The Washington herald., 1907-09-26
THE OPTIMIST.

! think this struggle for higher things
to which all Of us are impelled, but which
some Of US deliberately hold back from,
may be greatly helped if we will only
cultivate within ourselves the quality of
patience. We cannot hope TO attain the
heights at once. and yet as Beac0nsfeId
said: Everything comes il a man will
only wait" Douglas Jerrold, who was
philosopher first and a humorist after
ward-it is curious how often humor and
philosophy are conjoined qualities-said
Patience is the strongest Of drinks. for
II kills the giant Despair" and that Is
true saying. There can be in 4hls
world little weil-doing, which Is Godlike
doing, without patience. "Set not thy
self, says Thomas a Kempis, to at
tain much rest, but much patience q"
And we all need II so. Even when our
outward lot seems the most perfect we
must, II we have sensibility and a sense
OF high duty which lays upon us AL. feel
the more the knowledge OF our inward
imperfecuOns. How poor are they that
have not patience" says Shakespeare.
So many Of our troubles come because
We will not trust in that great healer.
Time If We could only remember that it
is only circumstances that change: II We
could only recall at critical moments those
lines Of Longfeilow's from st. Teresa s
BOOk-mark:"
Let nothing disturb thee,
Nothing alright thee:
All things are passing.
God never changeth;
Patient endurance
Attaineth 20 all things:
Who God possesseth
In nothing is wanting;
Alone God sufhceth
One trouble is, perhaps, that we have
come to think Of patience as meek en-
durance and 10 deem 1t cowardly to SUI
fer in silence. So it is. TO suffer wrong
There are Zines TO fight and there are
times 20 wait, but whether one fights in
good cause or waits in a good cause,
one needs TO have the knowledge In his
soul that ne is striving 70 attain a
worthy desire But there are few iIls IN
the world that patience cannot heaI-Ioss
Of fortune. loss Of friends, missed oppor-
tunities. Patience dulIs the sharp edge OF
grief. and In patience We ind our strength
and struggle on toward tie appointed
end.
What cannot b. preserv'd when fortune takes.
Patience her injury m0-kery makes
Tie robb'd that smiles. steals something from the
Thief
he robs himself that spends q bootless gref
There are so many things in the world
that simply cannot be forced. A very
dear friend Of mine has a saying: a
man can do anything If he only wants to
do IL hard enough and as this seemed
10 imply that 20 do the thing We want
We must set about it instanter, I came
10 believe II. But life teaches US that tht
quality Of patience is sometimes as neces-
sary as the quality Of daring and that We
must
stiu achieving. s-iu pursuing.
Lean 20 iaboT and 70 wait.
In such a mood one is really fronting
fate bravely and saneIy On the SINKING
ship Il is not the man who IS struggling
and striving and pushing and franticalIy
shouting who Is achieving most. for he is
wreckiEg his own soul and disturbing
others. Il is the man who. recognizing
the ineXorableness Of Fate. stands calmly
and faces the worst that may happen
with spirit unperturbed. Il is a hard
thing % do, Of course, but most things
IN this life that are worth doing al al
are hard and difficult The primrose path
may be pleasant. but it leads 10 the heI
Of Accomplishment; OF the knowledge
OF wasted life
No. what We all need IS the almost
divine quality Of patience. To see our
work and 10 do It. and quietly and pa
tiently 70 hope for the reward. Nay. il
were better still II we never looked fol
the reward. but worked Just for the 'j0y
OF the working" There lies the road Il
true and glorihed happiness, 10 content
Of mind; song in the heart, and freedom
Of the spirit.
Patience; accomplish thy labor; accomplish III
work of affection,
Sorrow and silence are strong. and patient eudur
aocs Is Grdlise
Therefore accomplish thy labor Of love. tu II,
heart is made GodliEe
Plriaed, strengthened, perfected, and ruBdered nor
worthy q heaven.