The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-07-25

w llV N'oNlVNN WI 'iilNoh
and drawn forth much to hold the at
tention OF those who wish to browse in
the speculative field.
If In our human limitations it seems
to us that nothing Is more important
than the development OF a soul and the
widening OF consciousness, then indeed
death. which so often cuts off these
processes at the vital moment, must
seem either the ~dastardly crime of Il
malevolent power, or just the inter
venlng hand Of progress, the opening
of the door to "a new and strange cA-
pcriance. The question then or con-
tinuanCc after death ls all wrapped up
ia whether or not one accepts "A purely
mechanical universe, with conscious
ness as a chance by-prodict. or
whether we have learned to put faith
In some hidden, yet surely ethical. pur-
pose I'm life.
Had IL not been for the recent amaz-
ing outbreak of constituencies bar
barity, Involving half OF Europe. any
writer might have proclaimed with
conviction that morality n civiliza-
ton were steadily increasing, that men
were assuming responsibility for man
kind and that a kecner rarial con-
seriousness than ever existed before Was
at work. Such a development would
have strengthened the general faith in
a purposerul universe. The lngerson
lectures on Immortality, dealing. a.
they did. with various aspects of u
faith In a future after death by inter-
esting and distinguished thinkers. COW
cred this field of inquiry in short and
vital monographs.
MIR. Holmes says in his preface that
from his earliest years he has been
preeminently interested in spccula-
tons pertaining to the idea of survival
after death. For years, he records.
he has both studied and meditated
upon the subject. The book shows
more signs of study than of mcditn-
tlon. for II. dealing with so vital n
problem, n book seems heavy and dull
IL is just because the gestative period
of meditation has been scantel.
Neither matter nor manner conveys
personality. Where no definite con-
clusion upon n subject can he logically
attained conviction and interest In n
book must depend upon the vigor Of
personality h n permeates 1t. The
question Of life after death 3 still
purely speculative: yet any one read
ing William James's Human Immor-
tality" will come away strengthened
in his conviction hat mar with the
measuring rod in his hand cannot in
deed take account OF all the ways Of
the universe.
Two aspects OF N faith in immor-
tally Mr.. Holmes has not touched
upon; first. the very common and
widespread sense of prenatal expert
ence. Since Plato goes into this as
pect very thoroughly, and Shelley.
Wordsworth and Browning deal with
1t. 1t seems odd that the present au-
thor should have overlooked it. The
second aspect. totally neglected by Mr..
Holmes, an aspect less widely but yet
widely enough considered to merit
mention Is the steady Increase OF a
form of consciousness which momen-
tarily esCape the limits of time and
space. II was with this consciousness
hat Gautama understood the death Of
sin. fear. desire and the attainment
OF a state which he called Nirvana
Jesus called this consciousness the
Kingdom OF God. Paul identified II
with the second coming Of n Messiah
when all men should attain it. Men
like Plotinus, Boehme. Blake, Whit
man and Edward Carpenter are ex-
cellent opponents Of this new faculty
which is surely in limo with the direct
ascent of the race. By this expert
ence n nan may know more of the
spiritual life in a few moments thar
he can learn in years Of study. Blu,
II is conveyed not by the ordinary
means of learning and collected proof
but by a conviction which every highly
developed personality carries in II.
self. The passage fromsself-conscious
ness to cosmic consciousness is 2
phenomenon comparable to the pas
sage from simple or animal conscious
ness To self-consciousness.
Mr.. Holmes deals first with our in.
timations Of Immortality, saying thai
man is obviously n being who belong.
not so much to the visible realm Of tn,
senses and things material as to IN,
invisible realm OF thought and spirit
TINT from the beginning he oCcupie.
himself with symbols and distractions
with beauty and spirit. agreeing will
Sir Oliver Lodge that life is not a
form or energy but belongs
To a separate order OF existence which
intcraCts with this material frame ~
things, and while there exerts guild
ance and control on the energy which
already here exists"
The chapter on immortality an,
Evolution" continues the discussion hl
taking for granted that life is unde,
the control Of an ethical Intelligence
once admitting this. il is not dihioul
To make an argument for some kin,
OF immortality. But IL there b. a Go,
why did He create SO imperfect .
world? Here the great problem Of al
evil world and an omn.scient, all pow
erful God arises again. 1t canno h,
said that Mr.. Holmes makes any con
tr,bution TO this subject, and modern
students are likely to take solaCe II
some such ideal as BerEson's Ella
whale. the ultimate reality or univer
sal principle underlying all, and 10 be
iieve that life is free and unCeasini
|; activity in an open universe.
Mr., Holmes considers that ,mmor
tality is susceptible Of proof. that al
indications point not only To lts prob
ability but to its practical certainty
that II is unconditional and the nat
ural inheritance of all mon. but a!
to conception OF what such immor
tally may be like he advises SUSPENDED