satisfied. The requirements of his wondrously wrought constitution must all
A woebegone stranger consulted a physician about his health. The physician advised him to keep up his spirits by going to hear the great comic actor of the day: "You should go and hear Matthews. He would make you well." "Alas, sir," was the reply, "I am Matthews himself!"
1. To be truly happy—the highest needs of a man's nature must be met and satisfied. The requirements of his wondrously wrought constitution must all be filled up. There must be nothing about him that cries, "Give, give," but cries in vain and gets no answer. The horse and the ox are happy—as long as they are warmed and filled. And why? It is because they are satisfied. The little infant looks happy when it is clothed, and fed, and well, and in its mother's arms. And why? Because it is satisfied. And just so it is with man. His highest needs must be met and satisfied—before he can be truly happy. All must be filled up. There must be no void, no empty places, no unsupplied cravings. Until then, he is never truly happy.
And WHAT are man's principal needs? Has he a body only? No! He has something more! He has a soul. Has he sensual faculties only? Can he do nothing but hear, and see, and smell, and taste and feel? No! He has a thinking mind and a conscience! Has he no consciousness of any world, but that in which he lives and moves? He has. There is a still small voice within him which often makes itself heard: "This life is not all! There is an unseen world! There is a life beyond the grave!" Yes! it is true. We are fearfully and wonderfully made. All men know it—all men feel it, if they would only speak the truth. It is utter nonsense to pretend that food and clothing and earthly things alone—can make men happy. There are soul-needs. There are conscience-needs. There can be no true happiness—until these needs are satisfied.
2. To be truly happy—a man must have sources of gladness which are not dependent on anything in this world. There is nothing upon earth which is not stamped with the mark of instability and uncertainty. All the good things