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April 1929
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finally that there is no such thing as a mind which “thinks.” Thus man, having set out to follow the truth no matter where it led, finishes by denying the possibility of truth. And the psychologists, who started to explain the nature of “knowledge,” conclude by proving that knowledge is impossible. That which began confidently as “science” ends by destroying itself. One rather curious aspect of the matter is that the “Behaviorists” apparently do not see where they have landed. Having proved to their own satisfaction that “thinking” is an illusion, still they insist that the rest of us must accept what they “think” about “thinking.” Not even the Roman Catholic Church ever asked men to do anything so absurd. Darwin, one of the greater deities of the cult, and partially responsible for laying its foundations, once had a remarkable premonition of the end to which the thing would at last come. In a letter to a friend he wrote: “But then with me the horrid doubt always arises whether the convictions of man’s mind, which has been developed from the mind of lower animals, are of any value or at all trustworthy. Would anyone trust the convictions of a monkey’s mind, if there are any convictions in such a mind ?” Darwin evidently saw further than his disciples, for his “horrid doubt” has today become a finished dogma. And, mark well, it destroys science as well as religion, if accepted. This new psychology is like the snake, described by Dr. Mullins, which in the presence of danger begins to swallow its tail and keeps on swallowing until nothing is left. Here we have the remarkable paradox of thorough going “evolutionary science.” Having used the so-called “scientific method” to show that man is only a complex animal organism with no more mind than a monkey, it now begins to wonder whether the conclusions of such a mind can be trusted. Well, it is no secret that some of us have suspected the conclusions of this “school” for some time. But we still believe that even they have “minds,” although this belief imposes a severe strain upon our credulity at times. The very fact that man is able to argue that he is only an “ape,” proves conclusively that he is more than an ape. And the fact that man can argue that he has no “mind” proves that he has a mind, however feeble it may be. What a commentary upon the stubborn perverseness of fallen human nature! Man, endowed by his Creator with all the marvelous reasoning faculties of mind, uses them to prove that he has no mind. But we should not be surprised. If man could, as he did, “change the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like . . . . to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things,” is it strange that he does not hesitate to degrade himself to the same level? P lato’s Failure T HE philosophic speculations of the ancient Greeks constitute one of the most amazing of all the reaches of the human mind. Even after 2500 years learned men talk about Plato with profound respect and are not quite sure that they have plumbed the depths of his writings. Yet, with all his intellectual greatness, it must be said that Plato and his philosophic successors never solved a major: human problem. They found men in the darkness and they left men in the darkness. Why was this? What
was it that made the greatest of human philosophies powerless to rescue men from intellectual pessimism and moral degradation? Dr. Geo. G. Findlay, great English scholar and expos itor, gives the right answer: “The philosophic conceptions of Plato and Plutarch were too speculative and ideal to affect the common mind; they were powerless to move the heart, to possess the imagination and will. These en lightened men scarcely attempted to overthrow the idols of the populace; and their teachings offered a feeble and slight resistance to the tide of moral corruption. False religions can be destroyed only by the real. The concrete and actual is displaced by the more actual, never by abstractions. It was faith in a living and true God, in the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ as the supreme fact of the Universe, the enthroned Almighty and All-holy Will bent upon blessing and saving men, that struck down the idols, that transformed society and reversed the stream of history. It was not belief in ‘the Divine’ as the highest category of human thought, as the Substance behind phe nomena, the unknown and unknowable depositary of the collective powers of nature. Such ideas, at the best, shed but a cold glimmering light upon the path of daily toil and suffering; they proved themselves nerveless and pith less, all too faint to encounter the shock of passion and to master the turbulence of flesh and blood. Not in the name of Pythagoras or Plato did the Greek find salva tion.” It was the late President Mullins who once spoke of certain types of philosophy as a sort of “metaphysical cliff climbing.” Now, cliff-climbing is fascinating business for those who are willing to take the risks, and it does pro vide exercise of a kind, but it is not the most essential thing for a dying world of men. Exercise is not to be de spised, of course, but men need life more than intel lectual exercise. There is no life in Plato. History should teach us that much. For life we must come to Jesus Christ, the Lord of Life. “For there is hone other name under heaven, given among men, whereby we must be saved.” A Pessim istic President AN International Conference is proposed by Senator a J l Borah for the purpose of humanizing the rules of warfare and making more secure the rights of neutrals. Certainly, if we cannot get rid of war, anything would seem sensible that might alleviate its terrible cruelties, especially as they affect innocent non-combatants. But Mr. Coolidge is against the proposed Confer ence for several very interesting reasons. He is doubt ful as to the motives of the nations «hich would attend; and even if some useful agreements should be reached he is certain that our own Senate would never ratify them; and even if that obstacle were overcome he thinks the nations will do as they please, anyhow, in the next war, regardless of agreements. Thus Mr. Coolidge expresses his opinion of the world after dealing with it for seven years as its highest ruling official. Not even thé Prophet Jeremiah could have painted a gloomier picture. But Jeremiah had this important advantage: By the Grace of God he could always see the light beyond the darkness. “Behold, the days come, saith Jehovah, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and He shall reign as King and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land” (Jer. 23:5).
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