And as in action the most despised life has this beauty in perspective, so his intellectual life or his opinions may be kept clean and healthful if he will live the life of nature and not import into his mind difficulties which are none of his. No man need be perplexed in his speculations. Let him keep his mind healthy and by doing and saying what strictly belongs to him, though very ignorant of books, his nature shall keep him free from any intellectual embarrassment.

It is quite another thing that he should be able to give account of his faith, to represent to another the theory of his self-union and freedom. This requires rare gifts. Our progress is always concentrical: the man may move now in his first and narrowest rings, and no ray shoot out to the far circumferences he shall hereafter attain, yet there need be no obliquity or death in that which he is. A few strong instincts and a few plain rules suffice us. Some young people are diseased with speculations, for example, the theological problems of original sin, origin of evil, predestination and the like. These never presented a practical difficulty to any man,—never darkened across any man’s road, who did not go out of his way to seek them. These are the mumps and measles and whooping coughs of the soul. And those who have not caught them, cannot describe their health nor prescribe the cure.

And whilst thus the health and the satisfaction of the soul are in its nature secured, not less provision has been made for its acquisition. Always it goes forth to the conquest of the world. Always we are learning the nature of things. Nothing is so carefully secured as this, that whilst we live we shall learn.