What and Where is God? Part 9

The Father had no form left on earth through which He could continue to speak _unerring_ words of wisdom and love. One year before my mother died she enfolded me once more in her arms and blessed me, saying, "My son, I shall never see you again on earth." Hastening home at the summons of my sisters I looked again on the dear old instrument, but the hand of welcome was not extended, and the lips did not speak. In like manner when the limp body of Jesus was taken from the cross, the lips no longer said, "I and the Father are one, He that hath seen me hath seen the Father." Those lifeless hands were no longer outstretched, and pleading, "Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest." Yes, G.o.d can die; He can lose His human instruments on earth. He can likewise die to society by being _robbed_ of His highest instruments. If no man, woman, or child in my city would let G.o.d come to articulate speech or deed through his body, G.o.d would be stone dead in Bridgeport; He would be as dead as the spirits whose bodies lie in our cemeteries. As already indicated, I do not mean, even in that sad event, that G.o.d would not still be in Bridgeport as the power of the all-pervading atmosphere, or as the mighty force of the waves that lash our sh.o.r.es. His energy would still be scintillating in the lamps of the white way, and shedding a soft light in the smaller lamps that brighten our homes; His would still be the energy propelling all the thundering mills of industry, and the power sustaining the nerves and muscles that operate the machinery; He would still be present in the blazing sun by day and in the twinkling stars by night; He would still wrap us round, and enfolding us in His great universe He would watch over us by day and brood over us by night; and yet for all this, if we entirely robbed Him of all His human bodies He, as a member of society, would be completely dead in Bridgeport. If in his own life every one killed G.o.d, men would then devour one another. As it is, G.o.d is partly dead and partly alive in my city, as in all cities; and hence we are sometimes a blessing and sometimes a curse to one another. G.o.d may be manifestly alive in one person, and nearly dead in the same man's nearest neighbor; and He is more or less dead and alive in the best of us. When G.o.d can no longer get to the surface through men's souls, and bodies, and inst.i.tutions, He is dead in that locality. And when G.o.d is dead through the loss of men, society is spiritually dead through the loss of G.o.d. The _living_ G.o.d is not one who is driven out of His kingdom and reduced to a mere operator of the cosmos. The living G.o.d is not one who is persecuted by His children and driven from home while His business is going to rack and ruin. A living G.o.d must be active in His universe from center to circ.u.mference. Until our bodies are G.o.d's obedient instruments there is no kingdom of G.o.d. There is not the slightest reason for thinking there is a kingdom of G.o.d anywhere in the universe unless G.o.d has children somewhere who are permitting Him to live through the instruments with which He enfolds them. Until G.o.d is permitted to live in His own bodies, He is dead and His children are languis.h.i.+ng.

If the Christian religion were understood and believed and practiced, what a transformation it would work! For instance, if every man, woman, and child in my city rendered perfect obedience to G.o.d, then every human body in Bridgeport would become His very own to use, and G.o.d Himself would throng our streets. We should meet Him face to face in individuals and crowds. It would be Emmanuel, or "G.o.d-with-us"

everywhere. All faces would be bright with the wisdom and goodness of G.o.d. Every individual would be our Infinite Father and our brother in one. What a rapid human growth would ensue! Every living person would be a window through which the light of G.o.d would s.h.i.+ne. There would be young minds like the child Jesus in the temple, just waking to the mind of G.o.d, and ripe saints and sages flooding the community with G.o.d's vaster wisdom and profounder love. Not only would our immediate bodies be cleansed and transformed, but our augmented bodies would be brought into harmony with the divine Will. Our city would become a heavenly abode, and our industries would become the instruments of love and righteousness. We should tap a thousand sources of power that now remain idle, and finding unlimited resources within ourselves and our environments, we would work wonders. While making G.o.d's energies our enlarged and purified bodies, we should at the same time turn them into instruments of G.o.d's love. If G.o.d were permitted to come to the surface perfectly in all our lives, and in all with which we have to do, three years would not pa.s.s until people would be making pilgrimages from the ends of the earth to see the city "where _G.o.d_ lives."

In a previous chapter I said that G.o.d, as a solitary person in the universe, would not mine coal, and run steam engines; but now allow me to say that if there is anything G.o.d wants to do it is to get into the railroad business; and if He does not, it will be because men vote Him out. But in shutting G.o.d out of railroad corporations, what are we doing? Though not fully aware of it, yet we are really saying, "O G.o.d, you may be the energy in the steel rails, you may be the power in the wheels, you may be the expansive force of the steam, you may manage the chemical combinations of the wheat or other cargo, you may furnish us with our bodies, you may do everything but dictate terms of business.

If, however, you want to sit at the desk as the senior partner then our answer is, 'Get down and out, O G.o.d.' We are glad to have you as our slave and lackey, we are delighted to use you and exploit you, but woe to the man or men who plead your cause in connection with our private business."

Such is the enormity of our sin, and the denseness of our ignorance when we shut G.o.d out of our business affairs. If G.o.d may not be in our daily enterprises He will not deign to be in our prayer meetings. This is the message of Jesus to all men, to employers and employees alike; this is the will of G.o.d, that _in_ and _through_ His children He may make all things vocal with His wisdom, and beautiful with His love. Scholars may look into nerves and brain, but the spirit is fully revealed _before_ the face and not back of it. So the infinite G.o.d and Father of our spirits is fully revealed, if at all, in benignant eyes, friendly hands, willing feet, and gracious words. It is the way we grow our bodies, and shape our inst.i.tutions, and manipulate all the forces of nature that we reveal what manner of spirits we are. If our spirits are evil, then G.o.d is denied bodily expression. There is no use saying Lord, Lord, if we do not the things which He tells us.

CHAPTER V

LOSING THE SENSE OF IMMORTALITY

A general statement

The "what" and "where" of G.o.d is still incomplete so long as we confine our thought to the mere fragment of time measured by this earth life.

Though we have found the unity of all parts in the Christ life, yet that unity is and can be but imperfectly realized by society on earth. A longer time and a wider sphere must be considered if we are really to know what G.o.d and man is. Therefore, G.o.d, man, and the universe must be viewed in the light of endless time.

If in certain respects this generation is conspicuous for its lack of faith, in other respects it is notable for its abundance of faith. The new knowledge acquired along many lines instead of destroying our belief in immortality is going to enrich it immeasurably when we have thoroughly digested the facts. In the meantime some minds are bound to be disquieted.

It is most fortunate that the majority of people seem able to accept the fact of a future life as something altogether natural and inevitable.

Those who are not able to do so, however, appear to be increasing in number. Yet we may rest a.s.sured that whatever will save the faith of the doubting ones will enrich the faith of those who find it easy to believe. And if those who doubt are not as numerous as sometimes appears, so much the better. Whatever the real situation may be, it is our privilege and duty to deepen and enrich our faith to the extent of our ability. That so many express doubts on the subject of immortality is something to be deplored and, if possible, remedied.

An old man, highly esteemed, despondingly said to me after the funeral of his friend:

"We hope there is something beyond, but we do not know."

In response to my word of a.s.surance, he grew even more pensive and added, "No one has ever returned."

To say the least this life-long member of the Church saw nothing in future prospects to cheer his declining years. As I gave his feeble hand a warm clasp, I painfully realized that the light was fading from his soul as well as from his eyes.

On my first visit after the funeral of a senior deacon, his widow plaintively repeated the words of the old man:

"We hope there is something beyond, but we do not know."

My prompt response was immediately checked by a languid wave of the hand, and an emphatic, "_No one_ can know."

This uncertain state of mind is in striking contrast with that of the saints and martyrs; it cannot say, "To me, to live is Christ and to die is gain."

Some highly honorable people tell me that they have no desire to live again, and express wonder that anyone has such a desire. The good influence we may leave behind us, they think, is immortality enough.

A general loss of faith in immortality, I am confident, would work irreparable harm to society. It would completely destroy religion. The Church, therefore, should do its utmost to keep alive a rational and heartfelt a.s.surance of immortality. This, I am sure, can be done without, in any way, stultifying the intellect. In fact, the intellect must be made our ally if we are to succeed.

At this point the remark of a woman ninety years old is very significant and rea.s.suring. After reading a popular book of the day on immortality, she said:

"I did not like it. I do not want anyone to try to prove immortality by science, because he cannot do it. I grasp the reality of a future life with my whole being."

_Why are so many people losing their a.s.surance of immortality?_

1. The contagion of doubt

There is a contagion of doubt as well as a contagion of faith. With facts still favorable to a victory, an army may lose morale. When the general and all his officers keep hopeful, their confidence works its way down to the enlisted men. If the hopeful word is on many lips the morale is saved, and the whole army is confident of victory. Witnessing to any belief has a tremendous psychic influence for good or evil. The facts concerning any great subject are never deeply a.n.a.lyzed by the ma.s.ses; yet the people possess a rare power for sensing the spirit of their times.

In the fight for Eternal Life the morale of the Church is too low. The confidence at the top is not always as rugged and commanding as it might be. Too many college men are confused in a jumble of ideas, and some of them, unfortunately, give their testimony on the side of doubt.

No one should give an insincere testimony for the sake of helping out a weak cause. Yet many college men are greatly remiss in not giving more careful consideration to a theme that vitally affects all human interests.

At all events, the ma.s.ses hear many expressions of doubt, and are not slow to pa.s.s them on. A large number of people who stand aloof from the Churches hear a dozen denials to one affirmation of belief in immortality. Many radical socialists carry on a determined propaganda against belief in immortality for political and economic reasons. They say to the restless crowds:

"The Church is fooling you with the hope that the wrongs of this life will be righted in another; but there is no other. If ever you get your share of good things you must get it soon, for your life is short.

Therefore, down with the Church and king capital!"

I am not fearful for the grounds on which the a.s.surance of this great Christian belief rests, but I am disturbed over the prevalent ignorance and indifference manifested.

2. The inability to make a religious use of modern knowledge

The Christian view of life in its relation to the whole body of modern information has not been adequately given to the people. And they are seriously affected in consequence of this neglect. That irreligion does not tend toward a.s.surance of immortality I regard as an incontrovertible position. Yet to say that all doubt is due to a lack of Christian devotion is not true. Many good Christians are confused, and seek help to regain the comforting belief that death does not end all. All clearly ascertained truth about the universe should prove a help to faith, but until people know what to do with so many new facts, they prove a decided hindrance.

Take for example just one popular subject of the day, physiological psychology: When taught by men who have never grasped the Christian philosophy of life, it affords the shortest possible road to atheism and the denial of the human soul. This modern branch of learning, though the finest of servants, is the meanest of masters. It has slain its thousands. Physiological psychology has its own field of investigation, but it is never safe when it parts company with sound philosophy.

3. The loss of a satisfying conception of the future life

In sharp contrast with former times, this generation has no satisfying conception of the future life. And naturally an indefinite and hazy future makes but slight appeal. Many instinctively turn from such a future to save their peace of mind. They prefer something that is definite and interesting. It is a matter of common experience that the heart will not glow if there is no picture on the canvas. Unless we can so adjust the lens of our minds as to project something more than confused colors, we shall never bring back the former interest in a future life. Unfortunately, there has not been much striving on the part of the Church to construct a future that will harmonize with the newly discovered const.i.tution of the universe. And without this end in view all striving would be in vain; nothing will avail that does not relate the future to the divine framework of G.o.d's present Universe.

The common conception of heaven has been of something quite apart from the existing world as we know it. Among all with whom I have conversed, I have not found one who expects to have a physical body in the future life. They have erroneously interpreted a "spiritual body" to mean a spirit body. This crude idea of a spirit body is a fair sample of a hundred other fancies and misconceptions.

When the commonly accepted idea of heaven became as distasteful to the minister as it was to many of his congregation, he stopped preaching about it. The laity may no longer be seen enjoying a rapturous contemplation of future bliss. Instead, they accuse persons so inclined of other-worldliness, and point out to them that they are not as good as they might be here and now. So, for one reason or another we seldom give more than a furtive glance at that which lies beyond the grave. In proportion as the vision has gone from the mind, the sense has faded from the soul. The old picture of heaven has become altogether inadequate, and no other has been put in its place. Considering the sudden transition through which the world has been pa.s.sing, possibly this stage of affairs was inevitable.

4. The growing habit of cla.s.sifying the future with things unknown and unknowable

At last there has arisen in the Church a considerable cla.s.s that strives to discourage any effort to inquire into the future life. "One world at a time" is their motto. The future is cla.s.sed among things unknown and unknowable. This type of mind is trying to arouse interest in the present by drawing attention from the future.

Said a woman professor to a student:

"If ministers would talk less of things about which they can know nothing and do more to help those about them, they would show more sense and accomplish a great deal more good."

I think I know some ministers who might do more for their environments, but I happen to know of none who talk much about the future. This teacher so enthusiastic over a fragment of the truth has never suspected how meager and one-sided her education is. She has not grasped the thought of our age which recognizes, above everything else, the unity and solidarity of things. So she protests against any _rounded-out_ conception of life. It is not strange, therefore, that immortality is to her a disagreeable theme that she would like to see tabooed.

A professional man once said to me:

"When you came on the train the other day our mutual friend, Mr. A.