The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1918-04-25

conceivable compromise with Duty And il is hard
TO discriminate between Duty abstract princi-
pie and Duty in practices as it is obviously difficult
for any man to doubt the soundness of his
Judgment until he can rise at will above the lntellec-
tual plane on which that judgment was pronounced.
And as man lives mostly in his intellect and his
emotions only occasionally rising to the plane of the
higher mind where intuition operates and the soul
sheds it's light; must it be most difficult for him to
distinguish between the judgment Of the mind and
the intuition of the SOUL holding his intellectual de-
cison tentatively to revision or alteration
while standing immovable upon sure foothold won
by intuitive perception of the essential principle in
volved. When that becomes possible to man then
Wisdom is not far off, But for the average man
Wisdom is inaccessible, her temple being hidden by
the luxurant and ancient growth of the dark forest
of desires, in which he wanders amlessly. Thus he
is forced by his blindness to rely on reason and
opinions to guide him his dubious way. How
true it is that man is wanderer on earth Some
say he is pilgrim but the is hardly applicable
to the ordinary man, because it implies definite
goal to which the pilgrim travels consciously; where
as the life of the great of human beings is in
deed wandering in search of changing objects such
as amusement pleasure, excitement or repose. adj
venture wealth. merely a temporary shelter
through which he struggles in pursuit of mere
phantasy. His life may appear to him great adj
venture or it may seem better than dull routine
of necessary acts whose wearisome reiteraton is
made bearable by cautious avoidance of all other
causes of discomfort But in either case it has no
recognizable goal such as pilgrim before him.
The average man lives aimlessy; the pilgrim travels
toward destination which is his goal; else his
in 10 fol Ho1uit
route with fixed stopping places and return to the
starting place; which constitutes definite plan, such
as is lacking in the life of Others Moreover the pill
grim looks forward to the ultimate attainment which
is his goal of goas of Bliss, pictured
haps in his imagination celestial place of bles
sedness In his own sight he is no wanderer, al
though to the wise man he may appear be follow
ing mere delusion born in his Imagination.
which leads him eventually back TO his starting place
to recommence his endless pilgrimage
!, The ordinary Is like a'squirrel in a cage,
the faster he moves the faster spins his wheel, but
he stays still the place. The human squirrel
does not see that he is Gagged in his body
lessly toiling in the whirng wheel of his
tality. He thinks his prison is himself because he
bears it with him and lives in it.
The pleasure of eating depends appetite.
The squirrel his appetite by the exercise he
gets in turning his wheel. and may imagine that
his nuts have flavor after good galop in his
| revolving prison. Sotoo the man, who seeks
pleasures to glut his appetite, stimulate saa-
| ted by strenuous wanderings in imaginary
lands. in which he hopes to find new foods to temp
him to renewed exertions. This is the illusion that
makes his life seem to him worth living. Should he
escape break his WORKOUT cage, and find his way
| .Jo.o.
in fact. The wandering pilgrimage of life to
| most men is purely imaginary, they get be-
| yond the cage of their own mentality.
Truly the ordinary may talk of Duty. but
his idea of Duty is much like the squirrels wheel
to be regarded seriously. The ideal that he follows
is some dead formula, little rule, code or
creed created by other to moment
airy purpose, a temporary symbol of some as
pect of Eternal Law. Perhaps he may change his
formula, but the change is generally deluson. his
nuts have fresh flavor after a more than usually
strenuous turning of the wheel which takes him no.
where.
So too the wanderer who has not found the
Light goes round the base of great mountain fol-
lowing the trail that other wanderers have made and
coming back again to pick up his trail once
more and follow it with undimnished hope
And what is hope but reflection of the light
that shines above the mountain, mirrored earth to
dazzle the eyes of men? Some day he will look up
and see where the light comes from. Then he will
know that the path lies upward. Then he will nc
longer mistake reflections for realities he will sban
don the pursuit of other mems ideals. and will be
able to find in his heart mirror for the Light
When he can find the light of truth reflected in hil
heart he will not need guide; he will not need