Love as a Philosophy of Life

Love as a Philosophy of Life By N. A. Jensen A system of philosophy which is not workable under any and all conditions of society, and in all periods of history, could hardly be said to be a true philosophy of life. It goes without say- ing that the civil, social, and moral conditions of the time of Christ were vastly different to those of this age. Ordinarily a system built up to meet the requirements of society in those days would be found wanting today. Not so, however, with the ethical system established by Jesus. Brought up and taught as he was in the Jewish interpretation of the Hebrew scripture, and in contact with the narrow factional views of the day, one would naturally conclude that at best he could but select and organize the materials at hand as found within the philosophy of that period. As to his source of knowledge for the plan iof life hie proposed, we shall not here discuss. What we are here con- cerned with, the proposition which we now wish to state, namely that the system of ethics as a complete rule of action for the human family, which he proposed, is the only workable system that has ever been proposed, and that it is applicable, virile, and workable in all ages and under all conditions of human conduct. The success of this scheme of life is due to the fact that the principle of Love is made the basic rule of all action involving a moral or social situation in life. "Enlightened self-interest," and all other hedonistic interests, find no place in this system, for the motive he sets up as the proper one, is that of the well- being of our fellow men. "Whosoever will save his life shall lose it." The forces which will bring about the realization of the Kingdom of God are spiritual, and the Brotherhood of Man will become a reality only through the application of the golden rule. Duty is a by-product, a cold rule of action fit only for those who do not comprehend the higher law of love, which comes only through a sensse of brotherhood of man. To ap- preciate the true relationship between men is a necessary pre- requisite for the acquiring of this wonderful attitude and power. Where once acquired,' it will set in motion a great number of loves, disregarding time, space, birth, social station and wealth, and forever remain unsatisfied until all the family of God has been touched, regenerated, and cemented into one composite

426 IMPROVEMENT ERA family — the Kingdom of God. This fraternal impulse — love of fellow men, has been the only power that has yielded appre- ciable returns in social uplift, in any age of history, while pleas and battles for justice have wrought havoc, revolution and misery among men and nations. Having within him, the truth, and knowing that to be the only solution of the great problems of life, Jesus set about "His Father's business" to establish the power of conversion among men. The process is naturally a slow one, but it is a sure one, and "the little leaven will leaven the whole lump," in process of time. It is said that reformations do not proceed en masse, which is a very natural as well as a fundamental principle, based on the fact that this is an individual process of development and growth — a process of personal conversion. But conversion is the result of contact of personality — one magnet acting upon an- other. Loive being the strongest magnet in this reciprocal ex- change of responsive action, it becomes the chief and funda- mental law of right conduct. In setting up love as the principal rule of action, Jesus ful- filled the negative implication of punishment for evil, and re- placed it with the positive and explicit principle of desire for right conduct in itself. When love rules, the "law is fulfilled." An honest man has no fear of the law against theft. Apply the law of love in the home, the community, the state, and the nations, and the dream of ages will come true. What is Love? It is "not a cord to bind, but a light to lead" through the valley of adversity unto the perfect day. "Take up your cross and follow me." It is not the "self-sufficiency, self- importance," and spiritual satiety of the Pharisee, but the docile teachableness, the childlike openmindedness of those who "hun- ger and thirst after righteousness." It is the cry of the soul for its mate — humanity, and it knows no other call and can be conducted only through the medium of the heart-strings of hu- manity. Love is not the flower, but the seed and source of right- eousness. It is not a "saccharine sentimentalism," but a virile, rational magnetic power for the regeneration of humanity. Love is not Spencer's hedonism that would have us believe that "the sense of moral obligation decreases as moralization increases," but it is that inner imperative coerciveness speaking for the rights and the good of fellow men, and forgetting the lesser laws of duty, reward, and self-enlightenment. Love is that unselfish, painstaking interest in the well-being of our neigh- bor, in the return of the "prodigal," always engaged in the best service for others. Love is the "actual nature of God, the poten- tial nature of man, the secret of individual happiness, and the only star that shines by its own light.

LOVE AS A PHILOSOPHY OF LIFE 427 How to acquire here. "Seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you", is as true in the pursuit of love as in the search for knowledge or any other good gift. Love begets love, for it is akin to our nature and comes only when we want it ourselves. It conies through prayer and consecration to true service. It comes most abundantly to him who thinks least of himself. It grows only on "the tree of life" — willing service for humanity, and ripens as the work of redemption is accom- plished. What will Love do for you? Love will make you "poor in spirit," rich in humility, teachable, trustful, open-minded, the pre-requisites to real growth and development. It will cause you to "mourn" for your own sins, as well as for the sins of others ; charge you with the power of penitence ; open your eyes to your own unworthiness and your dependence upon others and their forgiveness. Love will cover you with "meekness" that you may rejoice in the success of others; it will attack the root of your own dis- content: give you self-control and endurance to suffer in the cause of truth, to the end that you may "inherit" all the good in the earth. Love will cause you to "Hunger and thirst after righteous- ness" for its own sake, and not for any certain reward that you may receive. It will make you eager for a life and character above reproach, and "fill" you with a desire for truth, integrity, and service. Love will make you "MercifuV toward your enemies ; toward those who sin and those who hate you; cause you to "bless those who curse you." It will soften your own heart, and "turn away wrath" from the heart of him who would do you harm. It will knit your heart to the heart of humanity so that you may not stalk through life alone as an outcast. Sympathy grows on the tree of love, without which friendship and happiness are impossible in life. Love makes you "Pure in heart" to the end that you rever- ence purity in itself; it clarifies vision so that one can "see God" in his handiwork, — our fellow men. It will rid you of the "beam" in your own eye, that you may see more clearly the "mote in your brother's eye." Love leads you to become a "Peacemaker?' in the family of God, and thus become a "son of God". You will go out and find strife that peace may come, and so long as there exists cause for strife, turmoil and unrest, you will not remain content in life. Love in your soul will number you among the "Persecuted

428 IMPROVEMENT ERA for righteousness sake", — those who are sacrificed on the cross of service, — the down-trodden, despised, "for so persecuted they the prophets before" you. But that cross will lift you up to your supremest happiness in the Kingdom of God. The supremacy of Love. The philosophy of love absorbs all the value of all other philosophies offered to man. Love takes up all the gladness of the Epicurean, but leaves his exclusiveness, selfishness and heartlessness. It replaces the Stoic "universal law", — the abstract self, with the power of sweetness, softness, and unselfishness, transforming it into a sturdy, strenuous, virile, and workable system of conduct. Be it known, therefore, that Love, the great underlying principle of the correct Philosophy of Life, will eventually trans- form humanity into a perfect Union, — the Brotherhood of Man. Mesa, Arizona. About Praying It don't all consist in praying, I can tell you that for a fact; Would you succeed, Both word and deed Together must make the act. And the man who at prayers may linger, And don't know when he's through, Will always find That he's behind, And his word too oft untrue. Now there's my brother Samuel, — When he bends his knees in prayer, Why Sam must tell Of all that's well Or ill most everywhere. And to make the Lord well posted, He ends and begins again; And long before Sam's prayer is o'er, I'm tired of saying "Amen!" And there's my brother Henry, Who is much inclined to shirk; In all his tasks The Lord he asks To rustle and do his work. Albuquerque, N. M. But this I have often noticed, When strolling around his farm, — The weeds still grow Where Henry's hoe Wasn't moved by Henry's arm. What then is the use of praying? Why4 much, for there^s power in prayer! God gives to all Who on him call The spirit to do and dare! If they call on him in reason, He furnishes power of thought; And wisdom gives Till knowledge lives In more useful labors wrought. So, I'm down on long petitions, That weary the heart and brain; A word of grace That suits the place Will better an answer gain. For the Lord don't raise the product Of garden and field and farm, Except the prayer Is uttered there, With the brains and muscles warm! Joseph Longking Townsend