THE CREED OF THE OPTIMIST.

Mataura Ensign, 15 March 1909, Page 4

THE CREED OF THE OPTIMIST.

A KEMAHKABEE MOVEMENT. When the recent American panic was at its height and public confidence was thoroughly shaken, Mic Optimist Club of America was founded at a meeting ol business men held in Salt, Lake City. The following were the mutual resolutions:— Whereas there is a wave of pessimism anil lack nl" coliiidenee sweeping over our country to-day, making the timid more timid and causing strong men to tremble, and Whereas there is a spirit abroad which tends to put the emphasis on the. negative side of life, leading to conditions of extreme pessimism, it has Im-i'li deemed wise to effect an organisation for the purpose of putting the emphasis mi the positive side of life and encouraging optimism and confidence. Therefore lie it resolved that a national organisation, known as the "Oplimist Club of America,'' be formed, en. couregiiig and disseminating optimistic thought, and a spirit of confidence throughout the land. We invite everv man who can smile in the face of trouble to join and pass the smile along, bringing .sunshine into other lives and prosiieritv to our connI ry. Ex-President Koosevelt .joined the < Nciutive committee, of which the President (Mr Tuft) is also a member. The club is reported lo be an enormous success. One writer declares that opliniism has succeeded as no similar mmement has ever succeeded because of its appeal to the desire of men to he men in the best sense, of the word. It is a material anchor tor their courage in time of trial and an appeal to their ~ minds to help their lellow men in a practical way. Itospoiiding to the appeal of the organisers, thousands of men in every walk of life have devoted their lime and inonev to the formation <-l Optimist Clubs and the enrolling of optimist members, until now every Slate in the Union has its own club, headed by .the Si.,i,\ <; : „ eruor. I The principle of ,;,.. dub—-The Thing We Stand On"—,.. as follows: "We invite every man who can smile in the face of trouble to join and pass the smile along AVhen we •..;-,. half an hour dead we cannot i iiaic." a quarter, and life is sweeter than death because we eat, siin s niile, and our smile mav make some poor fell-w forget his I roubles. Any old deal ii-l, can float with the current, but ii ; kes the live ones to swim up stream.'' THE AVERAGE MAN.

> The Optimist Club philo-iphy is enshrined in m serie. ,| aphorisms, of which the billowing is a election:

When Alo-.es ,ent lh.- inelve .spies In spy out Hie lamd of Promise, ten calm.hick with liiirrl-lur-k stories, lull Joshua :i...1 Calch had the ".rapes. . Don't he sharp—you put the world on I lie defensive. Donjjio tint - the inane mail is always oll'oii-uvo. Don'l he cereal 11.--eccentricity <-oi)ipi-ls invcstipili and lew people emi stand .lose -■•■rniiiiy. lie natural, which is a coordinate hlendinfr of all three, and von wdl he the rarest urine; on earth--an average mail.

Slill waters don't always run deepthey are inocc Ircpienlly slannanl. 'I he dcsmictinidsl is a low old.-.- of brine;. Anv slave or menial can pull down an cdilicc, hut if lakes an architectural genius to be a const rucl ionisi. There is tinthini; original in tailurelhere's i uorl.T of originality ill .siicces.s. 11l- one sin in the uorld is selfishness, lhe one virtue is love In these two rest all the iheoloey and philosophy of lh. aij;cs-. A friend i s a liie asset: an enemy is an ever-present, liability. A lie was the tirst llviii.n machine To hate a man for heine; soniefliiue., he caiinol help, as in color, race, ciec-i. or menial deformily, is to confess ipnor-] nine and prejudice the niliu;: elements id your nature. Keep sweet—sourness is a of dls. iiilco;ratioii mid decay. The iii: ( ii who Im.itow.s trouble will never leiii| .smiles. A word of encouragement is a porous plaster which goes a lone; way toward draw in,: the pain from a discourauo-l .soul. use of kirkine, against things you can't help? .Meet life with cheei lollies-, and fortitude, and smile Knvy harhored in the hear! is the acknowledgment of iM-isonal failure. Think hi-:: talk "little: love much: laugh easily; work hard; une freely; pav cash—and he kind. Do this ai.d yon may smoke without injury to your immortal soul. A kind thought, is the tirst link in the chain of kind words, kind deeds, and smiles. Human nature is a mirror in which you will liml reflected just what vou arc yourself. A kind word io a lired life is |,ke a drop ~l dew lo a wilting Hnw.r. Tin- ciii..- of hi',, is insincerity. Indecision is the assassin of opportunity. The man who will win lan-'hs ai im-po-sihililies and cries: "|T will he done ! Optimism is detinid for lhe purposes ot lhe i-luli a, --iliai .piaiiiv in human nature which persists -,, lo.f.oig ,„, the hngui sideol ~,,y cninliin-u ~ life and disco enu- some ray of .sii;is|,i„e i„ everv cloud; some hai iHoniou-. note in i-M-i.v discoid; some sweetness in everv lutte;- cup; son,, j.,.-,,! i„ everv had'soin.. ,„y in eery screw : s,n,e'success 'erv 1a,1,,,,-, and ,„s,s,,„ u that even iie-vat,ve iniist have a |k,sil,-.,-. and lha'l lHls, ,ve |,,y. ,-,,,,,, !,„!„,. j,., 5,,!!',,,-!,, (.'..odlless. lailh, lllceku.s. , ;; j l,. nl|v T.