The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-12-28
n SATURDAY SERMON.


Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,
and the man that getteth understanding
Proverbs III Is.
Happiness is the goal of life with
every human being, even although II
is really nothing more than state OF
mind. And as every man Is equipped
with brains of differing degree as 10
quantity and quality, each Individual
has ideas distinctly his own as TO just
what constitutes happiness A Dig
share of them, too, are of the magma
tive variety. The man whose creeo Is
gold thinks he is happy If ne mas
much of it. The thief is delighted II
he makes a rich haul. The gam pler
is content if he is winning at MS 1aVor-
lite game. The soldier reaches the acme
of Joy when he marches to a great
victory over a once-green field stained
red with the blood of his fellow men.
But do the money-maniac, the un-
caught thief, the getting-rich-qulcK
gambler, or the triumphant sololer
attain anything that smacks of real
happiness because they are successful
., +bair everal spheres? Well,
scarcely
How few people there are, also. who
realize that the straightest road TO
happiness is to be found through wis
dom. Any number of them are prop
ably in this predicament because
confuse wisdom with learning.
dom is properly defined as an aolllIy
to Judge soundly and deal sagdclo"slS
with facts, especially as they reIate 10
life and conduct. 1t is the capacity 10
make good use of knowledge. 1t Is the
perception of the best ends ana the
best means 1t is discernment anu
Judgment discretion and sasaclty'
Learning, on the other hand, Is mercy
the ACQUISITION of knowledge. "A man
NAV cram his head with the detaIs
of all the history ever written. ne
NAV be able to read, write ana Ialh d
dozen or more languages, living anu
dead. He may ground hfmsen tnor-
oughIy in the intricacies OF one OF
MANY sciences But that does not
necessarily make him a wise man.
However, an especially learned man
may also be exceedingly wise. anu
of knowledge is an aid
in the development OF wisdom II
there is a capacity to apply it rightly
Therefore the pursuit or knoWIeose
should be keen with every one. a
man, though, can DC Wise "AIAAON ~
ing learned, and this has been true of
some of the wisest men that the world
has ever known. 1t is also true that
there are more wise men in the world
than there are merely learned ones.
Were not this the fact, the human race
would not progress as it does to nigh
err attitudes. And the constant aim OF
every one should be to become wiser
through learning and through eXper-
fences of the personal variety and t.
examples of others.
Solomon, in succeeding verses in the
Third chapter of The Proverbs to the
one quoted above, points out graphi-
calIy why the man that ga1neth WIS
dow is happy. He says:
For the merchandise of it is bet |
ter than the merchandise of silver, and |
the gain thereof than of fine gold.
aShe is more precious than rubies; !
and all the things thou canst desire |
are not to be compared to her.
Length of days is her right hand; |
and in her left hand riches and honor.
Her ways are ways of pleasantness'
and all her paths are peace.
"She is the tree of life to them that |
lay hold upon her; and happy is every |
one that retaineth her
Wisdom is, indeed, the handmaiden /
If happiness, which is almost indie
Unable. But it's keystones are mental
and moral health, with freedom from
rksome cares, and these can come
,nly to the man who is wise, and suf-
,iciently wise to make good use of his
wisdom.