ftbe TUntveretts of ChicagoPrice $J«00 founded by john d. rockefeller Single CopiesPer Year 5 CentsUniversity RecordPUBLISHED BY AUTHORITYCHICAGOXZbe VXniveieity of Cbfcaao pressVOL Ml, NO. 23. PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY AT 3:00 P.M. SEPTEMBER 2, 1898.Entered in the post office Chicago, Illinois, as second-class matter.CONTENTS.I. The Moral Life a Work of Art. By Associate Professor W. D. MacClintock (continued) - - 135-137II. Official Notices 137III. Special Announcements for the Summer Quarter 138IV. Vesper Services for the Autumn Quarter, 1898 - 138V. The Calendar 138The Moral Life a Work of Art.BY ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR W. D. MACCLINTOCK.(Continued.*)II.The artist and the soul that strives for the beautyof holiness both are marked by a noticeable amountof enthusiasm, of elevation of spirit, of intensity inpurpose, and of joy. Ancient philosophy said thepoet was " possessed," even that he was mad. TheChristian philosopher, too, says the soul is filled withthe spirit of God. The undeveloped spirit is phlegmatic and dull. It is incapable both of curiosity andof attention. Its feelings are few, vague, and not longsustained. It does not know awe except of the largestand noisiest things. Small and oft-seen objects arenot impressive. A developing nervous system, anincreasing mental and emotional sensitiveness, a sustained curiosity and wonder, the ability to hold anidea in the mind or the mind upon an idea — thesemark advancement in mind. The artist is fascinated*See University Record, Vol. Ill, No. 22, August 26, 1898. by beauty, cannot be satisfied until he has caught andembodied it. Genius is only another name for this" possessed," rapt, creating type of mind.The artist in conduct, too, is never dull. Enthusiasm, conviction, is his compelling force and his instrument. " No virtue is safe which is not enthusiastic,"is wisely said. The heavy drifting with the stream ofcircumstance, effort only to avoid pain, rights nowrongs, and trains no lazy or rebellious instincts.These are but other ways of stating the happy acceptance of the will of God, the opening of the soul tothe influences of His spirit. Within the mind theyare the inspired, devoted, warm, positive temperswhich alone are able to organize and control the elements of the moral life, creating good spirits andgoodness toward others.All philosophies today regard as fundamental thework of the imagination in seeing the world, in producing and conserving ideals of conduct and in creating the beautiful representations or reconstructionsof Art. Said Carlyle, " Men are led by their imaginations rather than by their judgments." In art theimagination is all-wonderful. It penetrates into material, it grasps ideals, it builds the great unities ofmasterpieces, it fuses thought and emotion. Whetherit is merely the faculty that makes images, or isthat elevated mood in which all the elements of themental life are fused in the creative act — it is everywhere the artist's necessity. Is it less valuable to theone who creates beautiful states of mind or achievesbeautiful deeds ?136 UJSTIVEBSIIY RECORDIt means the grasping of an ideal. The soul has anability to win from experience types of beauty andgoodness. These form early in the mind and growand perfect themselves by later experience. It is nota mere dream, too, that these ideals and types of excellence, at least as possibilities, are in a mystery letdown to us from the eternal mind. The moral soulmust be possessed of such ideals of conduct, whichmake predetermining forms into which the soul works.God has taught the race always by concrete livingexamples which take hold upon the imagination.Today, I dare say, Jesus appeals first to our imagination and afterwards to our judgment. This imagination is but another name for faith. It enables us toendure as seeing him who is invisible. Patience willnot have its perfect work until it fascinates the eyeof the imagination as a beautiful state of mind to beplanned for and dreamed of and worked over, as onewould a work of art. Love must come to be not anabstraction, not a proposition in words, but somedefinite loving thing to be done. A trained and freeimagination forever holds before the soul beautifulideals that they may become motives for righteousness.The good man differs from another in his instinctand passion for doing good, for embodying his convictions and duties in overt acts. This is the artist'spassion for creation. Both are gifted with the powerof expression, being goaded on till the perfect thingof love or beauty be entirely accomplished. Theydiffer radically from the one who is satisfied with mereperception or thinking. They not only dream a dreamof good, but at once set out to perform it. Then themoral philosopher becomes a preacher. He says theideal we have seen must be embodied ; the kind wordwe have thought must be spoken ; the visit of condolence or pity or inspiration must be paid ; the act of self-control or sacrifice must leave the shelter of the mindand enter the fields of life. He contends that a dreamof good, an ideal accepted by the imagination, an urgency of conscience which is not performed or attempted is an injury to the mind. Each time Hamletfailed to do his duty he was left weaker for the nextresistance. Woe to him who, his hand having thusbeen set to the plow by visions, by feelings of duty, bythe sight of good deeds needing to be done, turnsback. Here is no thought of performance withoutdeep consideration, of doing without being good. Itinsists that the moral life, however, cannot developwithout accomplishment, without standing ready andeager to do the good. The laggard, the loafer, thedreamer, the mere thinker, who sees his duty butfalls feebly back from effort — that soul weakens and decays. It is the impulse followed up and carriedout, the feet forced on their way to duty, the stubborn tongue made to repent and apologize, the passions deliberately channeled and controlled, thelittle child taught — these creations both teach anddevelop our natures. " To him that knoweth to dogood and doeth it not, to him it is a sin."The spirit of work may be described as determination added to impulse. It is to be distinguished fromplay or the free activity of surplus energies, and fromlabor or the unaccepted forcing of energy. Amongthe constituent elements of work we may distinguishpowers and energies of which we are conscious ; anobligation or a necessity for employing them; anacceptance of this obligation by the judgment andfeelings ; a f orelooking, aggressive, initiating principle;determination and endurance ; and the possession ofa worthy end. Among these, in all moments of testing, the element of strong will rises into majesticimportance. The man who can work is the man whocan endure alike the shocks of surprise and the dragof strain, who can cling to his work, who can forceall powers of his nature into service, and never turnfrom his task till the thing is utterly complete.The artist must be a man of strong impulse to work.He finds at once that dreams, ideals, emotions comeeasily to him, but that art, expression, formationcome slowly. The medium of expression is alwaysdifficult to handle. The mind loves to play, to experiment, to drop the difficult work, to feel merely, to takenotes. There must come into play a compelling, coalescing force that draws them all along and flowstoward some foreseen end.The mind which is developing self-mastery andkindness must also work hard. The same featuresof laziness, of indulgence, of dodging difficulties, ofgiving up the chase, appear in the struggle for virtue.All the wonders of a moral ideal, of the beauty ofvirtue, of its marvelous service toward the perfectionof man — all these fail, and the elements fall into ruinsunless a strong will organize and control them. Thegrowing soul sets then its standard for each of thevirtues and proceeds to develop toward it. He isaware of what he does, he makes experience yieldfruit. Here he paints the landscape of contentment ;here he sings into a poem the grace of loving anenemy ; there he carves the self-poised, living statueof patience. He may die with his work unfinished,but never unattempted or abandoned. It is he whois "a workman that needeth not to be ashamed."The artist must master his tools, his materials andhis conditions. No amount of inspiration will atonefor want of skill in handling the materials of his craft.UNIVERSITY RECORD 137Knowledge of oneself, of the elements of humannature, of the possibilities of human intercourse, is anecessity for one who would grow beyond mere instinctive good or know what to do when these instinctsfail. The causes of impatience may be found in theinability to endure a sudden shock or a long continuedstrain. One's physical and mental temper in thisregard once being known, one becomes master of hisimpulses. If now he desires to be patient, the conditions of self-control are in his possession. It is possibleto know definitely what natural tendencies and whatoccasions tempt one's mind to desire evil. One mightdraw up, for example, a list of one's personal antipathies. Then with the knowledge and feeling thatone's antipathy is not sufficient ground for condemningothers, one would be in possession of the means of inhibiting one's impulses to social scorn, to personal dislikes, and finally to temperamental hatred. In the conscious life, self-knowledge must precede self -reverenceand self-control. Without this we are all the merevictims of unreasoned reactions upon conditions wedid not create. The artist knows and wields his tools,his material, his hand. The virtuous man knows hisinstincts, weaknesses, strengths, his social environment. To his central principle of faith, and his desirefor virtue he at once adds knowledge, knowing thatthis must come before temperance or patience or godliness or love.Every man expects to resist some imperial chargeof temptation, to do some noteworthy kindness, to becapable of undergoing a great trial. Most men, too,drift into thinking that they would be prepared forsuch testing at any time. The artist is a man whoknows that constant practice is the price he must payfor freedom in his work. The only nation who shouldthink of war is the one always ready. No past successes, no general feeling of ability will take the placeof ever-ready skill. The hand stiffens and weakensin idleness ; so do one's powers of love, forbearance,forgiveness, self-sacrifice.Furthermore, no soul can rise to the high point ofvirtue suddenly. There must have preceded manylong, half hidden inhibitions, good deeds, courtesies.It is the common familiar ways of daily life that yieldpreparation. The laws of the athletic field, of affairs,of scholarship, are the laws of virtue. God rewardshard work with skill and constant practice withreadiness.The world presents no more beautiful object than aready, experienced, refined moral nature. The manwho has assisted many other men to rise ; he who hasforgiven much ; she who has won a thousand patiences;the courtesy that is never off guard ; the gentleness that desires no vacation ; the truth-telling that hasbecome entirely instinctive. With what security,swiftness, beauty, such a nature comes among us !But we all know that it is virtue in season and out ofseason • — always abounding in the work of the Lord.The problem of the relation of spontaneity and self-consciousness seems much the same for both artistsand lovers of virtue. They must know themselves,their tools, environment ; they must definitely planto create the perfect thing ; yet they must be free,happy, creative, without conceit or self-seeking. Bothpass through a stage of development when their self-consciousness, their analysis, their purposing, alienateor destroy their spontaneity. It would be disastrousif men were always aware of their feelings, and didtheir good deeds in order to increase their virtues. Ifchoice must be made one should by all means chooseto be instinctive and follow his good impulses withoutknowing why or how. But our generation of mentalanalysis has taught us that self-consciousness andspontaneity are not finally antagonistic, that thenotion of mere spontaneous greatness or unconsciousgenius is a myth. We need to know the relations, thetime and place, the merit and limitations of each. Inmoments of activity we must act, and with all the joyand spontaneity possible. If the emotions and purposes are wholesome, they will carry us over all criticism, self-knowledge, and extrinsic ends. After thiswe pause and contemplate and learn. In the perfected soul, one can be good and know it, self-controlled and understand the elements and laws ofthat experience. If it were not so, we should alwaysbe children in virtue, with the child's uncertainty,changeableness, and want of discrimination.Perhaps at no point has the artist more to teach usthan in his love of beauty for itself. He, like othermen, must earn a living, must do good in the world,must win his fame. But at the moment of creationhe loses sight of all these ends, and he loves his workfor its own sake and loves the thing he makes. Thephilosophers tell us that the values of art are intrinsicand immediate. (To be concluded.)Official Notices.Official copies of the University Record for theuse of students may be found in the corridors andhalls of the various buildings in the University quadrangles. Students are requested to make themselvesacquainted with the official actions and notices of theUniversity, as published from week to week in theUniversity Record.138 UNIVERSITY RECORDSpecial Announcements for the Summer Quarter.GENERAL LECTURES.Throughout the Quarter there is given a series ofgeneral lectures by speakers representing the differentdepartments of University work. These lectureswill be given in most cases at 4:00 p.m. The roomsand subjects for each week will be published in theUniversity Record of the preceding week and postedon the bulletin boards.Associate Professor Ira Maurice Price is giving,on successive Wednesdays, a course of lectures in theAssembly Room, Haskell Museum. These are thetopics and dates :1. The World of Abraham's Day. August 312. Assyria's Light on the Book of Isaiah. September 73. The Beginning of the Old Testament. September 14Vesper Services for the Autumn Quarter, 1898.October 2. — Convocation Sunday.October 9. — Professor Charles Richmond Henderson, the University of Chicago :"New Phases of the Charity Organization Movement."October 16. — Musical Programme.October 23. — Miss Jane Addams, of Hull House :"The Ethical Ideals of Workingmen and of theirPolitics."October 30. — Musical Programme.November 6. — Professor Graham Taylor, Chicago Theological Seminary :" The Church and the Workingman."November 13. — Musical Programme.November 20. — Mrs. Florence Kelley, Chicago :"Factory Legislation and Its Claims on Philanthropists."November 27. — Musical Programme.December 4. — Associate Professor Charles Zueb-lin, the University of Chicago :"Typical English Church Movements in PracticalWork."December 11.-— Assistant Professor S. H. Clark,the University of Chicago : A reading.December 18. — Baccalaureate Sunday. Calendar.september 2-9, 1898.Friday, September 2.Chapel-Assembly : Divinity School. — Chapel, CobbHall, 10:30 a.m.Mathematical Club meets in Ryerson Physical Laboratory, Room 36, 8:00 p.m.Assistant Professor Young: " Concerning some definitionsof Geometry."Sunday, September 4.Vesper Service, Kent Theater, 4:00 p.m.Professor Caspar Rene Gregory : " The .Religious Condition of Germany."Union meeting of the Y. M. C. A. and Y. W. C. A.,Chapel, Cobb Hall, 7 : 00 p.m.Monday, September 5.Labor-Day : A holiday.Meeting of all the Divisions of the University, KentTheater, 8:00 p.m.Addresses by Mr. George Perkins, President of the International Cigar Makers' Union, and by Mr. J. C. Sikes.Tuesday, September 6.Chapel-Assembly : Senior Colleges. — Chapel, CobbHall, 10:30 a.m. (required of Senior College Students).Sociology Club meets in Faculty Room, Haskell Museum, 8:00 p.m.Miss MacDowell will give an address on Settlement Work.Wednesday, September 7.Public Lecture : " Assyria's Light on the Book ofIsaiah," by Associate Professor Price, AssemblyRoom, Haskell Museum, 4:00 p.m.Prayer Meeting of the Y. M. C. A. and Y. W. C. A.,east steps, Haskell Museum, 7:00 p.m.Thursday, September 8.Graduate Assembly. — Chapel, Cobb Hall, 10:30 a.m.Friday, September 9.Chapel-Assembly : Divinity School. — Chapel, CobbHall, 10: 30 a.m.Material for the UNIVERSITY RECORD must be sent to the Recorder by THURSDAY, 8:30 A.M., inorder to be published in the issue of the same week.