Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-09-16
CHAPTER XIII.-Continued.

CdAf LIN A4xx."OVAtAAUSA
The old man was shocked. not so much
at Emirs words as at. his calmness, his
sincerity. Don't you even believe in
Godo' he asked.
II believe in nothing which cannot be
demonstrated. if not as fact then as
theory The existence of God | do not
deny l can no more prove that lie does
not exist than that He does. therefore
live in the wa-ld I can see and feel. ara
if also He is here He must admit that my
attitude is of more reverence than Is the
attitude of most Christians
"Reyerence? exclaimed Bennington. in
dignantly as he thought of Dick having
been exposed to such views for year.
You are blasphemous. If man did not
have the Ten Commandments to I'VE os
he would be the vilest savage
Emil smiled. THE ten were CONDENSED
to two. you remember he said. and one
of these is impossible. No man can love
Cod
Richard Bennington forgot his swollen
foot and sat erect. How care you Sd!
such things? Think of all the char1y;
think of all the churches, think OF all
the -
when a few individuals the wealth
which should belong to the entire society
grab. it is but natural that they are I'M
form-although most OF the big gifts are
either made as an advertisement. or else
the conscience little to soothe- But now
is it possible to love what one never mas
seen or felt or heard. You are super
stitious and afraid to speak the truth;
but YOU do not love Him, yourself. NO,
but you don't. You do not your great
grandfather love- nor the best man on
this earth if you have not come INTO
touch with him. Listen-always with love
there is an eager yearning to serve, not
as a duty. mind YOU but great, strong
passion to pour out the best that is IN
YOU All ha. that is too plain 10 De
missed: your face shows that it hit even
you
But there are men who feel this deep
yearning to serve God.
Emil shook his head. No. he said.
slowly 1.-The man who best serves God
| if there is Gods the man who forgets
Him entirely in serving his fellow-man
Many try to fatter God by speaking we'll
of Him, by looking solemn when lie is
mentioned, by expressing their approval
of the way He does things-thlnk OF that;
human bug commencing Omnipotence.
That is why / say ] am more reVerent
than most of the Christians. II God is,
then is He too vast for my comprehen-
sion. He is infinite. almlghty. II he IS
cruel and revengefui and vain-as the
oloev teaches-then He will torment me
through eternity because l am honest;
but il He is infinitely just-and TINS Is my
idea for Qod-then what have l TO fear:
1T is impossible to compare my idea
for God with anything else; but to show
to YOU exactly that which ! am striving
to convey listen. Suppose that | had the
wisdom to understand the speech OF an
ant / build a grand house and disturb
the dwelling places of many ants They
resent it, they call me bitter names. they
curse me- Now, them would roast them
on a slow fire? Why. vicious man has
society which would prevent it, even
though the roasting could but rev MN
utes last Now. remember that l am
human and vain and cruel. Yet | should
sympatllize with the ants and. IL ii were
possible. prepare for them a new vii
lage You say YOU reverence GOD, and
vet YOU teach that if we don't do this or
that foolishness, His infinite wisdom. jus
tice and love will punish us throughout
eternity Bah. my God is divine. yours
| is nothing but giant who has never been
| civilized
bennington was really astonshed that
| bolt of lightning did not strike Emil
dead at his feet He had received very
rigid religious instruction at HIS mother s
I knee. and during all his busy life this in
struction had chung to him. AS his in
| tellect had matured, his religion had re-
\ manned the same primitive belief which
| had found Judgment in his unseasoned
| childs mind. He seldom talked of relig
ion. he seldom went to church. he gave
l his gifts and felt that he was good
i terms with his Creator: but to be brought
| face to face with himself. his queer.
! creaky creed. and the bland agnosticism
| Of his visitor. was much like sleep
walker aWaking to find himself in the
| midst of a cold. rushing stream
I'VE do not find God because we do not
| do the work He has left us to do" fall
| tered Bennington. striving to force his
| memory to give up certain forms which
had long lain idle
| BAH" scoffed Emil. How could a
| finite being do the work of an infinite be-
| ing? 1t always makes me laugh to hear
| one Of you reverent ones apologize for
Cod
| Apologize for Him.
Sure. You say He is a personal being
| who controls every earthly action-I
mean the ones of you who even pretend
to be logical-and then when some ter
rible calamity occurs, which. if done de-
| liberately would be OF a vast cruelty you
| fold your hands and say that the locality
was for its sin punished. A little child
4 dies, you say God took him because He
! loved him. drunkard breaks his neck
1 you say he aroused the wrath of God and
| was stricken. You give God credit for
| all the movements OF nature, and then
| explain their purpose so that He will still
| appear respectable to be. You examine
| only your own narrow hearts. and find
your own souls sitting there In the gloom.
| and YOU rush out and say you have
| found God"
| Il don't see how YOU can look on the
WoTks or nature, tne stars, the mountains,
| the wonderful variety of creation, and
/ doubt the existence OF God" said the old
| man. in low. reyerent tone. He felt
! Inadequate to the occasion. and the stua-
! ton accused him and filled him with hui
| milty.
! Now. | will tell YOU how I plan my
| life. said Emil. Il do not seek to find
| God Himself. because no good would it
| do me- only seek 10 find the great la VS.
1 of the universe. These laws are just =
i neither Kind nor cruel neither resentful
nor forgiving just just. Justice is god