Editorials from the Hearst Newspapers | Page 9

Channing saw the world through generous, charitable eyes.
He was an ardent admirer of Charles Fourier, and appreciated the
philosophy and social law-giving of that gigantic intellect.
The quotation we print above is an index to his whole character, just as
one flower tells the story of the beautiful garden in which it grew.
Channing, unlike many sayers of fine things, was personally as fine as
the things he said. He was worthy even of his own best thoughts, and
that can be said for few fine thinkers.
Admire him. Read some of his sermons and other writings if you have
the chance.

THE EXISTENCE OF GOD--PARABLE OF THE BLIND KITTENS
The notion that small things, the petty details of life, such as money
getting, marriage questions, etc., are uppermost in the modern human
brain is entirely false.

If an editor asks: "Is marriage a failure?" he receives just so many
answers, and then the interest dies out.
If he asks: "Should a wife have pin money?" or "What is the easiest
way for a woman to earn a living?" he ceases to receive answers after a
short time.
But to questions concerning the immortality of the soul, the existence
of God, and man's destiny here and hereafter, the answers are endless.
Letters on such matters have been received here by thousands. Every
day the mail brings new and intelligent contributions to the questions
that have kept men praying, thinking, fighting and hoping through the
centuries:
"IS THERE A GOD, AND WILL MY SOUL LIVE FOREVER?" ----
Very interesting are the expressions of faith which fill a majority of the
letters. Interesting also are the letters of doubters atheists, agnostics and
the many intoxicated with a very little knowledge, who have decided to
substitute their own wisdom and doubt for the belief of the ages--the
belief in God and in personal immortality.
Many think science has discovered that we could get on very well
without a God. But science has done just the contrary. And here, if you
please, we shall build up a sort of parable: ----
A Man had a box full of motherless blind kittens. He was very kind to
them. He put their box on wheels and moved it about to keep it in the
sun. He gave them milk at regular intervals. With loving kindness he
drove away the dog which growled and scared the little kittens into
spitting and back raising.
The kittens trusted the Man, loved him and felt that they needed him.
That was the age of faith.
One day a dog got a kitten and tore it to pieces.
The kitten had disobeyed orders and laws. It had crawled away from
the box.
Another kitten, with one eye now partly open, got thoughtful and said:
"There is no such thing as Man. Or, if there is such a thing, he is a
monster to let little Willie get torn up. Don't talk to me about Kitten
Wiliie being a sufferer through his own fault. I say there is no such
thing as a Man. We kittens are bosses of the universe and must do our
own fighting."
That speaker was the Ingersoll kitten.

A kitten of higher mental class opened both eyes just a little and
actually made observations.
Said he: "I am a scientist. I discover that we owe nothing to Man's
kindness. We are governed by laws. This box is on wheels.
It rolls around in the sunlight of its own volition. True, I do not know
who shoves it, but no Man could do it. Further, I discover that there is
such a thing as the law of 'milk-passing.' Milk comes this way just so
often. Its coming is nature's law. It has always come. It always will
come. Good-night, I am going to sleep. But don't talk to me any more
about a kind Man. It's all law, and I am certainly great, for I saw the
laws first."
That was the Newton kitten, but he lacked the Newton faith.
We have no time to tell what the Darwin kitten said. He was very
long-winded.
But this happened. The kittens grew up--such as did not perish through
their own fault. They got their eyes fully opened. They saw the Man,
recognized him and asked only to be allowed to stay in his house.
"Excuse us," they said, "for being such foolish kittens. But you know
our eyes were not quite open."
"Don't mention it," said the kind Man. "Go down cellar and help
yourselves to mice."
That's the end of the parable. We are all blind kittens, and our few
attempts at explaining nature's wonders and kindness only get us into
deeper and deeper mysteries.
We discover that the earth goes round the sun. But the greatest scientist