The Ely miner., 1943-06-24
Ry KATHLEEN NORRIS
Bell syndicate.-wNU Features.

w never will see are writ
" ing me these days to ask
for a word of comfort when the
dreaded news comes; when they
know that the dear familiar boy
who was banging in and out OF
the house only a little while ago,
leaving crumbs and blobs Of jam
on the kitchen table, leaving
books on the stairway and unrec-
ognHable Jumps of muddy socks
on the bedroom floor, chattering
at dinner about scout work, and
enthusiastic over nothing but
somebody's tive nty-two"-
when they know that he is mis-
sing in action" that he isn't COM
ing home again.
Nothing that I can say can help
these mothers. But there is help
for them nevertheless, firm and un-
failing; there is Joy ahead for them
again, if they will but lift up their
hearts and their eyes to find It. Not
by locking down into the earth or
into the depth of the seas will they
find il, but by raising mind and
spirit TO the blue sky and the stars,
and what lies beyond.
To begin with, train yourself to
take a comprehensive view Of the
titanic combat in which the whole
great world is involved. Then take
a long look at life, at its mistakes
and troubles, Establishments and
burdens, and ask yourself If the boys
are really to be pitied when they
quit this bewildering scene IN youth,
90 out gloriously and swiftly IN bat
tie. battle, which means confusion,
excitement, thrill, complete forget
fulness of self. No grind, no drudg-
cry, no disappointment, divorce,
worry, for them; no illness, failure,
old age, boredom. AT the very
height of vitality and eagerness and
keen absorption IN what they are do
ing. they depart for other scenes,
and leave such suffering for US, who
cannot follow.
Future viii Bring Reunion.
But. ask the grieving mothers, will
we find them again? All, if we
KNEW that we would find them
again. that they are really safe, and
happier and wiser than before, that
would take away all the sting Of
grief. -
But we DO know that we will find
them again. It does not take mere
blind faith to convince ourselves of
that: it is not wishful thinking, COM
bined with sentinentality and con-
ventianal religious docility. Any
woman who will dry her tears long
enough TO read the written Word,
and study the facts, will find so deep
and real consolation that presently
she would not change her certainty
even for the old Joy of the boys
living presence.
It will be granted that only one
Voice has ever spoken truth IN this
world. All other true voices were
either prophesying the coming of
that Voice, or echoing it after it
ceased. There was but one Christ;
IN the two thousand years following
his death there has never been an
other, and no uproar of voices or
change In the world have been able
TO silence it. It lives still. What the
Master said in his lifetime was ut
terIy mcomprehensible to the men
who were his friends; it didn't make
sense TO them, and it doesn't make
sense to US. But feebly, blindly,
stupidIy we cling to it, because we
know that it is true. We know that
q peasant, preaching for but three
years, followed by a few uninhuen-
tial friends, never writing word,
executed as a common criminal
we know that He is still the most
powerful influence In the whole
world.
All Must Work Toward Religion.
And this is to say that He did not
deceive US, isn't it? For we could
never claim that he told US some