Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1903-01-15
CHAPTER V.-(Continued.)

this fiery outburst. DR.. Barwood's an
ger subsidized as quickly as 1t had arisen
and resuming his seat he said calmly
almost sadly:
mo truce with my enemies, Mr..
Marlowe; but truce to the subject.
l cannot ask more of you than | ask
Of my own family. Do what you think
right; but do not forget my caution.
AS have said, the Bentleys, the Grid
leys, and the McDevitts are considered
reputable people. They are leaders in
the society of the village-so am told
| never mingle in it; l have neither
time nor inclination for such frothy
nonsense. But my wife and daughters
do-to an extent that / disapprove. Yet
say little; don't want them to think
me too tyrannical.
] "The McDevitts are Catholics; the
\ Bentleys and Gridleys are Protestants.
My wife and older daughter belong to
the Methodist church. My younger
daughter have but two children,
both young women-frequently at
tends the Catholic church; but is not a
member AS to myself, adhere to no
creed-attend no church. | cannot ac-
cept the absurd and unscientitic beliefs
presented; and l have had no time to
formulate satisfactory one for myself.
have been too busy looking after the
physical ailments of my fellows; and
have had to neglect my spiritual well
fare-quoting my orthodox enemies.
Thus far have | got-and no farther
In all the years that have bowled me
onward; believe in a Supreme Intel
ligence that made and rules the uni
verse. Matter is inert; 1t cannot shape
nor move itself. That power-that
psSorce-is the Supreme Intelligence; is
God, if you pleace.
A"Also, | believe the Bible to be a
human history, inspired by human in
telligence and written by human hands;
book full Of mistakes and plumbers
of legends that have little or no foun-
dation in fact, and of accounts of mir
acles that were never wrought-yet a
book full Of valuable experiences and
worthy lessons. In conclusion, | be-
lieve that Jesus Christ is the grandest
human character that ever graced the
pages Of history; son Of God, as you
and | are sons of God-no more. | be-
lieve in the civilization that rests upon
his example and teachings. 1t is his
words and deeds that will save the
world; not his death upon the cross,
nor his blood. Remember do not say
know these things; | believe them.
may be apparently wrong"
-, He stopped, apparently waiting for
Marlowe to voice an opinion.
"You have little use for creeds, then
Doctor" Ralph said.
40 nd dc Z
the reply. zone is as good as another
so long as 1t teaches humanity. use
the word in its broadcast and best
sense"
"And miracles?"
"There never was one--never will
be. A miracle would be violation of
the laws of the Divine Intelligence-of
God-which are immutable, memorable.
SIN Is a violation of Gods law. Should
God violate his own law, He would be
the chief of all sinners In no instance
has prayer changed His will or modi-
fed the inevitable result of His laws
Yet prayer is a good thing-for the in
dividual who makes It,"
"And of course you do not believe in
a personal devil?"
Il do not | am too loyal to the Giver
Of all Good to believe He has a rival
In the universe, Such belief is prepos-
terous-the worst of impiety. There Is
no prince of evil, because there is nc
such thing as evil"
"You astound me-"
81 will try to make my meaning
plain. Light is a positive force, or sub
] stance-as you please to consider it;
darkness is not a negative force or sub
stance. 1t is not an entity, as is light
1t has no existence. The term is rela-
tive; and means the absence of so much
light. Do you follow me?"
Ralph nodded
"The same is true of heat and cold:
of good and evil. Cold is the absence OF
so much heat; evil is the lack of SC
much good The absence of heat con-
stitutes cola; the lack OF good consti-
tutes evil; the want of heaven consti-
tutes hell. For heaven and hell are con-
ditions, not places There is a god-or
intelligent power of heat, and light
and good; but there is no god Of cold
and darkness. and evil-for as entities
they have no existence"
do you believe there is a future life
doctor?"
Yes Emphatically. - THAT is,
believe there is a present life that is
continuous. Life is a force-the result.
ant of other forces. 1t cannot be de.
stroyed; but its form or mode of oper.
alton may be modified. There was nc
conscious existence before physical
birth; yet the ego existed in some form
or other. And there may beno conscious
existence after physical death. do moi
know-I scarcely know what believe
even. What we call life is narrow
isthmus, with the black sea of obscur.
ity on one side and the yelled ocean Of
futurity on the other Our path lie:
across it-now steep and rocky, now
level and flower-bordered. We have M
remembrance of the sea OF obscurity
whence we came; we have no knowl
e0ge of the ocean of futurity whittier
we are Fastening. All that we know
is that we left the shore Of the one
and that in time we shall reach tn,