Omaha daily bee., 1916-05-26
Brilliant
PessineistS Commit
objectionable SIN
By ELLA WHEELER WILCOX.
Copyright, 1913. Star Company.

Copyright, 1915. Star Company.
Once upon time read the follow
ing gloomy bit OF pessimism from the
pen OF man bright enough to know
better than 10 add TO the mental ma
laria OF the world He said:
Life is hopeless battle, in which
we are foredoomed to defeat And
the prize for which we strive ito have
and to hold"--what is its A thing
that is neither enjoyed while had nor
missed when lost So worthless it Is,
so unsatisfying, so inadequate to pur-
pose. so false to hope and at It's best
so brief that for consolation and
compensation we set up fantastic
faiths Of an aftertime in better
world from which no confirming
whisper has ever reached US out of
the void. Heaven is prophecy ut
tered by the lips Of despair, but hell
is an inference from history"
This Is morbid and unwholesome
talk which can only harm the speaker
and the listener.
II can depress and discourage the
weak and struggling souls who are
striving TO make the best OF circum-
stances, and il can nerve to suicide
the hand OF some half-crazed being
who needed only word of eneour-
agement and cheer to brace up and
| win the race.
This is the objectionable sin--to
talk discouragingly to human souls
hungering for hope
! When the man without brains does
il, he can be pardoned for knowing
no better
When the man with brains does IT,
he should be ashamed TO look his fell
low-mortals in the eyes
II is sin ten times deeper dyed
/ than giving stone TO those who ask
/ for bread. II is giving poison to those
kwho plead for cup Of cold water
/ Fortunately, the remarks above
quoted contain not one atom OF truth
The writer may speak for himself,
but he has no right TO speak for 9TH
ers
] It's all very well for a man who Is
marked with smallpox 10 say his face
has not one unsecured inch on the
| surface OF it. But he has no prem
Uses to stand upon when he says there
| is not a face in the world which is
free from smallpox scars. -..l
Life is NOT "a hopeless battle in
which we are doomed 10 defeat"
Life is a glorious privilege, and we
can make anything we choose out oi
il il we begin early and are in deen
earnest and realize our own divine
powers, +.
Nothing can hinder US or stay US.
We can do and be whatsoever we
will
The prize Of life is not "a thing
which is neither enjoyed while had
nor missed when lost" 1t is enjoyed
by millions Of souls today--this great
prize OF life. | for one declare that
for every day OF misery in my expert
ence | have had week of joy and
happiness For every hour of pain
have had day OF pleasure Fof
every moment OF worry, an. hour o.
content
cannot be the only soul so en-.
dowed with the appreciation OF life.
! know scores of happy people who
enjoy the many delights OF earth, and
there are thousands whom ! do not
know
OF course, Life is not missed when
lostg-because il is never lost, 1t is
indestruetible. Life ever was and
ever will be. II is continuous per-
Torrance. II is not worthless" to
the wholesome, normal mind. Ii is
full OF interest and rich with oppor-
tunities for usefulness.
When any man says his life is
worthless il is because he has eyes
and sees not, and ears and hears not.
It is his own fault, not the fault OF
God, fate or accident
II every life seems at times "unsat-
isfactory" and inadequate. it is only
due to the cry OF the immortal soul
longing for larger opportunities and
fewer limitations.
Neither is life false to hope" He
who trusts the divine Source of Life
shall find his hopes more than real
lied here upon earth. voice only
the knowledge OF thousands OF souls
when ] make this assertion. | know
whereof speak
All that our dearest hopes desire
will come 10 US If we believe in our
selves as rightful heirs to Divine OPP
ulence, and work and think always on
those lines
II mo whisper has ever reached Us
out OF the void confirming our faith
in immortality, then one-third OF the
seemingly intelligent and sane beings
OF our acquaintance must be fools or
liars. for we have the assertion Of
fully this number that such whispers
have come, besides the biblical statis-
tics OF numerous messages from the
other realm
As I, was in the beginning, is now
and aNrr rnnFa ahall be usnrid nil