The Farmville herald. (Farmville, Va.) 1957-current, 1959-08-07

book from the Ms
sacred collection.
1t is long way
removed from = =
the religion of DR.. Foreman
the prophets, the apostles and Of
Jesus. For instance, it not only
doubts immortality, it positively
denies it. Whatever religion it pre-
sents is all Of this world.
The Religion Of : Cynie
1t was evidently written BY q
cynic. or man whose cynical mo
ments Swallowed his writings A
cynic is not necessarily a sinner,
except so far as lack of faith is
sin. The cynic is a man who has
tasted the cup Of life and found
it not 80 much bitter, as empty
Like a mournful refrain the words
run through the book, "All is van
ity and a striving after wind"
Vanity" here represents a Hebrew
word which does not mean pride,
but emptiness. The modern express
sion would be, Nothing to it." Life
Ito the author Of this book is like
one OF the boxes you may buy in
a toy store on opening it you find
another box and when that is
opened, there is another and so
on and on But what is in the last
box? Nothing at all. So life has
! gay wrappings, it promises a great
deal but at the heart of it moth
\ ing but emptiness and a striving
/ after wind It is discouraging to
see all the things the cynical au-
thor had found without value:
work, wealth. fame pleasure,
novelty OF love he only men
tons it to say that there are times
when hate Is more appropriate.
OF the life beyond he can only say
the dead know not anything" i.
~ Riddle q Eeelesiastss
Now a curious thing about this
book is that here and there in It
are flashes Of something like relig-
ion 1t is religion. but las we said
not much like what Paul and John
knew Along with all the express
sions Of unfaith, Of cynicism, there
are some expressions OF faitha
chilly kind OF faith to be sure, but
still faith; a crocus in the snow is
not summer garden, but still it's
flower How account for the little
crocus of the authors faith in the
snowy waste of his cynicism Var
ious answers have been given One
is that this book is a sample OF
what little faith man can have
without revelation; another is that
one man couldn't have written the
whole book. but that some pious
editors added religious footnotes
contradicting the irreligious pages.
Another explanation is that this
book was written all by one man,
who had various moods. In his
dark moods he lost faith m nearly
everything. but in his better moods
he could say, We'll, in spite OF al
that, nevertheless ...w
Nevertheless -!
For there we're some things b
which this poor rich man could be
lieve. 1t may be true, he says, that
man tolls for the wind, that he Sci
dom is rewarded IN proportion to
his toll: nevertheless a man may
find enjoyment in the toll itself. The
days of life may be few, neverthe-
less they can be used as web aS
possible while they last. God may
be far away; but nevertheless there
is a God, and It is stupid to act as
il there were none OF Gods love,
this ancient writer has no concep-
ton: Of his forgiveness he feels no
need He had never been through
the furnace OF suffering AS Job
had. he suffered from having too
much. not from having too little.
He had never found any one to
love. or TO love him, we may judge.
In short, this man had lived on the
glittering surface Of life. Never
theless, though the deeper exper-
fences were denied him, though he
did not know God at close range,
though he knew no way to love
God, nevertheless he could obey
him, he could pay his vows even
to the distant God. II this faith of
the cynic is not saving faith, it
still is on the way.
BIASED On outlines copyrighted b.
the Division Of Christian Education.
National Council Of the Churches Of
Community Press sesvioe.)
rs it true. girls. that Sally JAM
has a new fur coat? Her old on,
is only three years old What j
that? Two spades? I wonder wha
should do? Is that a demand. o
, can / pass if l have a bust? Say
have you girls heard about JAG
Smith? My sister says she saw hir
and that good-looking secretary 9
his lunching at the Hidden Cave las
week Jack is the best catch i
town, and he must be at least 8
years old They say he is maxim
7 lots Of money. What? You bid tw
spades. partner? Oh, dear. every
one has been talking. I've forgotten
Let's start the bidding again."