The Washington herald., 1917-03-18

tThs Fery Rev. Peter J. o'caIiarhan. O. 8. p.
supeiT q Tie Apostolic Mission House a. fhs
o.tnohc University. vrvts the foioxing s-noa On
f1tth, especially for rhs wsshinston Hs.ldI
BY REV. PETER ,. o'cALLAGHAN.
The fool has said in his heart There is
no God"-Psa. l3l
-. Paul has given the most splendid
dennition OF faith in declaring Il TO be
the substance Of things to be hoped for,
the evidence Of things that appear NOT"
II the things ito be hoped for" are to be
tangible. knowledge Of them must come
rom sources that are superhuman. The
evidence Of things that appear not must
pc provided by those whose vision
stretches beyond human ken. Nothing
short Of the revelation Of what Is necss-
sarily beyond present human experience
can be Of any substantial religious value
TO any man in his quest after God. The
sum total of purely human knowledge
can add nothing material to our under
standing Of any destiny beyond the grave.
unless someone who has gone down
through the grave into the valley of the
shadow of death" and has risen from the
DEAD. VIII speak to US the silence OF the
tomb viii forever mock our questionins
souls. The criminal audacity of those
who have dared TO speak without such
title to speak upon the things of eternity
is as evident as the inanity Of theil
speech. -
Faith Reason on T1ptoes
Although It is true that the soul Of mar
must needs learn from a Divine Master
the things that are to its eternal saliva,
tion. II remains true that there are many
things which the wisdom Of man car
learn about religion which have at Ieas
/ a Naa1 AnU.- a :.
knowledge of the way unto life eternal
other knowledge is both valuable anG
fruitful and is now attainable. Thii
knowledge of the road along which We
are now trudging has a religious value
In that 1t leads TO the knowledge of bet.
ter things and prepares the mind fol-
faith which is reason standing upon itt
tiptoe and by Gods grace enabled to SCI
beyond the horizon that separates u,
from eterna! things
As philosophers we may come TO tht
brink OF human knowledge and il is gooc
for US to stand upon the brink Of thi.
abyss which divides US from the work
beyond Nowhere else can we think such
thoughts as force themselves upon u.
when we strive to reach this abyss.
Nowhere else can we realize the limi
tations and profit by the realization Of
them as completely as when We gaz'
across its limitless eXpanSe. Human
genius has widened our vision and open.
ed TO US new earth and a new HEAVIER
that were undreamed Of by our fathers
Science has revealed to us wonders thai
have been hidden from the race from tn,
foundation Of the earth. The superb
cial may be most deeply impressed by
the Instruments of this larger vision anC
regard them as newly-found toys devised
for their intellectual amusement
Truth the Absorbing Passion.
The thinking man may give some pass
ing attention to the instruments, bu
truth is his absorbing passion and upoH
II he will rivet his eager eyes. He re
joices not only in the achievement o!
human reason. but in the deeper know.
ledge of its limitations. The accumulat
ed experiences Of scientific Investigation
have impressed upon this truth thai
the ever-enlarging field of knowledge rem
ders II impossible TO set limits TO tn,
realities OF the world beyond us. That
world is as real as the world at oui
feet There is no escaping the conyic