AND THE SHADOWS FLEE AWAY.
Thorwald paused again, and the doctor felt moved to say:
“Your sketch has been richly enjoyed, Thorwald, and if it can be taken
as prophetic, in any sense, of what is to come to pass on the earth, we
are to see some happy days indeed. But a question has arisen in my mind
which I would like to ask you. When you broke off your former narrative,
things were in a pretty serious state among your ancestors. You have now
told us in a general way that there was a great change for the better,
and that every thing and every body improved until the time came when it
was easier to be good than not. I accept the fact, but do not understand
the practical operation of the causes that led to such a result. For
instance, I would like to know how that industrial strife came to an
end. The parties to it seemed to be full of bitter enmity and far enough
from ever loving one another. You have perhaps answered my question
already, and my stupidity has prevented me from grasping your meaning.”
“Let me first ask you a question,” said Thorwald. “I have inferred,
from some words you have let fall from time to time, that your mind has
changed somewhat. Will you admit that whatever advance this world has
made has come through the teachings of Christ?”
“It would be rather presumptuous in me,” answered the doctor, “to think
of denying anything to which you hold so firmly. More than that, in
the light of what I have seen and heard here, my own views, so rashly
expressed in the first days of our acquaintance, seem to me out of
place. They were formed without sufficient study of the subject, and I
am free to tell you that I now believe the same influence to which you
attribute your growth is the strength and growth of our race also.”
“Your words give me great pleasure,” Thorwald resumed, “for now I know
I have your full sympathy. The troubles to which you refer, and all the
clouds of that period, were dispersed by the growth of the spirit of
love in the world. Does that seem a vague and insufficient answer to
your question? Does the cause appear inadequate to the effect? Perhaps
I should have warned you not to expect any new or startling method
of removing these evils. The world was not in need of any nostrum for
curing sin, nor of any new scheme of the visionary for teaching men how
to find peace and happiness.
“No, the old gospel was sufficient. The power was already at work which
was to regenerate the world and, in time, to do away with all kinds of
oppression and injustice. The gospel did not spend its force so much
in attacking special forms of evil. It struck at the foundation of our
sinful nature, and, by long and patient effort, won a firm place in our
hearts. Then the whole structure of evil passions and low desires fell,
and our race began to build, on this new and safe foundation, more
beautiful and enduring mansions.
“If we were to be the children of God, it was necessary for us to be
like him, to deny ourselves, and to love our enemies. So, with that
spirit growing in our hearts, what place was there for greed and anger
and strife between man and man?
“One secret of the new power put forth by the church is to be found in
the union of all good men and women in its support. Before that period
many people of character had stood aloof, giving little thought to
religion for themselves, and less still to its influence on the world
at large. Some of them were out-and-out unbelievers, but, for the most
part, they were careless livers, too much engrossed in the affairs of
this world to feel any anxiety about the world to come.
“But now, in the march of events, the time came when the lines must be
sharply drawn between the good and evil forces. Iniquity presented
such a bold front, and all the foes of order and decency became so
threatening, that the moral forces of society had to combine for mutual
protection. The church, being the conservator of morals as of religion,
was the only rallying point for these forces, and felt at once the
impulse of new life. Thus, society, in the hour of its extremity, found
the true source of its salvation, and from that day its progress toward
a higher state began, a progress which has never yet been stayed.
“Let me urge you, Doctor, to learn a lesson from our history. You
acknowledge that, if the earth is to be saved from the evils which
threaten its peace, it must be through the gospel. If, therefore, you
and others like you wish to help speed the earth in its upward path,
you must obey and work for that gospel. To do good to your fellowmen
and assist in the regeneration of the world is only one motive for doing
this, but it will, I am sure, lead you to that other motive, a desire to
please your God. Every consideration calls you to leave your doubts and
negations, your neglect and indifference, and join with all the strength
of your character in a united effort to free the earth from some of its
sin. When this is done, when all the good forces cease their strife and
their cold neutrality and come together under the banner of love, you
will see a mighty change. Then will the earth grow bright with hope and
begin to realize something of the nature of its high destiny.
“Let me continue to describe the effect of such warm-hearted, combined
labor among us, and the result on our planet of the great spiritual
awakening to which I have referred.
“As men took note of the vast improvement going on around them, for
every department of life felt the quickening of the new zeal, they
became more and more eager in the overthrow of evil. And they had
learned thoroughly the great truth that the way to regenerate the
world was for everyone to build up his own character in truth and
righteousness. Noble lives, devoted to lofty aims, were the natural
result of the change, and our race, emerging from such a state of
imperfection as I have tried to outline, began to realize with joy that
they were living in a new world.
“I wish I could describe to you in fitting words the wonderful nature of
this advancement. All the pride and selfishness, so common to all hearts
in our degenerate days, were now driven out and replaced by the spirit
of self-denial. Love, the living principle in the gospel, had conquered
all its foes and was now enthroned in every heart.
“Do not suppose all this came about in one generation. It is only by
comparing one period with another that we are able to see such marked
progress. Our development toward the higher life has always been step by
step, and sometimes so slow that the people actually living, and in whom
the change was taking place, were not aware of any growth.
“But there have been special periods in our history when, after long
years of preparation, the race has come to a sudden appreciation of a
higher and better condition. The most glorious epoch of this kind came
at the close of the period I have just been describing.
“Perhaps you have seen some rare plant, having come to its maturity
through a process so slow as to bring discouragement, often, to
those who are cultivating it, now suddenly burst into bloom with such
magnificence that the disappointments of the past are all forgotten in
the enjoyment of its beauty.
“So broke that blessed day upon Mars. None so fair had ever dawned
before, and none less fair have we ever seen since.
“While this spiritual awakening was taking place, there had been rapid
progress, also, in our material development. The evils that formerly
vexed our bodies having disappeared, we were now free from sin and
sorrow alike, and so were prepared to enter upon duties relating to our
higher condition.
“All nature rejoiced with us, for the world itself was filled with the
joy and beauty which came from the knowledge of the Lord. Peace reigned
in the animal creation, and such gladness abounded everywhere that it is
hardly an exaggeration to say that the mountains and hills broke forth
into singing, and all the trees of the field clapped their hands.”
As Thorwald uttered these closing words, so beautiful and familiar, I
was so impressed with their appropriateness to his narrative that I
did not stop to wonder where he had obtained them, but inquired with
eagerness:
“And is it true, Thorwald, that instead of the thorn there came up the
fir-tree, and instead of the brier there came up the myrtle-tree?”
“That describes the situation admirably,” he answered, “and it is
literally true.”
“Why should that be so?” I asked.
“Because, when sin was banished from our world, it dragged in its train
every evil thing and left all bright and joyous behind it. Even the
unconscious soil was so improved in character that, whereas in the
former time it had brought forth by nature the thorn and brier and
noxious weed, there now sprang up spontaneously all manner of healthful
plants and fruits.”
“But,” said I, “we do not attribute moral excellence to the ground that
produces our food. How could the absence of sin make it any better?”
“Like everything else,” replied Thorwald, “it reflected the spiritual
condition of our race. By long and patient cultivation, by a constant
use of good seed, and by a persistent fight against every tendency to
evil growth, men had so changed the nature of the soil that it yielded
only that which was good. Even if left without care the ground did not
deteriorate, but the products took on the character of the times and
gradually improved. To such a degree had our once sinful world been
changed.
“The disagreeable features in nature’s laboratory were lost to every
sense, while everything that was beautiful in sight or sound, or that
was pleasant to the taste, now possessed an added charm. The birds
sang in more joyous notes, the flowers glowed in brighter hue, and all
created things burst forth in a song of praise to their Maker.”
“Is it possible,” I asked, “that the growth of love in the heart will
so transform a world and make even inanimate things more beautiful? The
earth is full of selfishness and I fear will be so for a long time, and
yet we think we have a few things that are perfect. I cannot conceive,
for instance, how anything could ever grow, sin or no sin, that would
surpass in beauty one of our finest roses.”
To which Thorwald replied:
“Is this not of value to you, to learn that the roses of the future are
entirely beyond your conception? Let me assure you that, with each new
advance in your progress toward a higher condition, there will unfold
within you new powers of appreciation for the increasing beauties in
nature, and new desires for spiritual perfections which are now too high
for your mind to grasp. Is it not a pleasure to know that there are many
things in reserve for the earth of whose character and perfections you
cannot conceive?”
“It surely is,” I replied, “and we shall never cease to thank you for
this hour’s talk. But now let me ask if you were not really in heaven
when you reached such a happy state. With both man and nature redeemed
from sin, with the tears wiped away from all eyes, with all griefs
assuaged and sickness and sorrow forgotten, and with love supreme in the
heart, what more was needed to make a heaven? Many of our generation on
the earth believe that the earth itself will be our heaven, when sin has
been driven out and peace and joy abound.”
“Oh, no, not heaven,” answered Thorwald. “The earth will be better in a
thousand years than it is now, much better in ten thousand years, but it
will never be heaven.”
“But why?” I persisted. “We cannot understand how there could be any
more blessed place than the earth would be if it should ever reach the
condition which you have pictured to us as existing here.”
“You have just stated the trouble,” Thorwald replied.
“You cannot understand. With your present capacities you think a state
such as I have described would be perfection; but you--I mean, of
course, your race--will come in time to see imperfections even in such
a life, and will, with increasing spiritual vision, see still higher
things to strive for. Let me urge you to keep your hearts attuned to the
heavenly music and your minds open to divine influences.”
Here Thorwald was about to leave us, as we remained in quiet thought
after his solemn and impressive words. But I kept him a moment to ask
if they had solved all the mysteries of God’s moral government. “By no
means,” he replied. “There are still many things unexplained in God’s
dealings with us, and we think this is well. Life would lose much of its
value if the time should come when there would be nothing to learn.
We know much of God’s character, but are not acquainted with its full
depths, and whenever we see or experience anything mysterious in his
providences we are content to wait for a fuller revelation of truth in
the future.
“We shall see the time when all our questions will be answered--that is,
in the world to come--and, in the mean time, we try to strengthen our
high and beautiful conception of God’s character by referring everything
we do not understand to his loving and gracious qualities, which we know
so well.”