The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1909-07-30
the DfM NNO IT'S INFLUENCE UPON
the lff Of MAN.

knowledge Of the finite is the
product of experience and under
standing. Experience supplies the
phenomenal objects, and understand
ing forms them into ideas. Exper-
fence and understanding, however,
can not go beyond the finite. They
are limited in the knowledge of con-
ditioned facts. By them alone man
can know nothing of the universal
laws and principles. To obtain the
knowledge of the unconditional,
there must be a mental power OF
faculty that transcends experience
and understanding-the faculty that
knows of the Infinite and grasps the
fundamental truths.
This transcendental faculty is
Reason. 1t either directly appre-
bends the universal laws and prin-
ciples, or indirectly infers them from
the known finite facts. When it di-
rectly apprehends the truth, it is
Pure Reason or Intellectual Intui-
ton; and when indirectly, it is rea-
soning or Demonstrative Reason.
With these two phases of activity,
Reason constitutes the highest spir-
itual power that represents the di-
vine image. In its development, it
absorbs into itself all other psych-
ical powers until they become i'm
manent in its activity. The process
of absorption n imanancy of feel
ing in Reason, is stated by Hamil-
ton when he confirmed the law,
enunciated by Kant, that "the
knowledge and feeling though al
ways co-existent, are always in the
inverse ratio of each other Rea-
son is above all, over all, and
through all the spiritual faculties.
1t is the life and essence of spirit
Hence it transcends experience and
understanding. It seeks and finds
the laws and principles that govern
the universe. 1t penetrates far be-
yond the storm of passion and ex-
element, into the calm domain of
spiritual truth, where it enters the
divine enjoyment of perfect peace
and harmony of moral powers in
human existence. With the spir-
itual truth discovered in or appre-
hended from the general and special
revelations of God, it forms its own
ideal. Then let me ask a question:
What is the ideal of Reason?
Man is a spirit, and as a spirit he
demands self determination, in so
far IS he is independent, and Eek
lists in and with himself" as a hon.
identity. This self-de-
termination is his absolute freedom
in the full activity of his
spiritual being. But in reality he
has a consciousness that he is not a
spirit only, nor absolute in himself,
but that he has fesh-sensuous and
passionate nature-which is depen-
dent upon something external and
and that he has continually
an internal conflict of flesh and
spirit, which destroy his peace and
freedom. To come into universal
consciousness of the absolute iden-
tity of the spirit, he yearns after the
Infinite Spirit of God in whom he
shall find his self determination
Alienation from God is the bondage
of sin and the destruction of his
liberty. But reconciled in and with
him, he has the free activity of his
spiritual power in the enjoyment of
his existence. Therefore the har-
mony between God and mantle
truth revealed in Christ-is the first
and fundamental source of Rational
I'm Him we live and
move and have our being"
This freedom is nothing less than
the divine nature. It is the sub
essence of rational Spirit.
Hence Reason transcends diseofds,
limitations and conflicts of causes
and effects, means and ends, that
stand against human, carnal de-
sires; rnd comes into the universal
consciousness, that tie divine pa
ture, Rational Freedom, is the ulti-
mate law and final triumph of hui
manity to be realized in this actual
With this consciousness,
Reason forms the ideal church, the
representation of Rational Freedom;
md the ideal state. which is q DOS