To get a lively sense of historic movement read "The Martyrdom of Man" by Winwood Reade. To get it of life today, read what you like of the rising flood of sociologic and humanitarian books and magazines of today.
When you are socially conscious—a live Human Being—your "personal problems" will take on different proportions. There is no personal trouble so great as the trouble of the world—which we have to face and conquer.
There is no personal joy so great as the joy of the world—which is ours to feel, to make, to steadily enlarge.
Change your own condition if you can, but if you cannot, spread out your life—your Human Life, till your burden is no bigger than a biscuit—to such huge consciousness.
*
"When my children were little and at home it was easy to guide and direct, but now they are in the big man-made world without judgment enough to know that the world standards are wrong, and the home standards of helpfulness and co-operation right.
I believe we are going ahead, and I'm willing enough to help build the road for others to pass over, but must my children hunger and thirst in the wilderness?"
A. This is a wide-spread problem. The trouble lies in our confounding personal and social relations. Our children are in direct connection with us physically and psychically—but not, of necessity, socially. A musician does not necessarily have musical children; a reformer does not necessarily have reforming children. There is no reason why our children should be expected to see things as we do. They may never see the way out of the wilderness as we see it.
They are to love and serve, to shelter, guard, teach—and set free!
We must do our work—and they must do theirs.