somehow
reconciling the shadows and the sun.
80 as 70 make faith possible. IN the
darkness as well as In the light The
jaunty and shallow optimism which |
ignores evil and sin is az absurd and
false as the miserable pessimlsm which 4
delights 20 vail: Vanity OF vanitles: /
al Is vanity" We are an born into Ar
cadia. as Schiller says. but instead or
finding our happiness In things close
az hand and IN our everyday assocla-
tons. work and experience We look TO
the future and long for other days and
other conditions. when We assure our
selves We shall obtain perfect happi-
ness Vain dftaml That hour never
comes. and never will He who does
not End content and satisfaction today.
who does not rejoice In the sunshine
and the blessings God gives him mo-
ment BY moment. win never fnd the
path TO Paradise and will live and die
discontented.-Rev r. L. Phalen. OF
Worcester. Mass.