The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-01-05

forget that we may fail with H. lhete
are successes I'm life. too, that are worse
than failures. Some one has said not
failure. but low aim. Is crime To be
convinced OF the necessity for purpose
I'm life Is only to lead us TO that difn-
cult question what shall IL be? Is IL tar
more vital than the choice or one = me
work? This question pertains To ire
as whole. To its thought as Wen AS
IT'S action: 10 ones desires and mouVes'
10 the inmost secrets OF ones inmost pe-
ing One can grasp II better, perhaps, oy
imagining a retrospect on life than oy
estimating It's prospect We are stand
ing now at lifes close. Ihe night
gathers and the battle Is over. Ihen
comes one and says you have nVen out
the measure OF your days. You nave
passed through childhood and known It's
JOY. Youth has been yours and you nave
breatned it's hope Manhood has come
upon you and in the world YOU nave
played your part There has come gray
hairs and ripe years and life's neat mas
cooled and the bugle has sounded re-
treat. What has been your OBJECT IN IL
all? what purpose has been yours hht
goal have you sought? What hope mas
cheered you on?
LIFE BEFORE HIM.
can imagine youth with life before IL
boldly proclaimng It's devotion to ousi-
ness or art or song or battle, with poio-
ness and fervor, but one cannot Imagine
old age with life behind confessing that TX
has all been spent I'm ones business how
ever good. or ones profession. however
noble, without a sense OF sadness and
shame For life for most OF US is lived
on distant peaks where the hum OF busi-
ness IL not heard, In far OF valleys,
where the marts of trade do not flourish:
now in quiet havens where ships do not
ride, now on high and far distant seas.
where one sees by day only the Heavens
and by night only the stars. For most
OF us, too. these places OF ouiet faith
where we look up to the hills and I'm their
strength revive our hope; these places oi
secret sorrow and unexpressed Joy; these
places of deep despair and then the flush
Of victory; these places hallowed by
friendships and made sacred by loves, are
more real 10 us and speak more of life
than all the fret Of our going TO and fro
throughout the earth. anxious about
what we shall eat or wherewithal We
shall he clothed.
Iife's purpose must include these and
weave them into form and figure. LIES
purpose must be furthered by them else
we shall say. vanity of vanties, all is
vanity.
II Is this reach Of life itself that makes
the character OF its purpose. the endless
problem OF man. Greek myth, Hebrew
poetry. Roman thought were all con-
cerned about the answer 10 the question:
| what is the chief end OF being.
MANS NATURE
II the many sidedness Of mans nature
however. makes the question difficult a
knowledge OF this characteristic helps to-
ward solution. The difficulties them
selves suggest answers
IL man were a mere animal the solution
would be easy. The animal lives in the
feeting moment, No past disturbs II. no
| future animates II. Its desires are Of the
moment and the moment brings sufficient
TO satisfy and quiet. But mans now is
eternal.
As memory II reaches back into the
past, as hope II advances into the fu-
ture. Out OF the store house OF the past
comes blessings and curses. His strength
or his weakness today Is linked with yes
terday. No less real is the future with its
! hopes and plans stretching out limitless.
| Not here but yonder Is the goal of our
| stirring The ideal is as yet unattained,
| unattainable. Against the barrier OF
1 death man hurls himself and II goes
| down before his holy impetuousty.
| Across the grave faith throws a bridge
and postulates a larger life beyond. No
| limited purpose can serve the needs Of
| men. The only purpose that can serve
! life is an eternal one. Such a purpose
comes with high handed authority.
Not the authority OF priest or church
| or book but the authority n life itself II
| In not the authority of compulsion with
out us but the authority Of impulsion
within us IN Is life's demand. II is the Sc
cret OF life's strength. II instls courage
| and breathes hope. Whatever else this
/ purpose may be. therefore. by our very
| nature, II must be a purpose unlimited as
| to time. II must be eternal.
LIFE's PURPOSE
| We may call this the length of life's
| purpose II has a breadth as well. II
| must he broad enough to furnish salts
| faction to the whole nature. II must sat
| isfy our inmost desire otherwise we shall
| not have peace. II is life Itself that cries
| out demanding that our purpose shall be
| larger than success In business painting
| a masterpiece. or writing an immorta
song. For life is larger than any OF these
| things. Our inmost beings seek truth and
beauty and xoodness. Herein lies thu
strength Of religions appeal The call tc
| a larger life docs not come to us with
the voice OF outward authority demand
ing that NE shall become religious IT Il
a demand OF life itself because We are
| religious BY nature. As Prof Coe. i'm one
OF the best religious books OF the year
has said: This fearless self assertivt
man must learn that. in order To be his
whole self he must he religious: that Goo
is not and never was n foreigner 10 any
member OF the human race. but is presen
in all men as the inspiring source of al
that Us worth while.
Business. professional life. art. music
literature these can never be true ends o.
life not because they arc not good or be
cause they are not large hut because III,
itself Is better and larger than these ant
demands more The call OF the moral ant
religious t.nsher. contrary 10 what mos
men think Is not in tho interest Of relig
ion or the church IL Is a call I'm the IN
terest OF life Itself do not make appea
10 YOU to hook up to Cod that you mal
become religious bat because YOU are re
ligious by nature.
is GODS LIFE.
II IL the fact that our life Is Gods m
that leads us 10 seek God as the purpos,
and end Of our striving. BE We therefor,
perfect even as your Father In Heaven Il
perfect must be the command OF ever,
teacher who would offer to men an idea
broad enough To- satisfy the needs of th
soul How wildly Wendell Phillips voice,
this N that pra yer yhep ho N,