The evening world., 1911-02-14
CARDINAL GIBBONS
ON ED|SON'S DENIAL
Of IMMORTALITY
.}eSurrection of Christ Is Proof
Sufficiently AtteSted, Says
Prelate.
CAN'T PICK DOCTRINES.
Man May Not Select Few to
Believe and Reject All
the Others.
CAN'T PICK DOCTRINES.

Cardinal Gibbons Of baltimore. In an
interview printed In the March number
~ the Columbian Magazine. replies to
IN. recently published repudiation by
Thomas A. Edison Of the doctrine Of the
souls immortality.
The Cardinal was asked:
Your Eminence, how would you prove
that the soul endures after dearh7"
seoHer's knowledge Limited.
He replied:
Practically? For tie vast majority OF
people ny revealed religion. Let a
man study earnestly tho life OF Jesus
Christ. let him try to form n complete
conception OF His work, His teachinss
n His per %sonality; let min not. like 80
many nowadays-LMr. Edison among
them-pirk u one or two doctrines and
refuse to listen 20 the rest. let HIN not
lima gine that he knows SO thoroughly
the laws OF the universe and tre power
of God as TO he In a position to scout the
idea OF mir
Then he viii see that Christ's HE.
his works, His doctrines. Ills personal
Ivy. are divine. Nothing short OF th1
explains Him. Al other explanations
are - changing. as passing. "a the
figures in a kaleidoscope. Each decade
svarms with them, one devourinS
another and all IN turn devoured 10y new
explanations. Only In the full Catholic
doctrine about Christ can the restless
mind and heart Of man find satisfaction
but the heart Of many" the venerable
Cardinal said sadly. is rebellious to the
truth: n they do not wish to have
their mind controlled by the teaching OF
Christ.
Now. Christ brings to humanity the
certainty OF eternal life. lie proved 1,
by his own resurrection: and II any one
thinks the evidence for Chrlst's resur.
rection Is weak. | ask him TO .tuIy and
think deeply over the fifteenth chapter
OF First Corinthians. No .ane acholar
remember. denies that we have here IN,
testimony OF At. Paul himself. nor tina
~. Paul Is honestly setting down tn.
testimony Of those who claim 10 hav,
seen our Lord after His death.
Resurrection Plainest Evidence.
~ so many sane men. apostles ant
disciples OF Christ. are mistaken, II the,
cannot believe he testimony of iheII
" eyes. II delusion can keep such q
firm hold on 30 many different charac
ters for go many years and become IN,
basis OF all the" beliefs and tho trans
forming power 81 their lives, then n,
human TESTIMONY Is of any value; thcr
let us Close our courts OF justice, for nc
case Is proven by so many trustvorth,
witnesses. 40" the Cardinal said. IL
the tone Of deepest conviction, Chris
l. risen; and Ills resurrection f. the
p%lsln"st evidence NJ mans inmortalIty
one thing I am glad or IL that Mr.
Edison recognizes the existence OF n
supreme Intelligence. TO me tn,
whole world testiHes this. and I can.
not understand how any man io-day
AN conceive ~ this world as the re-.
suit or blind for~'S. How many. now
Varied, how intricate are tho laws Of
nature yet row harmoniouslv all work
together. ami what marvellous results
they produce. Mr.. Edison sees Sti.
preme Intelligence directing tho form.
alton or tho human car. Here his ties.
timouy rs uf great value, because no
speaks on q subject which he has
studied directly.