New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-05-01
MOLTKE'S BELIEF STATED.
HIS RELIGIOUS FAITH AND HIS HOPE OF
ETERNAL LIFE.

Marshal Count Uelmuth Motke. just Published III
Berlin is that containing his confession Of faith lie
entitled it Consons Thoughts upon the Life on Earl"
and Confidence in the Life Eternal and left IT as an
inheritance and guide for his family. 1t was written
in tho stiffness OF Creisau, his country seat and was
correctod four times. The last Transcript was madc
few months before he called to his fathers.
4Mon. e. he writes feels himself Individual en-
trctv separated from the rest Of the world, crcum-
scrilcd by the bodily covering which serves as
dwelling place for the soul while on earth
Yet prefer to see in this entirety functions which,
intimately connected and governed by the soul, stll
have an independent existence.
Ont Of the darkness Of our origin the body de-
velops first Nature works rsticssly in the growing
child and prepares in it the dwcngrlace for higher
organs The acme Of perfection is attained by the
BODY before the period OF It's life is half over and from
the supcrluity of its power new life awakens From
that point there is only decay. with the hard struggle
for the maintenance of ones existence
During perhaps n third Of that existence passed IN
sloen tLc body receives no commands from It's mis-
ress but the heart beats away. the matter changes
and respiration is carried without our voiti)n
Yet the powers OF the servants enable TO resist even
these commands when. for instance. ciamp draws
the muscles together. But pain is the cry for help
and support when the living bodily function has lost
It's power over the dead matter-wllat we feel TO be
the sickness OF the body
After ALL We must recognize the body indeed. as
a part Of our being. yet rs sohe'hihs ioTeieh W "''
self
rs then the soul the real ego an ihniNiduhi' IN
scparablc entirety
Reason the mind, rs long IL IS not retarded by
the body" continues the Count, Il grows b. slow de-
grecs to even greater PERFECTION even to the days OF
old age. The judgment increases with the luni Oh
human experiences but memory. the nod carrier OF
thought, weakcns earlier. or better, loses the power
Of receiving fresh impressions Wonderful Indeed, Is
chic ~ mind the
results of learning and experience. ready for the mo
mcntary Of the intellect
1t cannot be denied that age often seems blunt
and stupid: but cannot believe in real Gardening
reason, for II Is bright spark OF The rody even III
insanity the observation IS only outward. apparent
The deaf mute who strikes proper notes upon an IN
srument ont OF tune be conscious of correct play
ms while others only hear hi, confused dscoids
The intellect. reason. Is sovereign: 1t recognizes
no authority above il power. not even onfse can
compel it 10 accept rs wrong wat 1t has recognized
pur 81 muovc!
The thinking mind travels through the endless
distances Of the shining stars. throws ont the pump
line Into the uniathomable depths OF the smallest HE
nowhere does it find limits. but evcrywhcrc order.
the direct expression Of the thought divine The
stone falls on sirius according 10 the sane Law Of
gavitation as on earth; the distances OF the planets
the chemical mi Nture Of the elcnJntS. are founded
upon arithmetical relations. and everywhere the same
cause, have effects, Law. and not chance. IS
everywhere IN Nature.
1t Is true adds the Count. that reason cannot
grasp the origin Of all things but nowhere Is reason
In conflict with order, law. which directs all things
Reason and universal order conform they must have
the same origin. And even when the impcrfection
oi all things created leads reason Into bypaths away
from truth still truth rs goal. Thus Indeed reason
comes into conflict with many venerable traditions.
Il rc-sts the wonder u Faiths dearest child IL cannot
convince itsli that the All power LIQUID md II necc,
sary Ia ovcr,hs,w. IN certain cascs-ir order to ac
compli,h its purpocsthc laws Of nature which 1ilc
IL for all time But the donbts directed against
religion. but against the forms In which II Is pre-
sentcd TO
"Christianity,p adds Moltkc raised the world from
barbahsm T. a condition OF civilization. In countries
Of activity II blottcd out slavery, ennoblei labor.
emanc patei woman and opened the way 10 eternity.
But was it the doctrine. the dogma which brought
about these blcssingsl We can come 30 conclusions
upon all Thugs except those which the human mind
cannot comprehend, and have fought for eighteen
centuries about Just such things have devastated
the world by thirty years. from the cxtrpation
Of the Aryans to the pyrcs OF TIE Inquisiion. And
what Is the result OF all these strugglosl The samo
differences Of opinions ~ before
We may accept the various crecis accept the
assurances Of true friend without examining them
but the kernel Of all religions is the moral which they
teach. and the proioundc,t and deepest is that OF
Christianity. And yet people speak contemporary
Of the morale and pay most attention 10 the forms IN
which 1t T. given. fear that the Jealous occupant
Of the pulpit who will persuade where he cannot con
vince will preach Christians from the church. Morc
over should every pous prayer. be It objected to
Bhudda, to Allah Jehovah. reach the God.
be,ides whom there Is monet Does not the mother
hear the prayers If her child It matters not In what
language II T. lrpcd
Reason is In conflict with the morale: the
a 4 dina ala mail. ,ut in
cordance herewith does not depend upon reason.
There tho sovereign soul decides the soul Of feeling.
sensation the voon. To It alone and not 10 the
vaSsal. gave the two-cdecd sword Of free Will.
this tft which, according 10 the Scriptures leads 10
eternal happiness 10 damnatlOn.
But "a tni-tworhy councillor Is also given 10 rs.
Independent OF ourselves 1t has It's penlpoteniary
authority from God Himself. Conscience is the in
corruptibc and nfalnbc judge who gives his decision
every moment when with to hear It. and whose
voice last reaches him who does wish hear.
The laws established by mankind draw men 10 the
courts ~ justice Ony 10 account for their actions.
for their thoughts and sensations rvcn the various
religions require different things among different
peoples. Here religion requires that the SUNDAY be
kept holy there, the Friday the saturday. One
allows cnjoymcns forbidden by the other. But be-
tween the allowable and the forbidden there IS always
wide space and there the fine voice OF conscience Is
raised. 1t tells that every day should be devoted
to the Master that the legal Interest should not
be taken from the oppressed. In word. 10 breaches
the morale I'm the breast of Christian and Jew Of
heather and wild man. For, even among the least
civilized peoples, ignorant Of Christianity. the funda
mental ideas Of the good and the bad the same
Even they look upon breach Of faith the lie betrayal
and ingratitudc A. bad. To them the bold between
parents, children and relatives l. also holy. H. g.
difficult TO believe In the general dcpravty Of the
human race because however darlcncd by barbara IN
decisions. there still lies I'm every breast the germ of
the good. the feeling Of appreciation for the noble
and the beautiful, the conscience which shows
the right way. Can there be better
proof, Sorc convincing proof Of the
existence Of God than this appreciation Of right and
wrong, common TO all than this harmony Of law
both in the physical and moral world ? ONLY Nature
mist obey the law Internationally, while man. be-
cause free. has the possibility OF violating IT,
Bodies and reason" continues M0tkc serve