The Van Buren press., 1903-10-24
A SCHOOL OF HAPPINESS.
IN Founder of Unique insti-
tuition In London-spirituni Lie
Cannot BE Ignored.

D- PAM yalentin is about 70 estauiiSi
, school of happiness in the great city
If London. The school includes course
,f lectures and of course it must have
is organ. so there will be publication
called The Normal Life The school
s5ould certainly have large number OF
students. for it must be confessed that
the seekers afttr happiness form the
larsest army in this unhappy word.
And the difficulty is that most OF these
seekers seem to feel that the possession
NJ one thing or another is all that Is
needed to complete happiness. II IherC
il one who can teach an unwilling worli
that Dossession is not happiness, tnat
beinp is greater than having, he VIII
do the world a great and lasting service.
This was just what Jesus tried TO 40,
and has been seeking to do through all
these years, says the Baptist Union,
bo.h by the teaching Of His faithfui
servants. and yet more by the Wohder-
ful Word which He left behlnd-the
record of His own sayings. IL was lie
who said that a mans life did not con-
sist in the things which he possessed
But not even His own followers all Oe-
lieve that; indeed, If one were TO know
the truth il would have to be admitted
that the large part of His own people
do not readily accept this part OF his
doctrine For saints and sinners are on
the make" everywhere, seeking 10
get" more than they are seeking TO Dc
2r seeking to do. The whole cry OF the
Gospel was to an age that was wearled
in the search for the golden fleece, the
possession of which was supposed TO
complete the circle Of happiness in the
world They had not found it, they
never would find it-and in despair they
were committing suicide, by order OF the
sages and philosophers!
Il was Jesus who cried to men, saying;
IF any man thirst, let him come to Me
and drink" And he said to them that
if they came and drank they should have
no other thirst. wandering desires would
cease, and the complete satisfaction OF
the happy life would be theirs. But they
needed Him not then, and they Will not
heed Him now If the founder OF this
new school of happiness wishes sub
iect for his first lecture, or for the open
/ ing address of the institution, he can
| find it in no better place than that Per
ton Of the Sermon on the Mount which
urges men to seek first the kingdom OF
! God and His righteousness-wh which ls
the outer gateway to happiness, the
only door,. 1t is cheering sign to read
the following from a secular paper, the
writer Of which evidently realizes some
things in his own life which he is not
unwilling to express In the columns OF
paper like "Harper's Weekly" That
an intelligent. civilized man should find
a permanent measure Of positive happi-
ness without some basis Of religion to
support him does not accord with expec-
tatiOn. If the London professor tries to
! conduct a school Of happiness without
! including a certain kind Of religious in
struction, his work will necessarily be
superficial and fail Of the best results,
He may teach manners. He may teach
the greedy the folly Of oyer-eating, and
the bibulous the folly Of over-drinking.
He may teach husbands to be civil to
their wives, and vice versa. He may lay
stress on the Importance Of keeping eX-
| NJ uith
need of work for the idle, and Of altru.
ism for the selfish All that Is impor-
tant, and may be helpful, But the spirits
Of thinking people have got to be salts
fed in some way II they are to be happy,
| Nature gives us rayings-hunger anu
thirst to insure due care for the boCy,
mental aspirations to insure activity OF
the mind, spiritual aspirations to insure
something else, If the mind rusts We
grow dull, and cant have much fun
Neither can we be happy II the cravings
Of the spirit find no response"
The truth is that happiness Is never
found in the seeking II is an inner pos
session-we carry It with us, or we never
get II, And It is likewise true that It Is
not a possession which comes through
earthly channels; It is the spiritual life
that only can measure happiness, and
that spiritual life can be touched by
none other than the lnHnte-God Him,
self, There Is no need for school OF
happiness other than the one great
school founded by Jesus Christ, who In
yi'ed all tired and worn souls to come to
Him, and to learn Of Him.