Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1901-09-15

attOA IL 1lf i44nlC- 4tAS y WY
a Jewish orunkard IVES always an I'M
known perscnage. That is why Jewfsa
morality was always ssauneh and
sturdy. That is why tie jewish home
was always a synonym for holiness aud
beauty. for the holiness OF beauty. for
the beauty OF holiness. For deny men
Just JOY and you 6rive them II efine.
Grant then hearty pleasures and you
help them TO worthy life.
So again | repeat | offer no criticism
of rational enjoyment. But | repeat
the word rational as IL suggests the
critical thought, for while 20 long as
pleasures are rational | suggest no OBJ
Jection. | do object TO the excuses
which soma people title pleasures. l
dc object to making pleasure the aim
and end Of life. | know Herbert Spen-
Ger. an exceptional scholar in every
way, says that by the process of eYolu-
ton life will one day reach the stage
where all men will find their own hap
piness in laborins for others. hut that
that process would work itself out only
as men made their own happiness the
ultimate purpose of their being. | can
lot agres here with Spencer. ! can
I readily grant that men have a right
TO be happy. and that that happiness
should be q means toward an end. and
that end to elevation of all life. But
that happiness is in itself the end
cannot grant. Good old Jewish
thought is ! think here nearer the
truth. Not happiness but duty is the
purpose of life.
Il slept and dreamed that life was beauty.
I #nIa a,l fAsn..a fHaN ne xraa duty -
That is the Jewish conception and
it seems to me II is correct. Let man
do his duty. Be he happy in its doing.
find he happiness while doing it, well
and good. But find he even sorrow and
grief. still let him labor in the per-
fcrmsnce of duty, for that Is the Ill
innate purpose OF his life.
Now II stands to reason that the man
who guides his life by this conception
who makes duty Tie aim and end OF all,
rejoice as he may, will always be tenn
pt~ite in his pleasures, will always
take his pleasures at the right time.
and will always give himself to the
right kind of pleasures. Otherwise
duty would inevitably be interferei
with. He will build his life on the
firm rocks OF duty and right and he
will be safe. The storms may rage
about him, the treasures may be swept
away, his pleasures become few. he Will
always be found at his post. for Col
is with him and God is Eternal.
How has the jew of to-day. heir of
the Jew Of yesterday. been loyal to
this old Jewish conception OF duty? Is
duty first with him and pleasure sec
oEda Is he still moderate and temper
ate in all things? Does he know es-
cess? Are his ancestors qualities. his
qualities? | gather a few illustrations
al random and offer them to YOU.
/ see first a young man still in his
teens. He is perhaps the son of az
fectionate and kind parents. who love
him so that they deny him Nothing he
desires. They rely on him. They give
him free rein. He takes 1t. At first
he holds in check. Gradually he
loosens. Perhaps he begins by finding
rather poor company. Cigarette smok-
ing follows. He becomes rather care
less of the kaunts he visits and the
hours he keeps. He even learns to
drink in a spirit OF bravado. He thinks
II is manish. you know. He has the
money. He might as well spend 1t. He
will evon, as he energies from his teens
speculate with some OF 1t. Perhaps
the races entics him. or more usually
the card table. Of curse he's not
gambling. He's only enjoying himself
One night he is brought home a wreck
and some parent hearts are broken
They had set their hear;s or that son.
He tried to build this life IN the shift
ing sands Of what he thought was
pleasures. but the foundation wa
swept away and the superstructure fell
into ruins. Rejoice, o young man. In
thy youth. and let thy heart cheer thee
In the days OF thy youth, and walk in
the ways Of thy heart and In the sight
of thine eyes, but know that for all
these things God will bring you into
Judgment" The ecclesiast spoke wise
ly and we'll. Walk after the impulses
of thine own heart II thou will. One
day o will be brought to the judg-
ment bar and then You Will md
that the grass of excess will not serve
you. twill wither as the flower fadeth
for the word of God alone endureth
forever.
| behold next a mar past his ma
iority by a half score OF years. He
too, when younger knew kind parental
influence. But now he has outgrown
that, 0 know. That is good enough
for children, but men, he insists, can
not be tied to mothers apron strings
He is old enough to take care OF him
self and he will. With a bound he
leaps into the whirl of a wild life OF
reyel. My, what fun, and how younger
men sway him. One day he must be
sought and is found either in a street
brawl or a gambling den. or as q shat
tered Hunk in a gilded palace. The
tears Of lear ones fall freely. Why dc
you cry? I'm able to take care of my
self. A mar has a right to SOW his
wild oats-he mumbles on and on, all
the while seeking excuses. He has
none. He built poorly and he fell
The eternal law goes on forever.
| see next a man Of middle age. He
is married, perchance a father of an
interesting family. The world has
been good to him too. Business has
~prospered, and he is fairly well to do.
He is thoroughly satisfied with himself
He provides for his household. His
wife has all she desires; his children
are being nicely educated. What more,
he soliloquizes, is needed? To be sure,
he finds it a little monotonous at
home. so he spends his spare time else
where. Where? Oh. he knows. a