The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-04-24
WHY'S AND wHEREFoREs.


Somehow or other the general world IL
very much afraid Of q man who deals 700
much in why's and wherefores." Ana IN
clines rather to him who does things because
he thinks 80. and because he chooses.
1t ia perfectly true that al creation IS
marked by reason and design and ORDER
grand and all-embracIng purpose, ana oy
methods and operations in beautiful harmony
tending so It's accomplishment. All the WORKS
of the Almighty sing together and praise MN
rs absolute good-the centre and source OF
al light.
The poet handsomely tells of the heavens
IN your harmony sublime
read the doom OF distant time:
That mans degenerate soul from crime
Shall yet be drawn.
And reason oer this mortal cline
Immortal dawn
Human knowledge and intellectual light 10
pretty much covered by the words. 10
know the causes and meanings of things.
Seeking these is the pursuit OF knowledge.
Allow all that to be true. and still the common
run of US plain practical people are dis'rust-
full Of the man who gives US too much reason
ing.
Not only 90, bu. that sort Of brother very
soon gets to be monstrous bore. lie ought
TO be a success people ought TO be glad 70
have his good advice; he ought to be accepta-
bic everywhere; and yet he does not seem 10
work well; people are not convinced by him.
though they seem to be. and close their own
mouths and stop talking when he has proved
oil his propositions; then they just 60 their
own way. The unlucky generally can tell US
all about how to make great successes.
There is a sad defect in these reasonable
people and miserable fallacy IN their rea-
soning that makes their rights all wrong
and;nips all their followers in the bud. 1t
is this. that human reason is very failiole and
human observations. at best. are very mac
curate and incomplete. Still. farther. while
reason is allowed to be rightly entitled TO
sovereignty everywhere. vet with mankind
if soon becomes a servant OF the ruling passion
and. with all its high birth and grace and
grandeur and pretention. the mere mistress
of real depravity and minister OF low desires.
French communistic philosophy made shame
of its glory, and confessed the truth when IL
presented human reason TO the wor!d
in the person Of a courtesan.
In mems affairs generally reason is little
more than a mechanical power or appliance.
ike steam or electricity, the lever wheel and
axle or inclined plane. 1t Is called in when
il is needed like Launcelot Gobbos con-
science. IL Is used TO dignity or justify
or overawe. But. in far the majority
of cases, it is only an engine IN the pay or
employment Of interest or ambition. 1t
is a power used wherever man stirs, al
most as commonly as his hands or feet.
Wherever one man expects to influence an
other it is by reason in one shape or another
whether il be to make him buy quack med
icine or TO vote for president. In every
case it gets its dignity and honor or
shame sfrom ito employer, and is good or
bad as it is used for good or evil.
1t is power, as steam or electricity is a
power. 1t IS identified with power, but not
with truth or honor or right Therefore the
plea OF power of bare logic or reasoning is
only the plea of might. not of truth or of
right or of wisdom. or even of expediency or
profit. And so the man who deals too much
in why's and wherefores is not necessarily
reasonable or sensible man. He IS merely
making free with IA power that may be very
dangerous. The light of human reason has
made wrecks enough.
What is known as cOmmOn-sense and Judg-
mept in mems affairs is not a thing of dlalec-
tics and syllogisms. 1t is character and
quality of mind aud heart. and deals very
little in words and reasonings. but speaks
with authority. 1t comes of long experience
and observation and thinking. IL Is like the
power of the sun that Strengthens while 1t
enliehtens And the word wisdom embraces
qualities of heart and mind together, quail
ity of soul Facts speak for themselves.
and the way we look at them fairly or OBJ
hauely. Understandings or darkiy, determines
the truth or falsehood of the tale they tell.
If thine eye be single, thy whole body shall
be full of light but if thine eye be evil, thy
whole body shall be full Of darkness. And if
the light that is in thee be darkness, how
great is that darkness" The more you rea-
son on false premises the more absurd you
will become. And how can your reason get
YOU out of a trouble into which all its power
is forcing you? Thy word is lamp unto my
feet and q light unto my eyes"