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Show Real Test of Morals Is Made in Adversity Morals consist not alone in doing good, but in enduring hardships and wrong. The severest moral test which most of us meet lies in doing some-. some-. thing that at first seems intolerable. The armchair philosophers who theoretically separate the good life from all extrahuman relationships might profitably face, as a working minister faces, the outrageous misfortunes mis-fortunes which ordinary men and women are called on to endure, and might well study there the good life in terms of fortitude, constancy, patience and heroic courage. Morals, more often than the theorist the-orist takes account of, are morale. Some meeting their Armageddon in the experience of disaster, grow rebellious re-bellious and petulant; some grow stoical and talk about their heads being bloody, but unbowed ; some become be-come resigned and try to bend to the wind without breaking; but some lay hold on their calamity as Jesus laid hold on Ms cross, and use it as the most effective Instrument for good which life ever fitted to their hand. I never have seen anyone transcend tran-scend calamity with such positive triumph, however, who did not have more than morals at his disposal. Always Al-ways behind such conduct there has been a total personal response to life's meaning which could not be described de-scribed in any terms less than religion. re-ligion. Harry Emerson Fosdick Id Harper's Magazine. Talent is long patience. |