The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-06-23


The word Atheism IL out Of place ms ap-
picd to the religion Of India. Tho ancient
Hndoos had neither the Gee, of tho Homerc
singer. nor the eco, Of Elcatic philosophers.
Their Atheism would more correctly DO called
Adovism. denial of the old Devas. Such a. de-
nial. however. OF what WIS once believed but
could be believed no longer. 40 far from being
the destruction. IL in reality the vital principle
Of all religion. The ancient Aryans felt from
the beginning the presence Of Beyond Of an
Infinite. of Divine. or whatever else we may
call II now and they tried to grasp and conf
prchcnd II by giving 1t numo after name. They
thought they had found il in the Mountains and
Rivers. In tho SKY. the Heaven. md the Heaven
father. But after every name there came tho
No. What they looked for WIS not the Noun
tains, not the Dawn. not the SKY. not Father.
II was something Of all that, hut n WIS also
more than all that. Even such general names
as lrvn could no longer satisfy ihenL There
may Ice DeVHs. they said hut we wnni more
higher word. a pur"r thought They denied
the DeVas not because they believed or desired
less hut more. There WIS u new conception
working IN the Aryan mind. and the Dr,cs OF
despair were the harbngrrs u new birth.
So It has been, so II alway~ Will be. There IL an
atheism which is unto death: there IL another
which is the very life-hlood II all true faith. II
Is IN" power Of giving w " nat. IN our best IN our
most honest moments. W. know to be- NO longer
true; II j. the readiness to replace tho less per-
feet however dear II may have been 20 us. by
the more perfect. however much II may NJ de-
testad as vet. by others II Is the true srii-sut-
render. the true self-sarricr. the trucsi truth
in truth, the trurst faith. Without that atheism
no now religion, no reform, no reformation. no
rcsuscitation. would ever have been possible;
without that atheism no new life ~ possible for
any onr of rs. In the eyes Of the BrnhlnAns
Buddha was an atheist; in tho eyes 81 tho
Athenlhns. Socrates was an atheist IN ihr eyes
of the lhHrisees. ST. Paul was an atheist; IN
the eyes of his Swiss judges SorVctus WAS an
AT ~ If..at HNf.FN nm a
WAS yearning after higher and purer concep-
ton Of God than what he had learnt A. a rhid'
Let no one touch religion, b" he rlrrgyman "
ayman. who j. afraid Of asking himself Dol
believe in God ~ or Do | notY' ! viii qnnle
the words of Il great divine. lately decreased
whose honesty and piriy have never been li's-
toned; "Gnd II u great word. He WHO lerlh
Justly of those who confess THAI they dnf. ny
say that they hrllcv' in Goi.' know peri'rlY
well that what have Just said viii b" mi5nn,
derstood. VIII probably b" misinterpreird |
know shall be- accused Of having Defended 4
glorlrd atheism, and ~ having rcprrs"il'h IL
~ Tn" highest point man cnn secure IN An tNI,
luton of religious thought. Let II ne -n' u
there are hut Il few here present VINO uhh'I,
stand what | mean hy honest atheism, hnn
who know how II din - from Vulgar a'hel,H'
or from dishonest atheism | shhll 20" SUE
fed For know that 20 understand TINS 9lei,
helps ia in m" hour of our sor"sl n''l' ~
Will truch rs thft while the old leave arc
falling, the lruNrs Of bright aud hhlp1
spring. and all seems wiuiry and irW'h uUt
dead within ana arouud us. there II ana il.le ~
now spring IN store Tor every warm anu IlN 80 -
heart. II will teach ne THAI honest d1uli - u5n
deepest source ~ honest inith. and thai h' ohP
who has lost can find.