Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-03-12
REV. OR. WATSON
RAPS FLETCHERS
NO WORRY PLAN
Philosophy Poor Food for Empty
Stomach, Declares Rector
of st. Stephens.

That worry and anger are difficult
traits to dispense with in this practical
world. and sadly twist the merits OF
the "Trde Living doctrine of Horace
Fletcher, the new food-chewing disciple,
whit lectured hero a few evenings ago,
is practically shown in the opinion
voiced by the Rev. DR.. e. A. WATSON,
rector of St. stephens Episcopal
Church, this city, who declares that the
''no-worry'' doctrine of Mr.. Fletcher is
an uncertain remedy for a~bolishinS this
too-prevalent mental i'll.
IF everybody willing to work could
earn enough for a healthful life" says
DR.. WATSON, ait would probably not be
necessary to write books or preach SER
mons advising people not to worry or
los their temper.
Jesus told men not TO worry. and the
waste caused by useless passion has
been a commonplace of moralists.
I'm his teaching concerning the con-
troll of the passions, it may be that Mr..
Fletcher with his analysis is as one
with the philosophers and moral teach
ers. Anger, he says, is the root of all
the aggressive passions, and worry of
all the cowardly. Thus, anger gives
rise to envy, spite, revenge, Impotence,
annoyance, s~eltishness, prejudice, un-
rest and the like.
Worry gives rise to jealousy, fear,
the belittling of self and all the intro
spective forms Of depression. He tells
us to eradicate anger and worry and
then all the consequent evil passions
will wit1er and die. They are habits
to be gotten rid of as other bad habits,
All hat is needed is m~enti-culture and
m~ind-culture to cure them.
when people are hungry, they can
not be happy. Nor when their children
are in want can they be happy. When
they do not know where the next
months rent is to come from they Will
worry, and all the philosophers in the
world can declaim against it in vain.
Jesus, Himself, is powerless under
these conditions, and it is not in human
nature to do otherwise. SO. with the
multitudes of Workingmen whom the
late panic threw out of employment
What philosophy could calm them as
they see want staring them and theli
loved ones in the face? | know of nc
such philosophy. and Christianity Is
unequal to it.
"A healthful society is possible only
when every member of it is healthy
AS it is, The anger and worry, INSOFAR
| able from the conditions borne by the
majority, infect the small class, whc
have enough and more of this worlds
goods. and who might, therefore, be
boupht eXempt from worry.
But try as we may, we cannon gel
away from one another. We must LIVE
together, and, therefore, had better
strive, If possible, to live together on
/ terms of justice and friendship.
MIR. F~letcher's lot is so cast, and out
ward fortune has so favored him, that
it has been possible for him to rid nm
self of anger and worry. But, II he
were in the midst of the battle II tuf-
moil. instead Of giving advice from the
outside. he might find it harder TO rule
his spirit.
.'The self-control that he teaches ha
never prevailed among the multitudes
that most need release from anger anc
worry.
some things that you would Xix t6
change you nevertheless cannot; me
wise course is to accept such condl'
tions philosophically and not lose YOU
temper over them. Therefore, Whei
real trouble threatens, | do not say
Don't worry for you VIII anyway
and so shall |.
philosophers and moralists ask too
much when they tell us to ria our
selves of these passions entirely. l
cannot be done"