Evening star., 1933-03-14

Never let go of a dictionary without
getting more than you went to it for
This is one place where playing the hog
pays handsomely, and Is not Just mere
Selflshness.
1t is always possible, no matter how
great a hurry one is in, to drop the
eye down and take in the meaning o1
another word.
Often the chain thus begun will roll
one back into past centuries, for oul
great modern dictionaries are filled
with interesting facts, not Just words
and meanings alone
Look up such word as quote" OF
quotation" for instance; one will note
two other words, 'quietism" ano
'quietist."
Immediately strange, dramatic
story OF religious thought and contro-
versy unfolds itself. Before one gets
through he has brought out the great
Fenelon, caught a glimpse of Jeanne
Marie Guyon. of Miguel de Molinos
himself. Kings and Popes live again
The Inquisition breathes. There is a
man in prison for life, short life, and
small book, 1.-The Spiritual Guide" tc
60 down the years.
Webster'S New International gives
the following primary definition:
Qu1etlsm: A system of religious mys-
tlclsm based on withdrawal of the mind
from worldly interests and anxieties AND
its constant employment in the passive
contemplation of God and His attri-
butes. especially as practiced by a sect
founded In the seventeenth century by
Miguel de Molinos, Spanish priest
living In Rome. He considered
abstinence. maceration of the body and
penances OF little value, except at the
beginning of discipline. .
The Inquisition took up the matter and
Molnos was sentenced to perpetual i'm
prisonment"
The secondary meanings follow: Peace
or tranquility of mind, calmness, indif-
ference. apathy. dispassion. inaction.
These are the generally accepted
meanings today. The former Is merely
historical background now.
The wcrd "quietist" is at hand. Let
us look at it while We are here. There
are three definitions: One who believed
in or practiced Quietism. one of thu
sects of mystics founded by Molinos
one who advocates or practices some
similar form of religious mysticism:
one who adopts an analogous attitude
in respect to political or social mat.
ters.
Il
There is a great deal of the quietist
In a lot OF people, then, but they didn't
realize 1t, perhaps.
The great rank and file Of the peo.
pie have been forced by circumstance.
to become quietists in fact if not n
theory.
They realize that they have nothins
at all to do in the ruling of the realm
that they are cogs in the wheels, tha,
they could talk their heads off, still no.
body would pay much attention to them
After a time they give up calling
public men names, come to take or
more the attitude Of spectator at q
great and sometimes fearful, but always
interesting. show
They attempt to cultivate, as well a,
they can, peace and tranquility OF
mind.
Calmness is something they are
forced into. as matter of natural (ano
nationaD course.
The pep" boys, enemies to this sor,
OF thing. tend to brand them indiffer-
ent, filled with apathy and inaction.
The truth Is, however, that they are
at bottom quietists. who have tried tc
withdraw the mind from worldly inter-
ests and anxieties, not particularly be.
cause they want to, but simply because
there is nothing much else to do.
Their impotence, in the hurly-burly