Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1905-01-20

poor wounded Least. rerr,erin@ itself.
rising and continuing It's Way: Il l'.i~-
mt y" -. ana soWin.: IL ted that
h"s h,ca ravaged by - o. h"!..
a.tio:. slowly repairing It's LOSSES rrd
healing its wounds - under whatever
guiSe Of humanity or suffering 1t mp
pears TO US. let us salute II. When We
encounter 1t In legends, in untut"red
songs, In simple crecds, let Us still Sa-
Lutte 1t. for II Is always the same, hide
structiblc, 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-thHt acme of ahs1rdity
among the fears of our Gallic forrta-
Tiers has entered our own hearts.
Does TIE rainlrop doubt the ocean,
tie ray mistrust the sun? Our senile
wisdom has arrived at this prodigy 1t
resembles those testy old pedagogues
whose chief Office Is to rail ut the mer-
~ pranks or the youthful enthusiasts
Of their pupils. 1t is time to become
little children once more, to learn
again to stand with clusped hands and
wide eyes before the mystery around
us; to remember that, in spite Of our
knowledge, what we know is but
trif1e, and that the world IS greater
than our mind, which Is we'll, for. be-
ing 80 prodigious. 1t must hold In re-
serve untold resources. and we may
allow 1t some credit without accusing
ourselves Of improvidence. Let us not
treat 1t as creditors do an insolvent
debtor; we should fire It's courage, re-
light the sacred flame 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 l would 1 might find glowing
words to say to whomsoever has lost
heart in these times Of disillusion:
Rouse your courage' hope on. He Is
sure Of being least deluded who has the
daring to do that. The most ingenious
hope is nearer truth than the most ra
tional despair.
Another source of light on the path
Of human life is goodness. am not Of
those who believe In the natural per-
lection Of man and teach that society
corrupts him. On the contrary Of all
forms Of evil the one which most dis
mays me Is heredty. But l sometimes
ask myself how 1t is that this effete
and deadly virus Of low Instincts. Of
vices tnoculated In the blood. the whole
assemblage Of disabilities imposed up
on US by the past-how all this hos
not got the better Of us. 1t must be
because of something else. This other
thing Is love.
Given the unknown brooding above
our heads, our limited intelligence, the
grievous and contradictory enigma Of
human destiny, falsehood, hatred. cor.
ruption. suffering, death--what can we
think. what do? To all these questions
q sublime and mysterious voice has an.
swered, Love your fellow men. Love
must indeed be divine, like faith and
hope, since she cannot die when 50
many powers are arrayed against her.
She has to combat the natural ferOcity
of what may be called the beast In man.
She has to meet ruse. force, self inter.
est, above all, ingratitude. How is II
that She passes pure and scathless In
the midst Of these dark enemies. like
the prophet Of the sacred legend among
the roaring beasts? 1t Is because her
enemies are Of the earth and love is
from above. Horns, teeth, claws, eyes
full Of murderous fire, are powerless
against the swift wing that scars to-
ward the heights and eludes them.
Thus love escapes the undertakings Of
her foes. She does even ,better-she
has sometimes known the fine triumph
Of winning over her prosecutors. She
has seen the Wild beasts grow calm,
lie down at her feet. obey her law.
At the very heart Of the Christian
faith, the most sublime Of its teach.
ings, and to him who penetrates its
deepest sense the most human, is this:
To save lost humanity the invisible
God came to dwell among US In the
form Of a man and willed to make
himself known by this single sign
love.
Healing, consoling, tender to the un-
fortunate, even to the evil. love engen-
ders light beneath her feet. She clari.
fles, she simplifies. She has chosen the
humblest part-to bind up wounds.
wipe away tears, relieve distress,
soothe aching hearts, pardon, make
peace. Yet it is of love that we have
the greatest need. And as we mediate
on the best way to render thought fruit.
ful. simple, really conformable to our
destiny, the method sums itself up in
these words: Have confidence and hope;
be kind.
Iwould not discourage lofty specula-
ton, dissuade any one whomsoever
from brooding over the problems Of the
unknown, over the vast abysses Of SCI
ence or philosophy; but we have al
ways to come back from these far jour-
neys to the point where we are, often
marking time with no result. There
are conditions Of life and social COM
plications in which the sage. the think
er and the ignorant are alike unable
to see clearly. The present age has
often brought us face to face with such
situations. l am sure that he who
meets them with our method will soon
recognize its worth.
Since I have touched here upon reli-
gious ground, at least in a general way.
some one may ask me to say in few
simple words what religion is the best,
and gladly express myself on this
subject But 1t might be better not to
put the question in this form. All re-
ligions have Of necessity certain fixed
characteristics, and each has its inner
ent qualities or defects. Strictly speak
ing, then, they may be compared among
themselves. But there are always in
voluntary partialities or foregone con-
illusions. 1t is better to put the ques-
ton otherwise and ask, Is my own re-
ligion good, and how may l know It?
To this question this answer: Your re-
ligion is good II 1t is vital and active,
II 1t nOurishes In you confidence, hope,
love and n sentiment of the infinite