The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-02-03
P.-l:ss There he many that say,

-. ~ ~ There ne many tnat say.
who win show as ,anyb goode
Isord, lift up thou the light Of thy
countenance upon Ms
Fra. So; 8. Fer with thee is the
fountain OF life: in thy light we shall
- light
John 4: 4. 5, -: In him was life;
and the life was the light of men.
And the light shineth in darkness; and
the darkness; oreroame II not
There was the true light: even the
Hight which iigheth every man that
conaeth into the world.
John 8: o And ibis is the judg-
raenf that light is come into the world,
and men loved darkness rather than
light for their works were evil.
Philippians 4. y: Whatsoever
things are true. honest, Just, pure,
lovely. OF good report, think on these
things.
/. The same causes under practically
fha same conditions will produce prac-
ttcally the same effects. similar causes
under similar conditions will produce
similar effects upon men, ome
tafe. In this sense, certainly there
u nothing new under the sun.
There is an evil which has been
more or less of a curse 10 mankind
ever since there has been unbelief
~ 80 - wa ~ Is 0 eAGNHSN ~ so9
esnce Its first appearance. always
been an epidemic among a certain
class of mankind, 1t is infectious. 1t
~ m almost necessary and frequently
m immediate result of unbeiief. II
" ons or the greatest enemies of faith
snd biights, II It does not destroy all
IA fruits OF faith. 1t may not affect
the physical man Immediately. but IL
does affect seriously and disastrous
VI AFFECT the mind and the heart, or
the thoughts and affections-even the
Will Of mankind. and sympathetically
Tho body are affected. While 1t may
rot necessarily or Immediately bring
nnfker1ng to the physical man n in
4apacitate him for work, yet 1T does
bring disease and suffering to the
{ mind, IL does vitiate and destroy pure
affection and weakens, IL 1t does not
Ainoat paralyxe. the Will. II does, &c
long as II In not held In check. in
~capAcftate one for any genuine en-.
3osintnt Of life, and, III 1t be not con
quered. Ii will make one n nissan
rhrope. misogyrist. cynic, II not an
ðeist.
1t causes one to underrate. despise
or hate ones fellows, TO break with"
D and to be out OF harmony with
Hts will and all His greatest. best
designs for mankind. 1t distorts Or
blinds the menta vision n poisons,
because or the lack of pure, whole
some light. the entire moral nature.
What is this N disease: II
In Pessinfsm, I. e.. always persistentiy.
c~bstfnately or ignorantly looking pom
n dark side and only or chiefly
npon the dark side OF every question:.
event or experience OF life. 1t Is the
spirit or state of mind which magni-
fies all real or imagined evil and mini
mixes. qualities. distorts or ignores all
real or probable good.
1t lis the manner of viewing life.
ones fellow creatures, past history,
current events and future possibili-
ties. that shuts out all hat Is inspir-
ing. encouraging or promising by con-
Etaritiy behoiding or imagining evil.
II Is not only directly and danger
oukiy opposed to faith but Ii weakens
Bind even destroys all healthy hope.
n liz the worst enemy of pure charity
Or love, for 'iove thinketh no evii''
/ Of this kind and "rejoiceth In the
truth; pessirnism thinketh evil con-
tinuously M rejoiceth. in the fulfil
mant or the apparent fuliiment of
its worth predictions as to men. wo-
men and events.
Pessimism Ia a virtual denial OF
Providence. of the Cospei-all glad
tidings-and il nearly akin to un-
reasoning suspicion. ignorant super
z3 &tlAiOA anu bittlA, ~tenOT10uH p~TGJuQlS2.
The pessimist either ignores God on
denies His intelligent knowledge and
interest in the events of human ex-
periance.
The pessimist is either inexcusably
blind or wiifully ana persistentiy OBJ
fuse. There lis virtually no light to
those who wilfuiIy elise their eyes
n the "brutish man is a spiritual
tEnoramous.
Having eyes they see met. .haxlna
ears they hear not and their under
standing Is darkened."
Pessimists are like moles: they un.
Gernaine by their thoughts and their
expression of hem and distort by theii
influence all that is true. beautiful, in
apiring. hopeful. good. Pessimists are
like owls or bats. for according to
their habit OF viewing life. they see
at In the dark or dim twilight; they
have M liking for nor satisfaction In
those things which flourish and de-
yelop in the light Some become like
the sightiess fish OF Monmouth Cave.
Surely there are many in this age
some In every COMMUNICATIVE think,
IL they do not say: Who viii show
ts anything. anyone really true, pure
or good" This state of mind proves
that they are morbidly insane or that
In them there lis much that is false,
fmpurse and very bad.
The opponents of pessfmism are