As illustrations of enthusiasts think of St. Paul with his tremendous missionary energy, Socrates, Wilberforce, John Howard, and, in our days, of the women, the "pioneers," who fought against apparently insuperable difficulties for the opening of the medical profession and a university career for themselves and other women.
Secondly, enthusiasm in a good cause forms and moulds the mind by giving it some definite object of pursuit, which prevents aimlessness of purpose, waste of time and capabilities, and selfishness; it ennobles it by raising it above trivial or low thoughts, by attuning it to higher melodies than those of this earth, and by breeding in it single-mindedness and fostering sincerity, "which is the first characteristic of all men in any way heroic" (Carlyle). Browning and Michael Angelo, two powerful workers themselves, bear testimony to this ennobling influence of enthusiasm, for the former in his Saul writes—
"'Tis not what man does which exalts him,
But what man would do,"
and the latter, "Nothing makes the soul so pure, so religious, as the endeavour to create something perfect; for God is perfection, and whoever strives for perfection strives for something that is God-like."
My third reason scarcely needs comment, for all will instantly recall the command that "men should always pray and not faint," His parable of the importunate widow, and His commendation of Mary because "she hath done what she could" and had brought her best to her Lord. But apart from what He said, ought not the whole life of "the Perfect Head and Pattern of Mankind" to be a direct incentive to enthusiasm?
Next, I would suggest some subjects for enthusiasm.
One which should throw its glamour over us all, and should spur us ever onward and upward, is "the great thought of our immortality," or, as a writer puts it, "We must shape our life under the government of the life to come," however many difficulties there may be in trying to do so. And, if we are brought under the spell of this great thought, it creates enthusiasm, for "to keep before us the real outlook of the soul is to refuse persistently to drift with the stream. We have to take care to watch wisely and sternly over our wills, to keep our eye on the spring of our actions, to be careful about the decisions we make, and to be earnest in watching against mere slackness of will in carrying out those decisions which we know to be right." And if this thought—which yet was to them no definite thought, but only a misty conception and the vaguest of hopes—exercised such domination over the souls of some of the ancient heathens as to cause them to lead spotless, blameless lives, what should its effect be on us now, who know that it is no idle fancy, but a thing to hold and live by?
Further, I like to see people enthusiastic about their family and home, about the ordinary duties that lie to hand, about the place in which they live, and so on. For assuredly nothing is more hateful—the word is strong, but it is the right one—nothing, I repeat, is more hateful than to hear girls disparaging their mothers with remarks such as, "Oh, mother does not understand us modern girls, she is so old-fashioned, you know; I never ask her opinion about anything," or to hear them complain that there is no scope for their energies in their own homes. Such as these should remember Archbishop Trench's sonnet beginning—
"Thou cam'st not to thy place by accident;
It is the very place God meant for thee;
And should'st thou there small scope of action see
Do not for this give room to discontent."
While at school be enthusiastic for it and its customs, and, if you think it not all it should be, work your hardest at rendering it more worthy of your enthusiasm, and while there set the example of doing the lessons and playing at the games with enthusiasm.