Evening star., 1908-01-19
Sunday Morning Talk
The Fun of Beginning Again.

Soon after the San Francisco earth
quake distinguished physician of that
city. having journeyed to another part of
the land, was telling a group of friends
about the disaster. He dwelt chiefly upon
what had befalen others and it was only
incidentally that his hearers learned that
he had himself lost his splendid medi-
cal library and many cases of valuable
Surgical instruments, while his profess
sional practice had been reduced to an
almost non-paying basis. When the men,
bers of the group began to commiserate
HIM on his personal losses, he cheerfully
remarked "Oh, never mind about them!
1 shall have the fun of beginning again. "
Such tests as these come to some men
like a stroke out of the clear sky. The
artist completes a picture over which he
las tofled long. and 10. some miscreant
OF some careless person daubS 1t in way
that forever destroys its beauty. The
successful business man is betrayed by
some trusted associate and 10. the earn
ings of years are suddenly dissipated
Now under such circumstances. how do
men behave? How many of them see the
fun of beginning again? we all honor
the late President Mckinley because he
faced so courageously business reverses
that met him when he was well on in
middle life, and most of us can point TO
failed 6iisastruusly in business, but who
refusod to be downed. Today they have
recovered or even exceeded their former
prosperity. Adversely acted as splendid
spur. They felt the joyous tingle OF
starting in afresh and proving that they
could succeed. even after the world had
passed the superficial verdict that they
had failed.
Bot aside from special tragic disasters,
is ! not true that every one engaged in
nrnfpSgnnal life the
ordinary courses of that life learn to ap-
preciate the fun of beginning again?
Otherwise they get into ruts. and, as
some one has wittly said. there is a
grove and grave 1t certainly be-
hooves all of US frequently to prod our
selves. even when we think we are going
ahead fairly we'll with the question. Am
doing my best? If ! were starting In
anew today on my career, would / not
display more inventiveness, perseverance
enthusiasm than | am exhibiting now?''
This is the way in which men get to the
top of the ladder. With the Apostle
Paul they say 10 themselves every morn
ing. Not as though / had already at
tanned.
Not less necessary ID it in the field of
daily human relationships to be alive to
the fun of beginning again. The friction,
the Observation-Disclosures, the collisions that
mar many home would be obviated il
the members of the family circle con-
cefved of their contact day by day as a
chance TO better the attitude and be-
hayior Of yesterday. Even kind and
wise parents may grow in kindness and
wisdom. OF course, if one thinks he
knows il all there is no hope for such a
corceited parent; but IL he is eager to
discharge his parental duties in a way
that will forever put the stamp of an
earnest personality upon plastic chill
dren then he will say to himself every
morning. "Fatherhood is blessed re-
sponsibility. / don't feel as If ! had
mastered the fine art. l am going to see
today IL / can't begin all over again.
BY night time the children will notice
the difference and be saying to one an
other. What has got into father?"l
Would that children, too, might some
times start on a new tack with re ference
to their parents. 1t is not viciousness,
but thoughtless that makes them forget
full of the delicate courtesies which make
any home an Eden. Maybe these lines
will fall under the eye OF some son away
from home or some daughter who ought.
before sleeping tonight. to make glad the
heart OF distant parent by a loving
hlial letter. So, around the egtire circle
of relationships how much better we all
should do if we We're sufficiently con-
scious Of our past failures and sufficiently
aware of our potentialities to be willing
TO say to ourselves, Il am going TO begin
all over again and see If / can't live with
this or that person more happily and eff
fectively."
And there Is one even higher relation
ship in reference TO which we ought TO
find the JOY of beginning anew especially
here at the opening of another year We
have made a poor fist OF religion, many
OF us Perhaps we have acquired just
enough to make us miserable. But never
mind we can begin over again tomor-
row. today. And even if we have failed
once. twice or thrice, We can make u
success of il for all time to come. We
can II we only think we can
THE PARSON