The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1928-04-06

because it is expressed In the material
forms that make 1t tangible, visible,
and easily subject to the human un-
derStanding. But the whole purpose
of that life related to an existence be-
yond the material, to another and q
different life infinitely more impor-
tant, and Easter is at once the sym
and greater existence for which man
Is designed and to which earthly life
is but a vestibule.
The event which 1t commentaries
Is a resurrection from death so well
substantiated by the evidence and SO
tremendous In its implications, that
for nearly 1000 years it has been by
far the most powerful influence in
the thought and action of mankind.
In that event is the promise, the as
surance, the proof, the certainty, of
immortality. 1t has given to human
life an immeasurabe Importance, has
extended it from few hours to an
eternity, has lifted 1t up from the
dust and clothed It In the apparel of
divinity. Eternal lifel That Is the
meaning of Easter.
Firm Belief in immortality.
But in the necessary freedom of hui
man reasoning there are always theo-
ries antagonistic to the meaning and
significance Of Easter as well as di-
rect denial of that conception OF deity
upon which the Christian and all re-
ligions are based, and denial in par
ticular of the historical evidences
upon which the Christian world
founds it's faith. Positive atheism.
however, Is not, and never has been,
serious menace to human welfare.
There Is something instructive in hu-
manity that protects 1t from such a
negation. Nowhere, and at no time
since man became conscious of his
own ego, has he been without some
consciousness of deity, however vague
or distorted it might be. And asso-
ciated with that there has nearly al
ways been some feeling or hope or
belief relating to survival after death
that is apparently no less instructive.
The two ideas, the idea of God and
the idea Of Immortality, seem to be
set so deeply and firmly within man
that intellectual denials can make no
serious headway against them.
More dangerous, because more sub
tie, are those mechanistic theories of
human life now unhappily prevalent
in many of our higher institutions of
learning, which reason the soul out of
the body In the name of pseudo
science. When youth is told with
an air of authority that thought is
merely physiological process, that
ideas and, of course, ideals, are but
the products Of the mechanical stimu-
lus of physical organ, the brain !;
when he is taught indirectly, If not
directly, that there Is no such thing
as mind or spirit or soul; he Is, If
he accepts these theories, deprived
not only of all religious foundations
but of all incentive, other than ami
NAL, for living. If man is only a
mechanical automaton, as some of
our psychologists contend, life indeed
Is without purpose or without hope,
and Is not worth living.
Consciousness of Soul.
But such fantastic and depressing
theories are contradicted by the in.
dividual consciousness of every hu-
man being. 1t is inconceivable that
even their creators and distributors
actually believe In them. They are
In effect the denial of all human ex-
perience, the rejection of all knowl
edge. Those activities of conscious
ness which have created all that is
great and fine and wonderful In
science, in art, In literature, In archi-
lecture, in mechanics, are but fortui-
tous reactions to mechanical stimulus
in q physical organl We are all
Frankensteins, soulless beings pro-
duced by soulless naturei And such
pernicious absurdities, clothed In ses-
quipedalian terminology to give them
an air Of profundity, are gravely i'm
parted to youth as learning. No won
ucI LHdl hoW anu LhCh youlH say .
to himself whats the use?" and COM
mits suicide. And if they expressed
truth all humanity. indeed, would bet
ter commit suicide and put an end
to the colossal farce of existence.
But fortunately for mankind it re-
jects such nonsense In the guise of
learning, with proper contempt. 1t
knows that 1t has consciousness that
is self, an ego, mind, spirit, SOUL
what makes each one of us be what
we are is only the SOUL" said Plato
long ago, and that is the common
conviction Of humanity. And that
soul. however 1t may be subject to
material limitations In a material ex-