Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-12-10

, Let us nourish ourselves from otne:
meat. strengthen our souls with cheer
ing thoughts. What is truest for mai
is what best fortifies him.
If mankind lives by confidence. it
lives also by hope-that form of conf
dence which turns toward the future.
All life is u result and an aspiration;
all that exists supposes an origin and
tends toward an end. Life is progress
sion; progression is aspiration. The
progress of the future is an infinitude
of hope. Hope is at the root of things
and must be reflected in the heart of
man; no hope, no life. The same pow
err which brought us into being urges
us to go up higher. What is the mean
ing of thia persistent instinct which
pushes us on? The true meaning is
that something is TO result from life.
that out OF it is being wrought good
greater than itself, toward which it
slowly moves, and that this painful
sower called man needs, like every
sower, to count on the morrow. The
history of humanity is the history or
indomitable hope; otherwise everything
would have been over long ago. To
press forward under his burdens, to
guide himself in the night, to retrieve
his falls and his failures, To escape de
sDair even in death, man has need or
hoping always, and sometimes against
all hope Here is the cordial that suS-
tains him. Had we only logic we
should have long ago drawn the con-
clusion, Death has everywhere the last
word, and we should be dead of the
fdea. But we have hope, and that is
why we live and believe in life.
Suso. the great monk and mystic,
one of the simplest and best men that
ever lived. had touching custom.
Whenever he encountered woman,
were she the poorest and oldest, he
stepped respectfully aside, though his
bare feet must tread among thorns or
in the gutter. IT do that" he said. Ito
render homage to our holy lady the
Virgin Mary Let us offer to hope
like reverence. If we meet 1t in the
shape of IL blade of wheat piercing the
furrow. bird brooding on its nest, a
poor wounded beast. recovering itself,
rising and continuing its way; peas
ant blowing and sowing a field that
nation slowly repairing its losses and
healing its wounds - under whatever
guise Of humanity or suffering 1t ap-
pears to us, let us salute it. When we
encounter it in legends, in untutored
songs. in simple creeds, let us still sa-
lutte Ii, for IL Is always the same, indie
structible, the immortal daughter OF
God
We do not dare hope enough. The
men of our day have developed strange
timidities. The apprehension that the
sky will fall-that acme Of absurdity
among the fears OF our Gallo forefa-
thers-has entered our own hearts.
Does the raindrop doubt the ocean,
the ray mistrust the sun? Our senile
wisdom has arrived at this prodigy. 1t
resembles those testy old pedagogues
whose chief office is to rail at the mer-
ry pranks or the youthful enthusiasms
of their pupils. 1t is time to become
little children once more, to learn
again to stand with clasped hands and
wide eyes before the mystery around
US; to remember that, in spite Of our
what we know Is but q
trife. and that the world is greater
than our mind, which Is well, for, be-
Ing SO prodigious, il must hold in re-
serve untold resources, and we may
allow 1t some credit without accusing
ourselves of improvidence. Let US not
treat ii as creditors do an tnsOlvent
debtor: we should fire its courage, re-
light the sacred fame Of hope. Since
the sun still rises, since earth puts
forth her blossoms anew, since the bird
builds its nest and the mother smiles
at her child. let us have the courage to
be men and commit the rest to him
who has numbered the stars. For my
part / would l might find glowing
words to say to whomsoeyer has lost
heart In these times of disillusio1: