What Word in Our Tongue is the Most Significant? - Part II

Readers of the Sunday World in Many Parts of the Country Join in the Debate Started by Tesla, Crawford, Mabie and Lathrop.

The solution of the problem as to what word in our language contains within itself the most vital significance may never be reached to the satisfaction of all men, but the educational value of the discussion, begun by Nikola Tesla, F. Marion Crawford, Hamilton W. Mabie and George Parsons Lathrop in the Sunday World last week is readily understood.

The subjoined letters from readers of The World in various parts of the country prove that the research for the word of words contains in itself a fascination that has been productive of a good deal of mental friction distinctly beneficial in its results. The assertion frequently made that the people of this country are materialistic in their tendencies and unphilosophical in their general mode of thought is a proposition that does not stand the test of investigation.

It is not too much to say that no man can fail to derive mental and moral stimulation in seeking the word that is to him the most significant of all words. In his search — even if he reaches no satisfactory conclusion regarding the question at issue — he will come upon unexpected depths of meaning both in words and the things they stand for that may serve as a revelation to him of the wonders of the universe.

“UNIVERSAL” CHOSEN.

To the Editor of The World:

The question propounded by the Sunday World “What is the most significant word in our tongue?” is timely and proper. There should be and is such a word. For the soul comes here to its fate and its mission perceiving and reflecting, and as it contemplates itself and its surroundings it must evolve a word or a name for the whole act, fact and substance of its being and relations.

The Germans characterize the whole objectively as “this,” meaning all that is known, and then supplement or complement “this” with “the other,” meaning all that “this” might have been, the room it fills, the negation of its not being at all, and so on.

The word which the question seeks is obviously a general and not a special one, as “color” or “form” might be the most significant word in pictorial art, or as, among the sentiments, “home,” “heaven,” “mother” might be most significant to an idiosyncrasy. The most significant word should signify or signalize the most for the intelligence and satisfaction of the race.

The words suggested by your correspondents in last Sunday’s World will be found deficient in generality and comprehension. They were “nature,” “light,” “life” and “faith.”

The word “nature” is lacking in any suggestion of its own reason or necessity, and, besides, “nature” is all in the present tense. The words “intelligence,” “space,” “eternity” are fully as comprehensive, but they, too, are only partial, one-sided.

The word “light” is of the same order, being only an element of intellectual distinction, of which “darkness” is the counterpart. Surely it were bad if all the light went out; but for the darkness to go out were equally calamitous. There is no more distinction in pure light than in pure darkness, for distinction is by contrast, and the white lines and the dark are of equal importance in the picture.

“Life” is another partial word, having significance only in contrast with its opposite. All sensation is through contrast. How shall one know he is alive — alive! with emphasis, distinction, eclat — save as he knows the opposite of life, the dark ground on which it shines and triumphs? Life is but a half of the mystery of being, and we are just equally conscious and unconscious. It was long ago perceived that being and not being, if not the same, are at least equal parts of the same.

As for “faith,” there seems to be no more in the word than in “patience,” “magnanimity” and many others.

Finally, a philosopher would say, professionally and technically, that the great and ultimate expression which the soul has learned is “the universe” — the one-all — that which contains all opposition and has itself no opposite, the identity of all possible difference, and that most significant single word is “universal.”

BENJ. PAUL BLOOD.
Amsterdam, N. Y., May 21.

A VOTE FOR “TRUTH.”

To the Editor of The World:

In answer to the question “What word is the most significant?” I will say “truth.” The problem you present would make a good subject for the next debate between Harvard and Yale.

FRANK W. GILL.
West Everett, Mass., May 24.

“ENVIRONMENT” SELECTED.

To the Editor of The World:

Anent your discussion of the most significant word in our language in the Sunday World of May 24, and the selection of a separate word by each of the great writers and thinkers whose letters you publish, permit me to present the word “environment,” which to my mind suggests the greatest significance of all words.

The force of this word’s meaning flashed through my mind while I was reading the letters of Nikola Tesla, Marion Crawford and George Parsons Lathrop.

Each of these gentlemen selects the word which his own intellectual environment and life-long studies suggest. Why should not Nikola Tesla regard the word “nature” as most replete with significance to him, when throughout his life all his mental energies have been spent in an effort to analyze that vast correlation of forces which is indicated by the one word he selects as the most important of all?

Or perhaps on second thought “light” seemed to Tesla the greater word, though in reality the lesser of the two he selects, for the especial occupation of this great inventor is the analysis of the mysterious forces which enter into nature’s light in order that he may artificially reproduce an effulgence as glorious as the sun’s.

Now what word does Marion Crawford select? The word “life.” Is not this most natural and the immediate effect of his mental environment? Crawford, though a novelist, is a profound student of the occult, and his greatest productions have found their motif in these studies. What more natural than that his mental environment, associated so closely with the vastness and mystery of that infinite product of forces still undiscovered which we call “life,” should suggest that word to him as supremely significant?

But most suggestive of all is George Parsons Lathrop’s selection of the word “faith.” An ardent and devoted Catholic, what more natural than that to him the word which is the very essence and source of all religious enthusiasm should loom up as at once the most beautiful and forceful of all the words in our language?

If any clergyman were asked for his word he would probably select “God” or “Jesus” or “bible” or “prayer” or, as did Lathrop, “faith.” If Ingersoll were asked he would doubtless select the word “liberty,” for his whole life battle has been waged against mental tyranny and oppression. If Herbert Spencer were asked his selection would doubtless be “science” or “evolution” or some kindred word.

In short, each thinker will select that word as the most significant in our language which his own mental habits, consequent on his environment, would suggest.

When we consider the importance of environment in every state and condition of existence we see at once how it supersedes in significance all other words.

What were “life” itself without environment? Is it not the direct product of environment, whether studied from the physicist’s or occultist’s view point?

The complexion of “faith” itself is tinted wholly by the environment, as Mr. Lathrop himself unwittingly admits when he asserts that the agnostic or atheist has his faith in man as the Christian in God. He might further have shown that the merchant has faith in his goods, the farmer in the soil and the seasons, the chemist in his solutions, the murderer in his weapons and the burglar in his “nerve.”

As the child’s future hangs upon his pre-natal environment and each successive stage of his growth even till he goes down into “the valley of the shadow of death” is formed and fashioned by his companions, his opportunities, his studies, his pursuits, his luck — in short, by his environment — it is evident that that word is of all others the most significant to every individual and should be most carefully studied, that its effects upon human life and character may be apprehended, its dangers avoided and its assistance to higher and nobler fortune sedulously courted.

HENRY FRANK.
Providence, R. I., May 25.

“CONSCIENCE” THE WORD OF WORDS.

To the Editor of The World:

In my opinion the most significant word is “conscience.” In light or in darkness, even without faith, it will make one happy or unhappy.

EMMA L. RUGGLES.
Elizabeth, N. J., May 24.

ALL THINGS IN “LOVE.”

To the Editor of The World:

In to-day’s issue of the Sunday World the question is asked as to what word is of the most importance. To my thought “love” stands first of all. Its power was made manifest at the creation of mankind, and it has governed all human destiny since then.

All Christian people acknowledge the divine love which caused Christ to give his life to save all sinners. Love of God has prompted men and women of all ages to make the greatest sacrifices, and love of suffering humanity has been the power to bring thousands to its aid.

Again, what is so strong as purely human love. Witness the love of a mother for her children, a husband for his wife and wife for her husband.
There is no hope in life unless it is brightened by the love of some person or thing. Love has been trampled upon, deceived, betrayed and abused, but ever and always arises above all. Faith is beautiful, so is hope, and “charity covereth a multitude of sins,” but they can be crushed, while love lives forever.

Mr. Tesla finds his ideal word in “nature.” He is the nearest to it, as nature is God and God is love. Look back through the past ages and love of many things prompted all the great deeds that have been done, not always in a good cause it is true, but love was the keynote. Love of greed, love of fame, love of power and too often human love alone, neither good nor pure, perhaps — but love.

There is no word which covers such a world of different meanings. The whole brute creation love and protect their young; the savage loves his wild home and family and will fight to the death for them.
All men love liberty and no risk is too great to run for it. In fact, not one act of our lives but is governed by a love of good or evil. It is supreme.

A. J. S.
New Haven, Conn., May 24.

ARGUMENTS FOR “HOPE.”

To the Editor of The World:

The most significant word in our language in my opinion is “hope.” It plays a part in our every action, aspiration or ambition. Life would be a barren waste without it; humanity could not exist without it, for it is hope that sustains life. When hope is gone suicide is the result.

No one would work, investigate or venture in any direction without hope of success to stimulate energy. I doubt if a man would feed himself without hope of benefit or pleasure from the effort. How many would struggle along through life, fighting and suffering, if it were not that they were sustained by hope of improvement?

Hope leads to all advancement and improvement.

Faith does not play as important a part as hope. Through hope we strive to reach certain ends, though we may not have faith in the ultimate results. Hope promises us a chance, even though its promises are very often delusions.

But we can have faith in but very little in this world, as all things here are changeable. Hope of better things beyond this life encourages us to lead a better life, even though we may not have faith in a future world.

So neither life nor faith would count for much without hope to stimulate and sustain them. It would be impossible to enumerate the different parts that hope plays in this world. Even life itself is subservient to it.

PROF. SEGNO.
Pittsburg, Pa., May 24.

“TRUTH” THE VITAL WORD.

To the Editor of The World:

In all phases of life, in all departments of usefulness and progress, in all science, art, beauty, in history, in research, in all faith and love, is not “truth” the vital word?

ORPHA MARIE CONKLIN.
Brooklyn, May 24.

A VOTE FOR “LOVE.”

To the Editor of The World:

I think the most significant word is “love.” Love is the “lever that moves the world.” Love to God has inspired Christians, from the earliest ages, to wondrous deeds of heroism and martyrdom.

No monarch can compel the loyalty of the heart, but love of home and country inspires the patriot to noble heroism that ends in death or victory.

Emerson says: “‘Love’ is our highest word and the synonym of God,” and “its existence makes the world rich.”

What a lonely world it would be if we had not love! As a woman I would claim the palm for the word “love,” for “‘tis woman’s whole existence.”

AGNES B. WAUTERS.
Bayonne, N. J., May 26.