The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-07-09

summit we venture to pass Judgment
on the totally of life. TO ahsolve or
condemn 1t, is doubtless the merest
pin prick. visible to our eye alone. on
the iilimitable sphere of life 1t is
wise to think and 70 act as though all
that happened to man were all that
man most required II is not long ago
to cite only one of the problems that
the instinct of our planet is invited to
solve-that a scheme was on foot to
inquire. of the thinkers of Europe
whether IL should rightly be held as
gain or loss to mankind il an emerge
tic. strenuous. persistent race which
some through prejudice doubtless. still
regard as inferior to the Aryan in
qualities of heart and of soul--if the
Jews. in word. We're 10 vanish from
the face of the earth. or TO acquire
preponderance there.
am satisfied that the sage might
answer, without laying himself open to
the. charge of indifference or undue
resignation: in what comes 20 pass
will be happiness" Many things hap
the achievements of reason there has
been none SO helpful as the discovery
of the loftier reason that un-
derlies the misdeeds of nature.
It is from the slow and gradual
vindication OF the unknown force that
we deemed at first to be pitiless. that
our moral and physical life has derived
it's chief prop and support II a race
disappears that conforms with our
every ideal, 1t will be only because our
ideal still falls short of the grand
ideal. which is, as we have said the
intimate truth of the universe.
Our own experience has taught us
N hic 90
exist dreams and desires. thoughts and
feelings of beauty, of justice. and love,
that are OF the noblest and Hottest.
And IL there be any that shrink from
the test of realty-in other words.
from the mysterious. nameless powers
of iife-it allows that these must he
different, but not that their beauty
is less. or their vastness. or power to
console.
TIL reality confronts us. it is well. 1t
may be. to cherish ideals that we hold
TO surpass II in beauty; but once face
10 face with reality, then must the
ideal flame that has fed on our noblest
desires be content 10 throw faith
full light on the less fragile. less tender
beauty of the mighty mass that brushes
life. it must ever be done with the
ideal of all that is highest in our soul
highest in the truth that is ours. And
even though II be permissible at times
with events, and not follow impulse
to the ruthless end--as did st. Just
for instance. who in his admirable and
ardent desire for universal peace. hap
thousands to the scaffold--in the life of
thought it Is our unvaryng duty to
pursue our thought right to the end
Again the knowledge that our ac-
tions still await the seal of final truth
can deter from action those only who
would have remained no less inert had
no knowledge been theirs. Thought
that rises encourag es when II disheart-
ems And to those OF loftier vision
prepared in advance to admire the truth
that will nuilify all they have done, il
seems only natural still to endeavor
with all might and main to enhance
what yet may be termed the justice.
the beauty, the reason of this. our
earth.
Above ALL they have faith in the
idea CT the universe" they are satisfied
that every effort that tends to improve
of life: they are taught by the failure
of their noblest endeavors. by the resis-
lance of this mighty world, TO discover
anew fresh reasons for wonder for
ardor. for hope.
AS you Climb up mountain iowa I'd S
nightfall, the trees and the houses, the
steeple, the fields and the orchards. the
ly dwindle and fade, and at last dis
appear in the gloom that steals over
the valley. But the threads of light
that shine from the houses of men ana
pierce through the blacklist of nights.
these shine on undimmed. And every
step that you take to the summit re-
veals but more lights, and more. in the
hamlets asleep at your feet For lieht
though so fragile, is perhaps the one
thing of life that yields naught OF ~
self as II faces University. Thus II is
with our moral light too, when we look
upon hre from some slight elevation
1t is well that reflection should teach
us to disburden our soul of base PAS
sions; but IT should not discourage -or
weaken. our humblest desire for Justice
for truth, and for love.