The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1908-02-18
THE OPTIMIST.

In spite OF all the laws that are made
% Tlzr for the guidance OF his fellows.
the highest law after all. is that which
"a mans Individual conscience makes for
himself Tine highest law is conscience. -
said Victor Hugo; and it is conscience
alone that can decide for Us what is
moral and what is not.
find the doctors ard the sages
Have difier'd 10 an chimes and ages.
Add two IN hfty scarce sgree
On shat j. pure moralty.
The great business Of life. besides that
OF expressing oneself in work which shall
whatever happens 10 the individual
benefit the world at large is to be good;
and however hard we Try. We need never
fear that We are going 10 be too good
in this field Of temptations which we
call the world Old Marcus Aurelius said:
Let people talk and act as they Will your bust
ness Is O. Dc a good man. WhatUT The dignity OI
human nature requires n you So about it az once.
without lis OF and. and speak aiv-,- according %
Your own conscience hut let 30 D. done IN the terms
q good nature. mGiesty, and sincerity
! think IL viii do US al good 10 re-
member al times that not one Of rs is
- Wy sEsNNNtA eAANDAAAAt6 hN any NNlf u
laws, dicta Of morals. or guide laid down
for rs by any body of men To a certain
extent We must each be a law unto our
selves; not dependent On what other peo-
PIE say, or think, but satisfying our own
hearts and souls and c0nscienccs. After
all. brother optimists. no one is going
% pay for our mistakes, eventually. but
ourselves; if there is 10 be reward
for our right-doing it is coming 20 us.
Try as We may, none OF US is going 10
be able 10 order his life so that he may
live without sin.
Mistakes are bound 10 creep in. and
to hurt US hard Tor a time. but what
we have 10 strive for is 10 forget the
mistakes we may have made, the sins We
have sinned; and. ioOkinG forward. re-
solve 10 DO better next time. And all
the time we must let nothing take our
eyes from that goal toward which the
better Of US urges as on. As Herbert
Spencer said.
Unattainablc as pure rectitrde IS and NAV Ior-
continue % be, we mus; keep an cye On the CON
pass which tells rs whereabouts II lies or We shs-
otherwise be liable % wander ia some quite opposite
direction
One Of the great aids 20 happiness on
earth is peace. and nothing external can
I bring peace TO the human soul That has
10 BE- an Ouigrowth Of the man himself.
/ If he would find peace he has 70 make
II for himself. The way 10 do il is not 90
worry about what the world thinks. but
/ 20 go ahead and do right 50 far as your
/ conscience tells you 10.
II YOU should listen 10 YOUR ueighbory
they would tel you that this path or that
was wrong. and torn by doubts. mistrusr.
/ ing the Judgment OF your own conscience
which Is never wrong. you would *
change peace for distraction. and. strive
as you may. you would arrive nowhere.
Tie knowledge Of ny sin
Is halt repentance.
/ says Bayard Taylor. and We need no out
siders 10 tell us of our sin; the monitor
I within is lnfallible. and no one can pos
sibly know our own strength or weak
ness better than ourselves. And SO IL be
hOOves US ever 20 gather strength to Sc,
/ the right and 10 do IL, 10 recognize tha
I the way Of morality. though hard. T.
I the only safe and true way, and with tn,
strength which we may cultivate ",
need to acquire q senSitiveneSs. OF spiri
/ that shall make us heed the slightes
whisper Of conscience, for
What S. strength. without a double share
OF wisdom last. unwiel6v. lssrdcusomc-
Proudly sCc1rG. yet liable 90 fail
b. weakest suhtlcuss. not made % rrlIe
But o. observe where wisdom bars command.
Above all IL is important iu this con
Injection, 10 recognize and 90 believe tina
what man is in business. in relation
70 his friends, In his walk Of life. de
ponds wholly upon what he Is in hi
/ own soul There can be no realization u
perfect manhood no genuine nobility a.
life. no really fine accomplishment. with
out the simple-yet difficuit-virtEe
whose practice alone leads 20 happiness
/ and Dn4per