Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-01-30
WHY DOES GOD SEND PAIN7
Much OF That which Comes to Us II
Not Heaven-Sent. But Self
Indicted.

At the outset let us eliminate from the
&roblem the pain which God does not
send but for which those who experience
are directly responsible. The fierce
headache which follows debauch, the
WseaSed organs which are the ultimate
sesult OF physical and mental anguish
which men bring upon themselves, are
not chargeable to the Creator of this uni
verse. OF course, says the Boston Con-
1regationalist, the causist may ask
Why the universe was so constructed that
q admits of pain anywhere in il. But II
u difficult TO conceive of a world. ten
Anted by moral beings at least, entirely
1ntnvaded by aches and pains. IL dis
Doedience of Gods laws never brought
sasaster, IL We could touch fire and not
- burned and touch pitch and not be de-
Led. We should have a race of Habby.
aerveiess. unsympatheuc, british men
Nnd women instead OF children of God
Aeroicaliy working out their destiny.
~And yet when we eliminate the pain due
- mans misuse OF the world and of his
Wwn powsrs. q vast deal remains and the
mystery of 1t all still Expresses us. How
an God bear it?" said Oliver Wendell
holmes In one OF the moments when his
Aeart was drawn out in compassion
Soward the Borrowing. suffering children
~ men. But God has been seeing and
soaring 1t these thousands of years as the
brute creation has beer born and suffered
and persisted. as men have wasted with
disease and bled their lives away in the
aorests and on battlefelds. Yet little by
little the area Of suffering is being re-
souced and modern science is discovering
ways to alleviate. If not to obviate, suf-
esring. And humanity keeps on it's sor-
sowing way, sustained by the promise of
abe final contamination when there
ohall be no more pain"
Meanwhile we are driven back 10 the
spiritual Interpretation of il ALL Whether
BOD might have used some other agency
u not, the fact remains that pain works
Ponders In the moral sphere for those
7eho accept it as a messenger of God.
At sweetens the bitter spirit. it refines
Nhe coarse nature. II softens the hard
heart. it puts iron into the weak will. To
stand outside the circle of suffering and
Surse God because the world is so full of
Dain is one thing. II Is quite another 10
experience. ones self or In the persons
~ those dearest to one, the Christening
hand Of God. The skeptic, the com.
Dlainer, the atheist are not as q rule tho
Dersons who themselves suffer, but from
nuch patient, trusting souls have come
fhTough the ages songs in the night.
Seons OF rejoicing. immortal psalms.
Seicing their confidence In Him who doth
s0ot willingly afiict or grieve the chill
'Arep or men.
l. Dean Stanley went from the bedside OF
sAis dying wife, Lady Augusta, and
Wrots to friend; The more the marble
WASTES the more the statue grows" He
could say this because Lady Augusta
lad learned how to bear pain. Only the
ether day man honored throughout
New England. who within the last year
has lost by death the loved companion Of
ais advancing years one of the most bril-
Hant and useful women of our genera
Hon, wrote to q friend saying: Il am
trying to transform my private grief into
public service" Out of the mental an
guish consequent upon his bereavement
this man has gained new power for life
and fresh conservation to good deeds.
Neither physical nor mental pain 10 to
he sought for its own sake, but when Il
comes 1t may be made a means whereby
I'VE are lifted Godward and drawn out in
tender love toward our suffering fellow.
men.