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“ TRUTH BEARS THE TORCH IN THE SEARCH FOR
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'V \- : . ! > ï '.- • - i\-
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ï- E TiypQ P '
Goethe’s Lodge Symbol.
C a r ly le 's I n tr o d u c tio n to th e P o e m .
My ingenuous read ers, we will m arch out of th is T hird Book w ith a rh y th m ic
word of G o eth e’s on o u r lip s ; a word w hich p erh ap s has a lread y sung itself, in
d ark hours and in b rig h t, th ro u g h m any a h e a rt.
To me, rinding it dev o u t y et
wholly credible and veritab le, full of p iety yet free of c a n t ; to me, joyfully finding
m uch in it, and joyfully m issing so m uch in it, th is little sn atch of m usic, by th e
g reatest G erm an M an, sounds like a stan za in th e g ran d Road Song and M arching
Song of o u r great T eutonic K indred, w ending, w ending, v a lia n t and victorious,
th ro u g h th e undiscovered Deeps of T im e! H e calls it M ason-Lodge—not Psalm
o r H y m n :—
SYMBOLCM.
THE SYMBOL.
Des M aurers W andeln,
Es gleicht dem Leben,
U nd sein B estreben,
Es gleicht dem H andeln
Der M enchen aut E rd en .
The M ason’s ways
Are ty p es of life :
And all his strife
Sym bols th e days
Of m an on e a rth .
Die Z ukunft decket
Schm erzen und G lücke.
S ch rittw eis dem B licke;
Doch ungeschrecket
Dringen w ir vorw ärtz,
The future m ust hide
Its joy and sorrow :
Stepw ise th e Morrow
U n d a u n ted to hide,
W e press ever on.
U nd schw er und ferne
H ä n g t eine Hülle
M it E h rfu rc h t. Stille
K uhn oben die S tern e
Und unten die G räber.
H eavy and afar
H angs th e veil, frau g h t
W ith reverence: n au g h t
S aith above th e sta r.
N aught b en eath th e grave.
B e tra c h t’ sieg en au er,
Und siehe, so m elden
Im Busen der H elden
Sich w andelnde S chauer
Und ernste Gefühle,
C onsider it n ear—
See ! thence ever s ta rts
W ithin h e ro ’s hearts
E ver changing fear,
And earn est feelings.
Doch rufen von drüben
Die Stim m en d e r G e ister,
Die S tim m en d e r M eister:
“ V ersäum t n ich t, zu üben
Die K räfte des G uten !
Y et
T he
The
Use
The
“ H ier winden sich K ronen
In ew iger S tillt,
Die sollen m it F ü lle
Die T hätigen lohnen!
W ir heissen euch hoffen !”
“ H ere crow ns are a weaving
In e te rn al stillness,
Always w ith fullness
T he active rew arding:
W e hid y o u : W ork and H o p e !”
‘ Im m o rtality ”
Hear the Other Side.
BY JOHN F IS K E .
TRUTH."—L u cretiu s.
from yonder call
s p ir it’s voices—
M aster’s voices:
m indful of all
powers of th e good.
•»
2
b r a in s e c r e te s t h o u g h t
■ -■ • ..... «wrw .i-i •• “i
a s th e liv e r m o s t i r r e s i s t a h l v d r iv e n to t h e b e ­
s e c r e te s b ile .
It is n o t e v e n c o rre c t lie f t h a t th e s o u l ’s c a r e e r is n o t
to s a y t h a t t h o u g h t goes o n in th e
c o m p le te d w ith th e p resen t, life u p ­
b ra in .
W h a t g o e s o n in th e b r a in
on th e
e a rth .
T h e D a r w in ia n
is a n a m a z i n g l y c o m p le x s e r ie s of
th e o r y , p r o p e r ly u n d e r s to o d , r e ­
m o le c u la r m o v e m e n ts , w ith w h ic h
p la c e s a s m u c h th e o lo g y a s it d e ­
t h o u g h t a n d fe e lin g a r e in so m e u n ­
s tr o y s .
F r o m th e f ir s t d aw n in g o f
k n o w n w a v c o r r e l a t e d , n o t a s e ffe c ts
life we see a l l t h i n g s w o r k in g to ­
o r a s c a u s e s , h u t a s c o n c o m ita n ts , i
g e th e r to w a r d o n e m ig h t y g o a l, th e
So m u c h is c le a r , b u t c e r e b r a l p h y s ­
e v o lu tio n o f th e m o s t e x a lte d s p i r i ­
io lo g y s a y s n o t h in g a b o u t a n o t h e r
t u a l q u a li t ie s w h ic h c h a r a c te r iz e
life .
I n d e e d , w h y s h o u ld i t ? T h e
H u m a n i t y . T h e b o d y is c a s t a s id e
la s t p la c e in th e w o rld to w h ic h I
a n d r e t u r n s to th e d u s t o f w h ic h it
s h o u ld go fo r i n f o r m a ti o n a b o u t a
w as m a d e . T h e e a r t h , so m a r v e l ­
s t a te of t h in g s in w h ic h t h o u g h t
o u s ly w r o u g h t to m a n ’s u se s, w ill
a n d fe e lin g c a n e x is t in th e a b s e n c e
a ls o be c a s t a s id e . T h e d a y is to
i of a c e r e b r u m w o u ld be c e r e b r a l
co m e, no d o u b t, w hen th e h e a v e n s
p h y s io lo g y !
s h a l l v a n is h a s a s c r o ll, a n d th e e le -
The
m a te ria lis tic
a s s u m p tio n m e n ts he m e lte d w ith f e r v e n t h e a t.
t h a t th e life o f th e s o u l e n d s w ith So s m a ll is th e v a lu e w h ic h N a t u r e
t h e life of th e b o d y , is p e r h a p s th e s e ts u p o n th e p e r is h a b le fo rm s of
m o st c o lo s s a l in s ta n c e of b a s e le s s m a t t e r ! T h e q u e s tio n , th e n , is r e ­
a s s u m p tio n t h a t is k n o w n to t h e d u c e d to t h i s : a r e M a n ’s h ig h e s t
h i s t o r y o f p h ilo s o p h y . N o e v id e n c e s p i r i t u a l q u a l i t i e s , i n to th e p r o d u c ­
fo r it c a n he a lle g e d b e y o n d th e f a ­ tio n o f w h ic h a ll t h i s c r e a t i v e e n e r ­
m il i a r fa c t t h a t d u r i n g th e p r e s e n t gy h a s g o n e , to d i s a p p e a r w ith t h e
life we k n o w S o u l o n ly in its a s s o ­ r e s t ?
H a s a ll t h i s w o rk b een d o n e
c ia tio n w ith B o d y , a n d th e r e f o r e lo r n o t h i n g ? I s it a ll e p h e m e r a l,
c a n n o t d is c o v e r d is e m b o d ie d so u l a ll a b u b b le t h a t h u r s t s , a v is io n
w ith o u t d y i n g o u r s e lv e s . T h is fa c t t h a t fa d e s ? A re w e to r e g a r d th e
m u s t al w a j s p r e v e n t u s fro m o b ­ 1 C r e a t o r ’s w o rk a s lik e t h a t o f a
t a i n i n g d i r e c t e v id e n c e for th e b e ­ c h il d , w h o b u ild s h o u s e s o u t of
lief in th e s o u l ’s s u r v i v a l .
B u t a b lo c k s , j u s t fo r th e p le a s u r e of
n e g a tiv e p r e s u m p tio n is n o t c r e a te d
b y t h e a b s e n c e of p ro o f in c a s e s
w h e re , in t h e n a t u r e o f th in g s ,
p ro o f is in a c c e s s ib le .
W ith h is i ll e ­
g i ti m a t e h y p o th e s is of a n n i h i l a t i o n ,
th e m a t e r i a l i s t i c tr a n s g r e s s e s t h e
h o u n d s of e x p e r ie n c e q u i t e a s w id e ­
ly a s t h e p o e t w h o s in g s of th e N e w
T is n o t 1 ik e ly t h a t we s h a 11 e v e r J e r u s a l e m w ith its r iv e r s of life a n d
su c c e e d in m a k i n g I he i m m o r t a l ­ i ts s t r e e t s of g o ld .
S c ie n tif ic a lly
ity of t h e so u l a m a t t e r of s c ie n ­ s p e a k in g , th e r e is n o t a p a r t i c l e of
tific d e m o n s tr a ti o n , for w e la c k th e e v id e n c e fo r e i t h e r v iew .
I
[The T orch has p resen te d in la te n u m ­ r e q u i s it e d a t a . I t m u s t e v e r re ­
bers, th e c h a p te rs in Prof. E rn st H a ec k ­
e l’s “R id d le of th e U n iv e rse ,” a g ain st m a in a n a f f a ir of re lig io n r a t h e r
th e notion of a p o st-m o rtem perso n al t h a n of s c ie n c e . I n o t h e r w o rd s , it
im m o rta lity . In th e la s t n u m b er it pre­
sented th e H um an, Social and A ltru istic m ust, r e m a in o n e o f t h a t c la s s of
im m o rtality of G oethe, C om te and q u e s tio n s u p o n w h ic h I m a v not
th e C o nstru ctiv e L ib erals of th e world.
Now we are asked, “ Is th ere a n o th e r e x p e c t to c o n v in c e m y n e ig h b o r,
sid e?” Yes. The o th er side is th e old w h ile a t th e s a m e tim e I m a y e n t e r ­
“ R evelation” and m odern “ S p iritu a l­
ism .” On them The Torch has fre q u e n t­ t a i n a r e a s o n a b le c o n v ic tio n o f rnv
ly throw n its light. “ B ut is th ere no­ o w n u p o n t h e s u b je c t.
In th e d o ­
th in g th a t p rete n d s to be scien tific?”
Yes. H ere is an e x tra c t from Prof. Jo h n m a in o f c e r e b r a l p h y s io lo g y th e
Fiske. author of “ The Cosmic Philoso­ q u e s tio n m ig h t h e d e b a te d fo re v e r
p h y ,” and m an y works on Science, P h il­
osophy and A m erican H isto ry , in c lu d ­ w ith o u t a r e s u l t. T h e o n ly th in g
ing a School H istory of the United S ta te s w h ic h c e r e b r a l p h y s io lo g y te lls us,
which om ited the illu strio u s nam e of
Thom as P aine. O ught not th a t om ission w h e n s tu d ie d w ith t h e a id of m o le c ­
to secure the a u th o r “ im m o rta lity ,” in u l a r p h y s ic s , is a g a i n s t th e m a ­
every possible way, old and new?
The following E x tra ct is considered t e r i a l i s t , so fa r an it goes. I t te lls
by m any to be th e very l>est rem edy for u s t h a t , d u r i n g th e p r e s e n t life , a l ­
the “ Religious N ostalgia” which often
atten d s the change from th e old R elig­ th o u g h t h o u g h t a n d fe e lin g a r e a l ­
ion of l a i t h to the new Religion of Sci­ w a y s m a n if e s te d in c o n n e c tio n w ith
ence and H um anity. In this view, d o u b t­
less, th e “ O regonian” recently re-pub- a p e c u lia r fo rm of m a t t e r , y e t b y n o
lish ed it, as we do now, and bits of it are p o s s ib ility c a n t h o u g h t a n d fe e lin g
often ijuoted. It will not sta n d th e w ear
and wash of H aeckel’s Science, as is be in a n y se n se th e p r o d u c ts o f
pointed ou t on an o th er page. It is th e m a t t e r .
N o th in g c o u ld be m o re
last wail and brave cry of th e old Gods
and spooks as th e y vanish in the t w i - ' g r o s s ly u n s c ie n tif ic t h a n t h e fa ­
lig h t of th e rising Science.]
m o u s r e m a r k of C a h a u is , t h a t th e
•
B u t w h e n we d e s is t
fro m t h e f u ­
tile a t t e m p t to i n tr o d u c e s c ie n tif ic
d e m o n s t r a t i o n in to a re g io n w h ic h
c o n fe s s e d ly t r a n s c e n d s h u m a n e x ­
p e rie n c e , a n d w h e n we c o n s id e r t h e
q u e s tio n u p o n b r o a d g r o u n d s o f
k n o c k in g th e m d o w n ? F o r a u g h t
t h a t sc ie n c e c a n te ll u s, it m a y be
so, h u t 1 c a n see n o g o o d re a s o n fo r
b e lie v in g a n y s u c h t h in g . O n s u c h
a view' th e r i d d l e of th e u n iv e r s e
b e c o m e s a r i d d le w ith o u t a m e a n ­
in g .
\ \ b y , t h e n , a r e we a n y m o re
c a lle d u p o n to th r o w a w a y o u r b e ­
lie f in th e p e r m a n e n c e of th e s p i r i t ­
u a l e le m e n t in M a n t h a n w e a r e
c a lle d u p o n to th r o w a w a y o u r b e ­
lie f in th e c o n s ta n c y o f N a t u r e ?
F o r m y o w n p a r t , th e r e f o re , I b e ­
lie v e in t h e i m m o r t a l i t y o f th e s o u l,
n o t in t h e s e n s e in w h ic h I a c c e p t
th e d e m o n s tr a b le t r u t h s of sc ie n c e ,
h u t a s a s u p r e m e a c t o f f a ith in th e
r e a s o n a b l e n e s s of G o d ’s w o rk . S u c h
m o r a l p r o b a b i l it y , I h a v e n o d o u b t a b e lie f, r e l a t i n g to r e g io n s q u i te
t h a t m e n w ill c o n ti n u e , in th e f u ­ in a c c e s s ib le to e x p e r ie n c e , c a n n o t
t u r e . a s in t h e p a s t, to c h e r is h th e o f c o u rs e he c lo th e d in te r m s of d e f ­
f a ith in a life b e y o n d the. g r a v e . i n it e a n d t a n g i b l e m e a n in g .
For
I n p a s t t im e s th e d is b e lie f in th e t h e e x p e r ie n c e w h ic h a lo n e c a n g iv e
s o u l’s i m m o r t a l i t y h a s a lw a y s a c ­ u s s u c h te r m s w e m u s t a w a i t t h a t
c o m p a n ie d t h a t k in d of p h i lo s o p h y s o le m n d a y w h ic h is to o v e r ta k e u s
w h ic h , u n d e r w h a te v e r n a m e , h a s a ll. T h e b e lie f c a n b e m o s t q u i c k ­
r e g a r d e d H u m a n i t y a s m e r e ly a lo ­ ly d e fin e d b y its n e g a tio n , a s th e
c a l in c i d e n t in a n e n d le s s a n d a i m ­ r e f u s a l to b e lie v e t h a t t h i s w o rld is
less s e r ie s o f co s m i c a l c h a n g e s . A s a ll. T h e m a t e r i a l i s t h o ld s t h a t
a g e n e r a l r u le , p e o p le w h o h a v e w h e n y o u h a v e d e s c rib e d th e w h o le
c o m e to ta k e s u c h a v ie w of t h e u n i v e r s e of p h e n o m e n a of w h ic h
p o s itio n of M a n in th e u n iv e r s e w e c a n b e c o m e c o g n iz a n t u n d e r th e
h a v e c e a s e d to b e lie v e in a f u t u r e c o n d it i o n s o f th e p r e s e n t life , th e n
life. O n th e o t h e r h a n d , he w h o r e ­ t h e w h o le s t o r y is to ld .
I t seern9
g a r d s M a n a s t h e c o n s u m m a te f r u ­ to m e , o n t h e c o n t r a r y , t h a t t h e
itio n o f c r e a t i v e e n e r g y , a n d t h e w h o le s to r y is n o t t h u s to ld . I feel
c h ie f o b je c t o f D iv in e c a r e , is a l- t h e o m n ip r e s e n c e o f m y s te r y in s u c h