Worry, the disease of the age / by C.W. Saleeby.

  • Saleeby, C. W. (Caleb Williams), 1878-1940.
Date:
1907
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Worry, the disease of the age / by C.W. Saleeby. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    itself, in many of its aspects, as one of these. I will venture on the generalisation that most religions show signs of having been produced in order to relieve and avert worry—whether about the past or the future, life or death, this world or the next. Many a mighty fane, many a mighty Church, testify to the means which man has consciously or unconsciously adopted in order to meet the needs created by his unique psychical characteristic, the recognition of the self, and of the past, and of the future. For, after all, the worth of life is to be estimated, whatever materialists of a certain school may tliink, by one criterion alone. Human life is worth Hving, not in virtue of great discoveries or empires or banking ac- counts, or armies or navies or cities. “ Only in the consciousness of individuals is the worth of life experienced ” : it may do for the ants and the bees to achieve mere social efficiency, but this, as such, is nothing in the eyes of self-conscious man. In the words of the Declaration of Independence, ‘‘ every man is entitled to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” When one dares to mention happiness as the end of life, foolish people commonly speak as if one were thinking of race-courses or low music-halls, or wine, or worse. But the word happiness, as used in the Bible and other classics, has no such base meaning—“ But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye.” There is no human end but happiness.