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The 
 
 JOYOUS LIFE 
 
 Seven Essays 
 by 
 
 Arthur Franklin Fuller 
 
 Author of 
 
 Friendship and Other Writings 
 
 Brother Mine and Other Poems 
 
 and 28 Other Books 
 
 Published by 
 
 Anchor Publishing Co., 
 
 311 E. Fourth St., and 1 138 S. Valencia St. 
 
 Los Angeles, Cal. 
 
'Yr yap 
 
 Copyright, 1919 
 
 by 
 Arthur F. Fuller 
 
 m 26 1920 
 
 ©CU559 5 20 
 
THE JOYOUS LIFE 
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 I. THE JOYOUS LIFE 
 
 Joy Through Realization and Proper Attitude 
 of Mind 
 
 II. EDUCATION 
 
 Joy Through Growth in Knowledge 
 
 HI. AMBITION 
 
 Joy Through Purposeful Endeavor and Achieve- 
 ment 
 
 IV. AT THE FOOT OF THE RAINBOW 
 
 Joy Through Seeking 
 
 V. FAITH 
 
 Joy Through Exercise of a Normal Faculty 
 
 VI. BENEVOLENCE 
 
 Joy Through Seeking One's Own in the Welfare 
 of Others 
 
 VII. WORK 
 
 Joy Through Occupation and Service 
 
THE JOYOUS LIFE 
 
 PREFACE 
 
 This collection of Essays is not offered to the critical, as 
 a feat of scholastic attainment and a royal feast of rhetorical 
 perfection. The author merely feels that in the forty years 
 of intense mental activity which he has thus far spent on 
 his earthly sojourn, he has learned to evolve ideas. In other 
 words, he feels that he has learned to think, an d is so vain 
 or so sanguine, as to hope that some of his thoughts may be 
 valuable to others. Accordingly, it is that spirit, which 
 seems to justify offering the public another addition to the 
 world-full of books already on the market. Furthermore, 
 he has a disposition to pass along the GOOD he has found. 
 He feels those who are minded to purchase this little volume, 
 will get some satisfaction or benefit out of its perusal, taking 
 these ideas for what they may be worth. 
 
 Tolstoi re-wrote his essay " Resurrection" a hundred 
 times before publication. The undersigned regrets that cir- 
 cumstances prevent the painstaking work which should be 
 accorded essays on such vital subjects as these. 
 
 Sincerely, 
 
 The Author 
 
ESSAY I 
 
 THE JOYOUS LIFE 
 
 /op Through Realization and Proper Aliunde of Mind 
 
 By Arthur Franklin Fuller 
 
 Joy is as magnetic an attribute as one could find in the 
 entire catalogue of desirable thing?. It can be proven so to 
 be by even a casual observer. If a man desires to drive his 
 fellows away from him, he can accomplish that object by 
 staining his aura with the dullness of Gloom. For Gloom is 
 a stifling poison that smothers, stiffens, freezes, as well as 
 depresses. By the same token, if a man would draw people 
 to himself, he should illumine his aura with the brightness of 
 Joy. For the rosy, warming glow of this fine quality will 
 thaw out the souls which are frozen — benumbed with care 
 and doubt and woe. The heavy curtain of Gloom effec- 
 tively shuts one off from succor; whereas, basking in the 
 wholesome sunshine of Joy, the nature opens to the benign 
 influences that make for success and progress and regenera- 
 tion. 
 
 The Joyous Life is the Positive Life. It abounds with 
 Hope, Trust and Optimism. It registers a confidence 
 m the justice and beneficence of a Higher Power who 
 can and does, makes "all things work together for Good." 
 The Joyous Life is the magnet that attracts health to 
 one's bones — yea, in every fibre and cell of one's being. 
 Whereas, Gloom's sodden garments weigh down and hamp- 
 er every function and hinder the generation of essential 
 vitality. 
 
 Medical men have a name for persistent mental de- 
 pression — Melancholia. But this ailment is largely the 
 
 7 
 
result of laxness in governing mental action. Even though 
 there be a pre-disposing physical or chemical condition to 
 foster the development of pernicious mental habits, never- 
 theless despondence, "blues," self-pity, and the entire 
 tribe of negative weaknesses are nothing more nor less 
 than habits; and the wise, the strong, the progressive the 
 "game"souls, will give battle thereto. This is best done 
 by cultivating good, happy, strong thoughts, weeding out 
 base, morose or weak ones; in other words the substitution 
 of wholesome thoughts for the sick ones. 
 
 When a person becomes sorry for himself, he makes his 
 negative state so flagrantly evident, that no one enjoys be- 
 ing sorry for him. The best way to awaken interest in 
 strangers, or retain the interest of friends, is to include 
 in one's philosophy of life, the idea of keeping the best 
 foot forward, a cheerful heart and a habit of mind of 
 continual expectation of good to come. This presents an 
 unwavering, invincible "front" to the enemies of physical 
 and material well-being, and protects the individual against 
 attacks that come to the unwary. 
 
 There are cases where the despondent one is susceptible 
 to Uplift and can respond to a boost — can appropriate 
 the needed aid and so be set right and again be in position 
 to resume the business of helping himself. Having lost his 
 grip for the moment, such a one can take hold once more 
 if given a little assistance of the right sort. Our real 
 friends realize that when one is discouraged, depressed, 
 disconsolate, they are needed most. But he who cultivates 
 and persists in entertaining Gloom, surrounds himself with 
 such a quagmire of despair that he is beyond help. The 
 only thing that can be done for him is to let him alone. 
 Perhaps in time, he will come to himself. But the sturdy 
 souls will respond to cheer and "come again." 
 
 8 
 
This plane of existence is not a play-ground. We 
 have not been placed here merely to amuse ourselves 
 and have a sensualistic "good time," for the period of 
 about three score years and ten, according to the man- 
 made system of computing experiences by years. But on 
 the contrary, this life is as a day in school. "For a 
 thousand years in Thy sight are but as yesterday, seeing 
 they are passed as a watch in the night." 
 
 Bearing in mind that we are here to gain experience, 
 learn lessons we need to enrich our consciousness, we can 
 always find a means of discarding our load of care and 
 sorrow, by realizing that much of it has come to us as a 
 result of our ov/n folly, ignorance or self-indulgence. 
 Furthermore, many of our burdens appear larger than they 
 would otherwise, owing to the fact that our tears of self- 
 pity cause us to see as through a magnifying glass — for 
 water magnifies — and the distorted and enlarged object 
 appears quite appalling. If we could but dash those 
 foolish tears aside, shake our heads free of the entangling 
 web of personal-sense, and look up, we would find there 
 is much to be thankful for. We would also see that our 
 tears are really an expression of ingratitude and lack of 
 appreciation of the countless blessings we yet enjoy. 
 
 Bitter medicine is sometimes helpful in stirring up a stag- 
 nant condition; but the practice of looking up persons 
 with troubles worse than one's ov/n, is not the most ex- 
 cellent way. We do not need to burden our hearts with 
 the cares and sorrows of others, which we cannot relieve, 
 in order to be sure that the Eternal Father has not singled 
 us out as a special mark for His bad temper. We should 
 not insult Him with such insinuations. 
 
 "Whom He loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every 
 son whom He receiveth." We need but to know that we 
 get just what is coming to us. If we make mistakes wit- 
 
tingly or unwittingly, we will have to correct them. The 
 correction procures the forgiveness, The other fellow gets 
 just what he needs and so do you. Therefore, * 'attend 
 to your own business." Cease complaining . In telling 
 troubles, one will likely magnify — exaggerate them and 
 like a snow-ball, the farther they are rolled, the bulkier . 
 they grow. 
 
 In qualifying to live the Joyous Life, one needs also 
 to be careful what sort of associates he is choosing — 
 what kind of conversations he encourages by listening. 
 It is good to be sympathetic — duly interested in the wel- 
 fare of others — ready to fulfill the command to "bear ye 
 one another's burdens." But it is unwise to countenance 
 that maudlin meddlesomeness that feasts upon scandal and 
 private misery, like a dog resurrecting a buried bone, and 
 gnawing upon it with gusto; or leaving a clean yard to 
 roll and wallow in the fertilizer on the barren fields. 
 
 Then, there are those who take the cares, sorrows and 
 trials of others too deeply to heart — take them upon them- 
 selves. People who are excessively emotional are not 
 well — their susceptibility is a form of nervous weakness, 
 just as is excessive timidity and fearfulness. Such per- 
 sons are likely to exaggerate the trials of others as well 
 as their own. 
 
 Morover, there is a third class — persons who are so 
 self-centered in their circles of thought that they cannot 
 sympathize with others because they are too busy wor- 
 shipping their own. These feel that their pains are the 
 fiercest, their burdens the most grievous, their griefs the 
 keenest and their load the heaviest. This condition is a 
 sort of ingrowing selfishness and wise people look out for 
 such phases of mental dis-ease. 
 
 But there is yet another class. These are the Positive 
 Souls who have the right comprehension of things, taking 
 
 10 
 
the proper measure of existing circumstances, conditions 
 and persons, but not going out of their way to hunt up 
 trouble for themselves, or to cognize it in the lives of 
 others. The untoward things which do come to their 
 notice as their proper responsibility, they accept and pro- 
 ceed to attend thereto in a business-like manner. These 
 do not foolishly squander their forces and time by unwar- 
 ranted emotions, but do what they can in a practical way. 
 to alleviate and correct the adverse conditions. This is 
 done by intelligent acts and by wholesomeness in thought 
 concerning the circumstances in general. These well-poised 
 Souls habitually DO GOOD, knowing that everyone needs 
 encouragement, help, sympathy, interest and appreciation. 
 
 This line of action is a boost to the Joyous Life in two 
 ways. First, it enables the individual to keep his own 
 pool of consciousness clear; and also, it is the quickest, 
 sanest remedy for the Other Fellow's woe — tends to de- 
 stroy the evil, root and branch, that started the trouble., 
 
 The Joyous Life results when a soul learns to refuse 
 to look back into the past with regret, remorse and anguish 
 of spirit, but retains only happifying memories which, like 
 precious jewels, are gotten out only on rare occasions. Even 
 that retrospection is brief. For, the Wise Soul is too busy 
 making the best of the present moment, to try to func- 
 tion in both past and present. If a person is babe and 
 adult at the same time, we are likely to say, softly, "He 
 is off." It is better to be what you are with all your might, 
 NOW. 
 
 The Joyous Life is the result of a courageous heart, 
 a heart that quakes not, no matter what the odds or how 
 the battle tends to go; nor allows defeat; that counts no 
 scrimmage lost which leaves a shot unsent, the rem- 
 nant of a sword to grasp, and a fervent hand to grasp it; 
 a heart that knows no man is beaten until he himself 
 
 11 
 
says so — makes it so by saying it — and then gives up; 
 that counts no problem his master while his flood of 
 consciousness continues and the problem appears as his 
 to solve. 
 
 The Joyous Life results when one has fully determined 
 to accept the present situation, make the best of it, and 
 PRODUCE the pluck to start in to dig a well in the 
 vale of misery, or find an oasis in the desert waste. 
 
 The Joyous Life is a life of kindness and friendliness. 
 It is a life of living for others and the good one may do. 
 It does not solicit confidences or responsibilities, but when 
 they spontaneously come, they are accepted gladly. The 
 Joyous Life is a life of frankness and honesty and peace- 
 ableness, and in the living of which confidence is reposed 
 in one's friends, and a sweet interchange of harmony 
 is generated by realizing that we have those to whom 
 we may unburden our hearts and tell our hopes, aspirations, 
 and successes as well as our disappointments, and know we 
 will be understood and rightly estimated. 
 
 The Joyous Life is a life of resiliency. When for 
 the moment, caught unawares, or shaken from its place 
 of Poise, it rebounds quickly to the smiling confidence, 
 and calm, abiding trust that it held before. It is the 
 grateful life, in which there is much thought about the sun- 
 shine, the flowers, the birds, the invigorating air, the 
 beauty all around, the music, the sweet voices of nature, 
 the everlasting hills, the verdant meadows; the happy, 
 crooning things that live in the grass; the merry water- 
 folk who live in the pools; the quaint artistry of Nature 
 in her riot of colors in deserts and canyons and out of 
 the way places. 
 
 As Jean Ingelow sings: 
 Take Joy home 
 And make a place in thy great heart for her; 
 
 12 
 
And give her time to grow, and cherish her. 
 Then will she come and oft will sing to thee — 
 When thou art working in the furrows; 
 Ay, or weeding in the sacred hour of dawn. 
 It is a comely fashion to be glad! 
 Joy is the grace we say to God. 
 
 The Joyous Life is a life of humility; that scorns not 
 anything, looks not with envy on the great, nor with contempt 
 on the small, but sees good in everything — harmony in the 
 scheme of things — every phase of existence proper to its 
 degree of development; every order of life, fair, and entitled 
 to its own existence and conduct, and each in its own order. 
 
 The Joyous Life is one in which the heart is warm to- 
 ward all Cod's good creation — to all mankind; where one 
 is in love and charity with his neighbors and intends to 
 lead a life of fairness, service and reciprocity. 
 
 The Joyous Life begets love — love of life itself, and 
 of the good things that go to make it rich and full, complete 
 and satisfying. These things are here, if we will be 
 wise and open our eyes and behold them; if we will but 
 dare to reach out and claim them as our own. For no 
 one's condition is quite ideal unless he has the courage and 
 optimism to call it so. He chooses for a basis, "I am happy," 
 instead of, "I am miserable." "That which is, is best," 
 and life is rich if in our own minds we can see the good and 
 appreciate it. Also to cognize the privilege we have of 
 association with those who can and do bless us with them- 
 selves and their ideas. 
 
 Moreover, living the Joyous Life makes us fall so deeply 
 in love with life, see the benefit to all, of squareness, 
 mercy and fellowship; feel inspired to give as well as to get 
 For we should know that withholding does not enrich, nor 
 giving impoverish. "For we brought nothing into this world 
 
 13 
 
and it is certain we can carry nothing out,*' except our 
 own evolved consciousness* 
 
 All praise then to the Joyous Life, and grace to those 
 who live it, sowing seeds of that same kind among their 
 fellows. Glory to the Happy Cod — Glory to the Smiling 
 Christ . All Hail to the merry, jubilant, blissful Infinite. 
 And honor too, to the singin', smilin', bubblin', cheery 
 folk who prove the worth of a happy, optimistic, hopeful, 
 grateful heart; and the abounding blessedness of 
 
 THE JOYOUS LIFE 
 
 14 
 
ESSAY II 
 
 EDUCATION 
 
 /op Through Crorvth in Knowledge 
 By Arthur Franklin Fuller 
 
 Inherent in every soul is the germ of every virtue and 
 capacity. We can but marvel at the wisdom and bene- 
 ficense of the Creator in the provisions made for His 
 creatures. Our latent capabilities include everything that 
 is necessary to enable us to meet all the problems and 
 conditions of life. It is for us to know that we can be 
 anything that we will to be. 
 
 First we have the will to live — to desire experience. Then 
 comes the disposition to increase, expand and develop; to 
 acquire more useful equipment for the purpose of enrich- 
 ing our consciousness. The processes of accumulating ideas 
 are multifarious, varied, innumerable; but the law of 
 growth finally results in the possession of what we call a 
 Mind. 
 
 From the very first draught of infant breath, to the re- 
 ceiving of the University degree, we are in the midst of a 
 wonderful schooling, or process of education. Those who 
 early perceive, and that with joy, that they have the ca- 
 pacity to learn, and who use it, are blessed indeed. How- 
 beit, life is so short and demands upon the individual's 
 time and strength are so great in the present economic con- 
 
 15 
 
ditions, that it behooves us to discern as early as possible 
 that form of development which comes to us most easily 
 and that thing for which we are best adapted. 
 
 The world is full of mis-fits who have trained unwisely. 
 On the other hand, the vast majority of individuals fail 
 to cultivate to the utmost their own latent talents, powers 
 and capacities. This results from a lack of judicious and 
 intensive application. 
 
 This brings us to the recognition of what is usually 
 termed talent, which is merely the capability of learning 
 readily — making progress with the minimum of effort and 
 grind. Talent comprehends not only aptitude, but also 
 a capacity for patient, hard work, perseverence along a 
 given line. As Charles Dickens has so neatly said: "Genius 
 is only the infinite capacity for taking pains." 
 
 Specifically, Genius is a most rare thing, found only 
 once or twice in a generation. It means the ability to create 
 things which did not exist before; but algebraically stated, 
 talent is capacity plus effort. It is the ability to profit by 
 the good work done through the processes of education and 
 development that have gone before. 
 
 Talent is natural bent — a liking for a certain line of 
 work, whereby that which would be toil to others becomes 
 a pleasurable pastime to us. This may be wholly natural, 
 or if you like, hereditary; or, it may be acquired. We 
 cannot love and appreciate anything which is unknown to 
 us. For instance, taste for music can be cultivated as 
 readily as taste, liking, for anything else; as easily, in fact, 
 as musical taste. That is to say, taste in music as easily 
 as taste in dress. 
 
 Let us grant then that there is really such a thing as 
 educated taste; and that music is so much a natural ex- 
 pression as to be available to anyone who desires to ac- 
 quire facility in self-expression by this means. It is as 
 
 16 
 
natural as speech. Let it not be taken that this means that 
 every person has the innate capacity of being a Caruso, 
 a Melba, a Patti, a Paderewski, or other king or queen of 
 artist?. But assuredly everyone is capable of expressing 
 emotion by means of music. Only, of course, it comes more 
 easily to some than to others, and not all are equally capable 
 as to extent of achievement along this line. 
 
 Education is the process of leading out, bringing out, 
 the latent capacities; the cultivation of the mind. Our 
 earlier education is valuable because it not only gives us 
 the material from which ideas are made and conveyed but 
 encourages us to develop in the matter of evolving a trained 
 mind — a systematic mind. It tends to assist us to perceive 
 how to learn. Our receptive faculties are in need of de- 
 velopment, primarily. Then we must learn to analyze — re- 
 tain the useful, discharge and dismiss the worthless; after 
 which, we need to learn to classify, compare and reason. 
 
 The power of concentration of thought cannot be ac- 
 quired too early, and is likely to degenerate even when 
 once gained, unless one guards persistently against the 
 modern scatter-brain devices that lure the noblest manifesta- 
 tion of God from the path of progress and well-being. 
 
 First then, in the process of education, we have in- 
 struction — furnishing the mind with knowledge. Next we 
 have training — the exercise, practise, for the purpose of 
 acquiring facility of application of principle to mechanism 
 or action, looking toward perfection of result. 
 
 Education is the establishment of principles and the 
 regulation of the heart. A disciplined mind is an orderly 
 mind. The effect of education upon character is as great 
 as upon the intellect. But its value is to be reckoned with 
 relation to the use that is made of it. The educated crook 
 is not only a traitor against society, but is also a traitor and 
 renegade against the lofty principles which have brought 
 
 17 
 
about the elevation, advancement and cumulative benefits 
 of civilization. Education may be put to proper or im- 
 proper use; but the education which proves of the greatest 
 value is that which compels the individual to adhere to the 
 highest principles of life and being. In other words edu- 
 cation establishes grain as it were, in the character of the 
 student. 
 
 The mission of education is to fit a person for life. But 
 it does more; it enhances enjoyment, enlarges appreciation. 
 Things must be cognized, perceived, apprehended, in order 
 to grasp their import and significance and worth, before we 
 can absorb the blessing held for the evolved beings who are 
 able to partake thereof. 
 
 This is an age of specialization. In order to achieve 
 success, it is necessary to persist in intensive training along 
 the lines for which one is best fitted; bringing one's special 
 capacities to the keen edge of efficiency. Not that we 
 should consent to be a "one-idea" person — a lop-sided 
 mentality; but we should aim, by the special application 
 and concentration along some particular line, to develop 
 a certain faculty to its highest point. This can be done 
 and yet we can possess a mind informed upon many things 
 to the point of appreciation. 
 
 With the most of us it is necessary to be practical. We 
 are obliged to consider expenditure of time and means 
 from a "bread and butter" standpoint. The trades and 
 professions with most persons would prove preferable to 
 art; for it is useless to blind ourselves to the fact that it 
 is very difficult to commercialize Art. Those who attempt 
 to do so rarely succeed as performers and exponents. Of 
 course for those of exceptional capacities, fame and for- 
 tune yield to careful wooing. Even then, personal in- 
 fluence, appearance, are about as necessary as actual gift 
 and ability. Abundant self-confidence, business capacity, 
 
 18 
 
even aggressiveness, seem to be as essential as artistic pro- 
 ficiency. It is a matter of history that the great geniuses, 
 or those who have persisted in following any artistic pur- 
 suit, have experienced great difficulty in making a liveli- 
 hood. Appreciation of their work has come long after they 
 have passed on. 
 
 It is the office of every phase of Art to lift the soul 
 above the sordid and base, and charge the mind with higher 
 ideals than those which result from our everyday contact 
 with the work-a-day, selfish, and usually cold world. Too 
 many avocational digressions from our vocation are mere 
 amusements which do not ennoble and uplift But A.rt 
 is inspiring to everything that is worth while — refining the 
 character, stimulating to high purpose and lofty endeavor; 
 furnishing a means for expressing our joys, our sorrows and 
 our yearnings, as nothing else can do. The crying need 
 of the world today is for a stronger, more unified family 
 life — greater attractiveness of the home, trie intensification 
 of home-ties. Just now, very little time is sypent at home 
 by the peoples of the earth. The principal diversions from 
 vocational toil are not found in music and books and sweet 
 fellowship at home, but at the theater or public place. 
 Self-culture, the enrichment of the mind, and development 
 of character seem to be almost an obsolete occupation. 
 
 To those who have the necessary gifts and opportunities, 
 the various professions offer a better or at least a more 
 practical field for endeavor. Physicians, Dentists, Lawyers 
 and Preachers are regarded as more important citizens 
 than those who follow some form of Art for a livefmood. 
 When one has the personality and character to merit suc- 
 cess, these phases of endeavor prove a most profitable as 
 well as a highly respectable avenue of earning a living. 
 
 The various trades are now in a high state of develop- 
 ment and competent persons are always in demand. The 
 
 19 
 
various correspondence schools offer courses in electricity, 
 civil engineering and various lines, and an ambitious per- 
 son can educate himself for a better position by study- 
 ing evenings after working hours. Young men who have 
 homes can avail themselves of more convenient means of 
 acquiring equipment for a useful life, and an adequate in- 
 come. Such courses as a rule take far less time and demand 
 less of the individual than the professions or Arts. Further- 
 more, in the Trades there is much less discrimination as to 
 personality — personal magnetism, attractiveness, and agree- 
 ableness — than in other lines. 
 
 But some may contend, saying: * 'Since it is only a mat- 
 ter of time till we lose our faculties and rjass into decay, 
 or senility, forgetting all the acquired niceties and vaunted 
 advantages of education, what pray, is the use of this stren- 
 uosity, seriousness, and unremitting, struggle for education 
 and achievement? Knowing there is beginning, climax 
 and end to everything — birth, maturity, and decline; dawn, 
 zenith and wane — what excuse for living can be offered? 
 What benefit it is to be — what reward for effort toward 
 development?'* 
 
 The wise should answer: "What indeed, is the use of 
 anything? To what purpose is God's own existence 
 then? To the wilfully blind, weak and negative, there 
 is none. The grand panorama of the ages, the unfold- 
 ment of the Divine Plan is nothing to those who champion 
 sloth and chaos. They see no cause to thrill in contem- 
 plation of the Divine Intelligence, organizing, creating, un- 
 folding a limitless universe. To such negative persons 
 who shrink from the effort necessary to life and growth, 
 intending to do only that which is unavoidable, ( and these, 
 it will usually be found, are reveling in the things of sense), 
 doubtless the life of God himself, must be a burden. 
 
 But the strong, the positive, the wise souls, glory in the 
 
 20 
 
privilege of having a part in the supreme spectacle — the 
 drama of the universe; they rejoice and thrill in holy awe 
 when rapturously they contemplate the action of the mani- 
 festations of ceaseless divine energy. The strong man re- 
 joiceth to run a race; the man of might is keen for the 
 test of power; the man of intellect is glad for a problem 
 wherewith to exercise his mind; the man of business re- 
 joices in the tests of wit; the heroic woman glories in gesta- 
 tion and travail — the struggle to bring forth and rear, in 
 maximum degree of perfection, further fruition of the divine 
 creative plan in spite of the bitterness of the times and the 
 temptations of the flesh, the world and the devil ; the man of 
 science glories in the privilege of furthering the advance- 
 ment of mankind on the march of civilization and progress. 
 
 Thus we see that all types and kinds of right-thinking 
 folk, agree that Being is the best reason for being; that 
 the Creator's wonderful program and plan is not as, "the 
 idle thought of an idle fellow" — but that life is worth while 
 and therefore those who would weakly shrink from the 
 struggle are wilfully turning their faces from the light of 
 Truth and gnashing their teeth in an outer darkness which 
 they themselves foolishly make by denying the value of 
 education. 
 
 Let us here and now decide to be in future, more posi- 
 tive than we have ever been. Let us be sure that we are 
 not guilty of the double-mindedness which makes one un- 
 stable in all his ways. Let us take thought and know that 
 we do know, where we stand and why. Let us be sure that 
 we do not encourage the madness of pleasure-seeking that is 
 threatening to throttle our civilization — the grievous waste of 
 golden hours and opportunities in dawdling with that which 
 does not profit. 
 
 The value of education to the individual is wholly in- 
 estimable. Could we but persuade those who are just be- 
 
 21 
 
ginning life that to acquire an education is not only neces- 
 sary for their selfish preservation, but is also the greatest 
 possible privilege— a great good would thereby be accom- 
 plished. It only takes one little spark to kindle that which 
 may develop into a great conflagration. It may only take 
 a little spark of ambition inspired by the earnestness and 
 zeal of your sincere remarks, to enable the beginning of a 
 vital interest and endeavor on the part of some youthful 
 person who is willing to be influenced aright. Thus you 
 will have helped one soul to a successful, happy life. For 
 when that one reaches the heights, acquires illumination, 
 he or she will realize as do we who are now a little far- 
 ther along the road of progress, the value of education. 
 
 Moreover, there are very few persons who come to 
 ripened years but look back to their school days with the 
 happiest of recollections. There is a greater joy to be ex- 
 perienced in everything that enters our field of conscious- 
 ness if we have the culture to appreciate it in some measure. 
 And this is to emphasize the fact that Education con- 
 tributes mightily to the Joyous Life. First, by the joy of 
 the pursuit of knowledge, next by the joy of growth therein ; 
 and third by the rounding of character, the deepening of 
 the appreciation of the meaning of life, by a more pro- 
 found veneration for the Creator though a better under- 
 standing of His Handiwork, and lastly by the equipment 
 therein acquired to be useful to one's self, one's country, 
 one's race and one's God. Surely then we can agree and 
 say that Education is a great factor in the Joyous Life, 
 through Growth in Knowledge. 
 
 22. 
 
ESSAY III 
 
 AMBITION 
 
 Joy Through Purposeful Endeavor and Achievement 
 
 By Arthur Franklin Fuller 
 
 It seems to some of us that a plea should be made for 
 the reinstatement of the integrity of words. Most of the 
 world are so accustomed to accepting certain ordinary con- 
 cepts of the meaning of words frequently heard, that only 
 a superficial generalization is all that registers in their minds. 
 Therefore, vague meanings are taken as a matter of course 
 and established conclusions and words are reduced in their 
 power and scope and definiteness, in consequence. We are 
 apt to become a little careless in our mental action as a 
 result. 
 
 The only way we can gel the good out of a word, an 
 idea, is to meditate upon it — examine it carefully; digest it, 
 as it were. On this account, meditation, undisturbed reflec- 
 tion — i. e. mental browsing and concentration — are quite as 
 necessary to the welfare of the mind as ingestion and di- 
 gestion are to the body. To look upon or smell food does 
 not nourish, but we do that which is about as ineffective 
 of benefit by passing over words without absorbing or ap- 
 prehending them. 
 
 Perhaps our dictionaries are somewhat at fault — or more 
 likely, perhaps our infrequent use of them is to blame. But 
 
 23 
 
on so many important words, we do not have a clear under- 
 standing. For one example, many people fail to differenti- 
 ate between being dissatisfied, and unsatisfied. 
 
 Beginning with the word satisfied we find that it means, 
 to gratify in such measure that nothing remains to be de- 
 sired; to be in a state of contentment through possession and 
 enjoyment. The prefix dis is from the Latin, and denotes 
 separation-— a parting from; it often has the force of a priv- 
 ative and negative, and it is in such a capacity that it ap- 
 plies to the word dissatisfied. It means a realization of 
 emptiness of a vessel that has been full ; a cessation of proper 
 use. Whereas the prefix un is used to indicate the absence 
 of the condition expressed by the word itself — i. e., a reali- 
 zation of emptiness in a vessel that has never been filled — 
 capacity without use. 
 
 Hence, by dissatisfied should be comprehended a state 
 where the satisfaction which had formerly prevailed — the 
 fullness of fulfillment, the complete supply to demand — no 
 longer exists. And t tmsaiisfied means a realization of a con- 
 dition of ^development; a lack of fullness or complete- 
 ness; or, the absence of the maximum of possible good. 
 
 Content is a great possession — fosters the Joyous Life; 
 but it could be carried to an extreme and result in shift- 
 lessness, slovenliness and stagnation. Too much of any- 
 thing is bad; but a right amount of every faculty is es- 
 sential to a complete and well-balanced mind and character. 
 
 Therefore, we should be satisfied with things which can- 
 not be made any better. We should be dissatisfied with any- 
 thing which is not as it should be. We should be unsatis- 
 fied with anything which can, without loss or injury, be 
 made better, with anything susceptible of improvement and 
 progress. 
 
 Ambition should arise in persons who are dissatisfied or 
 unsatified. Often, we waken to discover that we have been 
 
 24 
 
thinking about a certain word in a certain way and have 
 quite lost track of the fact that it could be properly em- 
 ployed in an opposite connection. Ambition may be used 
 in a good or a bad sense. There can be worthy and un- 
 worthy Ambition. But the word surely retains a meaning 
 of an eagerness, zeal, absorbed interest — a strong desire 
 which causes a concentration of powers, toward the attain- 
 ment of honor, preferment, power, fame, distinction, or 
 wealth. 
 
 Nordhoff says, "Teach yourself to despise ambition. It 
 is one of the meanest of passions." While Lecky says, 
 "One of the most effectual methods devised for diverting 
 men from vice is to give them free scope to a higher am- 
 bition." 
 
 From these we perceive readily enough that it is largely, 
 if not entirely, a matter of motives, as to whether our am- 
 bition be good or bad. If it constitute a steadfast purpose 
 to attain peerage of a high standard, development of char- 
 then? To the wilfully blind, weak and negative, there 
 of surpassing, merely for the sake of indulging pride, gain- 
 ing control or power for the attainment of base and selfish 
 ends, then ambition must be called shameful and harmful. 
 Whether ambition be good or bad, depends upon what 
 lengths one will go to achieve it, what sacrifices of per- 
 sonal pleasure, or even health or what voluntary losses one 
 will make, or to what one would stoop, to bring about ful- 
 fillment thereof. Success is sometimes obtained at too dear 
 a price. 
 
 It is frequently to be observed that an idea is accept- 
 able until its source is stated. With some persons, the in- 
 stant personality or localism is suggested, antagonism is 
 fused. But there are lots of things to be found in rubbish 
 heaps, which are good for some one. Many great industries, 
 many great fortunes, have been built out of salvage, junk 
 
 25 
 
and the utilization of what had been called waste, or worth- 
 less. But we have been slow to learn that a similar miracle 
 may be wrought from that which many have passed by 
 with contempt. Some people have been slow to learn that 
 it is unwise to despise anything. 
 
 So let us lay aside prejudice as to the source and consider 
 only the product, without bias. Then perhaps we can toler- 
 antly hear and understand a good old statement out of — 
 well, suppose we say, your great-grand-father's Almanac if 
 you would consider that as good authority: 
 
 "Whatsoever thou doest, do with all thy might.'* This 
 is a good precept, and he who in work or play, study and 
 personal habits, develops a capacity for zeal and a dispo- 
 sition to do everything he undertakes, with fidelity, effici- 
 ency, and the best that is in him, has taken the right road 
 to Progress, Prosperity and Peace. For conscientious ef- 
 fort quickens the mind and its latent capacities. Prosperity 
 comes to the alert and receptive, and peace to him who lays 
 down at night knowing that he has been honest with him- 
 self and all outside himself, to his God and his fellow man, 
 by doing everything the best he knew, the best he could. 
 
 Ambition imparts a zest to the dullest work; for the 
 meanest work is as essential as the most elegant, "white- 
 collar" job. And on the other hand, a lack-adaisical, un- 
 interested spirit, can rob the highest pleasure of its piquancy 
 and charm. It is largely a matter of attention — how large- 
 ly we think and understand- — how sincerely we consecrate. 
 
 Solomon said, "A living dog is better than a dead lion." 
 It is better to have a humble object in life than to have 
 none at all. But the proper course is to train our minds 
 so that we attach interest to the noblest purposes and ac- 
 quire a habit of lofty aspirations. For, a man without a 
 definite object in life, a man who lacks a worthy purpose, 
 can never amount to anything because he lacks the neces- 
 
 26 
 
sary incentive to arouse latent energies and capabilities. 
 Such a man can but waste his time and opportunities. 
 Though all men be born free and equal the equality of 
 beginning does not describe the course or the achievements 
 of life, for we all do not possess in similar degree the 
 power and capacity for inspiration and endeavor which 
 makes the difference between the leader and the rabble. 
 
 Ambition is that which generates a well-nigh divine en- 
 thusiasm which compels in the individual a concentration 
 of energies and intensiveness of effort that indicates the 
 soul is stirred to its depths and an aspiration formulated 
 which will crystalize into resolve. When resolve is backed 
 by perseverance, which is likely to obtain when the motive- 
 power and character are strong and deep enough, the 
 supreme effort is forthcoming whereby chatter, idling, frivil- 
 ousness and scattered energies are done away, and an as- 
 sumption of the responsibility of success is taken. To 
 such fires of inspiration and resolve, there is no grind that 
 can consume, no climb that is too steep, no slipping back- 
 ward or tumbles that can discourage. 
 
 The souls that have nothing to struggle for, nothing 
 to call forth endeavor, are more unfortunate than a leper. 
 They are dead and know it not. Those who never had a 
 vision of getting somewhere, being somebody, doing seme- 
 thing, are minus a zest- giving impetus that is one of the 
 greatest blessings of this existence and a prime feature in 
 The Joyous Life. The stagnant, idle pool only breeds 
 disease and harm. The longer it remains, the more putrid 
 and venomous it becomes. The unbridled mountain tor- 
 rent at least purges itself and wends its way back to the 
 sea, and thus fulfills its destiny and contributes to the 
 economy of nature's splendid plans, nor slights the call to 
 action and service. 
 
 27 
 
Achievement, the natural result of well directed Am- 
 bition, is a big factor in the Joyous Life, imparting satis- 
 faction and memories of time and energy wisely used. It 
 is impossible for those who have never done anything them- 
 selves to realize the meaning of "a useful life." Bearing in 
 mind that the illumination and enrichment of our conscious- 
 ness is the purpose of our sojourn in the world, we perceive 
 that life is made more interesting, is glorified by noble am- 
 bition and achievement. 
 
 Those whose ambition is allowed to degenerate to a mere 
 pursuit of riches soon prove that the "love of money is 
 the root of all evil," for there i3 no vice too low, no prac- 
 tice too base, no course too unscrupulous to deter a rapa- 
 cious man — a victim of money-lust — from the unrelenting 
 pursuit of money. Avarice dwarfs the character, blights the 
 affections and kills a v/holesome appreciation of all that is 
 fine and noble. It prostitutes beauty, talent and everything 
 available to its sordid ends. Wealth is only a blessing when 
 it is used to bless mankind — when it is nobly used.. 
 
 The Ambition to be beautiful, to be elegantly gowned, 
 to have affluence or physical charms for the purpose of dis- 
 play, or to excite envy or other passions — such ambition 
 is ignoble. Yet there are many persons alive today whose 
 principal business in life is gratifying just such desires. 
 Others aspire but to create a sensation by their entrance into 
 the local horizon by means of the splendor of their apparel 
 and a vulgar display of wealth. 
 
 At the present time, in both the business and professional 
 worlds, a woman possessed of unusual physical charm and 
 magnetism may sometimes be raised to fame or favor over 
 night — instantly — by concessions which are not included in 
 the bargain perceived by the Public nor stipulated in the 
 written contract which disinterested persons might examine. 
 Ambition to rise to fame at such a price is ignoble. Failure 
 
 28 
 
and famelessness are preferable to success obtained by 
 stealth or sacrifice of principle. 
 
 It is far better to be a beloved and legitimate star in 
 one's own little firmament — one's own little home-circle — 
 than to be a meteor before the eyes of the world through 
 improper concessions or degrading practices; than to be 
 a sullied star in the carnal firmament — a star that carries 
 with it the germ of its own destruction or debasement, (by 
 a process of succession if not of degeneracy), through rot- 
 ting at the core. 
 
 The man whose aim is selfish culture for the sake of 
 superiority, is as ignoble as the miser, for his ambition is 
 quite as base. Exclusion is as bad in the one case as 
 seclusion is in the other. While to "Work out your own 
 salvation with fear and trembling," is the great need for 
 each of us, still, the accumulation of rvealth or ideas, should 
 be for the purpose of blessing our fellows. There is al- 
 ways room for the benevolent worker. There is always 
 room for the philanthropist. There is always a medium of 
 exercise to the super-equipped soul. The world needs 
 pioneers, leaders and teachers who serve only the Truth. 
 
 To do good, to be good, for the sake of goodness; to 
 be righteous for the love of righteousness — not for the 
 admiration, homage and aproval of those about us — to 
 equip ourselves for service to humanity for humanity's sake 
 — to engage in culture and achievement for the elevation 
 of the race and the improvement of our civilization — in 
 other words to serve God the better — this is the laudable 
 Ambition. Thrilling souls with desire, zeal, enthusiastic re- 
 solve on such noble premises, Ambition must contribute to- 
 ward The Joyous Life. 
 
 29 
 
ESSAY IV 
 
 AT THE FOOT OF THE RAINBOW 
 
 Joy Through Seeding 
 By Arthur Franklin Fuller 
 
 According to the time-worn fable, there is a pot of gold 
 at the end of the rainbow. Gold is supposed to be the 
 means of procuring the thing one wants. To obtain what 
 one feels he wants, is presupposed to beget happiness. 
 
 But happiness seems very hard to find — -about as hard 
 as the end of the Rainbow. Usually the Creator is blamed 
 for this condition and many become bitter, turning to the 
 pursuit of pleasure, seeking to escape from everything that 
 seems to be of a religious or even a philosophical nature. 
 But these folk are only hiding their heads under their wings, 
 as it were, and fancying they are safely concealed — hidden 
 from the problems, to behold which, seems too vexing to 
 face. 
 
 There is no escape from some sort of philosophy or re- 
 ligion. To deny it is to deny one's own being and existence. 
 We understand that religion is the Fath cf Faith, and phil- 
 osophy is the Path of Reason. No man's conduct can be 
 entirely divorced from some phase of principle, acknowledg- 
 ment of a right or wrong course of conduct. No one is 
 wholly immoral. As sure as life exists, there is a choice 
 
 30 
 
of course and conduct which involves preference in action 
 and of doing good, even though that good be only to one's 
 self. 
 
 Nevertheless, those who attain the highest development 
 of the moral nature affirm that * Virtue is its own reward.*' 
 While those who have allowed themselves to become em- 
 bittered with the struggle for existence and to attain some 
 sort of happiness, seem a little slow to perceive that only 
 the RIGHT WAY pays — in work or play; social or busi- 
 ness life. It is likewise true that selfish, deceitful, brutal or 
 brutish ways only bring misery to those who indulge in them. 
 Though such may sometimes seem to win, deeper investiga- 
 tion shows that no violation of the law of good can go un- 
 punished; also that no actual, lasting benefit can be derived 
 from ignoble practices. Progress may only be deferred — 
 it cannot be eternally avoided. Problems must be met. 
 Since such is the case, would it not be wiser to meet them 
 NOW? 
 
 For ages past, as well as in our day, various systems of 
 religion and philosophy have sought to gain the ears and 
 hearts of the world. Many of these have seemed to es- 
 tablish claim to recognition by the rigors imposed upon their 
 followers. Thereby they were furnished with advertise- 
 ment which encouraged question and created opportunity 
 for discourse. It seems that they cannot be satisfied to 
 help men to better habits and healthier bodies, but must 
 needs map out a rugged Path which will be all but im- 
 possible to travel. Yet there are some souls who find 
 pleasure, happiness, in these acts of discipline. 
 
 No matter how sincere the disciples of these various sys- 
 tems have been, it may be accepted as a fact, that the 
 world is now and has long been, subjected to vast decep- 
 tions. Reference to history will show that many Religions 
 
 31 
 
and Philosophies have come and gone. No doubt they have 
 all done some good. But man remains, and with him, 
 the struggle for a clearer conception of himself and his 
 Maker. 
 
 The pith of many systems seems to be a representation 
 that God is unwilling to have humanity be happy and do 
 what they feel inclined to do. Instead of shaping tastes 
 and instilling wholesome desires, our system of civilization 
 seems to inspire base appetites and then damn mankind if 
 it indulge them. And too frequently God is represented 
 as being unwilling to permit humanity to have even what 
 is necessary to make it comfortable and life worth while. 
 
 What a glorious day it will be when "the Truth shall 
 shine forth as the sun." When God shall be vindicated of 
 the charges of villainy, cruelty, and heartlessness, with 
 which He is commonly charged. The unspeakable mess 
 that obtains in the affairs of the world today is ascribed by 
 some to the mis-rule of the pitiless ogre who delights in the 
 torture of defenseless humanity. In other words some 
 well meaning religionists are dreadful blasphemers without 
 knowing it. 
 
 It is even prophesied that things have yet to become 
 worse — that greater troubles are coming upon the nations — 
 terrible storms, earth-quakes, tidal waves, consuming heat 
 or freezing cold — various kinds of up-heavals — a clear case 
 of, "Cheer up! the worst is yet to come." 
 
 Surely the best thing we can do is to use our reason — 
 God's best gift to man — one way in which man is made 
 in the image and likeness of Deity — and reach out after 
 the infinite. So doing, mayhap we shall learn many things 
 which shall be to our profit — even, "a way of escape." 
 
 Moreover, if things must get worse for humanity — the 
 average of us — and many must pass into the grave, then 
 let us be very gentle, kind, tender, considerate to each other, 
 
 32 
 
WHILE WE MAY, and seek to mitigate by mercy and 
 understanding and fellowship, the trying days, the rugged 
 ways, that must be gone through. Let us do so while yet 
 we are free moral agents — free to try to ease the pains 
 and lighten the burdens of those about us. Despite every 
 appearance, every teaching to the contrary by whatever 
 religion, let us trust that God is good and not the Big 
 Devil that he is represented as being. 
 
 The Rainbow's cached Treasure — happiness, health, sel- 
 vation — is held by some to be the special heritage of "the 
 chosen people," and not intended for humanity at large — 
 that the latter are doomed — and that the Treasure, is for 
 "His own" — the special "pets" of a just God who is "no 
 respector of persons." These good folk assure us their 
 "citizenship is in heaven." But when asked to give the 
 location and description, they wax vague. Seems that 
 many of them have an idea that heaven is a place some- 
 where up in the sky, deep in the blue ethereal vault, where 
 the saved are given a long white robe and a golden harp, 
 and join the heavenly choirs playing and singing forever 
 and ever, sitting on a damp cloud, and arising at intervals 
 to make the grand salaam, bowing their necks down to the 
 dust before Jehovah's awful throne in humble worship, 
 and then get up and sing some more. The music is em- 
 ployed ad lib, and consists of an assortment of glory songs, 
 chiefly of a rag-time order which assists in getting the mo- 
 tion and facilitates ecstacy. 
 
 No doubt this is a heaven that would just suit these good 
 people, but somehow, it does not appeal to all of us equally. 
 Seems like that harp job and salaam business might get 
 a bit monotonous after say a billion years or so, and we 
 might want a little change of occupation. And some of us 
 might get a little lonesome for some of the other nice things 
 
 33 
 
that folks with warm hearts have found to do in this present 
 world. 
 
 You see, in that sort of a heaven, there would not be any 
 sort of a job for anybody. There would not be any material 
 food, so the good women who served as housewives on 
 earth would not get a chance to prepare any good eats or 
 wash up the dishes or make the place clean and home-y. 
 There would be no marriage and no babies to look after and 
 the good women who have loved to be mothers and look 
 after little folks would be out of a job. And the men who 
 have had pleasure and pride in doing something useful to 
 the rest of humanity would lack something to do, because 
 all ordinary occupations with which people have been wont 
 to busy themselves on earth, and by means of which they 
 happily passed the time would be obsolete. 
 
 Seems as though Jesus had a different notion about all 
 these things. Seems as if he could locate heaven without 
 a bit of trouble. He said, "The kingdom of heaven is 
 within you." Sounds like heaven must be more of a con- 
 dition than a place. Sounds to some of us as though he 
 meant that it was where God is — where the will of God is 
 done. A heaven of Eternal Progress — where man will 
 "honor and glorify God and enjoy Him forever" as the 
 catechism puts it — such a heaven would be more heavenly. 
 We would honor and glorify God by witnessing intelligent- 
 ly, the continuous unfolding spiritual universe, through in- 
 finite eons of time. Heaven then would prove to be eternal 
 peace and bliss and satisfaction — ever-unfolding conscious- 
 ness. 
 
 But returning to the old way of looking at things, par- 
 tially forgetting that "God is Spirit," we might examine into 
 that citizenship deal, and the His own clause in the contract. 
 Reckon we had better look for a joker. Seems like it might 
 be the case that somebody was a little bit wrong on the 
 
 34 
 
interpretation of some of that good, wholesome, straight 
 Scripture — Gospel — Good News. That's what Gospel 
 means. Hell-fire and brimstone, eternal torture and harp 
 jobs are not much good news ! And looks as though an hon- 
 est, upright, square-dealing, God of love playing favorites 
 and showing partiality, were a bit unreasonable! Also it 
 seems as though to make something good (man) and then 
 destroy it would be a waste of good material, time and energy 
 and therefore a thing a sensible God would hardly do — or to 
 make something part bad — weak — that it would not endure 
 the tests of existence, would be evidence of poor or careless 
 workmanship and therefore not worthy of a really com- 
 petent Creator. We surely may judge of the worker by 
 the thing he produces! Well, then, to hold such ideas re- 
 garding our Maker looks like a besmirching of the divine 
 character. 
 
 We are all of us citizens of the United States. We 
 live here, work here, have our homes here. Some of us 
 are more exemplary than others. Some are doing more 
 vital work for the elevation and welfare of the nation, than 
 others. But we belong to this country because we state that 
 we do. We name this country as being our country, and try 
 in some manner, no matter how feeble, to prove our appreci- 
 ation and allegiance. 
 
 Howbeit, there is not one of us but breaks the country's 
 law by thought, word or deed, every day of our lives. For 
 instance there are 38,000 ordinances on the books of the 
 City of Los Angeles. It may be safely said that if the 
 law were enforced to the letter in every particular every one 
 of us might be sent to jail. But allowances are made 
 and we are permitted to pursue our course undisturbed. 
 
 The expression, "His own" does not mean the righteous 
 and self-righteous, necessarily, but those who claim Him — 
 as "our Father" — those who "acknowledge Him in all 
 
 35 
 
their ways.*' It means those whose aim is to do right — who 
 conduct themselves as becomes sons and heirs; those who 
 mean to behave in accordance with their light, capacity and 
 understanding of the obligations (and also the privileges), of 
 children of the Heavenly King — blessed children. In fine, 
 the phrase means those who love righteousness and keep their 
 principles polished up with incessant use. The Robe of the 
 righteousness of Christ, according to the Guide, covers the 
 remainder, whether it be much or little. 
 
 Our obligation is to do the best we can, the best we 
 know, first. The next thing is to trust . This is not al- 
 ways easy to do right under the nose of the Big Bully, 
 * 'Mortal Mind." It takes courage and understanding to 
 defy his threats and deny his triumphs. Truly his machina- 
 tions seem very far reaching. Nevertheless, to trust in spite 
 of them is a man-size job, which is especially hard for most 
 of us, since our vision is not delivered from the "mist that 
 rose from the ground" — even the grand mystification of 
 material impressions and seeming separation of man from his 
 Maker. 
 
 Howbeit, our part is to hang on — hold fast — never give 
 up. After all, we are bound to think, more or less, some- 
 thing or other. Would it not be well then to tram ourselves 
 to think good thoughts, constructively? And when we 
 deliberate on the Problems of Life, what shall we choose 
 to conclude? What side shall we seek arguments or prem- 
 ises to support? Is there a better way to satisfaction than 
 via the Truth? If we cannot trust our own reason and 
 intuitional leadings, the light that comes from within our 
 own thoughts, what shall we place confidence in? other 
 people's? And if we would turn away from God and His 
 Christ, is it not plainly a case of, "Lord, to whom shall 
 we go?" 
 
 36 
 
Fortunately it is interesting when once you get into the 
 thing, and also it is very necessary, that we work for greater 
 illumination — strive to learn the Way to emancipation from 
 their ways." It means, those whose aim is to do right — who 
 intend to conduct themselves as becomes sons and heirs — to 
 error and prejudice, as well as bondage and limitation as 
 imposed by carnal mind concepts and the reign of sense 
 and materialism. 
 
 Though Dawn come slowly and travail be long and bit- 
 ter, still we must be patient and faithful and brave. We 
 must "Wait on the Lord." To work and wait is not al- 
 ways easy to do. The concepts we gain may not always 
 be demonstrable at once, and there may be much we will 
 be unable to prove. Doubts may then assail. But of some 
 things we may be very sure. We may at least know that 
 it is proper for us to lay claim to part in the Treasure 
 cached "At the Foot of the Rainbow." We can defiinitely 
 lay claim to out relationship with the Divine. 
 
 Furthermore, we can also be sure, that by virtue of this 
 relationship, we have our birth-right, citizenship in the Eter- 
 nal City; that God is not only willing that humanity be 
 happy, but that he also Wills it; therefore sin, sickness, 
 misery and death are not the mandates of Divinity, who is, 
 "of purer eyes than to behold iniquity;" that our identifi- 
 cation is in the practice of Kindness; that "Tolerance" is 
 the pass-word that will let us pass the guards at the begin- 
 ning of the Trail that leads to the Treasure which is cached 
 "At the Foot of the Rainbow." 
 
 Moreover, we may be sure that the problems of mankind 
 are not to be solved by the action of poorly directed brute- 
 force, but by elevation and unfoldment of the Cosmic mind 
 — by individuals and classes thinking in the similar, (the 
 right) direction; that strikes, riots, murder, arson and other 
 
 37 
 
forms of violence, wars, rebellions, trusts, unions, anarchy, 
 drastic legislation and class hatred are NOT THE WAY 
 — to emancipation and salvation* 
 
 But the true WAY is the way of Peace and Wisdom; 
 of mutual love, sympathy, understanding, between the 
 classes; of mutual co-operation, reciprocity — an appreciation 
 on the part of each, of the necessity of the existence of the 
 others — that is, of the existence of all classes — for all have 
 their place; a recognition of the fact that nearly all con- 
 troversies arise from this circumstance. The two spectators 
 of Life's Great Circus are not viewing the same things from 
 the same point, and each stubbornly maintains that he sees 
 the whole show, or else that what he sees is the essential 
 part; (meanwhile the Common People, like children, con- 
 tinue watching for the clown, being highly amused by his 
 antics, feeling that their part obviously is merely to be en- 
 tertained) ; 
 
 Furthermore, we may be sure that progress is to be facili- 
 tated by a realization that the feelings are governed by the 
 attitude of mind — and by the understanding; a compre- 
 hension of the fact that every component part of the Grand 
 Entirety is needed. For instance, a watch cannot run by 
 its biggest wheels alone, nor can an engine or motor — and 
 likewise with the human body, the heart cannot exist without 
 the head, nor the head without the heart ; the stomach cannot 
 exist without the liver, or the feet and hands, apart from the 
 trunk. Humanity is crippled unless complete and co-ordin- 
 ate: THIS IS THE WAY. Watson says: 
 
 Life is the test of love, and love of life; 
 Godlike endeavor is the way of God. 
 The only sin is not to try; the only Good, 
 To Live courageously. For life supreme 
 Is Love — and going is the Goal 
 
 38 
 
Whatever else we may do, we must at least be strong, 
 and exercise a few fundamental principles of the Declara- 
 tion of Independence — "Freedom of Thought" and "Tol- 
 erance;" particularly. Religious Tolerance is really rather 
 scarce these days. It should be restored. Let us as in- 
 dividuals here and now decide to claim the right, the liberty, 
 to live our own lives as we see fit, and to allow every one 
 else the same privilege. 
 
 In qualifying for The Joyous Life, we must do these 
 things. So doing will prove most helpful in seeking for 
 the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow — seeking for the 
 Truth; for Growth and Progress and Happiness. 
 
 "Seek and ye shall find" is a never-failing promise. And 
 seeking, we shall behold wonderful scenery along the way; 
 we shall have splendid exercise for our powers — a good 
 appetite, as it were — and interest in life. And there is 
 another promise worth remembering: 
 
 "Yea, if thou criest after knowledge and liftest up thy 
 voice for understanding, if thou seekest her as silver 
 and searchest for her as for hid treasures, then shalt thou 
 understand the fear of the Lord, and find knowledge of 
 God." Hereby shall you find entrance to one of the planes 
 of the heaven of The Joyous Life, here and Eternal Prog- 
 ress hereafter. There is everlasting Good At the Foot of 
 the Rainbow. 
 
 39 
 
ESSAY V 
 
 FAITH 
 
 Joy Through Exercise of a Normal Faculty 
 
 By Arthur Franklin Fuller 
 
 Faith is the basis of self-reliance. Indeed, Faith is the 
 basis of all action. Referring again to the time-worn figure, 
 the equilateral-triangle, we may say that it is one of ihe 
 three essential points thereof — one of the three normal prin- 
 ciples. The other two (Hope and Charity), must be co- 
 ordinate. The man who does not believe in himself has 
 no basis for any action or achievement, and may not hope 
 to benefit himself or anybody else, by his existence. 
 
 Beginning with ONE — one's self — we may say, that 
 Faith is a vital principle. The balance of power is with the 
 man who has it most fully developed. It is the root of 
 Courage, the fountain-head of Initiative. It makes the 
 difference between success and failure; between wishing and 
 having; between dreaming and being. The lazy, frivolous 
 spend-thrift of life is not Master. The idle dawdler is 
 not the fulfillment of Divine capacity and intention. But 
 the man who believes in himself and accepts the call to 
 do and fee, will fulfill his proper mission and find the Joyous 
 Life, describing himself as, "a happy man.'* 
 
 Notwithstanding, if you ask an ordinary happy man why 
 he is happy he will probably not be able to give you a 
 reason, or a formula whereby you can exalt yourself to that 
 
 40 
 
blessed frame of mind. In this case, we would be obliged 
 to say, either he lacks facility in telling the matter, or else 
 he is merely a healthy, normal animal and is cheerful spon- 
 taneously, and not from the logical result of the action of 
 recognized principles of life. His own attempts to analyze 
 the matter, (if indeed, he ever tries), prove quite barren of 
 fruitage — devoid of specific answers. On this account these 
 essays are offered. 
 
 We trust then, that it will be acceptable to submit the 
 proposition that happiness, the Joyous Life, is a natural 
 growth resulting from the accretion of known elements. 
 Among these is Faith. For its development one cannot 
 do better than to begin with himself. By assembling 
 right ingredients and using a reliable formula he 
 will surely achieve a worthy result — a successful, harmoni- 
 ous experience — the Joyous Life. 
 
 Happiness is the result of an attitude of mind which in- 
 ludes an ability to see Justice and Good in every event. It 
 springs from supreme confidence — Faith — in a Benficent 
 Ruler. The seeker for happiness must counteract the popu- 
 lar hypnotism — must rid himself of ine mistaken, but preva- 
 lent notion that something outside himself must be possessed 
 in order to have a basis for happiness — i. e., the Joyous Life. 
 
 Happiness must be taken as the basic condition. The in- 
 dividual must, first of all, choose — decide — to be happ\h 
 This is to be accomplished by starting just wherever he may 
 find himself norv, and turning toward the light — toward the 
 dawn of a new day, a new life, a new NOW moment, tak- 
 ing the premise that he is happy — novo; exercising faith in 
 himself that he will be able to solve every problem that may 
 be met; overcome every difficulty; resist every onslaught; 
 that "God is in His heaven and all's right with the world!" 
 Furthermore, he must believe, trust and k n °v> by his faith, 
 that all things will indeed "work together for good," and 
 
 41 
 
 c 
 
that he can help toward the dawning of the happy day of 
 The Millennium — universal appreciation of God and heaven 
 — by purging his own consciousness of double-mindedness 
 and dross. 
 
 To facilitate the new attitude, he who would qualify for 
 the Joyous Life, must FORGIVE everyone that he feels 
 has injured him or held him back. Likewise, he must ask 
 FORGIVENESS of any or all persons that he may have 
 injured or hindered in any way, at any time. Then at once, 
 bury the past He must avoid being influenced in his ex- 
 pectations by past dreams or experiences or superstitions or 
 race-beliefs. He must turn toward all outside himself — his 
 own individualized center of consciousness — in a spirit of 
 goodwill, kindliness, courtesy, with a desire to help and bless 
 all he contacts. Then he should assume an attitude of ex- 
 pectancy — a return of like things from the seed sown. Seek 
 only the Truth, Accept humbly, even from a little child. 
 Realize that God expresses himself through man as the high- 
 est channel. Be satisfied, "rest in the Lord" — trust in the 
 justice of God and the universe. Cast aside all resentment. 
 Cease to meddle or question God's plans for the education 
 of ourselves, other individuals, or the race. We must real- 
 ize that our business is between ourselves and Him. We 
 should not worry about what we cannot as yet understand. 
 "Keep Thou my feet, I do not ask to see the distant scene.*' 
 Begin and continue looking for GOOD and simply be 
 happy. 
 
 Another essential in our formula for Happiness is to 
 "Have faith in God!" This indeed is most important in 
 establishing a basis for believing in one's self. We should 
 know that we cannot so much as raise a hand or wink an 
 eye without the utilization of Divine Power. "God spake 
 once, and twice I have also heard the same; that Power be- 
 longeth unto God." Knowing one's self and where one 
 
 42 
 
stands gives a solidity and confidence that is superb and 
 glorifying. 
 
 To have faith is a command, not merely a suggestion. 
 The reason for this is that the unthinking do not seem to 
 realize that we must have a basis, take a premise, for Hy- 
 ing or dying, winning or losing, being happy or miserable. 
 One premise or attitude is positive, the other negative. If 
 one fails to do his part, many are cheated or defeated. When 
 everybody does their part then everything balances, and 
 peace, harmony and satisfaction prevail. 
 
 Then, having faith in one's self and having faith in God, 
 we have organized wisely for the Joyous Life — the life of 
 Fulfillment But one more line is necessary to complete our 
 triangle — namely, believing in our fellow-beings. For it is 
 certain that people who do not believe in anybody or any- 
 thing are most hopelessly miserable. Might as well try to 
 make something out of nothing as to try to make happiness 
 out of such a cynical attitude. Often those who do not 
 believe are not merely scientific honest doubters, but are 
 conceited misanthropes. An agnostic is not to be blamed 
 for what he cannot see, but needs to be sure he is willing to 
 see— that he is willing to really open his eyes. 
 
 Many disbelievers are Fatalists. Those who do believe 
 in God and man, might be called Faith-ists. Upon ques- 
 tioning the Fatalist, you will more than likely be informed 
 that he believes in an inexorable, unpitying, vindictive, devil- 
 ish kind of a God — or perhaps a blind, unintelligent Power 
 that operates the universe because He cannot avoid doing 
 so. A Creator who made a universe He could not "boss," 
 and is sick of the job of running it. Fatalists commonly be- 
 lieve also, that there is some kind of a personal (anthropo- 
 morphic) God who delights in the torture of His creatures 
 who have indulged in actions the lure of which they could 
 not resist. 
 
 43 
 
Some Fatalists believe that the program for the individ- 
 ual soul is laid out at birth and that nothing can save that 
 soul from experiencing the things that have been ordered. 
 In other words that soul must live the life prescribed with- 
 out regard to whether or not the purpose of the first assign- 
 ment — the first lesson — had been properly mastered. 
 
 But the Faith-ists believe in the justice, mercy, love and 
 sanity of an intelligent God, whose plan includes a succes- 
 sion of lessons which will result in the growth and progress 
 of the soul that is receiving the schooling; that suffering is 
 the means whereby even Jesus, "the Captain of our salva- 
 tion," was made perfect Moreover, when the lesson has 
 been mastered, it is not necessary to multiply agonies and 
 be re-crucified over and over again, when the work assigned 
 has been properly done the first time. 
 
 The unthinking or middle-of-the-road people who look 
 to others to direct their uncertain wanderings are usually 
 seen to MISTRUST, themselves, their God and their fel- 
 low-men. 
 
 The Fatalists and Disbelievers and other pessimists DIS- 
 TRUST. 
 
 The Faith-ists — those who believe in themselves, God 
 and their fellow-beings, simply TRUST. 
 
 Faith is a thing which can be developed or dwarfed, 
 built or blighted, according to the thoughts, attitude and 
 judgment of the individual. "Thou shalt not tempt the 
 Lord thy God," was the answer the tempter received when 
 he invited the Master to make a demonstration by casting 
 himself down from the mountain top. But people who lose 
 faith can usually find that they have done something quite 
 as foolish as compliance with that suggestion of the tempter, 
 and are blaming God for the result. 
 
 We might therefore say, that there are two kinds of 
 Optimists: Sanguine or Visionary and Sane or Practical. 
 
 44 
 
We should take heed and see that we are of the latter class. 
 Optimists are those who yearn and look for, 
 that which is highly romantic, extraordinary, and quite im- 
 probable, as well as quite unnecessary. They also expect 
 an interruption to the normal operation of things through the 
 Law of their action and of proper consistency of conduct. 
 Such Optimists are usually found nurturing some wild vision 
 of success without effort, and happiness without compliance 
 with conditions or accord with qualifications; without a 
 basis of reasonable circumstance or common condition ; 
 without regard to justice and ratio of result to investment. 
 These folk are well named Dreamers for they are often 
 found idly dreaming of fame, riches or whatever seems de- 
 ferable to them as a basis for happiness. While entertain- 
 ing this dream, they are likely to be "away up in the 
 clouds" of happy, sanguine fancy and selfish gratification. 
 But Lo! a little later we find them dropped to earth with 
 a sickening thud — all in a heap — down and out with dis- 
 appointment, despair, and discouragement, from the burst- 
 ing of this, their latest bubble. In a way, we must sympa- 
 thize with them, yet we know that they must suffer in order 
 to be in shape to "come out of it." They must learn to 
 substitute cheerfulness for this visionary, "pipe-dream" 
 ecsiacy. They must learn the Law and its operation and 
 consider it in quiet, calm deliberation, realizing that God is 
 no respecter of persons. They must learn to substitute cool 
 calculation and hard work — that is, sincere, earnest, intelli- 
 gent effort, for idle Dreams of fulfillment by an Aladdin's 
 Magic Lamp. 
 
 We all need to adopt for our daily prayer the request 
 that God give us "the spirit of a sound mind"; and having 
 obtained it we should guard it carefully as a gift more 
 precious than the gold of Ophir. 
 
 45 
 
The Sane or Practical Optimists are those who ask for 
 the continuance of the operation of the Law of justice, or 
 cause and effect. They yearn for and look for, only that 
 which is consistent, impartial, impersonal and an expression 
 of Divine Good which is good for everybody. 
 
 Such Optimists may be found with single-eye, following 
 the foot-prints of Truth, visioning and visualizing its opera- 
 tions as the majestic fulfillment of Divine Destiny in whose 
 beneficent sunshine is the blessedness of Love and change- 
 lessness. These souls can look unflinchingly at the situa- 
 tion, no matter how appalling it might seem, without fear 
 or doubting. They kn°®> that a brave heart and clear 
 mind can find a solution to knotty problems that would 
 overwhelm the weak and faithless. They find compensa- 
 tion for trails in the realization that thereby are they 
 enabled to grow — learn by the mastering of this difficulty, 
 how to overcome a bigger one and acquire power in the 
 process. For by this means do they find surcease from 
 monotony and joy in the exercise of intelligence and faith, 
 ingenuity and energy, in grappling with the monsters of be- 
 fanged circumstances, temptations and lies, which pick an 
 unfair battle-field and a trying time to make their drives. 
 
 The Sane Optimists realize that if we would hunt as hard 
 for a cause for rejoicing as those of dyspeptic, melancholic, 
 spoiled dispositions are persuaded of their weakness to look 
 for an excuse for waiting, we will find a sure basis for be- 
 ing happy and a dependable means of retaining faith in the 
 eternal Father. 
 
 One of the saddest sights a person could witness, is 
 that of a man who has lost faith in his fellow-beings. The 
 core of things is rotten, in his eyes, and no matter how rosy 
 and inviting the exterior might appear, he involuntarily sees 
 the center as decayed and the whole thing as a means of 
 luring him away from his present holdings of good. It 
 
 46 
 
makes him a spiritual miser, robbing life of much of its 
 sweetness, and defrauding him of many happy experiences. 
 
 But let him who has become embittered consider a mo- 
 ment and he will see that he is judging the entire Race by 
 a few individuals. Perhaps he drew this experience to him- 
 self by having in his own consciousness, a little of the same 
 leaven which made the man who wronged him deal with him 
 as he did. In some cases it may also appear that there is a 
 desire to "get even," which proves that the lesson was 
 needed, but has not yet been mastered. 
 
 Could these who have been imposed upon and deceived 
 only realize that that there is no loss but the thought of loss; 
 that to be shorn of earthly possessions but rids them of re- 
 sponsibilities; that to be disappointed in love is not so bad 
 since it may mean that one has been spared the hell of liv- 
 ing with an unworthy person. The majority of married 
 folk feel, after a few years of married life, that marriage 
 is only a matter of bondage and responsibility and a forget- 
 ting of liberty and a loss of the right of pleasing one's self. 
 The love one gives is the best of it anyway — having some- 
 one to love; so, cease repining. 
 
 Or, if the wrong was theft of a life-work, or usurping of 
 fame, could the injured one but know that, whereas the 
 world could not give the rewards that would otherwise have 
 been his, yet God does not mistake nor forget. The interest 
 in the work and the good done humanity, a consciousness of 
 growth and the unlimitedness of possible progress, is 
 sufficient compensation. Could he but realize that it is 
 not within the capacities of material things or persons or 
 properties or fame or conditions, to confer a beatific state 
 of bliss, surely he would cease soiling the air with sulphurous 
 abuse, or making turbid, his stream of consciousness with 
 resentment or hate. 
 
 47 
 
To have faith in man, one needs but to know that the 
 average man is merely a crude sample, a God-idea in the 
 making, a diamond in the rough, and that whatever ignoble 
 traits he may be seeming to manifest at present, he is taking 
 a course in the Divine School that will procure the needed 
 bumps and hammering and enlightment, which will enable 
 him to finally reach the joy of his Lord prepared for man 
 from the Beginning. 
 
 We should have faith in man because by doing so we 
 reiterate the perfection of the model and therefore 
 tend to keep it in the mind of the individual. We 
 are all aiming for the same goal, but are in different stages 
 of unfoldment; and we can rise the faster ourselves if we 
 entertain wholesome thoughts about our fellows. We will 
 only see the bad of which we conceive. 
 
 Let us be sure that there is Joy for those who keep the 
 faith- — faith in God and faith in man. Let him who has 
 lost these precious possessions ta^e heart Let him make 
 an experiment of "Forgetting those things which are be- 
 hind and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 
 pressing toward the mark for the PRIZE of the high call- 
 ing of God in Christ Jesus," the Ideal Man. Let us con- 
 sider that if v/e do not have faith, we are casting into the 
 discard one of the three vital elements oi our being; that we 
 are leaving unused the great dynamo which generates spiri- 
 tual energy and enables wireless contact with the Divine 
 Abba-Atta — (Sanscrit for God, meaning Father-Mother). 
 
 Occasionally we find one who stubbornly clings to bitter- 
 ness as a tramp clings to his rags and grime. If such a 
 caricature of a real man could be induced to "stir up the 
 gift that is in him," he would become clean and joyous, 
 clothed with purple and scarlet. Would that this soul could 
 be induced to pause and consider the truth of these state- 
 ments : 
 
 48 
 
He that nurtureth bitterness poisoneth his own soul, 
 standeth in the way of judgment, hideth himself from the 
 light, meddleth with his own welfare, stilleth the fountain 
 of his own joy and satisfaction. 
 
 The wise, "fretteth not himself because of evil doers," 
 for he knows that he who defrauds his fellows hastens his 
 own destruction, i. e., the end of his present freedom and 
 privilege. Every mean or wicked act is a boomerang return- 
 ing to smite the thrower ; he will surely be obliged to pay and 
 with interest, in the Divine Justice and Economy. Annie 
 Besant says, "Ignorance is the only real evil." And ages 
 before, Plato said, "The only sin is ignorance." 
 
 Believing in God and man will soothe the heart-ache and 
 loneliness that comes when one shuts out the sunshine of 
 faith, and shivers in the shade of darkness. It will sub- 
 stitute for that bitterness (which is as of gall), a sweetness 
 of spirit and a delicious spell that comes into the life along 
 with the entrance of gentleness and forgiveness of one's own 
 self and one's so-called enemies, and of all the world as 
 well. With these will also come peace and a deeper un- 
 derstanding of life and the ways of men. 
 
 It is not to be understood that we are to become so en- 
 raptured with this idea of having faith as to become easy, 
 gullible victims for the sharpers who are looking for just 
 such trusting idealists. We should believe in the predomi- 
 nance of justice, right intentions and benevolence — the prog- 
 ress of the race — tut this does not mean that we are to be 
 excessively credulous — thoughtlessly throw ourselves upon 
 the mercies (?) of designing and cruel persons who mas- 
 querade as philanthropists or promoters or disinterested 
 boosters. 
 
 It is not to be inferred that to believe in our fellowman 
 means that we are to cease using our wits, good judgment 
 and perspicacity, (common sense), placing ourselves, our 
 
 49 
 
funds and every possession unguardedly in the hands of 
 strangers, charlatans, grafters, swindlers and other unprin- 
 cipled, selfish men, who serve the carnal mind. 
 
 On the contrary we are to protect ourselves against such 
 weakness and deception. Having fellowship with God will 
 so electrify our mental processes and spiritual perceptions, 
 that we will be enabled, finally, to overcome all ungodliness. 
 We will be able to see through every base scheme, discern 
 every subterfuge, and thereby protect ourselves and our 
 loved ones. Bible students well know the artful 
 tricks that were played to trap the Master; but he out- 
 witted every ruse and confounded every mischievous en- 
 deavor. So with us. When united with Him, we shall 
 find ourselves enlightened as to how we should meet every 
 situation. 
 
 To believe in humanity, simply means that we should be- 
 lieve that humanity is good at heart and intends to do the 
 right thing; that it purposes to grow and evolve and be 
 translated into the spiritual — into the very Kingdom 
 of Heaven — the world of Reality — where all men do the 
 will of the Father; and where, therefore, there is no such 
 thing as free moral agency — only freedom to do right con- 
 tinually; where righteousness is the wish and will of every 
 inhabitant of that blessed Country. 
 
 No one should ever entertain for a moment, a thought 
 of committing suicide and ending it all Living is the test 
 of faith, of courage. It is the duty of every soul, to see 
 the game through. No matter what comes or fails to come, 
 we should realize that true Faith is a~knov>ing — under- 
 standing; and that if we continue able to manifest life in 
 the flesh, no matter how purposeless, inconsequential and 
 unsuccessful that life may appear, it is yet for a good pur- 
 pose — either to the individual who seems so distressed or 
 to others whose lives he may be influencing without know- 
 
 50 
 
ing it. He may be reserved for a later work of which he 
 does not dream. If he continues to live, he may find the 
 way, the Truth. In the grave there is no advantage. 
 
 The fuse to a charge of dynamite may be very long — 
 the spark crawl slowly toward its goal. But when it ar- 
 rives, the liberation of power is quick- So with the in- 
 dividual. There may be a big load that needs the very 
 strength he holds. He must wait. The light ofttimes 
 comes quickly that was long delayed in arriving. We must 
 have faith, even in the dark ! 
 
 Have you been called upon to bury the one you love 
 best? Even then, have the faith to believe that "He that 
 doeth all things well," has not forgotten His law of Good — 
 that all things still work together for good, and that every 
 apparent ill will be turned to good account through the 
 action of God when we qualify for it by our own right 
 attitude of mind. Whatever reverses or trials come, let us 
 have the faith to say: "Through my at-one-ment with God 
 in Christ Jesus, I am a strong man. I am bigger than any- 
 thing that can happen to me. There is no actual loss. The 
 completion of all that is good which I purposed in my heart 
 to do, through the help of God, will be accomplished in 
 heaven if not on earth. There is no separation. He that 
 sleeps shall surely wake. The children of God are one in 
 God. Eventually, Good must triumph. All that is Good 
 is eternal!" 
 
 Faith is as a three-leaf clover from the Elysian Garden. 
 One leaf is believing in one's self; the second is believing 
 in God, and the third is believing in one's fellow man. The 
 faith thus constructed is the Faith trumphant. Moreover, it 
 is a normal faculty. It is a basic principle of our being. 
 The child believes more readily and firmly than the sophis- 
 
 51 
 
ticated adult. Faith is only genuine when founded upon 
 Principle. Blind belief and superstition do not avail. We 
 must believe; but we must believe intelligently. 
 
 Let us have faith. It is a good habit. It proves a 
 proper foundational principle contributing to 
 
 THE JOYOUS LIFE 
 
 :>2 
 
ESSAY VI 
 
 BENEVOLENCE 
 
 Joy Through Seeking Ones Own in the Welfare of Otheri 
 By Arthur Franklin Fuller 
 
 Benevolence is the disposition to do good to others — the 
 outward proof of good-mil. It is the visible manifesta- 
 tion of the love of mankind, accompanied by a desire to 
 promote their happiness and welfare. It spells kindness of 
 heart, charitableness, the disposition to improve the moral 
 well-being — the character and conduct of others. 
 
 The practice of seeking one's own happiness or good, 
 through thoughtful endeavor, looking toward the happiness 
 and good of others, is Benevolence. In other words, it is 
 the antonym of selfishness and self-seeking. This practice 
 is the basis of self-abnegation, and not only sweetens life 
 but produces blessings of which the selfish know not. 
 
 But here again is a joker in the pack. If a man is 
 benevolent because he thinks it makes him great to be so. 
 and not through the love of the beneficiary — not through 
 the love of doing good — he is doing right in the rvrong way, 
 to the extent that his motives are not on a par with his con- 
 duct. He is really appearing to be better than his motives 
 justify. This is productive of gratified vanity and egotism 
 — not the growth that he himself imagines. To have the 
 name is not necessarily to have the game. To have the title 
 
 53 
 
does not guarantee that the holder has the spirit and quali- 
 fications that should go with it. 
 
 Sometimes a rich man strives to ease his conscience by 
 benevolent practices. He realizes he has committed others 
 to pauperdom by taking advantage of the mere fact that he 
 had the opportunity, the power and far-sightedness to do so. 
 Such benevolence is not the true love of God and man, but 
 a proof of the injustice of the accumulation which circum- 
 stances have made possible to him. Restitution is not 
 Benevolence. Deeds of mercy performed for show will be 
 greatly discounted in the day of Judgment. 
 
 Then there is another pseudo-benevolence in public chari- 
 ties the sole purpose of which is to rid one class of the claim 
 of another — as the case of institutions founded to remove 
 from the sight of the rich, the sufferings of the poor. The 
 result may be a benefaction but the motive is not noble. 
 
 The practice of kindness gives exercise to the finest in- 
 stincts. Thoughtfulness regarding the comfort or welfare 
 of others causes the doer to be as God to someone — for He 
 alone doeth good. That soul who obeys the Law of Kind- 
 ness is lining up with the forces which will bring about the 
 happy Millenium — thejrleign of Righteousness and Love. 
 
 We are so accustomed to thinking of Benevolence as the 
 charity of the rich that we are inclined to lose track of the 
 fact that we should be exercising it daily and hourly toward 
 our fellows. We should give ourselves as well as our 
 substance. We should be charitable in our interpretation of 
 the acts of others, avoiding undue censure, condemnation and 
 destructive criticism, as well as unwholesome gossip. This 
 phase of Benevolence is quite as important as the more 
 common aspects. 
 
 In our endeavors to cultivate this contributor to the Joy- 
 ous Life, we should also bear in mind that we should strive 
 to be indulgent in appraising the work and conduct of the 
 
 54 
 
Other Fellow. We should know that the life he is living, 
 the work he is doing, is likely the right way for him al- 
 though a different road, or a different phase of expression 
 and development to that v/hich is the proper course for you. 
 
 We can aLo be Benevolent by "burying the hatchet" — 
 by casting out the little devils as well as the big ones, and 
 not indulging in petulance, fault-finding and fussiness. Pour- 
 ing out more Love is the irresistible cure for discord and 
 the sure method of establishing sweetest harmony. 
 
 The perfect exemplar of Love, said: "If you bring 
 your gift to the altar as an offering to God and there re- 
 member that your brother or fellow-workman, has aught 
 against you, leave there your gift before the altar and go 
 your way and find your brother and first be reconciled to 
 him and then come and offer your gift unto God." It seems 
 as if he figured that we "must love man whom we have 
 seen" before we can hope to love God with whom most 
 people have but a very slight acquaintance and less fellow- 
 ship, which is a poor way to live this little span of life 
 of ours. He seemed to feel we should get in harmony with 
 man before we could square ourselves with God, and find 
 credit and recognition in the countenance of the Divine. 
 
 If the race could unite today in being Benevolent it 
 would cure every malady that exists. We cannot change 
 the entire world perhaps, but we can govern our own minds. 
 Let us conquer ourselves. Let us at least fulfill the direc- 
 tions: "And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, for- 
 giving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath for- 
 given you." That is B 7 enevolence. 
 
 And speaking of gifts: Some gifts are made out of a 
 spirit of comradeship, a desire to share blessings with the 
 object of love and consideration by the dear donors. But 
 in other cases, the gift is not the sharing of the overflow, 
 
 55 
 
the abundance, but comes by self-sacrificing, by pinching 
 and planning, in order to give unstintingly, lavishly. 
 
 Surely the gift that is offered as the fruit of personal 
 service — of blood spent in the effort to make a few dollars 
 or cents as the case may be, in order to be in position to 
 make a present; or hours put in after a day's work in or- 
 der to fashion the present itself; surely these are the most 
 estimable gifts, since they come, as it were, out of the in- 
 dividual, 
 
 "The gift without the giver is bare," and yet, so many 
 folks are really lazy about their giving. They discharge 
 the obligation as expeditiously as possible by means of a 
 piece of money carefully sized so as not to deprive them 
 of any little comfort or pleasure, and so as not to occasion 
 them any embarassment or shortage or thought. Whereas 
 it is only the thought, the heart and soul that goes with the 
 gift that can possibly give it a value. For the gift is mere- 
 ly an outward expression of an inward feeling. Here 
 again, the motive, the impulse, the sincere regard is the thing 
 to be considered. 
 
 Hence, if a person has a mood of Benevolence, and 
 takes a walk down Broadway to find any object whereon 
 to visit it; and there beholds some unfortunate human who 
 is evidently there for the express purpose of affording such 
 kindly disposed persons an opportunity to exercise this lit- 
 tle-used faculty, or more especially to provide for his per- 
 sonal needs, the Benefactor might do well to pause and con- 
 sider himself as well as the unfortunate one, and analyze 
 his own motives in this proposed expression of Benevolence. 
 
 On such an occasion, we might wish we were privileged 
 to take this would-be Benefactor aside and say: "If the 
 reason you want to give this unfortunate person a gift, is be- 
 cause you judge him to be a worthy person, a wise, spender 
 —one who will not abuse this charity; because everybody 
 
 56 
 
speaks well of him and it is evident he is really a poor, but 
 good man — one who is now living and has always lived an 
 exemplary Christian life — a life of patient, willing sacri- 
 fice and resignation to what he probably considers the 
 scourging or chastening of a Pitying Heavenly Father! then 
 make your gift and hope for a better spirit when you've had 
 a little more practice. 
 
 "Or, if the reason you want to help him is because you 
 and he formerly lived in, or worked in the same town years 
 ago; or because he has an English-sounding name, a Jew 
 nose, a Limburger breath, a garlic flavor, or French- 
 poodle-dog ears; or because 
 
 "Long ago you and he made love to the same girl, but 
 you beat his time and got the girl and her money and you 
 can therefore afford to be a little compassionate to this un- 
 fortunate fellow-being ; or because you believe that he is and 
 long has been a Saint and therefore will likely have a good 
 'stand-in' with the Creator and you want him to pray for 
 you; then play ball! 
 
 "Or again, if the reason you want to show this guy that 
 your purse is well-lined, is because you believe that he is 
 made of the right stuff, and that if he could be restored to 
 health he would be a good money-maker; and maybe if 
 you help him he will some day be restored and, being a 
 hustler and capable, would make a first-class son-in-law and 
 could marry your daughter, (an old maid whom nobody 
 seems to want) (or who is so lovely, perhaps, that you feel 
 her sale should surely net a rich husband so you will be re- 
 lieved of the responsibility of making a living any more af- 
 ter the marriage; and you realize that if this unfortunate 
 can be kept alive long enough till he gets the right idea he 
 could sure get well and then take that job of providing for 
 your daughter and you too) ; and that as he is such a kind- 
 hearted guy, he would be very useful in the matter of 
 
 57 
 
keeping the flies shoo-ed away from your bald head while 
 you take your afternoon naps; because his father was a 
 minister of the Gospel; or because his father was a good 
 business-head, and taught you how to "skin" the public, 
 how to keep prices and profits up and wages down, and to 
 whom therefore you will be eternally grateful; why then, 
 bestow your gift — you need to give more than that poor 
 cuss needs to get. 
 
 4 'Or, if you feel that you want to give this man a gift 
 because his father was a fellfow club-man, (or club- 
 wielder) ; a brother lodge-member, a labor-leader, a fellow- 
 strike-breaker, a pal-bandit, a fellow-card-sharp, a gambler 
 or a successful horse-thief; or because his father was a pub- 
 lic benefactor, in that he (;n blissful agreement with the 
 laws of nature) was responsible for the birth of this (at- 
 one-time) hopeful (though now evidently hopeless) being; 
 
 "Or if you want to do this charity because neither the 
 said unfortunate's good mother, nor her afflicted son, were 
 (or, if you represent the opposite class, then if they were 
 not) booze-fighters, revivalists, fellow-ghouls or crooks; be- 
 cause you do trust that sane mortals, and this subject in 
 particular, would rather serve God than the devil, be in 
 comfort than in misery, 
 
 THEN 
 
 you had really better 
 
 KEEP YOUR GIFT! 
 
 "Tell you why. If you own a copy of that little old- 
 time Book, called the Holy Bible, regarded by some as of 
 similar worth to Granny's Almanac, suppose you dig it 
 out of its dusty corner and look up that old yarn about the 
 guy that got beat up by robbers and dumped in the ditch, 
 
 58 
 
and a low-brow guy with a tender heart, called the Good 
 Samaritan, came by after the high-brow ginks had passed 
 up the victim, and treated him like a human being. By the 
 way, there are quite a few tol'able fair lines in that old 
 relic, that we have been passing up as a lot of old fogy 
 dope and nursery rhymes, but some wise head recently got 
 up somewhere and roared out that about all the ideas in all 
 the books and the Truth in particular was in it. Well, this 
 guy on the street has one and he felt as if he would rather 
 anybody that didn't own one had better quit the picture- 
 shows and charity-stunts till you could stow enough gift- 
 money to get you one. 
 
 "The main idea of referring you to that Samaritan tale 
 is to ring up the dog-gone wig-wag that says, 'look out for 
 the cars,' so as to induce you to line up and watch this 
 short-train — little stub-special — of ideas, ramble, rumbling, 
 short-train of ideas — this little stub-special— ramble, rum- 
 bling, reason-ward. In this way, you will not fail to note that 
 the G. S. did not stop to ask if the abused man was a good 
 Republican, a loyal citizen, a fellow-socialist, anarchist or 
 Bolshevik? whether he "chawed" Star Tobacco or Navy; 
 wore Union-made clothes, always bet on the dark horse, 
 or the under-slung speedster auto, believed in the exercise 
 of the Mosaic Law in the matter of Divorce? 
 
 "Nor did that good-hearted Samaritan inquire whether 
 or not the fallen man approved of Bridge, Poker, round 
 dances, square politics, a purified stage, Public Dances, 
 Bunny-hugging, Shimmie-dancing, Sunday baseball and pic- 
 ture shows, 2.75% beer, camp meetings, moonlight picnics, 
 both-sex hiking parties in the mountains without chaperones, 
 or whether or not he believed in God, man, woman or 
 devil; wine-suppers in private booths, wiener-roasts on the 
 beach, co-ed schools, brandy-sauce on plum pudding, to- 
 basco sauce on roast beef, see-more waists, tight-and-short 
 
 59 
 
skirts, bright colored hosiery for buxom ladies, or one-piece 
 bathing suits for exceptionally well-formed females. 
 
 "In fact, brother, let this train of thoughts not fail to 
 cause to register on your brain-pan, that the said G. S. 
 did not even ask this unfortunate victim of the hard-hearted 
 robbers, if he believed in the Darwinian Theory, Infant 
 Damnation, a Double Moral Standard, whether he was a 
 Christian Scientist, Russellite, Catholic, Atheist or Free- 
 Lover; whether his father had been a religionist, a politi- 
 cian, a lodge-man, a clansman, a mummy or a monk, but 
 got busy right away and did for that abused man as he 
 would have wished the latter to do for him if the case had 
 been reversed. 
 
 "SO NOW 
 
 "If you have a Gift to bestow upon this unfortunate, and 
 feel that your motives are all right; if you feel that you are 
 firmly convinced that he really needs the money, or the 
 shirt, and is not there to impose upon your Benevolence, and 
 that with equal opportunities with those you have enjoyed, 
 he might have made at least as much of himself as you 
 have made of yourself; and if you feel that he would likely 
 have preferred to have had a chance to play the role of 
 Giver instead of Recipient; that he has put up as good a 
 fight as he could with his amount of pull on the Bureau of 
 Power and Light — his degree of ability to lay hold of God 
 Almighty — Truth — and that, after all, it is pretty hard to 
 have to put your pride in your pocket and get out on the 
 street to earn a living, if the police or Charity Organizations 
 are willing to let you ; if you can see there is a chance that if 
 your lot had been this fellow's maybe you would have de- 
 generated even more than he has; 
 
 "If you want to give him something because you feel 
 that he would do as much for you if the positions were re- 
 
 60 
 
versed; because you would rather boost than knock, help 
 than hinder; because you have heard it said that "Charity 
 covers a multitude of sins," and you realize that your 
 record is not altogether spotless and that you may need a 
 wee bit of heavenly grace from some source or other to get 
 you a Pass through St. Peter's Gate, then 
 
 GO AHEAD 
 
 BESTOW YOUR GIFT 
 
 and likely you will find that the unfortunate man will sense 
 the fine spirit in which you are doing this benevolent act 
 and will accept it so gladly, quickly, easily, that you will 
 realize that it is almost as sweet to be WELCOME as to 
 be a v/hole man and in position to make things come your 
 way." 
 
 This then, is a plea for more and larger Benevolence; 
 that we try to be more kind and generous to everybody, in- 
 cluding ourselves. And, looking toward a greater, more 
 extensive and increasingly beaming content and the Joyous 
 Life, that we strive to be more charitable in our estimate of 
 others and their work; that we try to be pleased even with 
 the efforts of the poor ginks who are hoping to continue 
 pulling down their weekly allotment of simoleans, (their 
 little pay check), by journalistic effort in our daily news- 
 papers and the monthly magazines. This is a plea that we 
 strive to be more tolerant of the poor, struggling writer who 
 essays to please with essays which are more or less punk 
 and poor. Like as not he himself is well aware that he 
 is not as great as Emerson, Bill Nye or George A,de. 
 
 Thus in exercising Benevolence toward such a key- 
 puncher of the defenseless typewriter, you will gradually 
 acquire the habit of reckoning that if such a writer has but 
 succeeded in whiling away a bit of more or less spare time 
 
 61 
 
and making you realize you could have done the writing- 
 job better yourself, then at least he has given you a chance 
 to realize your superiority over some ginks who have been 
 less favored than yourself in the way of gifts and opportuni- 
 ties to develop them. And yet these same hurried, harried 
 writers find it necessary to earn a living somehow and this 
 writing game seems the best way — the least of many evils. 
 
 And if by his efforts you have been induced to make a 
 purchase of more or less valuable printed matter through 
 your new intention to practice Benevolence, and you have 
 thus been induced to part with a piece of money on this 
 account, try to realize that somebody had to be the goat 
 and perhaps you were as able to stand it as the next one, 
 reflecting also that a really benevolent man is a good loser 
 and doesn't carp or squeal. 
 
 Furthermore, this is a plea that you try to be more con- 
 siderate of the mere flesh-and-blood clerks who, though 
 ordinary human-beings, are expected to serve people in the 
 stores and cafeterias, with celerity and telepathic under- 
 standing, being able to know what you want better than 
 you do yourself, since you are "just looking," and the sales- 
 manager will also be looking over her check-book at the end 
 of the day and argue for her advance or dismissal on the 
 strength of the total of sales. 
 
 Also for thought regarding the well-being of the more or 
 less bone-headed, deaf and pre-occupied girls who do not 
 even have time to chew gum owing to the visiting that is 
 now done by phone, but sit out their watch with a nerve- 
 cracking devise fastened over their heads to make their ears 
 connect with the plug-holes in the blooming switch board; 
 where the buttons have to go to get you in shape to talk to 
 your party who is too far away to holler at. These bunches 
 of skirts are also trying to make a go of it by serving you 
 and can do their little stunts of mixing things up, to match 
 
 62 
 
better advantage if you will be charitable, realizing they 
 are merely human-machines and may really sometimes have 
 something else on their minds besides beaux and your anx- 
 iety to pour your bit of chat into the ear of some party at 
 the other end of the line by means of the black funnel which 
 is to be held to his ear till you get it all said; so that the 
 listener fully misunderstands you and goes away with a 
 grouch or a spell of blissful ignorance of what was wanted 
 of him because you were too lazy to write a letter or have 
 a personal interview as you should have done. 
 
 This is also a plea that you try to be more tolerant of 
 the poor minion of the law (whom "us boys" call the "traffic 
 cop" or Harness Bull) who stands out in the hot sun on 
 the busy corner and makes funny motions and funnier faces, 
 while upholding the dignity of the Law, and makes you wait 
 longest when you think you are most in a hurry to connect 
 with what you are going after. 
 
 Just try to realize that this brazen-faced boss of the 
 corner is following this vocation as a means of procuring 
 his weekly stipend of filthy lucre and sordid dough — that is, 
 in other words, the £a/e whereby he is enabled to feed his 
 kiddies and keep them in school and supply the maternal 
 bunch of skirts that presides at his domestic dug-out with 
 the means of keeping the grocer and butcher from holding 
 too much of the necessities of life, and the milk-man from 
 having too big an ice-bill, and the landlord from getting 
 nasty — and to also buy fodder — not bread and butter ex- 
 actly, nor "staff-of-life and grease" as they call it at Mrs. 
 Casey's boarding house, but the gas-chow and slime for 
 the tin lizard that carries this unit of the Great American 
 Home, down to the beach on Sunday afternoons. 
 
 For these instances of need of your Benevolence, seem to 
 be a proof of the proposition that the practice of Benevo- 
 lence is a great aid toward the Joyous Life. 
 
 63 
 
To your kindly consideration are recommended the fol- 
 lowing 
 
 RESOLUTIONS 
 
 Pxsolved 
 
 1. To be charitable to the fellow who thoughtlessly, 
 inconsiderately or ignorantly, butts in when we are busy. 
 
 2. Since there is a lot of work to be done in the world 
 and somebody must do it, and as we find life seems to lack 
 interest at times, we will jump in and start something and 
 not wait for the Other Fellow to do it. 
 
 There's many a one 
 Whose work's not done 
 With the setting sun 
 These strenuous days 
 Of bed-rock ways 
 And failing stays! 
 
 So if ours is done and we still feel fit, we will pitch in — 
 show our benevolence, and lend a hand. 
 
 3. That when some guy is trying to be good and do 
 good, we will help him out. 
 
 4. That when a guy wants to indulge in that famous 
 indoor-sport of working up a healthy giggle, we won't spoil 
 the scene by calling him a rummy bloke or a nut or a plain 
 fool, because it upsets a guy when he is called by certain 
 kinds of pet-names. Even in such a case, we will use our 
 Benevolence — we will help him out too and double the said 
 giggle. 
 
 5. That when a soul needs a little love— no matter how 
 homely or unprepossessing or unattractive he or she may be; 
 no matter how old or broken — we will be a good fellow 
 and GIVE a little love, passing up that delightful thrill of 
 
 64 
 
pleasure and satisfaction we crave and experience when we 
 bestow a caress upon one who draws our ardent impulses. 
 
 6. That when a guy is trying to be funny on the stage 
 or in a book, we will also help him out by trying to respond 
 to his effort to tickle our funny-bone; willing to crack a 
 wrinkle and treat our royal "tummy" to a thorough jiggle 
 by means of a hearty giggle. We understand that the 
 adepts claim that if you keep trying you can get the habit 
 and will find it good fun after it becomes automatic. Claim 
 it's good for the liver too. (S'pose that means if you are a 
 good liver, you'll have a good liver). 
 
 7. That when we meet up with someone who wants 
 to be wise and we see how we can show him something 
 about the game, in some little particular, we will loosen up 
 and help him out too. 
 
 8. That when we happen upon a rare bird — find a per- 
 son who is actually content with his lot in life, feels satis- 
 fied with the deal the Powers- J hat-Be have handed him, 
 finds no fault with making the best of his situation in life; 
 a person who seems anchored in the little harbor of Peace- 
 of-Mind 9 (which means he is content with his humble home, 
 meagre opportunities for himself and his family, his wages, 
 and the simple life open to him) ; a man who appears to be 
 satisfied with his simple faith and the old-fashioned concepts 
 of God and Right and the open-faced ideas that have proven 
 by many to be good enough to live by and keep them out of 
 jail, and to die by too, and who evidently feels satisfied with 
 the justice of the universe: 
 
 We won't disturb him, nor upset his little joy-world with 
 any new-fangled notions about philosophy or up-to-date or 
 Ancient Religions; we won't try to give him something he 
 did not ask for and is not ready to exchange for the ideas 
 which have been dear to him for a long time; we won't 
 spoil his peace of mind by handing him a lot of mixed- 
 
 65 
 
thoughts that keep people from enjoying life; we won't hand 
 him a bunch of literature and clusters of sermons, and 
 smother him with a lot of dogmatic platitudes, thinking it 
 is up to us to evangelize the world in general and this poor 
 guy who cannot get away from us, in particular. Even here, 
 we will persist in functioning through our celebrated bump 
 of Benevolence. We will stay in our own back-yard and 
 roost under our own little vine and fig-tree and let this be- 
 nighted neighbor have a similar privilege. 
 
 9. That, should we find ourselves "getting blue"— 
 feeling that nobody loves us and the high cost of living and 
 various other adverse circumstances make life not worth 
 while; that, since our "sweetie" done turned us down, or 
 some other dear cronie has gotten tired of us, and we feel 
 all tore up and 'bused, so that we reckon we don't want to 
 live any more — wish we were dead; then, at that cricfyet-al 
 (critical) moment we will strike an attitude or a match or 
 something that won't hit back, and pull ourselves together 
 and recall Elbert's glorious words. (You remember Elbert 
 — the real guy who organized that what-you-may-call-it- 
 place — why, the Boy-Grafters, or Ray-Shafters or Toy- 
 Crofters or something that-away, down there in York State 
 near where the Herkimer County cheese comes from — you 
 remember ! Well anyway, his name — something about squash 
 — Oh, yes — Elbert Hubbard. That's him.) He said: 
 * 'Don't take yourself too damned seriously." Great orator, 
 was Elbert. So we have resolved to be good to ourselves 
 even here, and exercise our Benevolence. We are perfectly 
 willing to do this because we realize that Benevolence needs 
 exercise, especially as he's getting a bit old, and will get so 
 fat and lazy, just like Mrs. Casey's dog down at the board- 
 ing-house, and there are so many places that Benevolence is 
 needed. Hence, we will reflect that this is indeed the finest 
 little old world we ever did get into — at least, the best we 
 
 66 
 
remember anything at all about. Hence, we will cheer up 
 and make the best of it. 
 
 10. And it is further resolved, that should we meet a 
 guy who wants to get the money, we will be a sport, and 
 come across, (at least to a reasonable extent, but reserving 
 a few things — for instance, those swell silk sox that our 
 best girl gave us for a Christmas or birthday present) ; 
 loosen up as requested, in order to do our part to encourage 
 him in his worthy ambition. 
 
 We will do this partly because we realize that he will 
 only spend the money again anyway, and it's all right just 
 so long as money is kept in circulation. Stagnation, hoard- 
 ing — that's what sets the world back! And then too, see 
 all the fun we'll have! We will have the knowledge of 
 having done a noble act, and will have the interest, the 
 purpose, the necessity of earning some more. That will 
 at least keep us out of mischief, and maybe prevent our 
 landing in jail. So even here, Benevolence is salutary and 
 it will pay us to help out. Also, by helping the Other Fel- 
 low to get what he wants, we perceive that we will start 
 the ball a-rolling and the first thing we know, we will be 
 getting what we want. And, checking over our personal- 
 rvant column, we find there are quite a bunch of things we 
 hanker for a great deal more than for money; and most of 
 them are things which money cannot buy — as, for instance, 
 the Joyous Life. 
 
 "Count that day lost whose low descending sun 
 Views from thy hand no worthy action done." 
 
 67 
 
ESSAY VII 
 
 WORK 
 
 /op Through Occupation and Service 
 By Arthur Franklin Fuller 
 
 The most miserable person in the world is one who has 
 nothing to do. The next in degree of wretchedness is one 
 who has very little to do and no equipment wherewith to 
 do that little — one who has something to do and nothing 
 to do it with. 
 
 There is no such thing as standing still. The movement 
 may be so slight as to be imperceptible; nevertheless, every 
 instant there is movement in body, mind and spirit. It may 
 be either upward, toward the heights of perfection, or back- 
 ward towards disintegration — slipping downward toward a 
 lower level. But the greatest souls are those who dare at- 
 tempt the ascension of the various higher planes, who fear 
 not the migratory difficulties and adjustments, but as a good 
 ship dread not to put out to sea. 
 
 It would seem that there is a point of difference which 
 should be marked by every thoughtful person, between 
 selfishness as it is commonly defined, and a noble interest in 
 one's self co-ordinated with the love of one's fellow man and 
 the love of God in making up a system of principles which 
 shall constitute a basis for conduct. 
 
 Apparently there is no word in good standing and com- 
 mon use that exactly covers such a meaning. Indeed, it 
 
 68 
 
seems not easy to coin one. If we start with se//, we perceive 
 upon analytical reflection, that it means the individual as 
 the object of his own reflective consciousness; the man as 
 viewed by his own cognition as the subject of all his mental 
 phenomena; a distinct individuality; a perception of a dis- 
 criminative, discernable one-ness or awareness of existence 
 and action. 
 
 But how shall we proceed? The list of seZ/-compounded 
 words is indeed long. A certain writer of note selected 
 selfness; but the dictionary gives it the same meaning as 
 selfishness. It is doubtless proper to give words an idealized 
 meaning for a particular purpose, but it is still better to 
 employ words which are familiar to all and need no justifi- 
 cation; words which are free from complications and special 
 meanings as attached to them by local, unheard-of writers 
 who can hardly constitute good authority. 
 
 Self-love seems to be fairly well adapted to our use just 
 here, but again, the common acceptance makes its simple and 
 unqualified employment dubious. And yet, Stewart says: 
 "Not only is the phrase self -love used as synonymous with 
 the desire of happiness, but it is often confounded with the 
 word selfishness, which certainly, in a strict propriety, denotes 
 a very different disposition of mind." 
 
 However, the majority of readers, would, in spite of 
 themselves and this brief attempt at clearer definition, be 
 inclined to attach to the term self-love, the old, sullying 
 aroma of selfishness. Notwithstanding, this word in its 
 highest sense, should convey a meaning of conscientious con- 
 sideration of the relative value of ways; a choice, following 
 proper deliberation, founded upon a basis of the progress, 
 well-being and happiness of the individual and the race. 
 
 However, as self-love is not wholly delivered of the taint 
 of baseness, the stain of selfishness, perhaps we can be ex- 
 cused for employing a less common word, selfial. This 
 
 69 
 
word indicates a proper regaid fur <*ne's self and one's own 
 interests, embracing those of self-conservation, self-culture 
 and self-conduct with relation to the progress and well-being 
 of the individual. Selfial also includes consideration of the 
 attainment of these by the fairest and yet most effective 
 means, having in mind at the same time, principles of liberty 
 and the rights of others as well as one's own. An unfailing 
 monitor is the precept of equal rights for all and sufficient for 
 each. 
 
 It is hoped then, that the kind reader will endorse the 
 use of the word selfial, for the present purposes. Your 
 indulgence is solicited that we may give to this word a sort 
 of idealized meaning which shall include conscience and 
 consideration for others. Hereby we shall not seek our own 
 good at the price of another's progress, or well-being, or 
 happiness, but shall choose only that, which, even in the 
 utilization of others or their possessions, will enable us to 
 conduct ourselves in such a manner as will be for mutual 
 benefit. 
 
 Work then, is a selfial necessity. It is regarded by many 
 people as a curse; but by others, it is esteemed as a mercy- 
 balm or a means or redemption. For instance, in the case 
 of poor Adam, who allowed himself to behave in such a 
 manner as occasioned his banishment from the Garden of 
 Eden. Nevertheless, the allegory is not wholly satisfactory 
 from our point of view, because to those who know the joy 
 of work, an existence without it must be very monotonous. 
 Therefore the work which was given as a curse or sentence 
 for disobedience, was really a blessing, and Adam was 
 afterwards, really better off than while still in the Garden. 
 
 Self-preservation is said to be the first law of nature. 
 Let us paraphrase this and say that self-respect, or selfial- 
 aspiration, is the first duty of every living soul who senses 
 the Divine Urge, to Be and to Do. To those who still 
 
 70 
 
sleep, this can be of little or no interest; for, "Ye must be 
 born again, of water and the spirit." 
 
 It should be urged that self-culture is the duty of every- 
 one, since it is imperatively the will of God that all his 
 ideas come to the full completeness of their fruition. It is 
 indeed a self-evident law. Those who resist it are only 
 making woe for themselves by failing to agree with and 
 use the Truth, and are selfishly choosing that which is not 
 for their present or ultimate good. 
 
 Through the medium of these humble pages, effort has 
 been made to construct a basis for realizing, achieving, the 
 Joyous Life. The first essay endeavored to drive home the 
 fact that the first thing to do was to adopt a habit of 
 good cheer and a basis of happiness instead of an undefined, 
 vague, weak, negative lack of basis as expressed by melan- 
 choly and misery. In the second essay, effort was made to 
 show the value of Education and the enhanced enjoyment 
 that attended it, as a second rung in our ladder of ascent 
 to the heaven of the Joyous Life. While in the third essay, 
 it was shown that Ambition — the possession of fervent, 
 lofty aspirations — was the third rung. Then the fourth 
 essay strove to prove that God is willing, yea, wills, that 
 humanity be happy and healthy and such is our birth-right. 
 Furthermore that our Citizenship is certainly in the Eternal 
 City; the Practice of Kindness is our proper Identification; 
 Tolerance is the pass-word to the trail that carries us to the 
 Treasure cached at the Foot of the Rainbow. 
 
 In the fifth essay was promulgated, the proposition that 
 belief in God and man is a most salutary practice and 
 well-nigh essential to gaining the heaven of the Joyous Life. 
 Whereas in the sixth essay, an attempt has been made to 
 prove that, leading out from the higher cultivation of one's 
 mind and one's soul or character, new and ever-increasing 
 joy is obtained by accepting the Divine Invitation to live 
 
 71 
 
for God "whom ye have not seen," and doing His will 
 through ministering to "thy brethren whom ye have seen." 
 
 And now in this, the seventh essay, there is a tender, 
 earnest yearning to put into words a great message — -a phase 
 of illimitable Truth. And yet, words seem utterly lacking- 
 inadequate, a poor means for expressing so great a theme. 
 Yet after this fashion some ideas may be presented in a suffi- 
 ciently attractive manner, that the kind reader may be 
 pleased with them. 
 
 Elbert Hubbard said: "Blessed is the man who has 
 found his work." Let us observe the difference between 
 work and toil, occupation and labor, travail and drudgery. 
 By work is to be comprehended, something useful which one 
 can do with interest and satisfaction, for which one has apti- 
 tude and pleasure in executing in a high degree of perfec- 
 tion; and with which is also included an appreciation of the 
 best means of accomplishing certain ends. For to know 
 how to go to work is almost as valuable as a willing spirit. 
 Just as in mathematics, to know the principles, the means 
 of solution, is quite as essential as the recognition of the 
 problem and the possession of a willingness to solve it. 
 
 Work also means a capacity of satisfaction in maintain- 
 ing a high degree of excellence in the finished products, 
 looking toward the integrity of workmanship and the fulfill- 
 ment of the purpose for which the task is undertaken. By 
 Work should be comprehended exertion of mind or body 
 that taxes the powers for the accomplishment of some end. 
 It therefore applies to all trades, arts, sciences and profes- 
 sions. When one has found his work, he has discovered 
 that which he will joyfully give his energies and thought. 
 
 Toil is to be regarded as that which is disagreeable; 
 occupation which is harassing, oppressive, irksome. It is not 
 that which one would voluntarily seek, except as a necessity 
 in the matter of earning a livelihood when more congenial 
 
 72 
 
employment is not to be had. Toil is obnoxious drudgery; 
 severe, oppressive work; work that has no future and no 
 variety nor soul-thrilling climax, for it is to be that same 
 grind, over and over. 
 
 Occupation is the form of employment in which one is 
 engaged to fill up his time and claim his attention. It is 
 the principal business of one's life which forms a vent for 
 his energies and at the same time, the means of earning a 
 living. 
 
 Labor is hard work. It implies activity — the aplication 
 of one's powers to produce or fashion by means of toil; 
 strife to accomplish a clearly defined purpose. Labor is al- 
 ways strenuous, though one may be cheerful in its prosecu- 
 tion. 
 
 Travail signifies labor with pain; burdensome duties 
 which harass or tire; occupation that taxes one's endurance; 
 anguish or distress encountered in achievement; agonizing 
 labor. 
 
 Drudgery is the word applied to menial service and espe- 
 cially to work which is not only hard, but monotonous and 
 mechanical. Yet no great business, profession, or art, can 
 be successfully followed without the performance of much 
 unappreciated drudgery. But it is through the faithful dis- 
 charge of that which is mechanical and uninteresting that 
 makes the joy of the finished product possible. 
 
 Hence, work ls — useful, purposeful occupation with a 
 definite object in view; wherein the vision of the finished 
 product is the sufficient compensation for the sweat, the 
 drudgery, the taxing of one's powers in the achieving of 
 that object. 
 
 It is remarkable to what degree occupation, labor, toil, 
 travail, and drudgery can be turned into work. The trans- 
 formation is accomplished by love — love of being busy at 
 something useful — something which is constructive, making 
 
 73 
 
toward the solution of definite problems; something which 
 will give pleasure or be of practical benefit to others. 
 
 The man who puts into his work his best toward making 
 that which he fashions as near ideal of its kind as it is 
 possible for him to make it in the time allowed and under 
 the circumstances existing; he who puts the integrity of his 
 soul and the full intelligence of his mind into his produc- 
 tions, be they of head or hand or heart, will produce that 
 which will convey a message of love and brotherhood, and 
 appreciation of privilege, which cannot fail to bless the 
 one who partakes of the fruit of his labor. 
 
 The man digging a sewer would do well to reflect that 
 his bone and brawn, his stout heart and vigorous digestion 
 are possessions which are lacking by many a pale-faced 
 office-man, whom perhaps he envies for his immaculate 
 clothes and white shirt; possessions which enable him to do 
 this work which everyone is not able to do and yet, which 
 is quite as necessary as anything else. He would do well 
 to bear in mind that while it was a * 'white-collar job," for 
 someone to evolve a plan to accomplish this necessary busi- 
 ness, it is he, in his over-alls, who is the means of carrying 
 out the plan. He would do well to bear in mind that carry- 
 ing off the waste of the city is quite as important as bringing 
 in food, or preparing it; that he is protecting mankind from 
 accumulation of noxious, gaseous, vile waste products which 
 must be disposed of; that people could not live without such 
 service and that therefore such work must be done — and lo, 
 he is the sturdy fellow who is able to do it. Then let him 
 couple with these reflections, the loving thought that thus 
 he serves his fellow men, is of use; not for the dollar; not 
 that he may have a home, a loving wife and the comforts 
 thereof, but primarily that he may do something for the 
 good of his fellow man. In this way, he would put into 
 his work an integrity that would spell efficiency, pride in 
 
 74 
 
doing the work well, gratitude to God for the powers that 
 enabled such action, intelligence and knack in manipulating 
 the tools, and an appreciation of himself and his privilege, 
 for this is his way of serving God and his fellow man. 
 
 By processes of thought such as the above, we would soon 
 be rid of class-pride and scorn, and instead would usher 
 in a kindly humility and noble purpose that would hasten 
 the Millenium. Man would then work, not for the wage, 
 not for the fee, but to do good and to be of use. 
 
 The ship-builder's motive may also be the good of human- 
 ity. He should appreciate the special fitness he possesses, to 
 do the work he has undertaken. He should feel that every 
 nail driven, every blow that was struck, every muscle that 
 was tensed in the discharge of his task, was an expression 
 of his integrity; of the appreciation of the privilege of assist- 
 ing in the production of that which would carry food and 
 clothing, instruments of cultivation and culture, books and 
 the products of his fellow-laborers, to distant shores; that 
 the finished vessel would carry safely the passengers who 
 were migrating from one place to another as a means of 
 bettering their economic or physical condition; and his work 
 would have been done in such a manner that when the strain 
 came as in a storm, it would not fail through carelessness 
 of his. 
 
 The cook should reflect that, were it not for his ministra- 
 tions, those laborers in the construction camp, would not be 
 able to prosecute their arduous tasks, and so his work should 
 be done honestly, so as to keep them cheerful and fit. With 
 love of humanity such as this, the farmer would work for 
 the good of man, feeling a joy in the realization of his fitness 
 to meet the problems of his line of work — of supplying hu- 
 manity with sustenance. . 
 
 The tired mother, busy with unending household cares — 
 her part in the great Scheme of Things — could exalt her 
 
 75 
 
efforts by realizing that she was playing her part, in pro- 
 viding a home and its sanctifying shelter, to her children; 
 shaping the unfolding minds; training these gifts of love to 
 be noble, self-respecting, useful citizens; making the dearest 
 spot on earth the haven and place of inspiration and develop- 
 ment that it should be; giving her boys and girls an oppor- 
 tunity to build healthy, sturdy bodies, and clean and active 
 minds, and splendid characters, within the precincts of the 
 sacred boundaries of home. 
 
 By the right thoughts, work can be glorified, and any 
 station be exalted till it be as satisfying and pleasure-giving, 
 as sitting on the throne of worldly power is supposed to be. 
 It is indeed vain to seek prestige and popularity rather than 
 opportunity to do the Father's will and serve humanity in 
 whatever capacity we feel called upon to do. 
 
 In consideration of the foregoing, then, surely we are 
 teady to say that to have work — a habit of indusiriousness — 
 is a great benefaction. 
 
 Returning to our deliberation on the value of words we 
 might do well to observe that a certain development of the 
 selfish propensities are essential to the individual's proper 
 valuation of his own life, to which, through benevolence, 
 he is led to attach a greater valuation upon the lives of 
 others, and thereby becomes eligible for membership in the 
 New Civilization, wherein an increased respect for hu- 
 man life and happiness in general, is a coronal feature. 
 
 By combining our accumulated propositions we establish 
 a means of perceiving that as a matter of proper selfishness, 
 or self-love, or selfish-appreciation, it is essential to find one's 
 WORK. Then it is necessary for us to work at our work — 
 be industrious. By the latter is meant habitual diligence 
 in any employment or pursuit, whether physical or mental; 
 steady attention to business; activity devoted to some par- 
 ticular purpose. It is helpful in developing self-command. 
 
 76 
 
It tends to make an orderly, systematic life and calls forth 
 the virility and constructive powers of body and mind. It 
 tends to develop self-control, whereas in idleness we are 
 simply drifting. The mind, with nothing definite before it, 
 is lazily busy, rushing incontinently to this or that thing, 
 according to whim and caprice, till its owner becomes unfit 
 for anything but further useless indulgence in that which does 
 not usually profit — merely the gratifying of personal or 
 sense impulses. 
 
 In fine, then, industriousness is a utilization of the most 
 effective preventative of discontent and misery, dissatisfaction 
 with the world in general, weariness of life itself and possible 
 suicide. To be industrious is to train one's self to be fit for 
 the problems and vicissitudes of life; provide an effective 
 panacea for disappointment, sorrow, loneliness and ennui; 
 is to foster health of body and mind and cultivate good 
 habits. Everyone who gives the matter any thought will 
 readily see that it is well nigh impossible for anyone to be 
 glad to live, without an object of pursuit, a goal of progress, 
 to claim his thoughts and energies. A definite object of good 
 to be obtained by application and endeavor is essential. 
 
 Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., said: "The joy of life is 
 for one to put out one's power in some natural and useful 
 or harmless way. There is no other. And the real misery 
 is not to do this. The hell of the old world's literature is 
 to be taxed beyond one's powers." When asked to define 
 misery, someone replied: "To want to and can't!" 
 
 Contrariwise then, to be occupied with a means of utiliz- 
 ing one's accumulated capacities, should be heavenly, and 
 so it proves to be to all who unreservedly throw themselves 
 into the experiment. As Theodore Roosevelt puts it: "A 
 life of ignoble ease — a life of peace which springs merely 
 from lack of desire or of power to strive after great things, 
 is as little worthy of a nation as of an individual." 
 
 77 
 
As Bishop Spalding says: "He is wise who finds a 
 teacher in every man — an occasion to improve in every hap- 
 pening, for whom nothing is useless or in vain." And he 
 who possesses a mind and spirit able to adopt and maintain 
 such an attitude will surely accumulate equipment that shall 
 enable him to meet the problems of life and make him able 
 to do anything that he may find himself obliged to do. 
 
 People who have never learned to enjoy work may be 
 people who are not well, so that exertion is painful, bringing 
 sensations of physical discomfort or distress; or, they may 
 be people who have so long nurtured slothfulness, idleness 
 and ease, that they know not the thrill of red blood coursing 
 through the veins on their way to oxidization in the lungs; 
 they know not the thrill of the strong man who "delighteth 
 to run a race" ; the feeling of competence to meet the on- 
 slaught of whatever demands the work imposes — the satis- 
 faction of knowing he is a man and able to meet the prob- 
 lems which are included in the task assigned — that he is 
 able to carry out the part of the world's business which 
 he has elected to discharge. They lack the wholesome pride 
 that rejoices in knowing that this work which one is doing 
 is not for the hands of the sluggard, the incompetent, the 
 drones in the human hive of activities; nor yet is it for him 
 who scorns the call to be of use to, and serve his fellow 
 beings. 
 
 The old saying that, "Satan finds mischief for idle hands 
 to do," is still true. Idle folk are easy victims for all sorts 
 of temptations, pernicious appetites and habits. Work is 
 the saviour of morality and the builder of stability of char- 
 acter. Idleness is the foe of earnestness, achievement, use- 
 fulness, and purity of life. Industry is the friend of pro- 
 gress, righteousness and a wholesome joy in living. There- 
 fore, get work; for, "It is better than what you work to 
 get. 
 
 78 
 
Idle folk are not only likely to be vicious — they are 
 almost sure to be unhappy. Repose is sweet to a body or 
 mind wearied in a good cause, having therefore the approval 
 of the conscience. But that sweet refreshment, that benedic- 
 tion, that fair reward, does not come as they are prone to 
 think, as a permanent experience. It comes only after the 
 proper and habitual investment of one's energies. Idle folk 
 lose this reward and find themselves envious. The mind 
 dreams of what might be, compared with what is, and a 
 mood of wretchedness follows. Now, if the energies of 
 body and mind were concentrated upon bringing about the 
 wholesome ideal once pictured and persistently entertained, 
 that unhappy person would be really getting somewhere. 
 He would find through endeavor, a cure for the malady. 
 
 It is a common but fatal disadvantage to fancy that 
 anything can be accomplished without application, concen- 
 tration, systematic endeavor. And yet, everyone of us can 
 call to mind some person whose brilliant gifts would place 
 him in the van-guard of great men, did he but possess this 
 appreciation of the value of the Genius of Industry, with 
 less confidence in the legitimacy of slipshod practices, and 
 sporadic application. He may have astonished all the neigh- 
 bors with his precocity and natural genius as a child but 
 with maturity failed to attain success. 
 
 On the other hand we can also call to mind some other 
 case where a person famed for his dullness of wit and 
 mediocrity has reached the heights of capacity, power, 
 success and usefulness through this same genius of hard 
 work. Natural Genius is a capricious loafer, a seldom-get- 
 there, or occasional-do-well. The Genius of Industry is 
 an indefatigable hustler — a usually- get- there and generally- 
 mn fellow. 
 
 Some persons are afflicted with Moodiness whereby a 
 spasmodic effort of real endeavor is brought about The 
 
 79 
 
activity in itself is good, but too often these occasional 
 zealots so exhaust themselves in their unaccustomed exertions 
 that they fall under the delusion that work is not good for 
 them. They conclude that they are delicate and not cut 
 out for such strenuous exercise; that work was never in- 
 tended for persons of their calibre, but for those who are 
 more gross, coarse-grained and rugged. These folk usually 
 worship refinement and aesthetic beauty as delineated by 
 uselessness. They seem not to have gotten the thought that 
 one who serves is more blessed than one who is served. For 
 the one is a burden or charge, unable to do for himself, 
 much less for others; while the other is a burden-hearer, 
 able to do for himself and others. Although the helpless one 
 does furnish an opportunity to the server to serve, still in this 
 instance the servant is greater than the lord. 
 
 Among other popular examples of misguided conclusions, 
 is to be noticed that which confuses the sense of the words 
 service and servitude. Now, by service should be compre- 
 hended work done for the benefit of another; the act of 
 helping another or promoting his interests in any way; a 
 benefit or advantage conferred, or use and advantage in 
 general. Whereas, servitude means slavery, enforced service 
 as punishment for wrong doing; the state of subjection to 
 any work, claim or demand — that is, the fulfilling of menial 
 requisites by an inferior person. Whereas, service is a privi- 
 lege, the mark of ability, standing, proof of worth and 
 character. Contrarily, servitude is degradation — the mark 
 of vassalage, pauperism, a state of subjection and consequent 
 lack of character. 
 
 With these distinctions clearly in mind, no one can longer 
 be kept from taking an active part in the world's business 
 through a false pride and feeling that work could be be- 
 neath him, or that service could be degradation. 
 
 80 
 
With some persons, there is another foe to acceptance of 
 the privilege of service, which also acts as a dampener of 
 enthusiasm with others — the fear of over-work- 
 
 Of course it is possible even for one in good health to 
 overwork; but it is not especially likely. Here is another 
 instance where prevention is better than cure. So long as 
 body or mind are not forced beyond the natural powers of 
 endurance; so long as the effort is not pushed beyond the 
 warnings of fatigue which show that the cask of power is 
 empty and needs to be replenished by repose, then there is 
 no danger of over-draught. 
 
 But worrying lest one overdo is more harmful than the 
 actual exertion, for fear is a powerful depressant. So long 
 as one is conscious, awake, the mind and forces of the 
 body will likely be busy with something, and that something 
 may just as well, yea, might better be, something useful, 
 constructive. So long as the work does not wear, or grind, 
 "get on one's nerve" — -so long as the effort is pleasurable, 
 and there is no excess of fatigue, one cannot overwork. A 
 change of occupation will usually be found as refreshing 
 as absolute inactivity. Cicero said: "Even our leisure 
 hours may have their occupation." It rests the mind to 
 change from one line of thought to another. That is why 
 in public schools, one study is not taken by itself a whole 
 day and another the next, and so on, but there is a little 
 of each study, each day. But better yet, the change should 
 be from that which occupies the powers of the mind, to 
 something that engages more, the physical powers; or from 
 the continuous use of certain muscles, to something which 
 employs an entirely different set. 
 
 Certainly it is preferable in any case, to wear out than 
 to rust out; hence we may well adopt for a slogan: "Do it 
 now — Do it well— Do it cheerfully." Since there is a 
 limit to human capacity it is well to learn to do the most 
 
 81 
 
important thing first. Then we will be in position to make 
 the most of our lives. And though the faithful, earnest, 
 enthusiastic worker may not succeed in doing all that he 
 would, all that may be expected of him by over-anxious 
 or too-exacting witnesses, nor all that his apparent re- 
 sponsibilities in life may seem to demand, nevertheless, he can 
 rest assured he will obtain the reward of the approval of 
 the Eternal One* — the Great I AM — the loving All-Father 
 — "He hath done what he could.'* 
 
 But "Do It Now" is a splendid practice and prevents 
 forgetting. Duty deferred means a corresponding increase 
 of responsibility upon the future moments, which will have 
 their proper responsibility just as these present moments have. 
 It is unfair to borrow from and overload the morrow. 
 
 Noisiness about one's work is likely to be an indication 
 of a poor workman and a lazy fellow. It usually means 
 carelessness. Or, it may be a testimony to the fact that the 
 worker is vain, and anxious to have it known that he is 
 doing something. For instance, it is so much easier to 
 drop an object than to put it neatly and quietly in its place. 
 Those who want their work made easy, are drifting into a 
 habit of thought whereby they will want less and less to do, 
 until they say as did the Jersey tramp: "I don't mind stand- 
 ing up to eat ma'am, if I can only lay down to work." 
 
 A willing or lazy worker is shown up by his tools. 
 Those which are handled lovingly, respectfully, not miss- 
 used, abused or subjected unnecessarily to excessive strains, 
 usually have a little atmosphere of competence and good- 
 grooming about them. True, tools must wear out some time, 
 but it is surprising how much longer they last when they are 
 intelligently and lovingly used. Tools that are scattered 
 hither and yon, tell a story of lack of order which is a 
 picture of the lazy and duty-dodging user. 
 
 82 
 
Then there are those who are willing to serve mankind 
 or their Government, if there is enough in it. Admittedly 
 compensation should be in ratio to the danger or depletion 
 attending the performance of a task. But principle should 
 count more than dollars in a time of stress and he who 
 hangs back waiting a big fee when humanity needs service 
 is a coward and a profligate, traitor to all that is noble and 
 fine. The man whose motives are so saturated with self 
 that honor, plaudits of the crowd, or the assurance that the 
 act will make him a big toad in a little puddle, is a poor 
 kind of being. 
 
 There are those who dwell so much in high, flighty realms 
 of thought that they have difficulty in coming down to prac- 
 tical consideration of life. When asked to cerebrate, their 
 practical processes are so rusty that they are much like 
 those of the philosopher Pierson tells about. This intellec- 
 tual giant was minded to enter a barn, with intent to spend 
 the night there. Hearing the barn door he noticed a calf's 
 tail sticking through a large knot-hole. The door was se- 
 curely fastened. The farmer's son, a genial lad, accosted 
 the philosopher who appeared lost in thought, asking him 
 what he was thinking about? "I was wondering," replied 
 the thoughtful man, "how that calf managed to squeeze 
 through that knot-hole." 
 
 Let us not get into a rut in our thinking. Let our mental 
 habits include many phases of activity. Let us not scorn to 
 be of use, but rather let us realize that there is no such thing 
 as entrance into the Joyous Life without the pass-port of a 
 full time-sheet from the factory of Utility. 
 
 Success is not the accumulation of wealth, nor winning 
 fame, nor the gaining of the plaudits of the crowd. Success 
 is the knowledge that one has made the most of the oppor- 
 tunities and natural gifts which have been permitted him. 
 It is the realization of the growth, development, unfoldment 
 
 83 
 
and progress of the individual, within his own rnind. It is 
 the sure fruit of intelligent, faithful, concentrated, conse- 
 crated endeavor. 
 
 Success can be experienced as life's portion by everyone 
 who desires it. It is not something which can be obtained 
 only by the favored few. Details of birth and environment 
 are of no consequence. The sterling qualities of character, 
 the will to be and to do, the courage of faith and the 
 inspired vision of one's self at the pinnacle of Success — the 
 stamina to struggle energetically and persistently to that 
 end — THESE are the things that count. The complaints 
 of lack of advantages as to birth or wealth or natural gifts, 
 are merely the whining of the indolent, 
 
 The men of great genius — the great, many-sided, multi- 
 powered men — have been men of indefatigable industrious-' 
 ness. Sincere work wins. When it does not, nothing else 
 in the world could. A Great Mind is built by the simplest 
 processes; "Line upon line — precept upon precept." One 
 fact, plus one deduction, plus one comparison, at a time, 
 until a large and comprehensive habit of intense thinking 
 and a capacity for unremitting application is developed. 
 That is the way to build. The time is never lost that is 
 devoted to work; for there is a growth and benefit which 
 surely results from investment of time and energy in it. 
 The joy of achievement is for him who, "scorns delights 
 and lives laborious days." 
 
 Effort may not always result in success as reckoned on 
 a basis of fame or riches. Not all runners obtain the 
 prize, if prizes be scarce. But all have the joy of running 
 and the physical and moral benefit of the training and pre- 
 paration that made them report as fit to engage in the run- 
 ning. 
 
 84 
 
"The Reward is in the doing — 
 The Rapture of pursuing is the prize 
 The vanquished gain." 
 
 Some of us have lived to see changes come about in 
 many phases of our lives including the eclipse of friendship. 
 Certain of our beloved friends have seemed to lose interest 
 and drift to other magnets. But the love we have had for 
 them has made us richer. Life has been sweet because of 
 the interest and comradeship that existed for the time-being. 
 In a similar manner, the love we put into our work, glorying 
 in the common task, no matter how inconsequential and 
 unattractive that work may have seemed; loving it for the 
 occupation it has given us, the purpose it has added to the 
 day's existence, the opportunity for usefulness that it has 
 afforded, the assurance that we are doing something which 
 is making our life here, at this time, useful, and a blessing 
 to someone. This is what pays the big dividends — this is 
 what paves the way for the joyous life! 
 
 Moreover, the love we have for our work, our studies, 
 our progress and unfoldment, never comes back to us in 
 bitterness. A busy, useful life is a full, rich life. The love 
 we have for our work is one that never entails a reproach, 
 and cannot produce disappointment. To be occupied is to 
 be happy. To be of service is to possess that which cannot 
 be taken away from us — cannot be consumed by fire, nor 
 filched from us by stealth. It is the most effective way of 
 developing character and thereby, of laying up treasure 
 "where neither moth nor rust corrupt nor thieves break in 
 and steal." It is a talisman that brings about the Joyous 
 Life. 
 
 85 
 
FINIS OPUS CORONAT 
 
 If you, kind reader, who have honored me with your 
 attention through these humble pages, will share with us 
 who have tried the recipes herein given, you will realize 
 that however poor the presentation, nevertheless between 
 the covers of this unpretentious little volume, are truths of 
 priceless value, germs of thought and recommendations of 
 practice which are worthy of being followed. Herein are 
 told some demonstrable propositions, which if sincerely util- 
 ized will bring about in your experience, the boon of 
 
 THE JOYOUS LIFE 
 
 86 
 
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