Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1905-10-27
THE FUTURE LIFE.
Theories or One Age DO Not satisfy
SucceedlnH Area

Succeeding Ages.
We know nothing whatever about
the next world. Even those who ac-
cept the Christian revelation most
heartily and most completely must al.
NIT with st. John that 1T doth not vet
appear what we shall be-" Christ
taught. and his disciples believed, that
the soul OF man is eternal and does not
die with the body. st. Paul summed
up Christs teachings on the subject of
immortality when he said that be had
abolished death" Against this liz.
norance man has forever chafed. Upon
the dark background OF the future the
religious imagination, helped by the
inner light Of conscience. throws beau.
tiful and terrible pictures. But with
each succeeding age the pictures dis
solve and change. knowledge cannot
pierce the visible darkness which d.
vides this world from the next. As
the years grow on we gain wisdom
but not certainty:
Wisdom-that becoming wise meant max
Ing slow and sure advance
From n knowledge proved IN error TO nc
knowledged ignorance.
All popular ideas OF heaven and hell
are just now fading away. The con
yentional heavens fail to satisfy the as.
pirations OF man. and all conceptions
OF the everlasting tortures OF the damn
ed fade before a new consistency OF
thought which cannot reconcile eternal
punishment with ''the knowledge aud
love OF Cod
Our forefathers looked forward ip
some moods to everlasting rest and
never ending worship, in others to q
happy and prosperous life In a perfect
~ governed and perfectly healthy city.
At times, inspired by the love of ma.
ture, they Christianized the classic pic
ture Of the Elysian fields. Today the
normal man does not desire rest when
be asks himself what life he would
choose. Rest suggests death, and We
desire more abundant life. To most
healthy bodies and healthy minds effort
is in itself delightful. IL men do not
need to make an effort for their Iivins
they will do it for their pleasure. Sue.
ceSSful effort brings more happiness
than anything else, taking life as a
whole. The thought of everlasting wor
ship satisfies fewer and fewer people
today. 1t belongs to an age when mer
thought Of God as kind of king who
took perpetual pleasure in homage. We
still sing of sweet fields beyond the
swelling flood" and find refreshment
in the thought, but no one desires ia
live forever wandering amid the beau.
ties of nature. The thought Of an ideal
civic life is still attractive, but the
heavenly Jerusalem brings thoughts OF
Utopia now rather than Of the everlast
ing.
We still pray against everlasting
damnation" and desire to get rid of the
worm Of remorse that dieth not. but
our prayers, however earnest, no longer
bring visions Of the burning pit Such
visions would be called up nowadays
rather by the divine comedy than by
the church service. Other hopes charm
us today, and other fears restrain
These again will change their form in
the next generation. The conditions Of
this life after and consequently the
conceptions of that life to which we
instinctively look for consolation and
explanation, reward and retributior
change also. Nevertheless these pIous
opinions OF the past, the outcome as
they are OF spiritual preoccupation
more concentrated than anything OF
which the present age is capable, are
not without their value. Imaginary
they may have been, but
God is also in sleep. and dreams advise.
which he hath sent propitious, some
great good presaging.
We smile reverently as we look back
Crowns and cities. feasts and sweet
fields. all melt away together. Still
the words OF Christ. which cannot pass
away while human nature remains.
sound in our hearts. lit is the spirit
that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth
nothing
That men will cease to dream OF
what they cannot know we do not for
moment suppose. Every age will
embody its hopes in a new description
or heaven. Every description will be
worth study in order
That in these masks and shadows we
may see thy sacred way
And by those hid ascents climb TO that
day
Which breaks from thee.
Who art In all things. though invisibly.
London Spectator.