The Denver Jewish news., 1923-03-14

win tne cruel parndOSeS OF hte. ~
least he declares, This is my honest
thought. This is my explanation of the
facts l see; nm explanation that is not
Inconsistent with them; and does NOT
ignore them. does not deny them. This
is my way of explaining the frighffui
contradictions between the cold cruel
ties of the Uaiverse and the persistent
faith of the human soul
The Thought of Wells is that there
is God. and his spirit is just. As
he gradually permeates all and mas
tiers all, more and more completely
| will he banish evil and cruelty from
the world.
And now we come TO the weakness
of this simple and charming story. In
spite of its exquisite literary art, in
spite of its realism. sincerity ana
pathos. the conclusion TO my mind is
weak and inadequate. 1t is unconvinc-
ing: it does not satisfy human nature
nor our deep yearning for some spirit
ual assurance and certainty that may
| StlSIulH us WtltH tut -
our being are crumbling.
The conclusion of this. book is not
like Job's-that there is n solution, 5ut
one unintclligible for the limited IA
culties of man: that the spiritual So
crets of the Universe are as impene-
table a mystery as the physical Crca-
tion itself.
Nor is II the solution of Wells I'm
''rhe Undying Fire that God is That
God is just: but that the Spirit OF All
is engag getl in mastering the Universe
and its forces. and bending them TO
His Will: Just as man is, i'm his lin
tied sphere. The idea of Wells is that
of struggling God. gradually estab-
fishing his spiritual sovereignty in the
world: and that largely through the
60 operation of man himself.
But the philosophy OF Bojer Is that
the solution of the problem of the
man whose great hunger is to find God
Is. that the man must create God. The
mans sublime forgiveness of his en-
emy's cruelty and ferocity. one would
think. would reveal the living God to
him. because he himself had begun TO
he gOdlike. and could sense Gods eN-
istence hy the awakening inner SYM
pathy of his own true being. But in
stead of that we are told Il sowed
the corn i'm my enemy's field that God
might exist Man must create the di-
vine in heaven and on earth" dnstcnd
of God creating man the author plainly
states that man must create God.
Man. however. does not create the
supreme reality. which is God: man
only creates his own conception Of God;
that. as the man grows nobler, be-
comes nobler too. When he develops
the divine in his own soul. the gOdlike
within recognizes the godlike without.
Deep answers unto deep. The finite
that has become divine recognizes. the
Infinite that is divine.
This is the only solution. This is
the truth that has been wrung out of
| the heart of man through the ages. 1t
is not open to proof or disprOof. 1t is
a spiritual experience. 1t is our di-
rect vision of ultimate Truth that has
come to humanity through age long
tragedy and tears.
The strength OF this story thus is
not that it makes us know the ulti-'
mate Truth. Its solution of the world
problem is earnest and sincere. yet it
is inadequate and unreal. But it makes
us realize that above and beyond our
earthly yearnings and desires. however
completely they may he satisfied, there
remains supreme hunger of the soul
that may still he unappensed: and with
out which life is empty. and the hui
man heart has no rest or peace.
1t is for this supreme satisfaction of
the human spirit that we all yearn and
pray.
"Oh Thou bounteOus Giver OF all
good
Thou art, of all Thy gifts Thyself the
Crown.
Give what thou canst. without Thee
we are poor:
And with Thee rich, take what Thou
wilt away
The Jewish Observer.
/ .t.,s.t