The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1923-08-02
A Patient Jehovah
nv r. r. Patten)

(By r. t. Patten)
A very long time ago, suppose we
call 1t four hundred million years,
the dusts of interminable space
rushed together to form the seething
mass we call the sun. Not so long
ago and yet quite remote from our
own day, let us say eighty million
years, the speck we call the earth
was thrown off from the suns blazing
surface to take up it's eternal journey
around that parent body. Ages pass
and a time comes when the mists
drift apart and the flrstv sunlight
peeps in upon tides which ebb and
flow over hot sands and against slow
cooling rocks. Still other days roll
away and in that sand, yet warmed
by primordial fires, elements, previ-
ously inert, group themselves to form
or make home for that wonderful
thing called life. Futile 1t Is up to
that moment to speak OF time, for how
can we think of duration with nothing
animate to experience 1t? With the
grouping of those first life cells, with
the flicker of that first dull intelli-
gence, real time began. From that
moment the most protentous of all
the ages, man dates his history
Cropping back to it through number
less, intensely interesting eras of de-
velopment we find our origin. Can
we get an inspiration from the
thought that the material universe,
including the bodies of which we
have so brief tenancy, was once
part of the sun itself. Can we gain
confidence as to life hereafter from
the obvious fact that the mind, that
curious entity, Independent of and
dominating both time and space,
could not have sprung from such
source. Do we realize that all this
stupendous history was necessary to
our coming? Do we understand the
obligation resting upon beings such
as we, developed by all nature at
such cost In years and energy? Do
we grasp our" duty in face Of the fact
that stupendous things through ages
have been done to create us and the
wonderful world built for our comfort
and happiness?
Now | am not unmindful of the per-
fectly magnificent things which have
been accomplished by the people oil
my race. Be it understood when
speak Of my race" l mean, not Amer
leans (whatever that may signify
but all mankind. The progress you
can trace in recorded history is not
less than a marvel. But what of it,
AS sensible beings we want to view
this great advance not in contrast
with sits starting point at zero but
with its possibilities. The question
Is not have we done wonderful things
but has man lived up to his opportu-
mites? And have we? We are In
world fitted to be inhabitated only
by peaceable, happy people. Did we
do as we'll as we know there need BIZ
not one case of want or single un
happy person in all the lands lit by
the sun. When possibilities are con
sidered we may say that not one ator
of human knowledge should be de
voted to anything but humans ant
beneticient Purposes. Are these
ideals too high? Utterly so wheI
, put forth as possibilities in the mes!
we have made of civilization; not a
all too high when thought of as {
condition of which this world is cap
able.
l often think with not the slight
est irreverence) of Jehovah as a yer.
J patient individual He brings int
being this earth of ours to be gov
erned by laws and otherwise condi
toned as an ideal home for the hu
mainly he can foresee will come t.
people it. And then he finds us her
| in the year of our Lord 1923, spend
!, ing nine-tenths of our energy in wa
and destruction and a very meagr'
fraction of it for those things which
aim to carry out his ultimate pur
!, pose Were l Deity land again
J am speaking with the most SINGER
reverence) I should feel like scrap
; ping the whole thing and perhaps,
y not too much disheartened, trying tn
experiment anew.