The Washington herald., 1908-04-21
THE OPTIMIST.

Of those communications so we'll written
that after these many years they have
all the force OF the deliberately con-
ceived literary essay:
am falls persuaded thas one Of the test springs
OF generous and worthy actions Is the having geneF-
ous and worthy thoughts Of ourselves Whoever has
a mean opinion Of the dignity Of his nature viii
act in no higher RANK than be has allotted himself
IN his estimation. If he considers his being
as eircumseribed BY the uncertain term Of few
years hs designs win be ontrscted into the same
nanoE span he imagines is to bound his existence.
How can be exait his thGights TO anything great
noble, who only believes that after short turn
on the stage Of this world. be Is TO sink into
oblivion. and 10 lose his Consciousness fox sTerf
This. opens a subject that has been the
theme of many essayists, and is the basis
for much philosophy. The relation be-
tween right thinking and right living Is
undeniable. and is because this relation
is so close that the value Of the doctrine
Of optimism can hardly be overrated.
Says Tennyson;
Yet l doubt not through the ages once increasing
purpose rurs,
And tie thoughts Of men arc widened With the
process Of the suns.
Who IS there can doubt Il? Year by
year. decade by decade. century by cen
tury. human life has grown fuller and
richer. and to-day, so insIstently and
painstakingly Is science searching into
the hidden mysteries. il seems to hold
out greater promise than ever before.
Much that was hidden from our anees-
tors. who thought themselves wondrous
wise, we have discovered; much that is
hidden from US, and for which We are
now cropping, like children in the dark
will be revealed to those that come
after US.
And this progress. this process Of tbs
suns" is not the result Of tunconsidered
human action; it owes its being Il
thought, the avant courier OF all progress
Every philosopher has recognized this
truth. but few have stated it more clearly
than Carlyle, who in his Heroes ane
Hero Worship" says:
In every epoch of the world. the great event
parent Of all others. is il not the arrival Of
thinker IN the world
He means. Ct course. the great thinker
the man whose dominant mind impeli
others to follow him, and the world II
which he lives moves on by reason o.
hls power Of thought, Of seeing mOr'
| clearly into the future than those abou
/ him, not by halting steps, but by leapl
and bounds.
[ And yet the great point for Us all 4
/ consider Is that the power OF thought
/ the good TO be wrought by right thinking
lis inherent in all Of US. and that ~
/ duty lies heavier upon US than that o
guarding our thoughts and guiding then
/ into channels that shall be helpful 20 our
/ selves and an inspiration TO others.
! Thought. Ike every other blessing
/ comes from Him 70 whom We owe every
thing. and as Bailey says in his 'Festus:
Fine thoughts are wealth. for the right use of whicl
Men are and ogght 70 be accountable
I II not to thee. 70 those they influence.
From worthy thoughts spring worth,
actions, and the reverse is true, 70
worthy actions lead TO high thought Tn
I two are inseparable. 1t is not by acci
dent that a man does good In the world
/ any more than il is simply chance tina
/ he works evil. II all begins with though
good or evil-and our nghtest though
may have an influence wider than "
/ dream OF. on those about as.
{ The woman siugcth at heT spinning Wheei
A pleasant chant, ballad or baroaTols
/ She thinketh 4 her song, upon the whole.
/ Far more thar Of her fax; and yet the reel
Z Is fun ard aTtfuIy her fingers feel
[ With quick adjustment. prUFideut control.
I TIE HHes-to0 subtly twisted 10 uHrOli
/ out 10 a perfect thread ! hence appeal
To the dear Christian ChurCh-tliat We may %
Our Fathers business IN these temples mirk,
Thus swift aud stesdfsst. thus intent and strong.
/ While thus, apart from soil our souls pursue
I same high calm. spheric tune and prove CIR woTk
Ths better for the sweetness Ct our song.