The Washington herald., 1908-01-28
THE OPTIMIsT.


hopeful outlook on life and its meaning
which optimism helps US 10. we are "a
grow despondent in the belief that We
cannot escape il. ana that it is bound to
overcome us at some period OF life
Now that is not at all the way to look
at the matter. il we are going TO do
mems work in the world; living hopeful
ly; accomplish a little and strive much
If there were no sueh thing as evil IN
the world, there would be small need for
those higher qualities OF manhood. quail
ties Of mind and heart and soul. the
exercise II which alone can bring us to
clean and nearly perfect manhood. AZ
Bulwer-Lytton said:
Not with fear, not doubt, recognize. o Mortal,
The presence C Evil il th< world. Il is in The ~
istence of evil that man finds his duties. Aan has
h1 - i've to know that crime is the foe that man
mlst brave.
What ne have to remember. il we would
win to true hopefulness about our own
lives, our own endeavors. and the future
OF the world is that evil is only tempo
rary and cannot long persist. The effect
Of evil may seem for the time being
damnatory. bat always sane and honest
counsel win assure as that always good
eonquers and endures, and that evil must
pass away
E'il springs uD. and flowers, aud bears no seed.
And feeds the green earth with its swift decay,
Leaving 1t richer for tie growth Of uuth.
What we need more than anything else
to avoid evil is that We should stand uD
boldly and put name upon our actions.
Evil is 50 insidious often that many of
as are able 10 perpetrate it, lul--ig our
consciences the while with specious argu-
ment The only safeguard against this is
70 avoid all sophistry, for right is right
and wrong is wrong. and we have the
power TO sec and TO fGel the distinction
II We are but honest with ourselves. As
Mrs. Stowe told US
Evu is never embraced undisgused. as evil but
under some fiction which the mind accepts and
Eith Waiel II has the singular power q binding
Itself IN the fare Of daylight The power n i'm
POSING uPou one's self Is an ESSENTIAL preliminary
TO imposing upon others
And Walter Scott had EomethIng Of the
same thought in mind when he declared
The readiest mode u corrupt Christian man is
10 bestow upon vice the pity and the praise which
are que only 60 virtue Il Is By giving fair names
10 fu1i pIasticss that these who would start az
real vice led 10 practice its lessons. under the
disguise Of virtue
Stand up and put a name upon your
actions. That is the sure and certain an
tidote 70 evil. for be assured thar the
action which one fain would conceal from
his friends and the world has evil in it.
Good deeds are done IN the OPEN
Evil ig El1rf = nrGarazsln g111ucsar the Z
is hard 10 realize Just when he gains
his first entrance into a good mans soul.
AS Dean FaTrar said:
lie who Willfully makes bit little nick in
bis c0nieBce, vii not be long ere under the stress
d temptation, he Is prepared to murder Il forever
b. deadly gash. The one devil which has been
admitted willingly into his sGu is certain 20 return
10 the empty shrine IN the cUnpany Of seven other
devils Eors wicked than ITSELF
And above all else. we should be quick
TO recognize that there is no evil but that
within ourselves. External Ell cannot
touch US, is powerless TO harm US Within
ourselves our evil viii is momentous, and
sooner or later it works its way outside
us-it may be the vitiation that breeds
evil acts, but also il may be in the self
adherence that stings us into better
striving. No evil dooms US hopelessly ex-
cept the evil We love and make no effort
TO escape from.
Let us remember then that We. who are
optimistically hopeful Of our own future,
and that Of our felIoW-men. shall ind our
greatest usefulness our greatest honor.
our greatest profit in waging a relentless,
brave. and constant war against the
forces Of evil which surround us
The fight is always onward; evil would
hold Us back The goal lies shead-the
distance It is not given as TO know-and
the long straight road up which we must
all Of us travel is lined with evil upon
either side. Nothing can harm US. stay
Us. OF delay us unless we stop willingly:
and so il bChooves US to keep our CON
sciences and hearts attuned that We may
be instant 10 recognize evil from good.
and always. in every circumstance, be
brave enough 10 choose the right.