The Washington herald., 1907-11-07
THE OPTIMIST.

How much more seldom than we should.
do We as individuals credit our eonsciences
for holding US in the paths OF duty and
OF virtue. Within the breasts OF most OF
Us there lies the impulse toward Ger
leaping the barriers which what we call
convention has set. and launching upon
the sea OF our desires. Sometimes We
even seem 10 believe that II It were not
for the fear OF what the world might
say we should cease trying TO be good;
cease being a slave 10 duty And ali the
while there Is one thing-and that within
ourselves-that holds us more or less rig
idly. 10 the line-Conscienee.
Conscience is harder than our enemies.
Knows more accuses with more uicety-
as George Eliot says Conscience is the
very frame Of character: Il is that which
feels and perceives rightness and which
makes MS know that It IS within our own
power 10 choose the good or the evil.
Said Joseph Cook.
There IS a spectacle s7ander than the OCEAN. and
that Is the conscience. There Is spectacle TandeT
than the sky. and that is the interior q the soul.
To write the POEM of the human conscience were
the subject Of only one man. and be the lowest of
prene and final epoS. II IS no more posi-
bic 70 prevent thought from reTerting % ideal
than the sea from returning TO the shore. Win
the sailor this IS called tide. with the culprit II
ocean.
Conscience is our faithful sentinel
guarding US from remorse:
There IS no future pang
Can deal that justice on the 5elf-o0ndcnned
He deals on his own soul
What health IS TO the body good con-
science is 10 the soul II so guards US and
holds Us back from the worst part Of our-
selves as 20 make life serene and easy.
and 1t more than Offsets all the calamlties
and Affections that may beset us Moth
ing is much harder 10 bear in this world
than the reproaehes and caIumnies OF
our fellows. and yet. II We have lived
so that our own conscience does not re-
proach Us, then even under the most ad-
verse circumstances our souls may be
quiet and serene.
Sometimes an individual. CALLED by what
seem 10 be the chains Of the cOnven-
tiOns. longs TO break them. 20 get away;
10 follow blindly the cali Of the desires;
10 drop the humdrum work Of every day
and 10 sail out on the sea Of pleasure
reckless. audaciOUs, and-selfsh- IF ]
were not afraid, I would, says such a
one 10 himself II IS not really fear. II
is conscience that holds US back. that
still. small voice that is mighty within
US fO- the right; that conscience which
requires every man 10 mean well. and 20
do HIS best II requires US. as Joseph
Cook said in his Boston Monday lectures
not only 20 follow all the light We have
but all We can obtain, and 20 do so
gladly.
On. osnsr5nce. ooascence. mans mos; faithful
friend
Him c4nst thou comfort. ease relieve. defend:
But Il he viii thy friendly cheeks foreso.
Thou AIT. oh t0T me- his deadhest foe
wrote Crabbe. and they were almost his
last lines.
II Is. indeed. only through our con-
science that We realize that We must
answer for what We are, for what we
DO. No sophistry can cheat Us. no ex-
ample Of the wicked in high places can
lead US astray. In our heart OF hearts
We know that largely speaking, happi-
ness is won through goodness; sorrow
through evil. As Shakespeare says:
The web o. O1r life Is q mingled yarn. good and
II together. virtues would be proud II faults
whipped them not and our crimes w0uld despair
il they were not cherished By cur virtues.
Nothing in philosophy IS sUrer than the
fact that with an unquiet conscience hap
plness Is not possible. Life TO be bear
able must be good, and being good must
incorporate Beauty and love and the finer
graces 10 which deliberate sin is fatal
As Tennyson wrote:
. Beauty. Good, and Knowledse are three sis
tiers
That dote upon each other. friends to man.
Living together under the roof,
And never can be Slndered without tears
And ne that shuts ont Love IN turn shall be
Shut out from Love. and her threshold lie
HGwlinZ IN utter darkness. Not f0r this
Was common clay ta'en from the common earth.
Moulded By God. and tempered with The tears
Of angels 20 the perfect shape q man.