The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-05-29
it gives us fresh strength to descend
into the vale of experience and go at

There is wave of occultism sweep
ing over our land. Oriental mystic
ism is everywhere rife. We are told
that the wonderful Mahatmas of the
East possess the secrets of life and
are able to open up the future to our
gaze. In all our great cities there
are cults of Orientalism of different
types; theosophy, Science of Being,
Christian Science, and others which
are all founded on the basis of intu-
ition. 1t would be unjust to deny to
these systems some measure of truth
or to wholly reject the basis on which
they rest. We should welcome all
new truth they may bring to us; but
here there is especial need that we
keep our balance, else we shall be
swept off our feet into the abysses of
insanity which yawn beneath all this
mysticism. In the discovery of truth,
logical understanding is not wholly
sufficient. Spiritual insight plays
its part; but we must always test our
intuitions by experience, reason, and
common sense; else they will lead us
into all sorts of vagaries and falsities.
1t is easy to mistake passing
thought, an inference, or even pred
JUDGE for true intuition. Certain it
is that dabbling in this sort of mys-
ticism often units people for the
practical work of life. 1t is to this
test of experience that we must bring
our dreams. If they strengthen us
for life's work and duties, we may
welcome them as truths; if they tend
to put us out of touch with our COM
mon daily tasks, they should be alb
jured as errors.
This is true of our relations to the
life that is to come. We shall not
live this life Alright except as we live
in sight of the eternal things. The
thought of immortality has been the
inspiration and strength of many a
weary soul here amid the shifting
scenes of earthly life. The vision of
that glorious life to come is often
necessary to us in this present time.
To deprive ourselves of it and never
to lift our eyes to it is to lose much
Of the power and beauty out of this
life. Yet we must remember that we
have right to pause amid our work
for these visions only as they help
us to do larger work.
We sometimes murmur because
the life to come is hid from our gaze;
but not unwisely has God so ordered
it. We are in this life now, and the
thought of this life should be SUI
preme with us. We shall rightly ad-
just ourselves to life as eternal, only
as we are content to live in this
world while we are in it, studying its
laws, searchings out its secrets, mas
tering its opportunities, and waiting
patiently for Gods time of lifting
the veil which separates us from
knowledge of the life to come. This
life is part of the eternal life, and we
are to live in it as such, seeking to
fill it with all the glory that belongs
to life eternal.
Preserving the Balance.
So it is that between work and
play, between the service of others
and the culture and enjoyment of
our own lives, between the mystical
and the practical, between attention
to the life which now is and the
bordering on the life that is to come,
between the seen and unseen, the
intuitive and the experimental, our
little bridge of life. swings like that
slender wire above the chasm at Nj
agara, and happy is he who can
keep his balance upon it. To sway
too far in either direction means the
ruin of life. We are not to toll to
the neglect of play and rest. We
are not to be SO selfish as to disre-
gard the wants and rights of others;
nor are we to wholly neglect the
good of our own lives. We are to
see our visions; but must perform
our tasks. But, amid the many in
| fuences that sway us this way and
that, we must follow the shining
path of duty, though it be but
strait and narrow way; and following
it, though the abysses yawn at our
feet, the infinite heavens will be
over our heads. To exercise our
selves in goodness is the only safe
and sure way of life. Bodily exer-
else, recreation and amusement are
profitable for little; but godliness
is profitable unto all things, having
promise of the life which now is and
of the life which is to come.
1t is common thought that in
godliness, which means not merely
righteousness, but also the aspira-
ton for divine living, lies our prom
Use of the life to come; but we also
need to realize that in goodness
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