The Washington herald., 1908-03-21
THE OPTIMIST.


The Optimist wrote the other day about
the essential value Of kindness II one
would feel kinship with his brothers on
earth. One Of the marked evidences OF
real Kindness is sympathy. than which
there is no emotion that more nearly
touches the soul or reaches the heart.
II IS al very well for man in his
strength to cry boastfully that he does
not need any ones sympathy. but when
] hear man make that remark. re-
member DR.. Johnson s.
To live without feeling exciting sympathy. 10 he
fortunate with adding to the feRcify Of others or
afflicted without tasting the balm Il pits. Is state
more gloomy than solitude. il Is not retreat but
expulsion from mankind.
There is no more human quality. nor
one more necessary 20 the fun and honest
development Of ones nature than that OF
sympathy
Something the heart must hare 10 cherish.
Mus; love and SOY and sorroN learn.
Something with passion clasp er perish.
And in itself 70 ashes barn-
Addison said that half the misery OF
human life might be extinguished would
men alleviate the general curse they lie
benevolence. and humanity Nothing is
more humanizing than grief. II takes
sometimes. a bitter sorrow, keen dis
appointment, 10 make man realize thai
ne who has known and gloried in pros
perity Is on the same level with his
brothers. When the grief comes 10 him
self and he seems for a time all alone
shut of in his cOmpaaiOnship. cast down
IN deep gloom. then he can appreciate
what real sympathy means. But IL may
well be that the full rich meaning OF
sympathy viii never come 10 a man until
he has so attuned his heart that Il Is
ripe TO respond 90 the sorrows and griefs
of others. There is no JOY on earth. none
which makes a man SO ut for heaven as
when. out of his abundance or JOY and
felicity. he stops on his onward march
70 lift up a fallen brother. 10 cheer OF
the Beak-hearted. 10 speak the needed
word OF consolation 70 the man whs
stands in nakedness Of soul facing the
great emptiness OF desolation- Then il
is. perhaps, that A man realizes for the
first time the fuulity OF human com
Partnerships. comes to realize that after
all. the loves Of this world are. al theiI
best. but Aeeting and temporary. and
/
spirit 10 the one Father u Us all. whose
arms are always open and whose words
are always here for the healing Of sor-
rows
Whom the heart ~ man shuts out
Sometimes she heart u God takes in.
And fences thcrE all round about
With silence mid the worlds loud din.
When We are prosperous and the world
goes very well With Us We are apt u
despise this quality OF sympathy. and q
say that IL is remedy only FOR weah
souls But when the sword that is sus-
pended over all or Us falls, and for q
time we grope blindly amid the darkness
doubling the goodness Of God and hnding
little that is gentle I'm humankind. ther
IL Is that We realize what sympathy mar
mean.
An imperfect soul seeing what is good and grea
AMI frue. but very often failing In the attempt q
atUin 10 H. is apI 20 be hard in is judgments q
the Shortcomings q Others. But d.Tiue aut
sovereign soul-a scL that has more nearly attaiu,t
20 The measure q the perfect man-tak-s csimc
Z and a gentles, because larger-hearted view q
those little weaknesses and indireetaesses which /.
cannot bat daily see
So says Dean Farrar. and he was right
For no duty is more heavily laid UpoI
a man-especially a man whose dOctrin,
is that OF cheerful Optimism-than thi
OF sympathy for our weaker brethren. A:
Aniel so truly said
Alas, Alas, never 70 tire. never 70 grow cold. q
be patient. sympathetic tender 10 look for the bld
ding hower and the opening heart 20 hope a!.rays
like Cod 70 love aivsys-this IS duty.