The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-12-18
Rv THE nPTINIIsT.

ny IItE OEllailS1-
Our subject. Music" has called forth
fine responses from the membership Of
The Washington Herald Optimist Club
1t will be found I think, that there is
much that is as inspiring as music itself
in the ideals and high hopes expressed in
our essays to-day. Il is plain that opti-
mism attunes the soul to harmony. II
takes. an ear attuned to kindness and
good feeling TO harken Understandings
10 the sweet notes of music, for il has a
voice OF its own and rhetoric of it's oWs
far more eloquent than mere verbal ut
terances, but allied. nevertheless, TO i'm
passioned words, and its power TO stir
the soul. 10 awake dormant emotions, to
incite man TO his best and worthiest, is
well-nigh irresistible. The music or the
marshal bands stirs men to heroic deeds
and brave thoughts OF self-sacriflce, to
patriotism and duty and honor; the
plaintive and tender cadences recall 10
the better senses the thrill OF affection
the voice of love, the sympathetic bonds
OF domestic life; and music OF sacred
quality lifts our souls out of ourselves
into that higher realm to which the bet
AcT part Ol man dollL CO
Music (Which is earnest il heaven,
Seeing We know emotions strange by II
Not else TO he rvveAledl Is as voice,
A low voice calling fancy, a friend
To the green woods in the gay summer time;
And she ills all the way with dancing shapes,
Which have made painters Iale. and they 90 on
While stars look at them. and winds call to them,
As they leave lfe's Uafh for the twilight world
Where the dead gather.
Nh r.var. 80 Eua oar.Xrfb,,ftov,e
to-day that it was a difficult task 10 Sc
lect two of the essays as worthier than
the rest. But after consideration. / have
decided to award the two prizes to Will
lam X Lawlor, of the Georgetown Law
School, and Lawrence a. Widmayer. OF
903 S street northwest. Their cOntribu-
tions follow:
The Prize Winners.
Through all ages. from the time when
''wondrous Homer sang to the present
day. music has been the subject Of lau-
datOry words, and deservedly so, because
what is there in the whole world like
music that can move us 10 tears or cause
our hearts TO beat with joy? II is the
one force in our lives most likely always
TO obtain the result for which it seeks,
ness and good cheer into the home and
leads US to forget the sOrrows which al
times mar our lives. 1t teaches Us e
become better men by arOusing in our
hearts a love of God and a desire Ia
please Him. IL is potent III bringing us
To a realization Of our duty toward our
fellow-men. 1t is an important factor in
a time of war to arouse our passions anC
give Us strength against the enemy. May
We optimists who are trying 10 adopt a
cheerful view Of life embrace its charms
and live always under its pleasing sway
WILLIAM X. LAWLOR
They sang as it were new canticle.-
Apoc., Xiv:5.
Every one has read the story of the
monk who once sat down in a wood near
a monastery and wondered whether
heaven would not after time lose It's
charm. A little bird began TO sing a
song so sweet that he sat entranced
After a few minutes. as IL seemed 70
him, the song ceased, and he returned Ia
his monastery 10 find that he had sat
there and listened for twenty years. II
this could be the case when it was but a
little bird singing, what must be the alb
sOrbing delight of the music of the an
gels in heaven?
This music viii combine the beauty oil
every earthly instrument and of this
sweetest of earthly singers. No notes
were ever heard on earth like the notes
of the boys and girls. men and women
who will sing a heavenly melody that
will never cease; and each note will be
such that if we heard it on earth We
should despise all pain and suffering
even death itself, for the joy of listening
10 it,
There will be a still sweeter music fol
the blessed in heaven, music which
makes the music Of the angels seem al
most discord. The voice OF Jesus Christ
viii be heavens sweetest melody. If OF
earth men hung on His lips, il never
man spake like that man, what will be-
the divine attraction Of every word
every sound, that viii proceed from Hi.
lips In heaven? So let Us pray that we
may listen to and obey Christ's voice
the sweetest of all music, speaking L
our hearts on earth
LAWRENCE A WIDM AVER