The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-07-05


less ages, eventually evolve a creature
whose Characteristic feature is the
spirit OF purpose, and whose intelll-
Sence discovers the laws of nature.
and by understanding them COM
mands them to realize his desires and
minister to his needs. Out OF the
star dust, out of the ooze and slime
of primeval swamps. ont Of the fire
and earth and water, by the pro-
cession OF increasingly complex forms
/ OF life. at length emerges man.
Analyze his bodily parts, call them by
name. Recite his history as revealed
in the records OF the rocks His COM
inG remains miracle, his being a
mystery.
Why has the spirit OF man grown
10 such proportions and significance
in this age-long evolution? In the
higher range OF his desire. in his di-
vine discomfort, in his deepest needs
TO which the world OF nature cannot
minister. in his unattainable aspir-
ations. and unsatisied longings. there
is something which cries out after
the living God. His most complete
attainment falls short. far short. OF
the commands of conscience. and tn,
warnings of his spirit To recognize
the mystery in our lives is not super
stition nor childlike credulity: il is
simply acknowledging that there is
something in our little world higher
than ourselves The creed of the
I philosophy Of the Stole. the creed o1
Isclf-suiiciency, has produced the
finely poised character of Marcus
Aurelius. And yet OF him. so sympa-
thctic.a critic as Matthew Arnold has
said I'VE see him wise just. self
governed, tender. thankful, blame
less. yet with all this aCitated.
stretching out his arms for some
thing beyond" Man at his best ut
his highest. is thus ever stretching
ont his arms for something beyond.
And in this something beyond there
Is concealed and yet revealed the mvs-
terry of God. Thus the beginnings
OF the religious concept arise in the
discovery that the higher part OF our
nature cannot he explained hy the
lower, hut that tho lower mus, seek
its explanation in the higher If
there were no mystery in man. there
could DO no suggestion Of the idea of
God. The secret OF the universe is
the secret of tho inner self. ii tho
human soul could not in itself stir
WITHIN rs feelings OF awe and rev
ercncc. should we he able to find God
in the great world without. in the
nigh hills, in the sunset glow. or i'm
the shadows OF the falling night. in
the stars of heaven or in the prodigal
beauty OF the earth? But il may hc
urged that we are only substituting
mystery of God for the mystery OF
man. In reply. would maintain
that at least we arc seeking an en-
PLANTATION i'll something higher than
ourselves and not in something lower,
that we are looking for light from
above and through an attitude Of
mind which so magnifics the signifi-
canoe of human nature as To crave
for II a divine kinship. One mystery
may not explain another. but in this
case ut least il certainly serves to
give ii an enhanced value. and pro-
vidcs Il logical leading for our
thoughts.
Much Is ImpcnctrabIc.
In passing To u higher mystery
much of the lower is explained, while
much OF the higher still remains i'm
Ipenetrable. The conscious need OF
God is not proof Of his existence.
but as Il universal race experience il
does at least Indicate that human ma
ture is not self-eNplanatory or self
sun! cicnt. II man were complete in
himself, or il he were even uncon-
scious OF his incompletcness, or being
conscious OF ii were compluccnt con
corning his limitations. :: .anre were
no reStlesSness OF the soul, ii he
recognized no decree OF progress, no
scarchingS OF the heart, no ycarnings
OF the spirit. then he would be wholly
incapable OF entertaining any idea OF
God whatsoever. Mans protest
against his own limitations is in itself
an intimation OF his higher kinship.
He is under compulson TO attempt
what he can only imperfectly ac-
complish. 10 aspire TO what he can
only inadequately realize. God,
therefore. is that power in our lives
which humanity is forced 10 postu-
late as its necessary complement.
Thoughts OF the highest self sug-
eest thoughts OF God. because there
IS something OF the mystic in every
man. and the unanalyZed and indeed
unana lalyzable feeling OF dependence
upon 4 higher power is the common
experience of humanity The mysti-
cal feature OF this experience is that
We feel this power stirring within
rather than manifesting its presence
without. II is a phase of our buried
life which We discover as soon as the
superficial fails TO satisfy us. Then
there comes "a longing To inquire