The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-09-18

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seriousness. God or good or progress calls
as ever upward. Pain Is the divine task
master that forces us TO rise above the
limitations OF this material mind into the
glorious possibilities of the spiritual mind
and consciousness. Therefore It behooves
us to cultivate optimism as we carry the
brand or our Utmost selves In our words,
actions. writings, and on our counte-
nances; We are hard-faced, sweet-faced,
mean-faced, or possessed of noble coun-
| tenances. Look in your mirror and see
what the finger OF time is writing on your
expressive flesh. Let US all love more and
more and give out TO others that our
lives may be enriched with daily kind
nesses' Z. ELIZABETH CRowELL DUNLOP.
Optimism Is light, life, love; l shun
| pessimism. 1t drives God away; 1t puts
humanity at distance; it interests US
in earthly affairs only. Mrs. ]. C. SCOTT.
Why optimism appeals TO me. Is because
1 have learned by experience and extern
sive study that the genuine optimist, from
his habit of always looking on the bright
est. right side. finds happiness in such
great measure that living, to HIM, Is
pleasure really worth while.
At first, IL seems a rather selfish view;
yet, as the genuine optimist. to augment
his happiness. invests or shares it with
his neighbors. just as the wise, moneyed
ones share the use OF their money with
others to increase its value. so he's un-
selfish, after all is said, as he knows that
the measure of his happiness keeps ratio
/ with the measure in which he lends this
amazing. blessed. concentrating happi-
ness: loans mans most peciOus shares
sweetest, very wealth. A.
With the memory OF my happy child
hood home, the teaching, the example,
and the affection lavished there could
be a misery monger? Goodness and
mercy have followed me all the days of
my life. In every sorrow there's been a
strong. helping hand held out. If the
wicked robbed me the righteous restored
it, l am an opumist because the Maker
and Builder OF the universe still rules it.
Mr& @. E. MCLAUGHLIN.
Always. I'm optimistic. seemingly. be-
cause / was born an optimist. Although.
of course, have had many a sad day,
when 1 was sOrely tempted TO join the
pessimists' sad world. my precious. born
optimism subdued all such temptations,
and. so here I am with you.
And. from my experience. I think the
world will, after a while. discover that
the boon of real optimism is the only
real cure for the mania of the. melan-
| choly-mania OF suicide, mania OF trag-
edy. &c.-as I'm sure no real optimist
could destroy himself-nO, no; such would
choose to be crucihed a thousand times
than TO be his own paltry. rueful slayer.
A. C. JOYsON.
I am an optimist because "Au things
work together for good TO them that love
God" As We weave the web OF life we
see only one side now. and that may be
rough and tangled out in the next life
We may find the other side of the web.
all beautiful where it seemed so impe--
| feet here
/ VI ISM - -t5AtN eA+A fNN- - 1NNf
And right the day must win"
Ms. 4. E. NJ. AyERILL.
i l am an optimist because II has been
my experience 10 ind that every cOndi-
ton. either spiritual or material, Is con-
ducive Of good or right, even though these
I results are often indefinitely surrounded
by mscrutibility or temporarily lmpos-
sible of observation. For instance. we
rail upon a certain insect or animal as
| being the most detestible pest that Eu-
man beings were ever forced 10 come in
contact with, until the delvings Of Science
{ finally prove 10 us that the same is an
uIairfng exterminator of some vastly
more miserable pestilenoe.
There is the element OF the undesirable
connected with everything mortal II
this We're not so, would il not he Heaven
on earth? Or. II the human mind was
| so constructed as TO be capable OF elimi-
mating all OF the undesirable element
would IL not also be Heaven. And are
not Heaven and hell merely extreme con-
dftions of the mind? So 1t is. that the
man who develops to the greatest extent
the power of elimination or the power OF
translation of bad conditions into good
! results, secures most Heaven on earth.
He who comes TO a realization OF the
fact that the undesirable or the bad must
exist Cbut let me not be understood 70
! countenance willful wrongdoing), II he
Is a true optimist. will, at the same time
come TO the conclusion that the same are
provocative OF ultimate good, however re-
mote the connection may at the time
seem TO be. CH4s. H. MILLER.
Why am ] an optimist? I'll tell you.
I am not one of those fortunate fellows
TO whom Il seems natural TO look on the
bright side OF life, and who fairly bubble
over at all times with optimism and good
cheer. I wish I were. But 1 believe in
making the best of things Sometimes.
perhaps, my optimism is little better than
a prop to failing courage. like the lad
who whistles in an effort to blot out from
HIS mind the unknown. but no less to him
| real terrors, OF dark night.
That is not TO say, however. that be-
lieve in a blind optimism which refuses
TO recognize the fact that evil conditions
exist But those same untoward condi-
! tons are not one whit amended by one
who sits amid the shadows and rails
against them. 1t is easy enough 10 tear
down. We need in our lives more build
| ing-up principle. I am an optimist be-
cause I know that humanity is sound al
heart. and because I believe in the ulti-
mate victory OF all righteous causes. The
world has not yet reached the stage OF
perfection. But it is a good world in
which to live; and when compare pres
| mt do. conditions With tboSa o1 1bo vact