The Butler weekly times., 1908-05-14
THE HIGHER SELF"
The Best Way to Reach II is to
Climb Step by Step Up the
Duties That Lie Near.
est at Hand.
BY ELLA WHEELER wlLCoX.

ophy, Is attracting she attention OF
the world to-day,
ls is undermining and supplsnting
oldiashioned orthodoxy,
Is Is tke religion OF the future, The
air Is full of Is, and the churches are
honeyoombed with Is. Is teaches
faith In God and Il belief In human
natures divine inheritance. Is is
optimistic, seli.reliant and whole
some.
That so beautiful and true n phil
osophy should be abused and misrep.
resented by cranks and fanatics Is a
misfortune, yet Il Is misfortune
which betalls every great progressive
movement, and the just critic does
notcondemn the cause because It has
unwise and unworthy followers.
Meantime such followers should not
be countenanced or pstronlzad.
A woman proclaimed 80 a class
studying under her direction thas TO
develop the "higher SELF should be
each human beings one object IN lie,
and that II this development neces.
STATED the casting off OF husband,
home and children there should be
no hesitancy and no looking back
ward.
HER WAY sTREwN WITH WRECKS.
The woman herself had followed
this line OF conduct, and the road.
way behind her was strewn with
wrecks O! several homes, husbands
and children which had served their
purpose as developers and been
cast aside by her.
| One look into her cool and selfish
lace Was enough to warn anintuitiye
mind not so follow in her line OF
development, yet for time she was
the vogue among both Intellectual
and fashionable people In two con-
tinents,
But her sun set, as all such suns
must, not to rise again until she
comes back with new enlightenment
In another incarnation.
A man preparing himself 80 be a
teacher OF the development OF she
God within has calmly, coldly and
unhesitatingly announced 80 a de-
votedI8nd faithful wife that he can
no longer live with her.
Il have passed beyond the need o.
human ties of this kind" he says
You would besa hindrance to me,
to YOU Each soul must develop II
its own way. | have the kindes'
I feelings for you and will always b
your friend, but Il you remain Will
me shall be unable to grow as | de
sire so grow in order thst | may
teach humanity these great truths.
A STRICKEN wIFEs APPEAL
, Knowing that had written mucl
: on the subject OF the 'new thought,
! this stricken soul turned 80 me in he
, hour OF awful darkness.
r Il am not wise or learned an
, said, looking at me with the eyes of
? wounded deer. perhaps may seen
J very ignorant to you, but | want tC
, ask you II man has TO turn agains
} his nearest and dearest ones In ordeI
. to grow 20 this new thought.
, "Is It right for him TO cast off sucl
a love as mine? Why, he is the only
lover ever hsd-he wooed me wher
! was only 16 years old and woulC
! not take No for an answer.
thought him so wise and so mucf
aboveime | feared to become his wife
But | married him ut Is, and We
have been perfectly happy for l.
years.
Nothing ever came between Us &c
shadow our lives until my husband
turned to this philosophy Of develop.
Ing his higher nature. | want him TO
do what is best for him alwsys-but,
oh, suffer so at this awful mandate
Of hisl | have always lived for him
and leaned upon him, and l cannot
understand how any high philosophy
can make q good man go cruel"
No great, high philosophy ever
makes any soul cruel or nsglectiul Of
its nearest duties.
The man who cast of q loving, de-