Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-12
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atmosphere of the individual life has made
each what he Is
The atmosphere mental. the atmosphere
social, the atmosphere spiritual. tells upon
each Of US, insures our growth or our
shrinkage. impresses us vitality, makes US
strong and healthy, or detracts from US re-
sources and renders us weak and effete.
With some people we are stimulated. IN
spired thoughts and images troop upon US;
we are at our best. The mental atmosphere
is charged with intellectual oxygen. We
are amazed to discover its effect upon our
powers. teacher in whom resides this
strong magnetic force sets his class at
work. fires them with enthusiasm, nils
them with the joy of learning, and insen-
sibly smooths the steepest pathways for
their feet.
There are companies. households: neigh
borhoods. where certain pitch of refine
ment has been reached, where certain
standards obtain, where 1t Is expected Of
people to be sincere. affable. generous. no.
BILE. The social atmosphere Is at once brac-
ing and restful. One cannot but acknowl-
edge its influence as genuine as that OF the
mountain top or grand oratorio.
How careful then should we be to dwell
be Indifferent to that which daily is max
ing us better or worse, richer or poorer.
for this and all times. in this world and
others. -
Physical Courage
Is apt to demand applause. but moral cour-
age leaves every consideration save truth
in the background. and is more likely to
bring one ostracism than admiration.
With moral courage one speaks ones
mind. one goes forward to ones chosen
conception of duty, one treads ones chosen
way, without the thought and so without
the fear of consequences; or. even II with
the fear. still treads it just the same. One
does not pause to measure the possible eff
feet upon ones self; one does and says
what right and the moment require. One
is not intimidated by the frown. the brutal
word. the threat the blow. the probable
loss of prestige, the force of any contrary
opinion. public or private the possible de-
privation of office or of position.
One has what long has been known as
what one thinks is right or best, or even
only expedient without regard to fear or
favor.
The moral courage that dares to contra
king that he is in the wrong; dares to ar
rest the wretch who, whip in hand, abuses
his beast-being more beast than the other;
dares to shield the victim from the op-
pressor, whether the victim be a child In
school or whole people; dares always to
resist tyranny. 1t is moral courage that
has instigated and carried every reform
and done away with every oppression that
is no more.
The brutes of the field have physical cour-
age. but moral courage belongs among the
attitudes. lifts and expands the soul, and
makes it, one dares to think, only little
lower than the angels.
They that have it never know when they
are beaten: in fact. they cannot be beaten.
They return to the attack with all the pris-
tine vigor of the first onset. with all the
force that first impelled them.
In the List
OF helpful services which we may render
others is, first, the thinking well Of them;
next. is the speaking well of them; third,
and last. is doing well by them.
No one is so poor that he or she may not
help another along by much as kind
thought 1t Is service which no one Is
debarred from rendering. The people who
think well of us are the people who help us
most; they help us to think well Of our
selves and to be the good things they think
us. Also. thought precedes speech and COL
ors words and actions. and the color of
speech and action is dependent upon the
character Of the preceding thought. We
may load another with material benefits.
yet. at the same time. let an i'll thought
express itself in word deed which no
material value can ever balance.
The good thoughts we bestOw upon others
have most attractive way Of coming back
to the heart that sends them forth. Kind
thoughts are veritable Noah's doves bring
ing back to their senders olive branches
which tell of a world sweet and faithful,
loving and fruitful.
1t is to our own profit that we should cul-
tivate the eye for beholding good qualities
in others. That which we think of and
talk about has way OF migrating itself
upon us, and it simply is the part of wis
dom. If not of genuine altruism, of self
preservation and Of acknowledgment to see
and talk about those qualities in others
which we wish to reproduce in our own
characters. and to be as oblivious posi-
BILE to those which we do not wish to re-
produce