The San Francisco call., 1905-04-23

Ihe simple Life" and as love was q
motive for writing the little book, ii
seems also that a little reciprocation
Of it is a good reason why we should
read the love prompted words, or if
we think we are already sufficiently
taught in the simplest ethics. give 1t 10
our young people to consider. for It is
through those who are on life's thresh-
old that our French lover thinks he
can best benefit our great republic.
What should a man do for a country
he loves? Wagner answers this oues-
tion by saying that he would give it
prosperity and power. and this by way
Of the vigorous national life that lies
in the quality of its citizens. To make
our greatness ever grow he rightly
plans to start with character building
in the children.
Is it not, he says. "a younger gene
ration simple of heart and strong of
character, at once independent and
reverent. fed upon all that can furnish
the state with steadfast Wills and en-
lightened minds" that he should wish
above all things for America? "I
should be the happiest of men if I
could contribute in the least to the
realization Of that ideal"
The little book-it's like all the rest
Of his works. much in little. is ad-
dressed TO the school children of
America and their teachers. Wagner.
himself, has at times been a school
master. Here we have the combina-
ton Of pastor and pedagogue in
one being who has to a high degree the
faculty Of saying the strongest things
IN the simplest way. It is the old. old
subject Of ethics to be impressed upon
those who are at life's threshold. but
the children to heed it are ever coming
afresh, and now when so many thou
sands Of the parents have been jealous
10 read The Simple Life" the oncom-
ing generation viii naturally be inter
esteo in what its widely advertised au-
thor has specially to say to them.
The threshold being the place of ex-
pectation," there are two WAYS in
which on the youth the impressions of
ethics then may be made to strike. and
seriousness be empowered to take the
boy by surprise with its beauty. One
is the art Of words in swiftly throwing
the attractive light on the conduct path
that alone leads to happiness and right
power and possession. The other lies in
the charm Of the personality which lifts
aloft the light and points out the path.
Excellent in both these ways is wag-
ner's threshold greeting and warning
n 81,
ing through to make the greater
America Of Tomorrow
The book is planned to speak in the
simplest way possible of the greatest
thing there is. Life is its subject, and
it is but an essay, beginning. There
is system TO il to cover all the i'm
portant divisions very briefly. He
starts with the source OF Iife," and
asks where do we come from ?" for
his first division. He leads the mind
10 realize that there is a power behind
the production of all life and this
power must have a name and he says
humanity has named 1t God" Then
he tells how to find that source of all
life. Who are we % is his next di-
vision, and in that he brings out prin-
cipally that we are battlers and that
q fight is what interests us above all
things Our existence, however
frail and tossed il now appears. has
nevertheless the impassioned beauty
of combat in which are at stake all
the greatest interests, the most pre-
cious treasures, and in which there Is
nothing that is no account, because
there is nothing that does not either
increase or lessen the chances of sue
cess, hasten victory or compromise
it."
In dividing his subject he gives most
Of his words to what are we to do ?''
Here he well explains that great law
is not arbitrary, but that it is like the
fact that the decalogue would exist
had there been no Moses and had it
never been written. Touching on in
dividuality he reminds us of the mot
to. Dare to be-" and quotes from
Victor Hugo that thought about the
quiet courage Of being ones self ''in
spite of risk or ridicule":
In June no smile embarrasses the rose
From nlling natures duty to uncloee.
From individuality he passes to
solidarity" whose great law is obe-
dience. When he comes to treat of
ruth" he says: TO serve truth right
" and 10 make it agreeable to those
WHO hear US. let US choose scrupu-
.5usly our time and our words. Let
US try to unite truth. tact and propri-
ETY., benevolence and charity" His
telling OF Labor" and rest pre-
serves well the balance of those two
duties, and when he comes to the lit
tie chapter called tthe supreme law
he shows how the thief lacks Kindness
more than he lacks honesty. the liar
lacks kindness more than frankness,
and so regarding all the faults and
sins it is shiningly set forth that of
all the virtues the greatest of these
is charity. the supreme law.
SO through all the parts of the
louse of life he leads the youth lum-
llously and when at the end he comes
1, tell of the door Of death he depre-
CITES too much dread of it and hiding