The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-12-21
TALKS OF SPENCER.
DR.. Countermine Says His Life
Was q Failure

DIR. ]. D. Countermine of the, First
Presbyterian church, devoted a portion
of his sermon Sunday evening to a dis
cuss1on of Herbert Spencer, the philoso-
pher who died two weeks ago. Her
bert Spencer Studied in the Light of
the Book of Ecclesiastes." He said:
Solomon, the author of the Book of
EccleSiaSteS, was, beyond question, the
most thoroughly equipped king that
ever occupied an oriental throne Not
only had nature endowed him with all
the attributes of a splendid manhood,
which attributes he had most assidu-
uously cultivated, but in addition to
these God had bestowed upon him
special enduement of divine wisdom, so
that among all the wise men of the
east there was none who could be con-
sidered his equal. He was a great NOR
al philosopher, a celebrated poet, a
learned botanist, distinguished zoo
lOgiSt, brilliant advocate master archi-
tect, wise statesman, and safe leader
among men. With all these excellent
qualifications Solomon wrote the Book
of Ecclesfastes. 1t opens with the start
ling statement all is vanity This is
the theme of the whole book. In I'M
folding it Solomon appeals first to the
processes of nature, then to his own ex-
perienceS, and then to what he had OBJ
served in the general experiences of all
men. The earth is a stage. The stage
remains but the actors come and go in
ton paSseth away, another generation
cometh.' The sun ariseth, and the sun
goeth down. The wind goeth toward
the SOUTH and turneth about unto the
north. All the rivers run into the sea,
yet the sea is not full
Each one of these observations, ac--
cording to modern science, is absolute
~ true. In respect to them there has
been no advance in human knowledge
since the days of Solomon. He also
understood a w of the circulation of
the blood in the body, for he says,
out of the heart are the issues of life.
1t is of the physical organ that he here
speaks. Everything, therefore, in the
moves in cirNes. 1t is one continuous
go round a constant monotony of
earthly existence.
Here is where Herbert Spencer lived.
He lived in the atmosphere of the Book
of Ecclesiastes. He lived under the
SUM- This is no SANDER. He was
protested agnostic. Under the SUM-
therefore, describes perfectly the sphere
of his thought and life. Like Solomon,
he was a great thinker. He loved to
investigate and to get near the heart
of nature. His knowledge of things
under the sun was wonderful, but not
complete, for in all his Investigations
he left out one great fact. He cid not
know God did not take him into ac-
count. This was at once his sin and
his folly. A great man with great
weakness. Having tested nature, Solo
mon tested pleasure, not low and Wi
ear pleasure, but pleasure in its high
est earthly forms. He made great
works. builded houses, planted vine
wards hired servants, accumulated
wealth. employed men and women
singers, and musical instruments OF all
sorts. Nothing that could in any way
minister to his emotions, or crafty MS
aesthetic taste was omitted In all TINS
he saws. my wisdom remained WITH
me- He did not lose his head He kept
it level and clear that he might judge
correctly. Co.
GER Not that he, like Solomon, went
through all these pleasures, but tnat ne
was a broad minded man and delved
into many subjects. Read ms carry
writings along with his Proper sphere
of Government The Conditions Essen
tial to Human Happiness, E1oucalloh;
Intellectual Moral and Physical, ana
Ethics of Individual Life, ana see now
fr11e this is His Synthetic PhfloSOpny
is beyond question his great work On
this his reputation as clear, loglcal
thinker must be based. In 1t he en-
deayors to solve the riddle of the uni
verse but he does not solve it, for the
same reason that Solomon found no en-
during satisfaction in all the rounds OF
his pleasures. God was not recognized
Here was the great difficulty Pleasure
without piety is nauSeating. The uni
verse without God is an unsolved riddle.
Having tested nature and worldly pleas
ure, Solomon took wider sweep and
carefully studied the experiences or men
generally, and concluded that all under
the sun is vanity. Leave God out and
life is not worth living. This IS Just
as true today as it was in Solomon's
day.
Herbert Spencer's life was therefore
a failure. His largest work Is incom-
plete and unsatisfactory. It is neither
true IhilOSoDhy nor true science. Trl1a