As the bachelor does not touch the reality in his case, so I believe
that our friend, Mr. Freethinker, does not touch the great ocean of
reality in religion. We are convinced by experience that man is free,
and that nevertheless eternal causation does exist. We believe these
to be two co-ordinate truths and we are willing to wait until we can
solve the mystery; but in the meantime we wish to make use of the
practical belief in both truths. People are convinced that there is a
God who deals out exact justice; yet they are also convinced from
experience that there is a God who is love who forgives the penitent
sinner. That one God can possess both of these qualities seems as
impossible as that three Gods can be in one God. And yet people are
convinced that no other theory will explain their complex
experiences, and that living according to no other theory will enable
them to get the desirable results that they know from experience that
they do get. They may be mistaken; but it will be time enough to
consider that when some one has a theory that will account better for
all their various experiences. Well, you see my point and I shall
apply it no further. You see it is simply the principle that the
empirical school of philosophy claims to employ, but which many of
them employ only in the physical realm and fail to carry into the
spiritual or religious realm. They must admit that religious
convictions are and have been among the strongest, if not the
strongest, motive powers in the world's history. And thus their
philosophy of life leaves out the greatest pleasures and mightiest
incentives to action found in life.

But Mr. Liberal and his friends would tell us that this all refers to
theology. That doctrines are of no account. That what we want is
works. Exactly, but don't you see that if after the afore-said
experience you should not form the theory that the given medicine