The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-01-26
"THE SCHOOL OF SUFFERING"

DR.. Paul Wilhelm Won Keppler
Bishop of Rotterburg, Germany, whose
little book, More JOY" has had an
extended sale, has written a CONF
panion volume bearing the title,
School of Suffering" Joy and sorrow,
life and suffering, are closely asso-'
ciated, Bishop Won Keppler points out
The author seeks to cheer and con-
sole. He has avoided long discussions,
which tax the patience of the bur-
dened soul, and in short essays, para
graphs and chips of thought he COM
forts the sorrowful and those. heavy
of heart. We translate a few
excerpts:
"Why just L? An overcoming
question of the one suffering. It is
one that is foolish, baseless and I'M
generous. Rather ask: Why should
just | escape suffering? All are suf-
fering, all humanity suffers. Your
sorrow is nothing else than your al
lotted share of the universal burden
of suffering. Will you as the only one
demand the privilege of being
exempted from the tax of suffering?
And upon what claim of right?
THE bloody hefoism of those
bravely and patiently enduring suf-
fering in silence, is as necessary and
even more necessary to mankind than
the bloody, arms-clashing heroism of
war. AS soon as a great sorrow over
takes us we are made a spectacle to
the world, and to angels, and to men,
q Cor. w, 81. Eyes are focused upon
us; and persons are in suspense as to
how we will conduct ourselves. If we
fail, we do not harm ourselves only,
but also the cause of mankind in the
conflict with suffering. If we endure,
not only our own power increases, but
a power also radiates from us to
strengthen others. s
ITO yield to petty yexations leads
to the result that we become ,sea-sick
over a tempest in a tea pot, that we
are seized with attacks of madness
because of an overdose of salt in the
soup, that we alarm the household
Will Jul lOWlO VI 1d41lClIdL1On OfG1
toothache, that we spit gall and
poison because of an untoward word.
Thereby person makes himself con-
temptible and embitters his own life
and that of those around him. Do
nestle tyrants have a special faculty
of making their, own puny sufferings
a great burden for others.
Suffering is an art, the most i'm
portant and difficult art in life. 1t
must be learned and practised. Also
here we make graduated progress,
from the easier to the more difficult
tasks, from the small to the great.
Therein lies the Importance Of small
fluctuations: we school ourselves in
them for the great trials
How often a momentous hour of
trial finds us miserably snia1l Our
first counter demonstrations are
usually little to our credit. A sudden.
fear that makes one lose his head;
cowardly, futile attempts to dodge the
issue, to Danish the sorrow in friy-
olous amusements, or stubbornly to
shake off the yoke; unmanly wailing
and complaining, mad rebellion, finally
impotent capitulation, morose brood
ing. That, says Seneca, resembles
game which tears at the net, and in
tearing hopelessly enmeshes itself.
,Suson compares the one who suffers
rebelliously to a young colt which is
hitched to a wagon for the first time
and exhausts itself and succumbs in
the struggle; it becomes very lean,
until it finally notices of itself that all.
is in vain, and loses its courage.
In order to remain calm when sor-.
row enters we need be neither Stoics
nor sticks las Shakespeare once put.
it), but merely sensible human beings.
If it crosses the threshold, do not ex-
claim resentfully: What business
have you here? You have probably
mistaken the house. Rather say COM
placently: Are you paying me an
other visit? | expected it. we are old
acquaintance 4
The Echo.
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