The Washington herald., 1907-10-12
THE OPTIMIST.

The most exquisite document after the
New Testament is The Imitation Of
Christ" and one Of the most beautiful
passages is that which declares. Vita
sine propostO languida ct vaga est" GA
life without a purpose is a languid, drift
ing thing. This utterance is, OF course.
an outgrowth of morality rather than
religion. and in this connection can We
not see what a hard outlook on life the
old pagan moralists must have had? i
have in mind particularly, that great
master Of morals, the Emperor Marcus
Aurelius He did not need the teachings
OF Christ to understand the precept, Thou
shalt love thy neighbor as thyself," FOR
he uttered 1t often and in other forms
in his moral maxims. but It took the
Christian religion to light up this maxim
with the inspiration which mere mans
scheme of morality could never possess.
The writings of none of the pagan philo-
sOphers or moralists are characterized by
the sweetness and charm which suffuses
and softens-as Christian morality softens
and suffuses the laws of the Gospels-the
lungs VI -fAeAA NNS <AAA tAAASs d-AE AhN
opening thought of the fifth book Of Mar
Gus:
In the morning when thou risest unwilIingiy. let
this thought be present: / rising to do the work
I o. q human being Why then am ! dissatisfied II /
ana going to do the things fer which ! exist and
for which | was brought into the world. Or have
been made for this, TO lie IN the bedclothes and
/ keep myself waml. But this is more pleasant
Dost thou exist then 70 take any pleasure, and not
| at all for action OF eXTtiOni
AS Matthew Arnold so Justly said
about Marcus Aurelius: THE sentences of
Seneca are stimulating to the intellect;
/ the sentences Of Epictetus are fOrtifying
| 20 the character; the sentences Of Marcus
/ Aurelius find their way TO the soul" And
/ Il is this quality in the pagan teacher.
4 this accent Of emotion, that makes his
morality match Christian morality, and
gives 1t special character and purpose in
the world.
one Of the duties OF optimism IS toward
content, clean content, with the goods
the gods have provided. and to such
optimists Marcus Aurelius has fine mes
sage Of help. Listen to him:
have 70 thank heaven that was subjected to a
ruler and father Autonius Plus who was able to
Lihr aAas All l1lle IL ne ana 70 DTlng 70 the
knowledge that Il is possible for A man to live In
palace without either guards or embroidered dresses
OF any show 0f this kind but that II is 10 such a
mans power % bring himself very near 20 the fash
ION oi private person. without beiDg for this rea
son either meaneF in thought o. more remis> in &C
tion wih respect 10 the things which must BE- don,
for the public interest. have to be thank
ful that my children have not been stupid o. de
/ formed in body: that ! did rot make more pro
hciency IN rhetoric. poetry. and the other studie
by which I should perhaps have been completed
Z engr0ssed. II ! had that ] vas making gTca
I Risticus MaXimus that I received a clea
and frequent impression about living according b
nature. snd what kind Of a life that is that. s.
far as depended Heaven and its gifts, help, sH'
inspiration nothing hindeTed me from forthwith
living according 10 nature. though ! still tan shor
Of II through my own fault
There must come times into the lives o
al OF US when the quiet, sane, but by NJ
means comfortable doctrine OF March,!
Aurelius must be OF great help and I'm,
inspiration. Above everything else. he in
sisted that a man must be honest witt
himself. and long before Pope had sal,
it Marcus had told the world that ''thi
proper study Of mankind is man"
He argued always. too, that To be happ.
a man must be good, good 20 himself II
that he used all his talents wisely an,
did not waste his sweetness on tn
desert air. ~ There was no hint Of mo
nasJicism about him. and he had no pa
tience with the man who was content .
sit with folded hands and wait II
wanted as all good optimists want. mel
TO be up and doing busy about thei
Fathers work and their own-doing goo,
10 others, CultIvating kindness, lovin.
generosity and eharltableness.
Help yourself and the world will he'll
YOU. and YOU viii get strength 10 be o
help 20 others-that is the cry Of IN
working optimlst; It was the teaching o
the Emperor Marcus:
Hasten then to the end which thou hast befor
thee and throwing sHsy Idle hopes come 70 thin
ogn AID, If thoa earest at al for thyseli, while
] Is in tly power