The Saint Paul globe., 1904-03-27
Easter Season Philosophy
BY CAROLYN WELLS

- UTE irrespective of religious
convictions or the ceremonial
~ observance of religious rites,
~ who does not feel the glad
ness and exaltation in the very atmos-
phere of an Easter Day? Surely the
best in every human being, no matter
how poor that best may be, must re-
spond to the spirit of JOY which seems
| to permeate every moment of that one
Spring Sunday.
Of course, the fact that it is spring
| is decided accessory. Were Easter
Sunday celebrated in the winter sea-
son, the spirit of its observance would
be radically different.
But as it is, everything makes for
sunshine and optimism Everything
breathes the essence of Pippa's song:
"The years at the spring
And days at the morn;
Mornings at seven;
The hill-side's dew-pearled;
The lark's on the wing;
The snairs on the thorn;
Gods in his heaven
Alrs right with the worldl'
1t is the awakening time-the re-
animation of all nature; and the GRO
cuses and daffodi1s laugh as they
bloom. knowing they will meet re-
sponsive smile in the human eyes that
look at them. The years at the
spring, but it is a palpably insistent
spring that emphasizes the glory OF
the Easter Day Mornings at seven,
and somehow it stays morning all day
long. Age and decay are blotted out
of our cognizance, even growth is ar
rested, and the whole world revels in
its renewed youth. And after all, per-
haps, renewed youth is the greatest
blessing that can come to mortal in
this averaging world.
Renewed youth, mind, which IS a
very different thing from mere youth
fulness. The latter trait is but a
synonym for callowness, ignorance
and egotism; and when years of ex-
perience have eliminated these unde-
sirable qualities, renewed youth
brings well-controlled strength and
an intelligent enthusiasm.
/ believe youth, pure and simple,
has at times been we'll spoken of, even
in printed books, but as rule they
were either poems or essays, neither
of which modes of expression is re-
nowned for its strict adherence to
truth. But as in the spring renewed
youth comes to old Mother Earth, to
her trees and flowers and birds and
brooks, so on Easter Sunday re-
newed life, termination, comes 10
every soul who has even spark of
perception and responsiveness-per-
ception to know that it is the spirit
of Easter that is terminating him,
and responsiveness to meet and enjoy
to the full the happiness that is his.
| suppose there are people to whom
Easter is no more than any OF the
other ffty-one Sundays in the year,
and these, too, may be among the
most orthodox pietists.
They, then, are not of the World
Re-Animate, and with them we have
now no concern. But if to the man of
perception and responsiveness be add
ed touch of imagination, then is he
on Easter Sunday re-animate indeed.
His renewed youth bubbles UP in his
mind, heart and soul, and will not be
repressed, nor does he wish it to be.
His enthusiasm is unbounded, and he
can scarce help telling the sky and
flowers his appreciation of them.
Music takes on a new meaning;
beauty is everywhere; even the faces
of his friends are transigured.
And all because of the renewing of
the enthusiasm of youth.
Now, enthusiasm is a thing most
difficult to renew. Indeed, so stupidity
do some people grow old, that, try as
they may, they can never renew their
youthful enthusiasm. But if one keep
in practice, it is easier-and yet it