Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-08-08
a Function of Evil.

Can the existence of evil be recon-
oiled with n perfect Creator and Gov
ernor of the universe? This is the
question put by DR.. Jacob Cooper, OF
Rutgers College, at the head of an
article on "theodicy" in The Bibliotheca
Sacra (oberlin, Ohio); and while the
question is not novel. the answer IN
wolves some novel points of view. or at
least novel forms of stating them. If
there be a creation" we read. 1.-The work
made must be inferior to the maker"
If the created thing be constituted in
such perfection that he is unable to do
wrong "his acts have for him no quail
ity," while to give the creature freedom
of action does not compel him to do
wrong" Hence growth in character Is
inseparable from freedom of action. We
quote:
again, IL the character of a created
being were made perfect at first, there
would be nothing left for such to do
in further development, because 1t
would be excluded from all free-will
action. For this is necessary in order
to change the actor in one direction or
the other. He could neither be made
better by another nor improve himself.
So there could be no growth, and con-
seuuently no responsible experience.
But the analogy of nature teaches us
that the great business of every Great
ure is growth, until 1t reaches the linn
its of its possibilities. 1t is not enough
that the talent be preserved intact, laid
up in a napkin, to be called for at the
Masters instance. He demands thtt
it be rendered back to Him with addi-
lions. And these accretions are to be
the fruits of the actors personal efforts,
for which he gets praise or blame. These
efforts could not be made if there We're
either no power to do wrong or capac-
ity for choice"
Hence DR.. Cooper finds the objection
brought against systems Of revealed
religion that they Involve the exis-
tence of evil" to be unreasonable"
AS he puts it:
"a creation requires that the thing
formed must be defective, and, If so,
liable to go astray. Or, If guarded alb
extra to such degree as to render
lapse impossible, the action so necessi-
tated would have no reference to the
actor, would not make him good, how
ever excellent his action might be In
itself; nor permit him to develop char
acter for himself of any kind. For
there would be no possibility of build
ing up this, unless there were such
choice between motives that by accep-
lance or rejection the action could be-
long to the agent. For there must be
an alternative to any line of conduct,
in order to give it moral quality.
We have to deal with, not an imagin-
airy, but real world; not with a state
of things wholly different from those
by which character is developed. If
there are to be such qualities as
righteousness, virtue, merit, as the
result of good action, there must be
q condition by which these things are
possible And this can only be where
there is an alternative which may be
embraced by a free choice. If the
work of man on earth is to build up
character, if his experience is disciplin-
airy, by which he constantly becomes
better fitted for greater good and
wider sphere of action, then he must
have the responsibility of choosing for
himself course different from one
which appealed to the lower qualities
in his nature"