Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-07-29
"a SARAH u. LOWRLE,S
SATURDAY EVENING TALK
Being Sensitive Religion Is Having Standard by Which
to Measure Life

temporary anguish of some Of those
bad Dreams But | think many Of us
who are not sensitive. because we are
very robust. are impatient and awk-
wnrdly provocative in the company OF
what | would call super sensitive mem-
orics that are easily stirred to feeling
by the very slightest touch on the door.
An ordinary story of the days hap.
penings which has made us laugh, has
in it something of cruelty or OF appre-
hension. or even Of sharp disgust for
them. In our bcwildcrment or chagrin
over our lamcntablc failure to amusc
we are often merely impatient. I'm
patient actually because we become sud-
denly aware that the point of view OF
the other person is more finely per-
ccrtive of the truth of the situation than
was our own. The joke was not funny,
II was--whcn one considered the whole
affair stupid'y cruel; the witticism was
not really humorous or worthy OF
laugh; it touched too pointedly on
things better left unthought the catas-
trophc just avoided was not merely eX-
citing as We had felt it it held possi-
bilities OF fatal repetition which would
lcave no timc for laughter at the time
or later: the newspaper heading which
seemed merely interesting rang with Il
sort Of prophetic menace that. after all.
un" took lightly nt ones peril.
,omctlncs think that those of us
who are merely sensational over dis
astcr and amused over dilemmaS and
ca:rlcSS o~~r other folks downfulls. are
like stirring, undcvelopcd children in
ia" company OF adults who have seen
th" end from the beginning. Now chill
dr"n are very good company for adults
and wholesome 10 have about, but not
when they insist upon treating grown
ups as children and themselves as
adults. One likes the freedom from
care Of a child one even enjoys the
total disregard of consequences that
goes with that happy go lucky advcn-
turous state Of mind, but it is only
one way of looking at things, not OF
necessity the only way, not by any
proof We can produce the best way for
all concerned.
In fact, the greater a mind Is, the
less happy il is apparently, If by happy
one means unCOnsciousncSs of the full
meaning of what goes on about Cne,
for others as well as for ones self.
7 USED 10 be puzzled when came
L across those rather frequent sayings
Of Christ concerning those of His con-
tempOrarioS who saw yet somehow
failed TO understand. and who heard
what He said. yet failed TO comprehend
it, who. in fact. could not take in the
truth when il was before them, having
never had Il correct standard Of truth,
never trained their minds to be sensl
tive to it. They were like those Of
us who continually listen TO Jazz"
until by and by 1t becomes the only
s., tyI ~
that catches or that holds our atten-
tion. Some of us have never known
the sensations of real music: there IS
blind spot in our minds just there.
Some of us are fools enough to laugh
NJ the people who have sensations over
pure music, but most Of US would have
been glad TO ''Go along with them and
enjoy it too with genuine comfort. We
/ wish somewhat wistfully that icng ago
when We were children we had been
begun right about music and given n
standard that would stay by Us in our
memories. so that at will We could open
the door OF our minds and-undcr-
stand.
The same thing is true about relig- :
ion. Some Of us have never learned
to be sensitive to it. never understood
what people were driving at when they
talked about II. or lived 1t. 1t has
never entered our makeup for bad OF
for good. 1t is neither help nor a
hindrance to us--it is just not there.
The part of US that IS sensitive to
some forms Of pleasure or to some forms
of pain has never responded to re-
licion. Eyes have we but wo do not
see. oars have We but We do not under
stand :"
Well. that Is no, thing that we
boast of, even those Of us who, know
ing the lack. never attempt to rectify
It. But it is lack that we sustain
at our peril nevertheless Not the peril
OF everlasting dnmnation, frankly
think, but the peril Of the painful de
formity Of incompleteness.
IMIE ALL lack many things, some o!
w us lack most things that make 70,
completion. but to lack that one thing
il to have lost a standard that affects
everything we do or think, to lose an
exact measure for everything that is
beautiful. or dependable or worthy OF
our endeavor. 1t is our carpenter rule
for oil the work we do here, our com :
pass for steering into eternity; it IA
the lenven that makes best all our
human relationships. 1t Is possible 10
live without it and to die without It,
but Mt an hourly sacrifice that Is in :
calculable.
SARAH D. LOWRIE.