The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-25
LIFE HERE AND uEBEAFrER.
Discussion or the Utiity or ReiiEisn By n CeIe-
brnted Chess Player.

To THE EDITOR OF THE StN-Str: teneOn
without faith must feel hopeless to answer tho
questions whether there is q future life and
what force. IL any. governs our existoncoi In
their discussion in THE SuN. however. moro
practical points have been made concerning our
life on this side of tho heavens, and doubt OF
the utility OF religion, unless n future state OF
existence can BIO proved, has been EXPRESSED.
This subject involves the great questions
whether the virtues or morals. which undoubt.
odly have received more support from religion
without philosophy than from philosophy with.
out religion. can be based on rational grounds;
or else whether nnarchistic responsibility,
which would abolish all rights of the community
and all duties OF tho individual. should DO sub
stituted for our notions Of morality. There
may be no need OF inventing n God in order
to protect the morals, MS was ironically sng-
gcsted by Noitaire. but ms long rs we cam
not find the key 10 tho mysteries OF
time and space and other natural laws the
most liberal tolerance ought TO DO extended to
honest search after truth in all directions. and
especially to civilized religious crcods which
have preserved md aro still unfolding tho
cause Of honesty and humanity against cgotisn
in it's various forms, down TO anarchy and the
worship of tho golden calf. and tho cause OF
purity and chastity against free love. Faith
has thus been quicker than reason In impress
ing on mankind the truth of natural laws, which
can be demonstrated to operate at least in our
visible existence. Either Huxley or Tyndnll
once compared tho force above us with q chess.
master who plays a mysterious game against
humanity, and. with memorable laws. inflicts
the severcst penalties on those who do not un.
derstand his play. Let me add that the same
chessmastcr also bcstows the highest awards in
this life upon those who have the good fortune
- ;rtor,rot h;s ,,ws ini.I,,,o,Iir ana Tho s;,n.
nIo ao,r,;o, 70 nj. go -. a. h., !, ,I,;,
,,...nu,t.,, ~. .s...,.
.heory "h,ch 'hs colni'oh sense TO" popWt
has already sufficiently indicated In such we'll
known proverbs ms Honesty IL the host mol.
;a,.r ".u o.. a.. ~" .y,.,,ni
its own reward Sc. To put It IN other words.
beg to offer the following propositions, merely
ns suggestions mr. hvno, hoses for the nrcscnt for
- suggestions UT hSPo'hcses 'or 'he pr'scn' ior
further public Investigation.
Life is a fight, as Darwin snys. in which the
strongest wins 'as III u ghmc Oh chess'' Out 'ho
good nntured and the purest breeds are tho
strongest. Mt lenst in what we call intcllipcnoe.
Nature is generous to the generous and cruel to
laws IN natural bistorv The most nowcrfuI
a,s $50. ;m,",,,.o.' - ~
ana most Intelligent animal OF continental lie
is the elephant. Considering the enormous
size and weight which his comparotivcly small
brains have to support, his sagac!ty Is phenom-
onal. He lives in herds AMI acknowledges n
sort Of interdepenoenee in which the individual
~ "ni'n II
harmonizes his interest with That OF the COM
munity. lie feeds on the fruits of the earth and
ao.s = MN any n'ns icing y u s"Nem'
food. which, by the way. Is an argument IN
as all corniror, arc comnor,tircIv sinnid heosts
!" sn,.a ~ ,ha," s.uonn.n W s.u s1nao,saso
Likewise, we find among ants. bees, beavers.
and other of their kind the same combination of
extroordinnrv in,clIiU.nce ', with nood naturo
and social life constituted on the principles of
reciprocity. at least, and not on isolation. as ia
sociable animals seem 70 eniov life beticr md to
die a happier death, with rare exceptions. which
ton be The solution Of The end of our c-istcpce
or whether we believe in a transmigration OF
o e9fa n ;ig mrI nv thnt of am m cIan monIu d pr thc liz, Inc n ne
spider to that of an anti
In regard to purity OF breed. I would point TO
the fact that n female dog which hns nncc
thrown punnies Of n difercnnt breed viii nj wavs
throw at least one pup Of the same breed Eve even
evidence Of n pery Mren iinmsp q@n Nnr%. n i,Sr thi is
would point to the necessity Of chastity and Of
men and women md NOT IN the free love wh;ch
is preached BY Anarchists and extreme Social.
sinsinR Raf bird ho't furpis i a rJISGnit ooRI' n ns Me'i ib az
good nature and pure breel are tho attributes
Of intelligence. and instances can be multiplied
Moreover. the close connection between good
nature. purity Of breed. and intelligence in hm.
man affairs can. I believe. Just as easily be dc.
monstrated in the history of PROMINENT indi.
vidunls and nations. but / can only innicatcth Tho
line Of evidence which. in NV opinion. ourbt In
be traced in the inyestieatjon to which Iannncai'
There are what NAV Be called criminal FAM.
lies among hiDh and Iow among rich and nnnr
What becomes of them Answer, Lot me- rc.
peat. nature is generous to the generous and
cruel TO the cruel. The Borgias and Mcdi.
els have vanished to the root. and suffered
dreadfuIlv. according 10 historians, bcforc tbev
disappeared. The ruling house of bavaria n,nst
be- held responsible for the atrocities of Gen.
Tiuy durinTihc THIRTY Years war Tho crnni
fate of their descendants must excite The nitv of
Anarchists. On the other hand. the most nromi.
ncnt men OF our time nrn scions of obscure tam.
lilies who have no bad record in history '""'
More notable still is the influence Of morality
on nations. The Oldest and nurest breed NJ man.
Kind is probably that of the Jews. They never
had any political power. and could not do much
harm On the rontrary their rrenI an5 this
ought not to be lost sight of. has preservod thnripp
morals through ages M persecution Tho nro,d
words in Inc House of Commons over forty years
c6psi.iG bimsn,f % scinn ,S ~ noiu Dea'
"Tbc Jcws nrc he oldest aristocracv "a ,ho ~, Hoe
were probably only intended in the sense of an
tlok lAIh VII IIItl ll hitI IltlIH HI