The Washington herald., 1907-12-19
THE OPTIMIST.

One thoaght that viii always help the
optimist is that for every i'll that may
chance In the world there is some cOnso-
lation. / love that idea of Emerson, who
would have US throw ample hostages to
fortune and dare braveiy, hoping always
and having faith that we shall be repaid.
In one Of his essays he wrote.
There Is third silent party TO our bargains.
50 that honest service cannot come TO loss. II you
serTe an unsrateful aster serve him the more Put
God in your debt Every stroke shall be repaid.
Tie longer the payment is Withoden the better for
you for compound interest Is the rate and usage OF
this exchequer.
To make this thought our own Is TO
realize that, after all, few Of US in our
best efforts are working for such rewards
as may be paid by man. Who can ade-
Quately reward the student, patient over
bis books for the betterment OF the
world2 Such reward as he receives must
come from his own soul, and from the
knowledge that God. the Master Work
man, looks on with an approving eye
You remember Thomas Fuller
If the wicked flourish and thou s1fer be not
discouraged. They fatted for destruction; thou
are dieted for health
In every calamity and accident Of life
there is, II we but see il, some c0nsola-
ton. Death, II we but thought Of It as
towards do, would be an ever-present
fear; but If we be but healthy-minded
and decent in our lives, We are too busy
20 al our minds with thoughts OF death
until it touches US most nearly. We hear
Of the death Of a stranger with indiffer-
ence; when our loved ones die, indeed the
grim monster seems something perilously
near; but even then, such Is the elas-
ticity and the bounding hope of the
human mind. we give but a passing
thought TO the end that is coming 50
surely and inevitably 10 ourselves. Even
In our grief over the loss Of the we'll
beloved there is much that is consolIng.
AS Richter said:
For this sweet sorrow for thy lost ones is IN
truth, bet another form Of consolation and when
we long for them this IS but sadder way Of loving
them stil and when think Of their departure We
shed tears well when We picture % ourselves
our happy meeting with them again. And perhaps
these tears diher not.
Grief is a bitter thing. and yet there
can hardly be grief without the attendant
consolation that springs from the knowl-
edge that We have known JOYS for whose
loss II is we grieve. II il were not for
this. who would accept friendship. invite
love, aspire 70 riches, work for advan-
tage? The king who was told fthat he
might be all powerful Il he could wear
the shirt Of a perfectly happy and con-
/ tented man hunted far and wide TO find
such, and when he found him. 10. the
man possessed no shirt That parable IS.
IN It's essence, a teacher Of moral COW
"a fC not rl
when man is simply out OF danger.
when he Is so low in the world that all
the buffetings Of fate can drive him 10
no farther extreme There is no consoIa-
ton in cowarGiCe-
hold II true. Whate'er bsfau
] feel il Whcn I E0rruw most:
Tls better % have loved and lost
Than never % have loved AZ AL
We sometimes hear the phrase, "an
unmeasured 81" but I doubt II IL IS ever
spoken truly II the greatest agony OF
mind or spirit there must remain some
gleam Of hope. the memory Of past Joys.
the aspiration OF future happiness.
Al are not taken; there are left behind
Living BeloTeds tender looks % bring
And make the daylight stiu happy thing.
And tender voices. % make soft the wind
Bat If Il were not s0-f / could find
No love in al the world for curasurtinz
Nor any path Sut holl0Bly did riaE
Where dust % dust the love from life disioined
And 4. before these sepulchers unm0ving
stood alone lss some forsaken lamb
Goes beating up the moCrs In weary dearthl.
Crying. Where are sc. o my loved and loringg''
know voice would sound. Daughter I am
Czn I suffice for Heaven and not for earths''
Can / suffice for Heaven. and not for
eaTth2
And optimism that is we'll grounded
and backed by serene faith will help US
much 10 seek and find the consolation
behind the Ills that fret Us. Always there
Is comfort and hope and a song for Us
as we go upon the weary road OF life.
What is the bread
But bitter IN thine inn, and thou unshod
To meet the aints2 At least II may be said.