Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1918-05-01
AN OLD MANS PHILOSOPHY.


AN OLD MANS PHILOSOPHY.
We heard a father talking to his
son one day. The old man was ripe
in Judgment and years. His head was
white and his face was wrinkled. The
pathway he had travelled through his
vale of tears had been a rough one
but his experiences, common to all,
had been OF value to him. He had
made our common mistakes and err
rOrs but his missteps and sorrows had
mellowed his soul and taught him
wisdom. We do not know that the
son profited by his fathers remarks
we must generally so the same road
and in the end if we are wise, learn
the same lessons. But the old man
spoke as follows:
do not judge harshly my son.
Be charitable. When you think of
criticism look first into your own
soul and see if you are not guilty of
the same defects you despise in an
other.
BE honest, my boy, in your deal
and swear by those who practice it
in their daily lives. You cannot be
too honest even in little things.
"Do not profess to know more than
your creator, my boy. This is big
world and has revolved through space
many years The infinite is too large
for us to grasp, no matter how smart
we are. We may by study and obser
walton approach a knowledge of the
infinite but we must do so reverently.
do not care much what church you
belong to, my son, but you should re-
spect other people in their creeds.
Give them the right to think as they
like and they will generally accord
the same deal to you. Be tolerant.
Hate, my boy, but hate evil. Hate
the scoundrel, the bully and the hyp-
ocrite. Fate the traitor. Let them
know you despise them. No man
should be either one of these in this
world and get away with it. Let him
know you despise him-he may mend
his ways and then you can love him.
BE kind, my boy. Not kind to the
high and mighty but kind to the weak
and forlorn The angels on high, my
boy, will record every act Of love and
kindness Of yours toward those
ground beneath the wheels of des-
tiny The kindness Of your soul
should go to these for in this is the
true measure Of man. For those
who fall remember they do so chief
ly through ignorance of lifes immut-
able laws. Do not be harsh-ask
yourself if you could not have done
the same. This is pretty good re-
ligion, my boy-just be kind.
'.Fun-have all you can of it, my
son, but let it be the right kind. Don't
mistake good fun from bad fun and
don't let narroW-minded, straight
laced folks beat you out of a good
time. Remember that evil lies with
in you and not outside Of you. If your
soul is clean you can pass through
fire and it won't scorch you. Some
folks spoil their lives by living in
fear OF what other people will say in
stead Of deciding the good and bad
VI II 14SoAC III CIG11 Wv II 4SCti -. Dc
young and have fun
do notmy son, expect perfection
in others or yourself. Doing the best
you can-thinking and acting kind
ness and politeness and banishing
jealousy from your soul is the best
medicine in the world. It will bring
you happiness something riches and
vain pleasure can never bring Do
not feel that you should be perfect
but just try to be as good as you can.
In the end you may become what you
hold as an ideal. In the end you will
be dust even as [ shall soon be dust.
What will the record of your life be?
Can you say that you did the best you
could or just drifted foolishly along?
You must answer this at the end, my
SON."
That old man was not rich in world
ly things nor had his life been cast in
pleasant places. But his smile was
kindly and in his eye there beamed
a noble light. 1t seemed to us that
the old man had achieved his phiIoso-
ply.