Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-04
DISCUSSED BY

our inglorious ease. Without its spur
we should become like the ancient lotus
eaters. Every week I receive letters
from brave and serviceable spirits who
have become what they are by fighting
the wrongs and hardShips around them.
You say you would have relished the
Garden of Eden. Apart from the fact
that it is poetic idealization. I believe
the place would ultimately have palled
on you after any novelty the situation
possessed had worn off.
The lassitude and do-nothingness
that such paradise would have neceS-
STATED are not meant for beings such
emerge at the call Of pressure, suffering
and pain.
3. God Himself is not an impassive
spectator of LIES drama. According to
the Bible, He has deeply involved Him
SELF In its tragedy, with the intention
OF making that tragedy subServe a glo-
r1ous moral and spiritual triumph. But
He acts according to law, not caprice.
and We must believe He is conducting
the universe in the wisest possible way
The travail of creation Is His travail
Nor does He endure it in vain. The
true and beautiful aspects of life are
everywhere around you. View them as
foreshadowings of the final abolition OF
the false, the ugly and the repellent.
Out OF the depths of His passion Jesus
| still called God His Father and still be-
lieved that He controlled the visible and
| invisible universe. Considering what
Jesus was and what He accomplished,
you and I can safely emulate His ex-
ample.
O. Why was Saul called Paul after
| his conversion?
A. Several reasons are given for this
change of name. It occurs in st. Luke s
narrative after the account of the con-
version of Sergius Paulus, and some
authorities believe that the apostle took
over his later title from that convert.
Others think it was chosen by st. Paul
| himself, because it signifies smallness.
Since he was noted for his unimpreSsive
physique and also his humility, they
argue that these we're his reasons for
calling himself Paulus.
The more probable explanation is
that he assumed this name when he
attained the dignity 'of Roman citizen
ship. 1t was the well known and hon
ored name of some important families.
Surely they were fortunate in the fact
that an expatriated and prosecuted Jew
who was martyred for his faith has
spread that name throughout the earth.
linking 1t with an achievement second
to none in the history of religion.
@. personally do not attend church.
Many who do go simply because 1t is
the proper thing to do. regard them
as hypocriteS. Indeed, my experience
Is that there are more hypocrites in the
church than out of it. In my opinion,
all that is necessary to be Christian
that is what I try to do, without re-
gard to church connections or attend
ance.
| What else is necessary?
A. A little more clarity and little
less f-complacency on your part. 1t
is certainly interesting to hear from a
correspondent who roundly accuses so
many of his fellow men with hypocrisy
and at the same time follows the teach
1ngs OF Christ. know no teachings of
His which justify your avowed indif-
ference to the public worship of God
or which authorize your censorious and
sweeping Judgment Of the motives OF
others.
On what grounds do you rest your
| conviction that in and of yourself you
are able to obey those teachings? II
you are willing to be judged either here
or hereafter by your exemplary obedi-
ence to Christs commands, you are the
only person thus willing of whom ever
| AAS0AN' lac 6ACdCCoI odlIlIo nave always
been keenly conscious of their imperfec-
tions and charitable toward the imper-
fections of others.
I am aware that fakirs and hypocrites
occasionally use religion to cloak their
miSdeeds, but what does that prove?
Simply that there is a divine reality in
religion under which these pretenders
endeavor to shelter themselves The
vast majority of attendants at church
are found there because they realize
their need Of spiritual help, and find 1t
IN the public worship of the God of all
good life. Go thou and do likewise"