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Show IMMORTALITY. s It is interesting, but equally painful, to witness the constant groping in the dark, the futile strivings, striv-ings, the hopeless expressions of hope, of those who set up their human intelligence and reasoning powers against the "problem of immortality." Harper's weekly recently contained a labored editorial edi-torial on the "fascinating" theory that immortality immortal-ity may be realized by those who so desire. As might be expected when man attempts to amend the laws of God, the result is a curious confounding confound-ing of eternal truth and unsupportable theory. "It is perhaps true that we extend life 'into other spheres by our desire and our will," says Harper's editorial writer. The matter of life in other spheres was disposed of so unequivocally by the Son of God so many centuries ago that it is doubtful whether many persons' will hail this new dispensation with much enthusiasm. The Buddhistic "law of Karma" is brought to bear to enhance the fascination of the subject. The visions of other great poets of later days are quoted with some approval. Still, "it matters little that each man sees immortality through the medium of his separate vision. Exactly; it matters so little that each man might well cease straining his separate sepa-rate vision, and look for a while through the clear vision of Christ. With some other conclusions of Harper's writer there can be no quarrel; matters that come purely within the limits of human reasoning and experience. exper-ience. "Who lives in the consciousness of life without end," he says, "lives with a different courage cour-age from his who lives trying to make life out-of the poor changes contained in four score vears and Men." ' Such a view of the matter can do no harm, but only good, as tending to awaken in the minds of those engrossed in worldly pursuits some thought of the after-life. This thought, cmce inspired, should turn from flimsy latter-day theories to the-enduring the-enduring truths uttered and sanctioned by the Son of God. The great organization of the Catholic church should appeal especially to the business man, to whom success counts for so much in these days. When that success is maintained and carried car-ried forward through the gentlest and most open of appeals, it must strike both the business man and the dreamer with irresistible force. After all has been said and done, but one thing remains to satisfy the theorists on immortality; namely, to go in humility to the fountain head from which the idea proceeds. Let no human adulterations adul-terations render the stream impure ere it reaches the thirsting soul. One flow alone has" remained undefiled through all the centuries, and that one is of the Holy Church of Rome. 1 |