Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-12-15

that they could have managed affairs
better. They remind me of "A remark
that Major Henry l.. Higginson, of
Boston. once made to me while discuss
ing another subject. He said, L am
willing to admit, for the sake of argu-
ment. that l could have made n better
world than God did, but we must ac.
cept it as it is But they are not will
ing to accept it,"
81 do not see how we can help it,"
said Doctor McFabre.
Are you conceited enough TO believe
that If it were left 10 you that you
could better it?" l asked.
THANK God! MOI"
II congratulate you, doctor, on your
modesty," said l. The war is horrible
enough without allowing it to deprive
that directs the affairs of men. There
are compensations, however, which we
ought not to overlook. l can see tho
hand of God in what is going on as
clearly as l can sec you. You know
what Emerson said?
! 'Tis mans perdition to be safe,
! When for the truth he ought to die.
Belgium did not choose hell as her
| fate. but she has sacrificed herself for
high ideal. / cannot think of the
| fate of that little nation without gain.
| ing new respect for the divinity there
| is in man. France has been reborn
in the throes of the conflict. England
has risen from her sloth and has had
vision of a glory greater than that
OF commercial supremacy, and in the
! United States a miracle has been
wrought. We have turned our backs
on all that we have been taught for
more than one hundred years. We
have entered a war on the continent OF
Europe. We have consented to a con.
scription law and we are engaged in a
| holy crusade for democracy. which is
another name for the rights OF the
humblest man, which rest on the fun
damental teachings of Christ that we
are all the sons of God and brothers
and equal heirs in a common heritage.
The man who should have said three
years ago we would do all this would
have been called mad"
II had not thought of it in that
way" said the clergyman.
But we must think Of it in this
way If we are to retain our faith in
righteousness" said 1. 81 sympathize
deeply with all the bereaved. I cannot
think without tears Of the hundreds OF
thousands typified by Tennyson when
he wrote:
Home they brought her warrior dead
She nor swoon'd, nor utterd cry,
but when / take a broad view of the
history Of the whole world l can
not help thinking that the death of
these men is a comparatively small
price to pay for the great benefits
that will accrue to future generations.
II should say that the fact that 1t Is
permitted proves there is no God or
that God is impotent l should be worse
|
cause her baby falls into the fire and
is burned TO death. Why, do you know,
there has been more serious writing
and thinking about God since this
war began than in any similar period
for generations. ! do not mean mere
theological discussion, but serious
searching after the truth and devout
inquiry into the great question Of a
spiritual power at work in the world
Mr. Wells spoke for tens of thou
sands of Englishmen when he wrote
Mr.. Britling Sees 1t Through ant
God the Invisible King and the,
were Englislmen, who like Mr.. Wells
had hitherto had no interest in 10
ligious things. / have just been read
ing three books that have grown more
or less directly out of the war as Mr.
wells's books grew. One is a move
by j. C. Snaith, an Englishman. Tht
Coming as 1t is called, has alread.
attracted a great deal Of attention ant
deservedly. 1t is an attempt TO ex
hibit Christ as the prophet of human
brotherhood and the redeemer Of tn,
world. through selfiessness. 1t con
tains a scathing arraignment Of tn,
established church In the person of {
narrowminded vicar. and II proclaimi
that there can be no salvation for th,
world until . new spirit enters th'