Albuquerque morning journal., 1922-02-19
DOING EVIL.

Our previous correspondent A. L. shewmaker,
again takes us to task in another column for our
attitude toward evil and evil doers. We do not
intend to prolong this controversy. Mr.. shew-
maker may make reply to this comment if he
chooses and the incident will be closed.
The burden of his reply is that know light
by the existence of darkness; bodily comfort by
the existence of hunger and cold, and good gen
orally by the existence of evil.
We agree We know blue by the existence of
red, and green and yellow. Something by way Of
comparison is necessary for to form mental con-
cepts We know good by the existence of evil, if
as a matter of fact evil is not merely absence Of
good just as darkness is an absence of light.
We incline to agree with our Christian Science
friends in their viewpoint that evil does not exist
in any real Wrong acts are committed rather
through absence of good than through the pres
ence of evil. This however. is rather fine phio-
sophlcal distinction than practical truth. We call
the absence of light darkness, and the absence of
good, evil, So far practical purposes we arrive at
about the point
To charge God with having put hunger into the
world in order that may appreciate food, or
cold that we may revel in warmth, evil that we
may know good, is to malign God. Darkness has
its place in the world. 1t is not evil. 1t is
variation of good. Hunger is not an evil The man
without appetite is cursed To never feel hungry
would be an evil rather than good Cold is neces-
sary; it is not an evil
II we had nothing but light there would be no
way to produce the darkness which the world needs
II our appettes were always satisfied there would
be no way to produce hunger. But, being hungry
we normally satisfy the appetite with due en-
ergy. II warmth always prevailed the world could
not be cold Being cold we normally produce
The warmth we need. These things are not evil.
God made certain economic laws. If obey
Them there will be light for all who wish it when
1t is dark; food for all who hungry; warmth for
all who are cold. If the economic balance is upset
and there are those who cannot have light and food
and warmth shall we call 1t Gods will and not be-
ttir ourselves to restore the balance? Shall
that there is purpose in It all that we may know
the good things when they come? Such philoso-
ply is both absurd and criminal. If will show
the proper attitude toward the economic laws God
has provided inexorabe, these distressing things
will be banished from the world But must
act
If profteer corned the food supply and the
fuel supply of the world and women and children
were starving and freezing, would our friend say
it is Gods will in order to show the good to come
from food and fuel? Would he say that the evil
existed that good might be understood? Would he
say: do not lift your voice your hand against
the evil-doer who by force, is violating Gods eco
nomic and moral laws?"
Only in lesser degree do the evils exist which
the Journal attacks God made laws of justice and
equity. If they allowed to function we can re-
duce injustice and distress to the minimum in the
world. The man who wfuy intercepts the oper-
alton of these laws to the harm of mankind is the
enemy of both God and man. Such a man should
be attacked and will be attacked by us, with full
sense of a Christian duty DONE We consider our
selves the instrument of Gods Justice in such an
attack however feeble the effort
Our friend is a good man, taking the course he
deems right. We have no quarrel with him. If he
feels that we are doing evil in attacking evil, why
does he violate his own philosophy by chidng us
for doing evil?
Our mental processes are peculiar things.