New-York tribune., 1919-03-30


K N ing. these days, books about the
future life. Not few of these
books purport to record spirit messages,
communications from beyond the thrcs-
hold, to tell us, not theories, but facts
regarding the hereafter Facts always have
practical advantage over theories, but the
particular facts that get themselves re-
corded in this type of literature are, to not
few people, depressing rather than cheer
full. Recently came across review by
Gilbert Chestcrton Of a certain book now
much read. book wherein mother records
her communications with her dead son. who
it would seem has not succeeded as vet in
ascending far above this mundane sphere
and its ways. Mr.. Chesterton was exceed
ingly depressed And what seemed to de-
press him most of all was the fact that this
boy still wore his twecds, his woollen stock
ngs, and still played golf with all the
orthodox implements. There appeared to
be Improvement, even in putters
ably too fat to golf) Enthusiastically
preached a sermon on superstition as the
inevitable outcome of skepticsm. After
having rejected as unreasonable the mystic
resurrection of the body mentioned in the
creed. the unsatisiied world falls back on
the crudties of "spiritualism," and beholds
dear tod in nil cl,o
ing the same ilusive pellet chased on earth,
across the fields of ether. (No doubt the
Milky Way makes an excellent water
hazard.) But | cannot wholly agree with
Mr.. Chesterton that this marks a reversion
in human thinking. Speaking at least as
seriously as he, am inclined to think that
IN popular conception, city of jasper and
pearl or it only the walls and gates
which were composed of these materials p
IN which the departed sat playing evermore
upon their golden harps, the outcome of
"spirituaism' which finds the departed
playing golf is distinct gain. At least, l
am sure that vastly more people prefer to
achieve proficiency as golf players than IS
harp players. 1t may be true that certain
wives will find small comfort in this modern
hereafter, urging, in defence of the old,
that harps much moro likely to keep a
husband at home; that the new Heaven
means but an infinite prolongation of widow
hood. But, with so much time available,
doubtless mixed foursomes will be per-
mitted, even on Saturday afternoons At
any rate, from the masculine point of view,
the new hereafter answers much better than
the old to phiosophc needs, and holds out
far more promise of being pleasant.
have never yet met golfer who was not
firmly convinced that his game could be i'm
proved with time, belief he persists in to
the ultimate hazard. Golf is more than q
game, il is symbol, it is the pursuit of
perfection, which the philosophers tell us
should be our task in Heaven. To see a
graybeard of sixty-ive or seventy Gas you
may do on any course) out all alone, prac-
tising mashie approaches, is to witness
something noble, something splendid in
ton. The youngsters indulge in unthinking
laughter, to be sure, but that is not because
they scorn the pursuit of perfection; it is
only because they realize the hopelessness
OF attainment in whose muscles are
daily becoming more infexibe. But when
S there is more age, when the muscles
nevermore shall wither nor the sight grow
dim-ah, then will be a different story.
a.
reach the Morning Star in three Then,
indeed. there will be a chance for the
twenty-four- handicap man-after an aon
or two Of practice-to break so over the
course of the Celestial Country Club
To break so. How many have dreamed
this dream earth, and died, or will die,
without attaining their desire Not one
& OF them wants to play harp, nor, so far
as we infer from earthly conditions
does anybody desire to hear him try But
those three old crones Of his who meet
him every Saturday the 2:49 train
followers all of the dmpled Clean, pas
sonate piodders after perfection, how they
Will rejoice in their reunion on comfort
anie cloud by the first tee, waiting their
turn TO jab their frat cramped drives
: never to be cramped agan--into the fair
way OF the stars! The old hereafter dcvel-
oped-in answer to mans needs. doubt
Crude yisuaiization. Whatever it's original
mystic depth, the yisualizaton Of it was
hsrps new age asks a ncy risualIzaton
II is golf clubs.
we feel cure Mr Chcsterton is one Of
'nose queer bipeds who doesn't play golf
osherwisc he would understand the great
s,fihe forward which has been made. No
sne new Heaven is not "superstition," 1t is
."at 'reaiism," rather, which we have been
.sar'ng 70 much about these last four years.
Aidss that Mr.. Chas&orfno ahnutd hn1np x