Page:W. H. Chamberlin 1919, The Study of Philosophy.djvu/47

Rh lives in the midst of all our other interests to energize and control them, and Ito fill them with hope for the cooperation of the real interests of all other persons. With such a philosophy we can hope soon to bring our lives into effective relationship to the world-whole.

More specifically our philosophy leads us to regard birth as an entrance by man into a new season of growth, with goods and opportunities to discover, prove, and choose new interests, and to organize these new interests into our highest good or fullest living by subordinating all interests to an interest in the well being of others. These same studies teach us that full living is by no means an easy process. For all vital interests include the thought process, and thinking always arises through the death of an old interest and a struggle to create new life, new interests, in the face of obstacles. Even in the love of others, there must be a thoughtful and unavoidable observation of the bearings or meanings of our acts on the lives of others; and then in thoughtful action we cannot assert the fuller interests of life without coming into conflict with the cherished but often false interests of others. Every true man will of necessity be crucified by those whom "he loves, but he will make his death a means of fuller life for others and so, as we now see, for himself, and will be content. Thus in the love of others, each of our fellows may become an abiding source of fulfilment of life here, and in their service each of us may discover here far more satisfying work to do than any of us can hope soon to accomplish, and each of us will of necessity limit his field of joyful tasks and eagerly pray for the cooperation of others, and for more time and strength.

Our studies in philosophy have also led us to see that the present life is lived in a very real heaven, that heaven is here and now, that our Heavenly Father is here at work, automatically sustaining by his life the light of the sun, the energies of the fruitful earth, and clothing with glory the wild flowers of the field, and that he is just like the lovable and stern Jesus. With our help he would make this world a better place to live in, a place where children can play and where youth may love and be ambitious, a place where manhood and womanhood can find and fulfil earnest tasks, and where old age can dwell content. Engaged in devoted service to our Father, which will at the same time be the service of our fellows, we may come to be like him, to be like God, and thus to know him. Since he can respond to our interests with attention, as he commonly does automatically and unconsciously, we can learn to commune with him here and now as one man communes with another. Thus devotion to God here can carry our lives to the richest fulfilment here, and we must not postpone such fulfilment to a fictitious future and