In the second place, the fight, even if in itself hopeless, is sure
to have valuable indirect results. It arouses others to the need; it
stimulates in others the willingness to sacrifice self-interest and
work for the general good. Every such honorable defeat has its share
in the final victory. The subtle benefits that result from such moral
gallantry are not evident on the surface, but they are there. No push
for the right is wholly wasted. It pays mankind to let its heroes
lavish their lives in apparently ineffective struggles; through their
example the apathetic masses are stirred and moved a little farther
toward their goal.
In general, we may say that the belief that virtue is not the right
road to happiness betrays inexperience and immaturity of judgment.
A moderate degree of morality saves man from many pitfalls into which
his unrestrained impulses would lead him. The highest levels of morality
bring a degree of happiness unknown to the "natural man." Who are the
happiest people in the world? The saints; those who are inwardly at
peace, who play their part with absolute loyalty. Even the irremediable
misfortunes of life do not affect them as they do the worldly man;
they have "learned the luxury of doing good." Of morality a recent
writer says, "Its distribution of felicity is ideally just. To him
who is most unselfish, who sinks most thoroughly his own interests
in those of the race of which he is a unit, it awards the most complete
beatitude.
Pages:
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219