The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-04-16


osoraical writer ana teacher 81 no srrali
prominence, and i. therefore. accustomed
20 closa ard exact reasoning. and TO ex-
ercsaa Of Discrimination in his ehoaee OF
words. His contribution 10 the anendsns
discussion Of the mystery q evil Is certain
70 be read with mere than ordinary inter
eSt
Mr.. r4ske does nor undertake 10 explain
the origin os esil. asis 10 explain N a new
way ana from g fresh point OF view fhe
necessity for the existence OF eva. ae
does not agree with Joha Stuart Mil and
Prot. Goodwin smith that 10 explain the
existence OF evil NE must admit that the
Creator Is either not all-henevelent or not
ag,-powerful II Is but natural that The
sensitive, sympathetic mind o. Goodwin
Smith. ia accepting the law Of natural
se1ectio,,~which always works through
death-shoul6 view with horror the awfal
waste Of life and apparently needless suf-
ter5ng which the carnival OF the Ht;est en-
tails upon the animal world. Pain and
wrong are things hard TO he reeonciled
with the theory that the world is created
and ruled by a being at once an-powerful
and all-beneveient. As We cannot see the
other side OF the shield and know the pat
tern traced thereon. IL requires the faith
which can exeialm. Though He STAY me.
yet viii / trust Him. TO realize that
God is not only omnipotent but ali-bene-
violent.
TO say that the ways OF Providence are
inscgutable Is still something more than
an idle piatituda," says Mr. Fiske, land
there is still room for the belief that.
could We raise the veil that enshrouds
eternal TRUTH, We should see that behind
natures cruelest works there are secret
springs of divines. tenderness and love"
1t is pointed out by MIR. Fiske that the
action of natural selection has been pro-
foundry modified in the course OF develop
ment OF mankind from race Of inferior
creatures. One OF the chief factors in the
production Of man was the change that
occurred in the direction OF the working
Of natural selection. whereby, In the line
OF mans direct ancestry the variations
in intelligence. came TO be seized upon.
cherished and enhanced, to the compares
tive neglect OF variations in bodily struc-
ture. In other words man began 10 de-
velop intellectually rather than structur-
ally just as soon as he reached the point
where his intelligence was greater factor
than his physical qualities in the preserva-
ton OF his existence. and thus came about
the partial stoppage Of the process of
natural selection in remedying untitness-
To use Mr.. F3skes illustration, II an in-
of the herd in speed, he is sure TO become
food for lions; and thas the high average
OF speed in the herd is maintained by nat
ural selection. But an individual man may
fan far below the average, and though his
capabilities may be ever 50 much curtailed
10y vice yet he has SO many holds upon
life that ne may sin long and flagrantly
without perishing. There is thus in man
Wide interval between the highest and
lowest degrees of completeness In living
that are compatible with the maintenance
OF life, and X Is because of this interval
that men can be distinguished as morally
good and morally bad. In inferior animals
where there is no such interval, there is
no developed morality OF conscience.
Morality comes upon the scene when there
is an alternative offered of living better
lives or worse lives.
This rise from bestial 10 a moral
plane OF existence involves the acquire
Iaent OF the knowledge Of good and evil
Conscience Is generated 10 play part
analogous TO that played by the sense of
pain in the lower Stages OF life and to
keep us from wrong-6oing ITO the mere
love of life, there ROW comes gradually to
be superadded the feeling of religious as
piratlon, whioh is nothing more nor less
than the yeaEning after The highest posa-
bic completeness Of spiritual nfe.''
To quote Mr. Fishes own words;
AS we survey the course OF this wonder
fil evolution. 1t begins TO become manifest
that moral evil is simply The characteristic
of me lower state of living as looked az
from the higher state Its existence is
purely relative, get it Is profoundly real.
AID n a process Of perpetual spiritual evo-
hutton its presence in some hldeous form
tHfo04 hoi4t a lcng series or upward stages
- Indispensable. Its absence would mean
SfaSna-ion, Gulesceuce. proeressiveness
For tie moment we exercise conscious
ehoice between ora cogrse Of action ana
another. We recognize the difference be-
tween hoyier aud worse, We f0reshad8w
the whole grand contrast between good
and bad tn :ae process az spiritual svo-
iatlon. therefore. evil must needs De pres
sHt. F{uf the nature Cf evolution also r.
q0ires tABt e should 10 evapescont. In the
higher stages tina. which Is worse than the
hee, need ns ionceg 20 positively bad.
After the nature IT that which the up
ward-sirly!ng soul abhors hiss been for
ever Impressed upeu f. amid the long
viciss'tUtleS II its pilgrimage through the
dark realms OF sin ana explaiion. IL is at
length equipped fer its final sojourn
IN the hleSt kingdoms meek Of 10Y and
love
Prom ths general afaIngies furnished IN
the process 4 cyolsuon We arc entitled 10
! hope that IS Il approaches is goal and
man cones NEARER 10 Cod, the fact Of evil