Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-08-06
"SILENCE OF GOD
is IMPRESSIVE"
A Priests Rebuke to Bereaved
Father and the Reflections of
aMan Who Knows War
BY HENRI BAZIN

| PARIS, July 10.
| r SPENT a recent evening In the compan,
i Of a dozen men who have something OF
| reputation in the arts and professions they
| follow. They were painters, litterateurs
| journalists Of international reputation, and
| a priest of the Roman Catholic Church
pastor Of one of the most important
| churches In Paris. Some, with him, were
deyout Others were of liberal view. But
they all knew each other, and, what Is more
iked each other for the man in each of
| hem. respecting where disa~ eing with
| opinions.
The war was of course, the main topic
of conversation, It's horrors, its Duration
It's heroisms, its countless examples OF de-
votlon and sacrifice, its present phase OF
union wherein the issue is narrowed down
TO n conflict between the human race with
right on one side against the German race
with wrong upon the other
one man, who had lost three sons, the
last within a month at Cerny, suddenly re-
preached Providence for permitting contih-
uance of a three years massacre with the
issue so clear, forecasting that over the
sea were thousands Of fathers and mothers
doomed, through this very continuance, to
sorrows they could not now fully under
stand, and asking why the triumph OF
right and justice should entail new grief
and unborn mourning.
The priest who had been silent In the
main suddenly spake as If coming out of
a reverie, saying just these words:
"The silence of God is impressive and be-
yond our understanding.
No reply was made, and presently the lit
tie company dispersed.
"But God Has Spoken"
on my way home l thought Of his words,
trying to dissect their meaning, to fathom
the thought that gave birth to them. And
suddenly it flashed across my mind that If
God was, or seemed to us who see in be-
logged vision, apparently silent as to His
Almighty aims, it was because He had al
ready spoken, and that we had not or per.
haps would not understand.
For are we not daily unworthy OF listen
ing to Hin? Are we silent enough, sincere
ly prayerful enough? Are we of sufficient
Hluch' uilluilioIS uioCouiSe 'oo "iucH' hhe
too well the sound Of our own voices, vast
ing our energy in sOnOrous and useless
phrase? Are we given enough to soli-
tude? Are we sef-didactc enough?
We listen eagerly for the echo of battle,
and tho neorer ecbnes unon tho hiehwa va
,r,. -, - A., o,..,o.,
ABOUT US ihe ie"S' iu'iio'' '''e h''''S'es'
new pronunciamento' the latest nue. ana
cry, mayhap half Invented, occupies and
o,r,.o,o, go, vvo live 4, ,o, ,i,Io ip,ip,acv
win ourselves, s.l"hsels " ou' . ~ m
have but vague idea of even the stupen-
;.,nra -, onndan,n ~ as II r,ar, ana bruises
n,,r homes and orr desires we hava in
ability 10 comnrehend impotence in taking
snGicient Mains at breadth Of understanding
So that which comes haphazard to our
discernmnnt we note but in it's passing.
sunerfciallv as would a curious child in
canable of reflection a child amused at a
new TOW frightened at A. new fear without
the capacity of probing as to the why, the
means the aim the end
We do not diagnose nor do we suspect,
perhaps the relations of things and events
to each other, relations often obscurely and
lengthiy distant, yet in some measure trace
able in reason or logic through effort ana
meditation. But the facet satisfies US the
outer crust spelling appearances rs the sum
and substance of our days we are mlidiy
interested or slightly diverted or onendeu
we do not grasp Montalgnes meaning "neh
he spoke OF sealing hlmsef wlthn MS
library; we do not, IN other words take
the time born OF desire 10 phliosopnlze
upon events .ann " an. .m1 .hair tntortS
we can, 10 w III p".t 'Net'
anu CONSEQUENCE VI @ nv W. A. 80,
ourselves, nor y. - haoa,h &c ohn,,o
sehuilely ioTh apon' 10, 80 a. ca -ai',a,
US, nor "a i'n. ounst' a.s ,hn tiarast 81
sllt a. IS,t, ,IosstnrS
'ie A""'e"''
How We Can Hear Gods Voice
,,. l..
For IL Is IN our power d. ie,'s. " .' nse ~
something OF twihght ihstead OIL uaIkness'
1t Is ours 10 choose' ana most ot US are
content with piaihtiVe arraisn;iieht Vi ,Iiis VI
that' surfing our fantasies anu uui U.s. %;
remaining ,h srea' piopos ,'nl ~, ~, .ne ~,
go We buiId IDOLS as have said ancient
,hiIosonbers =, we b,Iild in hone for good a
,,ira ",o created Inv ourselves a, mirage with
nntbing of logic or reason in it's foundation.
unsoI,d In its construction and architecture