The herald., 1895-12-16

wretchedness in this world-and all worlds.
"As to the cause, or causes, OF evil, we
must again distinguish between primal ana
producing causes. The primal cause Is the
object or purpose of a thing, while the pro-
ducing cause of thing is the manner or
means of bringing it about. In consider
ing the primal cause of evil, both the tne-
ological and the metaphyscan recognize
rationale purpose OF its existence. b't
they reason from different standpoints.
The theologian views the subject with rel
erence to the will of God, while the meta
physician reasons from the essential ma
ture of things. The theologians diflcr
among themselves. and likewise the meta
physicians. The oriental religions, baslng
their systems on pllrality-at least 2
duality of God attribute evil TO the evil
God and good To the good. liz the so-called
Christian theology. there are two opposing
theories of evil. One, the CaIvinistc, at
tributes evil, with everything else, directly
to the sovereign will of God, while the Ar
mnin school attributes 1t to me
the "permissive'' will of God. Some of the
metaphy sical philosophers attribute it to
the inherent imperfection of matter, while
others explain it on the theory OF a neces-
sary duality in the constitution OF the UNI
verse. This theory holds good to be the
ultimate end of all things, but claims that
in the very nature of things two opposite
and answering forces are necessary as fac
tors in the great problem of resu is. This
view, being in accord with the manifest
facts and methods of nature, seems near
the truth. The opposite sexes in the pro-
duction of organic life, the opposite poles
in the electric current. the lights and shad-
ows essential to the picture. the concord
and the discord contributing to the highest
effects of music. the action and reaction IN
physics, with many other instances OF dll-
plex correspondence in nature, would indl-
cate with good degree OF certainty that
the good and evil of the world are only an
other pair of factors in natures dual plan.
Provided always that the evil is only
means, not an end, and that it is to become
less and less necessity as the good is de-
veloped towards completion.
This suggests our last thought-the cure
of evil. 1t also suggests the method OF
come evil with good" This is truly the
'survivaI of the iittest." Evils which are
useful-that is, useful in building up the
good-are already cured when the good is
accomplished, just as the scaitoldlng dis
appears when the building is completed.
But those evils which are not useful Tor
good. but breeders of evil worse and worse,
these are wrong in themselves, no part OF
natures plan, proceeding from abused lib
erty, and must be destroyed by a wise use
of liberty. Among this class of evils are
political corruption, economic injustice,
monopoly, poverty, crime, competition;
gambling dives. drinking hells, sexual
degradation. and the whole vile brood of
evils which blight and curse society by the
majority vote of society. For abornlna-
tions like these, let us hold neither God
nor nature responsible. but remember the
blame is on ourselves. and the disgrace and
misery on ourselves and our children. till
We becOm wise enough anu civilized
enough to vote the curses out of society as
,va have voted them in.