The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-04-14

says som ewhere that the common table
| rarping spiritualist has a far hrmer
faith In Immortality than the average
Christian. That is Enthusiastically
true
| want to couple another fact with
that 1t Is that the world Is facing
today Its gravest spiritual danger for
> 900 years. refer to Bolshevism
What is Bo!shevism ? 1t lis the frank
avowal Of materialism as the ultimate
rule of life---the denial of God. the re-
lection OF all discipline. the abolition
+ OF any distinction between right and
wrong the erection of envy, greed.
murder and lust to the rank OF civic
virtues.
In Alfred Noyes' article in the Sat
urday Evening Post no defines it as
the reversal Of all our standards OF
right and wrong, the Clorihcation of
immortality. the destruction OF the
ethical cement that has been holding
society together, and points out that
II Is not merely a political phenome-
non, but has been active in art and
literature for more than a quarter of
a century and has gone far towards
viciously pervertjnR the whole read
ing public" He quotes Tennyson in
approval.
why do I mention these things g?
Because / believe that much OF It is
dnc 10 the lapsinr Of the belief In Il
lffa beyond death. Matthew Arnold
saws;
Is there no other life? Pitch this
one high" 1t cannot be done. The
only thing that keeps us even n,easur-
ably straight and upright is belief in
tGc ideals of spiritual world. and
unless that bc a real world--real in
the same sense this is real--then ideals
would have no sanction outside them-
selves. hut would he merely self delu-
sious. destined ultimately to disap-
po9r before the clear sight OF reason.
why should I he good II there Is no
Cod and the universe cares Just as
much and just as little for goodness
as badness?
If is for this reason that 7 welcome
the efforts being made in scientific
circles to re-establish the belief in
life beyond death
!. But TO return TO our subject: In
tho life beyond death we Will find
the completion Of our life's work The
mark of this world is incompleion.
perhaps. even more than imperfection.
We plant the seed. but 1t never fully
flowers here. The dream Of the ar
fist is never wholly realized. Nay,
what is this earthly life itself but Just
q fragment, a snatch OF unearthly
song which, II It be not completed
yonder, is TOO sad for words.
Now If that be true, ought not the
pulse Of every true workman to beat
faster when he thinks that yonder he
Mil be able to complete the task be
gun hero amid all the handicaps OF
sense and time? or, If completion
he too big word, at least to carry on
higher school.
/ .. Is it not exciting also to think
THAT Just across the threshold. so 20
speak ia. we believe, q fuller knowl-
edge, insight and perception than any
we know Of her? This is n world OF
ana nswered problems. of questions
/ flung against the void, only to be
nuug back In hooking echoes in our
hearts Today the thinker racks his
brain and heart to find a plausible
answer to some deep problem of exist
ence. tomorrow he may be where the
Iprohlern has ceased to exist altogether.
Today the scientist may working pain
ITUily in his little laboratory to dis
iCuvcr another OF natures secrets; to-
morrow ne may be where he can soc
mature al work In her own laboratory
prevailing 20 his eager gaze her most
intimate proc sscs. Today the philos-
opher liz writing a volume about the
relationship OF matter and spirit, to nc
/
lncss further visible; tomorrow he may
be where he can see the very birth
of matter out of spirit.
The same La true of the more com
monplace questionings of life. Lift
IN a perpetual why. Why should Coo
have made me thus2 Why should h
have permitted this trouble to com
upon me? Why should the wicked 81
often flourish like a green bay tree,
while the righteous, etc.7 l think WI
shall have light on these question
lyonder, Not that we shall know all
for that would be to be equal will
God: but that the mystery will no
weigh go heavily on our hearts.
8. And then, in conclusion, over Their
our loved ones are waiting and watch
ing for us | viii not argue the ques
ton Of recognition in heaven. o
course, there will be recognition;
! would not be heaven otherwise.
do not believe God would allow on
, little loves to blossom here awhile
only to be crushed out by the iro1
: heel of death.
And il that be so. is not the though
or reunion an exciting one?