Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1908-08-06
Sagebrush Philosophy.

Love lllSs IllctI yOu may ilNS'
There is nothing ne win it all,
anything more than there is any
thing new in nature. And ma
ture is optimism, plus voicing-
always profligate avowal of Wig
orous, bountiful and dominant-
life. We find the very essence OF
the philosophy of sunshine in
creation-the making of a world
out of infinite waste-eternal
death, on which dawned first
glad day. What matters if it
was the evolution of aeons or the
work of week-suffice it to
know that there was always
ever-increasing, lavish vitality.
And whether leafy dell, sunlit
landscape or dancing sand
whirls of the desert, there is no
hint of death, of failure or of
fear. Always beauty-always
fulfillment of today and the
promise of tomorrow-always
laughing, loving life.
That the soul is divinity itself
and minded the Master-that
God reigns where reason rules
and that life comprises far more
than the mere animation aoifiyi
than the mere animalism of
birth, strife and DEATHS not
new thought, nor yet a sacred
science. 1t is in truth the oldest
religion extant-added to and
developed with the centuries as
all other gospels, but growing
out of creed taking definite
form, possibly under Epicurus
first of all-more sanely eX-
pounded by socrates and later by
Plato, his pupil, after the 1.-THE
MAN dicastery had handed his
mentor the hemlock-centuries
before those who ever since have
damned it as arrant infidelity
bribed Ascoriot and crucifieC
for the aim and end of rationa
Christ. Originating with thu
early cry of hopeful humanit!
action, it has broadened anC
blossomed from a fantastic cul
into the religion of the multi
tude. It's ebb and flow ha
marked days of much doing
surviving persecution and oblo
guy and singing on the way t,
immortal martyrdom losin,
only to regain in greater stor
of experience and accomplish
ment, and knowledge tina
strength is given us to definitel
throw down the gage to destin
and do the work of demigodS
IT'S an ancient, wholly believe
BILE and withal familiar and az
pealing faith, this belief in sell
1t is wholly without mysticism
is neither senseless denial nor il
rational alteration. 1t deals i
actualities-gives wisdom with
out weakness and culture WITH
out cowardice-does this philoE
ophy of sunshine whose tex
books contain but the one rule G
love of life.
Since humanity was youn
Cleopatra has smiled on Caesar
whereby far more than the we;
or vie Of Egypt has been deter
mined. Writers and painter
and poets have smiled on tn
world, in sentiment and colo
and song-and saving grace. 1t
a good and a healthful creec
Medical science has made man
startling admissions of late, an
none more so than that bad ten
per, accusing conscience, irrit;
BILE nerves and sullen disconter
breed actual physical disorde
and disease. Moral and menti
balance make for a sound an
normal body, so the doctors sa.
Certain it is-and this you kno
if not wanting to hire a hearse-
that the most pitiful fate tn;
can befall is to lose faith ar
hope and enthusiasm and capa
lty for enjoyment. The vaniti
of life-'tis a favorite text wi
others than the preachers. e
lstence is dreary grind-life
lament. Tied to the carts tail
ey-getting-throttled by tt
ditlon and bound in chains
stilted and prudish conventio
atty, they are senseless-usele
atoms all. In a dim sort OF
way they realize, perhaps. til