The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-27

of the twelve apostles. was a fair example.
When told that Christ had been seen since
His resurrection he promptly replied: "Un-
less | shall see in His hands the print or
the nails. and put my finger into the print
OF the nails, and thrust my hand into his
side. / will not believe. This was after
ward granted him, but we do not read that
he was denounced for his unbelief But how
is the modern agnostlc to be convinced?
be experienced" meaning, no doubt, what
is referred 10 when we speak of "a change or
heart in which one experiences strange
emotional feeling. thrilling sensation,
which lightens the heart and causes the
lips TO break out in songs or praise But
one can experience this and still doubt, Tor
how shall he know the source of all this?
1t may be. after ALL nothing but emotion,
just as one may experience the pain OF q
burn, but, not knowing or seeing the cause,
will not be able to tell whether ii was
caused by fire or electricity. The mind
wants proof as well as the nerves. and there
are intellectual obstacles to be surmounted;
The idea of God must be rational one and
one in conformity with our present ideals
of mercy and justice to be acceptable 10
many The agnostic is tod to believe or
he damned" and, not being able to believe,
he often maps out his own course deter
mined to follow what he believes TO be the
truth, wherIVSr II may .ead m. tie a.. 0 mas
his views on morality, justice and mercy,
and. though it Is constantly dinned INTO ms
ears that these will not save him, he con-
tinues on in the even tenor of his way. In
proof thereof that morality is not sufncient,
Christ is quoted when speaking of the
Phsrisees: Unless your righteousness eX-
coed that of the scribes and Pharisees, we
can in no wise enter the kingdom of
heaven" Let us see if these Pharisees had
any righteousness whatever. Hear the de-
nunciatiOnS of Jesus: Woe unto you hypo-
critics, for We devour widows houses and
for q pretense make long prayers; We nave
taken away the key of knowledge, We lead
men with burdens grievous to be borne, and
We yourselves touch not these burdens with
one of your fingers. Ye compass sea and
land to make one proselyte, and when he is
made We make him two-fold more the child
OF hell than yourselves. Outwardiiy you APP
full of iniquity. Ye pay 1.-THE on mint and
anise. but. omit the weightier matters of
justice and mercy" 1 fail to see any NOR
ality here Not only this can be said of
them, but these who prided themselves on
Moses and Abraham were continually seek
ing to entrap Jesus in some way, and We're
instrumental in bringing him to the cross
at last.
Christ used a parable at one time on the
PhariseeS which, it seems to me, justifieS
tho attitude of the moral agnostic: "A GER
tain man had two sons whom he sent into
his vineyard; the one said L will not, but
afterward repented and went: the second
said, CO. but went not. Which of the
two did the will of his father? They an,
unto them, Verify. l say unto the pub
leans and harlots go INTO the klngdom pc, De,
depends upon his creed. in which he be-
lieves with heart and soul, gives literally to
the missionary fund.- even claims to have
the love of God in his heart. but fails to
see the misery and poverty of his fellow
man at his very door. pays no attention to
the social problems of the day, forgetting
entirely the words of the Master in whom
he processes to believe, IF you love not
your brother whom you can see, how can
you love God?' On the other hand the
moral agnostic, having no heaven to aspire
to and no reward to expect. turns his at
tention to the practical things of life. He
may not have the love of God" in his heart
if viewed from the orthodox standpoint, but
he has often keen sense of justice and
mercy. He may not dream of mansions in
the skies but he sees the novels of the poor
and oppressed. and asks himself the ques-
ton. why is this So-is there no remedy?"
He does what little he can in bringing about
the promised reign of Righteousness on
earth. Who is doing the will of God in this
case? C1AS. H. KRACSE.
IndiannnnIiS Dec %