Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1908-04-10

w ! the spirit OF TINS TINS
H. F. CoPE' thought that such a
petition made daily toll unnecessary;
who has thought of it's bringing about
that condition of life, ideal to many,
in which the needed meals would fall
from the heavens as the suitable sea
sons between sleep and the pursuit OF
pleasure.
The spirit of the prayer puts high
er significance into these simple words.
Each day comes with it's deep needs,
its heavy cares, it's high possibilities,
its trying duties. its splendid joys, and
we ask not for three meals or FIVE, but
for all that the day may have we may
find sufficient strength and sustenance.
1t takes more than a good breakfast
to equip man for the days business.
It takes a bracing of the will, some
uplift of the heart; 1t takes some inner
impulse and power that helps US to see
the glory Of new day, to feel the
thrill Of it's possibilities, to face it with
delight, and to find in it every good and
every noble thing it may have for u.s.
There are hours every day when the
inner light burns dim, when the heart
seems to fail and almost faint, when
despair creeps over us and the spirit
Of pessimism comes up like bewll-
dering mist, when cynicism's cold
fingers lay themselves icily on our
warm faith in our fellows. Such per-
iods Of depression and doubt become
habitual with some; they serve to
block every high endeavOr.
These hours simply mean that the
inner life needs it's daily bread; that
for the high business of living, for the
souls service in the world, we need
the food of the spiritual life. The ad-
vice to read q good and noble thought
every day. as some poem, and to see
some good picture or to hear an ele-
waiting strain Of music every day is as
simple and practical as the advice to
take your meals regularly.
The physical plays large part in
life, but it does not play the largest.
Or, if it does, then there are reaches Of
this physical that are not to be ex-
pored by material observation nor sat
isfied with material supplies. You can
afford to neglect no need Of your ma
ture, no aspect Of your life. A heart
ache is Just as real as an ache in the
empty stomach.
The tragedy Of all our lives is that
we seek to satisfy them with the bread
that perishes; divine as they are, we
seek to tie them down to the dust. We
shut out heaven and cry aloud in des
pair that earth is so dark and it's tasks
50 rksome. Life becomes hopeless, as
it seems to be empty Of things to sat
isfy the higher life.
Yet this daily bread is not some
mamma to fall from the skies, Is not
some peculiar privilege belonging to
few choice souls. It is to be had for
the taking. Our great heritage of
cheering thoughts, of noble ideals, of
visions that elevate and inspire, is at
the same time the cheapest and the
richest thing obtainable.
To those who look for beauty every
common bush is soon af1ame with God;
to those who look for love, how Won
derfully rich is our poor humanity in
gentle kindliness, in tender service, in
deep, thrilling sacrifices. They who
walk in the common walks Of life,
mingling with men and doing this
worlds material tasks, find, if they but
have the open mind. that which gives
them faith and strength for their daily
living and for higher endeavor.
What though the hands be tied to
toilsome task, may not the heart go
out in memory of the best thoughts
that have ever come to the race, in
IMAGINATION of heroic scenes, in aspira-
ton after the best? May not the will
respond to every stimulus and aspira-
ton to greater life? May not our
hearts feed on those things that have
made men brave and Godlike in the
past?
Is not this our deep need? Is not
this the bread we ought daily to de-
sire? For what is life to any Of us
If IT be no more than the feeding of
this outer shell, and what may it not
become If 1t be the nurturing of the
whole being by those ideals, and pas
sfons, and service that have most
nightly moved our race in days gone
by?