Page:Dr. Miroslav Tyrš, the founder of the Sokol Union (1920).pdf/10

 show to his people the ways leading to true life and common progress. If you read the critics and speeches of this „Darwinist“, you will be often surprised on finding how firm he is in the belief that only the highest Justice and the victory of the sublime principles of freedom, equality and brotherhood can smooth the cruelty of the struggle for life, the necessity of which he never doubted. In his speech at the monument of Fügner (1869) this enthusiastic idealist declared that „the Czechs will be the first members of this new church which once will rule the whole world.“ Always and everywhere he condemned selfishness. Knowing the difference between immoral egotism and the morally admissible feelings of pride, of self-consciousness and of the desire of individual freedom, he became the propagator of brotherhood in the most human sense of the word How far he got before his time?

In his article „The Philosophy of history“ (Rieger’s Encyclopaedia 3$rd$ volume) Tyrš says: „He, whose efforts aim at mastering nature by industrious life and at freeing nations in order to further their evolution and at enabling them to join freely other civilised nations – that is our brother. Every one who knows the high value of national freedom must strive for it. Patriotism must direct all our activity.

Tyrš said: „To be free in society means to acknowledge its laws and to subordinate one self to them willingly.“ „Personal interests have to be subordinated to the common ones and vanity must be suppressed.“ Common interest and the public weal have to be the aim of all our efforts. The same qualities which once assured the victory of our forefathers – industry, moral virtue, valour – also became the aim of Tyrš’s endeavours in the Sokol-union. Only an ethical and sublime nation can be persuaded of the necessity of progress and eternal evolution Rarely is a situation so perfect that amelioration is impossible.“ Only an ethical nation feels an aversion against lazy contentment; only in such a country „every man is ready to confess his errors and to find pleasure in the inventions and the progress of other men, just as though they were his own!

According to Tyrš, perfect and methodical gymnastic exercises are the best way to high national aims, such as: valour, constant fresh strength, physical, intellectual and moral health. Tyrš experienced on himself the beneficent influence of gymnastics. Being the son of a delicate mother, he began to practice gymnastics on his doctor’s advice and trained himself until he actually became stout. In founding the first Sokol-union, he thought of a brotherhood of generous men devoted to the common cause