The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-06-26

~ many theories, practical and inn
 practicable, thinkable and unthink- S able, have been evolved by the hungry inquiring minds of the earth as to the Aux of matter and urge of creation; so little time seems to have been spent by the theorists in formulating plans for reconciing the theologies. The nearest approach to 1t seems to be what Is most commonly called Pragmatism. doctrine which fixes the truth of dogma or deed by the efficiency of it's result. And one of its most eminent opponents, Prof. William James, has had published several hundred pages of primer setting forth this gospel In detail.
 That 1t is a fine argument, entirely sane, cannot be denied. The appeal Is hot from the brain of psychologist thor oughly at home among the philosophies And while no philosophy, in the eternal nature of things, can be called true Tor the human family en masse, we cannot ig' nore any theory that makes for the we'll being of humanity. This of James is distinctly rational in it's application; and while his doctrine has been at least In part the doctrine of liberal thinkers since men began to wonder and question, the Harvard professor may be said to have given us the ALEC text of the new word.
 But we do wrong to call pragmatism a doctrine. It is more nearly test in the efficiency of doctrines-in the practicality of doctrines-a preachment against quack- cry and all make-belief, holding as truth only that which serves human need.
 In an age of stress where men picker and fume over triffes, it is fortunate for the laymen that here and there appear seers, analysts, balancers-nay, even cu- rious bystanders-who choose to get print ed their conclusions In matters about which we picker and fume over much. And while we may not find in their con clusions truths for our own government it Is at least helpful, strengthening; 10 consider the passions, prejudices, likes and dislikes of our neighbors and our own in the white light of hoiest criti- cism.
 Not otherwise can we surely know our selves to be Christian, skeptic, conform ist, non -conformist, conservative or revo- lutfonist. There must be strict trial-due examination-a probing into the vitals of sense, a trial of our exact selves with those of other men, before we may know surely what we stand for and why we stand for it.
 In the "Revolutionists' Hand Book, Bernard Shaw makes the Superman say; Never resist temptation: prove all things: hold fast to that which is good" Now, that is not bad. not half bad. If we lived for 1000 years we GOV ever hope to be more than half wise. our finest, largest gestures of body or \ ind we are still no more than men and women, finitely hating, finitely loving, and. in the old finite way, striving-or if we are not, we are in bad way. At least we owe other men consideration of their opin- ions, tolerance of their thought and deed. Until we become curious and learn to wonder-until we yield to temptation" and understand the needs of others. our vision must perforce be limited and we must continue, fat-mindedly, in the dark ness. Until then our blindness obscures the radiant joy of liberal and large liv- ing we are shut from the halls of sense just as surely as the blind beggar at the street corner is shut from the light of day.
 Baptist, Presbyterian. Catholic, Agnos- tic. all miss the largest conception of life when they disregard the truths of eaeh--the deep reverence of any brave conviction. For if anything Is sacred or reverent. certainly the final intelligent conclusion of a rational man or wom- an Is.
 And after all the philosophies. all the thaologies of past ages and of today have co4tributed their share to the sum of