The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-06
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Vs. sun Correaponaent.

sun Correapondent.
To THE EDITOR OF THE SUN-Sir. "Hope."
In his letter in THE Sun Friday. Fob. 4. is SO
evidently nm earnest and sincere inquirer. that,
as one embracing nRnosticism. / cannot refrain
from replying 10 his questions.
In looking for help, an assurance Of the d.
vine origin and end OF things" Hope" is doing
what all real egnostics have done. Finding no
clue domonstrablo to the senses that there is a
divine origin and end, those who have become
agnostics have reconcilod themselves TO the
conclusion there is no way q human being can
know them.
1t follows then that an agnostic says. 81 don't
know; - ho neither afirms nor donies a divine
origin and end, but In accordance with what he
feels Is his reason he refuses to believe, or pre-
tcnd to believe, that what is written In a de-
structible book, or what is said by paid and
falliblo expounders of that book, IL necessarily
true. and notwithstanding the book has been
accepted as true" for ages.
Rather than feeling within that he Is rebelling
against a God. the aGnostic feels he has come to
his conclusions without prejudice or desire one
way or the other. and that in accordance with
his limitations as q finite being. The agnostic
feels that il there is q God He is beyond human
comprehension. and that a God being infinite
it Is not intended a finite being should know
Him. The aRnostic regards himself as moro
worthy q Gods approval In not p%resuming to
know Him than the Christian who appeals to
Him night and day. and who vaunts an intimate
knowledge Of Him.
Hope asks. What are tho ideas Of aEnos.
tics concerning q future state 2"
Agnostics have no ideas or ~notisns about Q fu-
ture state, other than that they cannot alto
gether eliminate from their mental vision the
misleading pictures they had presented to them
T. LII -
things have been written about heaven and
what painful things about hell.
Having no way of knowing anything about
consciousness after death. the agnostic does not
concern himself or speculate about II. All his
notions Of 1t have come through human agencies
which he has reason to believe nre unreliable
and of no value. Hope" asks: II would like
to know IL an aRnostic who has lost q loved one
can reconcile himself to tho thought that all is
The thought that a loved one has gone never
to be seen again brings sorrow and pain into the
again DO with the loved one in mutual con-
sciousness will assert itself. 1t Is inevitable.
3 it,i it i Is i 5TSt here tn that LII the iG gr lev h one Is APT to to
get tho things most dear to our. hearts just be-
cause we wish for them and their acquisition
MOT %Sn mann mf things ss b sSSTsan oay r nsSRRyi' It Af IS t Ssrd
to reconcile ones solf to the thought tho loved
does not say he viii not. He hopes he viii, but
he does nos count on 1t as a certainty, for there
Is nothing in the stern reality of things that
says ho will. There are words to the effect. but
be misled by words; Truth 10 apart from all
words. They may lead to its discovery, but
they can't establish truth.
Tho agnostic thinks Of his friend and com.
panion as he was In this world, and leaves It q
question. which he is not apt to dwell upon. as
to whether they will meet again. Nor does the
agnostic "theorize" as to how we got here. u
He did that when a Christian, but has out
grown 1t.
The only force apparent to us that has ICON.
troll over our existence" is nature. 1t is not
necessary to think Of heaven to observe the laws
Of nature. According to- our use of natural
laws are we strengthened or weakened. The
agnostic feels that nature Is all there Is, and
while a lover OF it's wonders and beauties, he
cannot reconcile the ravages OF storms. heat,
plaques. and cruelty to the helpless and limo,
cent with the existence of an all.powerful and
merciful God.
The agnostic doesn't believe it is necessary, to
concern himself about going elsewhere in order
TO make it worth while being here. As a human
being he rejoices in being such. and o right liv.
ing. humane person, with kindness toward all
and malice toward none, the .asnostic believes
that IL there is a heaven, he will not be debarred
entrance because OF his being true to his convic
tions on earth. LEWIS.
NEW YORK, Feb. 4