The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1904-04-22
Woman's Club.

delightfully."- ENTERTAINED. TIE preSi-
dent, Mrs. Parkill, not being able to
attend the meeting was opened by
Mrs. Minnie White, vice president.
Mary Brewer read the program for
next year and gave practical sugges-
ttoos regarding the subject Men,
ters OF the club were requested to re-
porC TO the committee any magazine
articles which might prove helpful TO
the succeis OF the work during the
year.
The first paper, "The Ethical Phil
osophy OF Socrates, was read by Mrs.
Reynolds. She said In substance: Soc
rates, one OF the most unique charac-
ters with which history makes US &C
quainted was born 46S B. @. To un.
derstand his philosophy one must know
the man. His bodily appearance was
repulsive, strongly suggesting that of
satyr, that most disgusting CT all
abortions produced by pagan magma
tion. Alcibiades, who worshiped at
his shrine, likens him to tho sestatues
of satyrs in the idol shops, which when
opened disclosed within their hideous
exteriors the figure of beautiful god.
The nobility OF his mind was godlike.
His manner was rude, his body un-
kempt, and his speech unpublished, yet
this strange man by subtle magnetism
would hold his hearers spellbound hour
after hour listening to and answering
his questions.
Ones say of him, "The luster of an
other world broke forth in his speech
and revealed tenderness OF senti-
ment, q purity of feeling, a depth of
thought, a fertility OF illustration and
overlooking humor, playful and PEN
etrating wit, wealth Of knowledge,
ingenuity Of argument and a concen-
tratlon of noble aims which surprised
his hearers"
This man was self taught and would
take no pay for instruction. He de-
voted his whole time to public discus
sion. Since he was very poor his wife,
Xantippe, deserves some sympathy In
spite of her shrewiSh temper.
Socrates is the only celebrated phi
osopher who suffered the hardships Of
war and won a reputation for bravery.
He committed none OF his ideas to
writing but they live through his two
disciples, Plato and Xenophon, who
embodied them in their own.
The philosophers Of the day reason
ed only on material things. Socrates
was the first to leave the investigation
of:the secrets of nature and engage In
those things which concern the duties
of common life and the nature OF vir-
tue and vice. Thus m raj philosophy
was born.
The Sophists and rhetoriciaps Of the
day used their gifts Of elcq uence to OBJ
tain selfish ends and hated Socrates
because he exposed them. He was
hated by the rulers because he was un-
swerving in adherence to principles
and, as a senator, rebuked their vices.
He antagonized the mob when unjust
demands were made and so the Father
OF Philosophy suffered martyrs death
by drinking the poisoned cup Of hem
lock.
Socrates was one who actually real
izec In all the essentials Of his life
ideas of his own immortal existence
and facts of his own reality as an in
carnate soul, which to most men are a
tradition or myth. What others said
Of virtue and Immortality by rote was
to him the reality and the only reality
OF life.
Mrs. Reynolds was followed by Mrs.
Devereaux whose subject was Plato's
"Idea of Good" She spoke entirely
without notes. Extracts from her
speech are as follows:
Quoting John Lord "Ideas were the
basis of Plato's system Of philosophy
He maintained that every general
term or abstract idea has real and
independent existence and he divided
his writings into divisions called Ideas
They became the great fountain head
OF the Ideal Philosophy" Plato said
"Now God is the supreme Idea. TIC
know God should be the great aim OF
life." Plato also claimed that we
could know God best through our like
ness to him. God, he says, is Divinity,
Beauty, Truth, Love by the contem
plation of whom the mortal soul sus
tains itself. God is the immutable
good and Justice rules the universe
This then was >Platonic Philosophy In
pagan land before Christ was born
Plato was regarded by the early fathers
of the Christian church in the light oil
another apostle to the iGentiles. 1t IL
said that the purity of his life, hi
lofty inquiries and his belief in Coo
and Immortality make him the most
worthy disciple Of Socrates. He wa!
to the Greeks what Kant was to The
Germans.
Many of the most thoughtful Creek
were losing their belief In the Olym