Not Believing in Any Spiritual Existence
Unbelief, or non-faith, is more or less sweeping according as a man knows too much or too little to rest on and to enjoy God’s disclosure of his love and wisdom as he shows himself in the universe and as he has revealed himself in his Word. More careful thinkers draw a clear distinction between an infidel, a deist, an atheist, a materialist, and a modern science-proud “agnostic,” or confessed “know-nothing” in the realm of the greatest certitudes. Ordinary unbelievers or non-believers content themselves with asserting that they do not believe much of anything, without being sure in their own minds what they are talking about, or thinking about, in the larger realm. Each sort of denier or of doubter has to be dealt with as he shows himself, without considering him as one of a class.
Once, while a regimental chaplain, I sat in a field hospital, talking with a couple of wounded officers. Sitting on the edge of the next cot to them was another wounded officer, talking with a friend. As his back was turned to me, he did not know that his words were being heard by me. Speaking of the dangers of battle, he said confidently:
“I can’t die but once, and when I die that’s the end of me. All this talk about a life after death is sheer nonsense. There’s nothing of me but what you see here. The idea of a spirit existence is absurd.”
The two young officers with whom I was talking, hearing this remark, looked at each other and at me, as if wondering what I would say. I simply shook my head sadly, and said as if I meant it:
“The captain says there’s no more to him when he dies than there is to a usedup mule or a dead hog. He ought to inot JBeUeviUQ in Bn Spirttual J^iistence
know himself better than we do. I don’t know where we could begin an argument to show he is mistaken. You and I know that there’s something more than that to us; and we thank God that there is.”
The argument of the instinctive self-consciousness of an immortal spirit showed itself in the recoil of those officers from the thought of the captain’s gross materialism. They fairly shuddered with disgust. One of them exclaimed:
“What a thought that is!”
The other responded:
“If the captain should hear that, I think he’d be ashamed that he ever said what he did.”
And the way was thus opened for an earnest talk between myself and the two officers on the truth which their own inner consciousness made evident, that a man’s spirit, as apart from his body and mind, distinguishes him from the brute creation more than does the outer form.
A man who was exceptionally intelli- “3
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gent and thoughtful, a university graduate, said honestly that he could find no evidence of the existence of God. He would be glad to be convinced to the contrary, but all his reading and searching were of no avail. He was asked:
“Are not the evidences of God’s existence to be seen on every side in the universe? Is not our very confidence in the courses of nature, in the changes of the seasons, in the laws of growth and decay, and in all that we have, or can have, or can hope for, an evidence and a proof that all is ordered and controlled by a Supreme Intelligence or Almighty God?”
“Oh! I believe that we are affected by, and are subject to, the courses and the laws of nature. No intelligent person can doubt that.”
“How can you have any confidence that the same system will prevail in nature year by year and age by age, unless you believe that an Intelligent and Omnipotent God is over all? John Stuart Mill, who began
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his studies as an atheist, admitted that the very term ’ laws of nature ’ presupposes a God over nature. There can be no law without a lawgiver. Both making and enforcing laws require knowledge and power — or Almighty God.”
“That is an anthropomorphic idea. You seem to think that the controlling force or forces in the universe must be a person or an individual, like a mammoth man which you call God, but which I speak of impersonally as Nature. That is the difference between us.”
“Then you do not see any signs or evidence of a Supreme Person or God in the universe, who is over all, and who has an interest in all existing creatures? You see no proof of this?”
“I do not. I should be glad if I could, but I do not.”
“Does not this show you to be exceptional? Are you, in this, exceptionally strong, or exceptionally weak? Is it because you are above, or below, others in your spiritual perceptions?”
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“I certainly do not claim that it is a proof of my superiority; yet I do not think that it is, in itself, an evidence of my mental lack. I know that some of the world’s superior thinkers, and men of unquestioned ability and character, have been unable to perceive proofs of the existence of a God. I simply confess that I am of this number. I do not perceive the proofs of the existence of God, while I would be glad to be thus convinced.”
“As something to aid you in deciding whether your failure to perceive evidences of God in nature and above nature is a sign of your progress or of your backwardness, have you considered whether the world, in its advances, is toward fuller faith or freer doubt?”
“I suppose that as the world progresses men are less likely to accept without good reason many of the beliefs of their ancestors as to the unseen and unknown world? In view of that truth, I suppose it would hardly be claimed that it shows a
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lack of intelligence to wait for evidence of the existence of spiritual beings in another sphere, and of an Almighty God above all.”
“Is not the belief in a spiritual being, or in spiritual beings, which are above and beyond sight and sense, as general in our race as the belief in those things that are disclosed to us by our senses?”
“I would hardly admit that. While mankind generally inclines to the idea that there are spirits unseen to be placated or invoked, there have always been those among the more intelligent of our race who would not admit that the fancies of superstition, or the proposal to solve in a certain way the mysteries of the unseen and unknown spheres, were to be accepted as satisfactory.”
“Similarly there have always been individuals who were lacking in more or less of the five senses which we deem essential to highest efficiency in our natural life. But even though one like Helen Keller gives proof of high capabilities while deaf and
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blind, this hardly proves that those persons are mistaken who have and use their eyes and ears,
“Look at the record of our race in the matter of recognizing the existence and personality of an Almighty God. There has never been a people in any age, or in any land, so advanced, or reaching so superior a plane in intellect and learning, as not to have had its best and wisest men such believers. Thus with Egypt in its glory, with Babylon in its pride, with Greece in its palmiest days; with Rome, and Arabia, and India, and with other of the mightier peoples of earth. So it has been with peoples of the least civilization and culture. No people has been found so low, or so lacking, as to be without a prevailing belief in God or gods. So we can say that this belief is as widespread among men as is the use of the five senses.”
“But has not non-belief, or doubt, or agnosticism, among those of the highest
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intelligence, including some of the foremost thinkers and students in the world, increased, in these later years, with the progress of the race?”
“Such superior persons as you speak of who are doubters, or agnostics, are still as exceptional as the deaf and blind Helen Kellers of our day. Over against them are those of firm belief and of reverent faith, the equals of, if not superiors to, and in numbers far exceeding, the doubters and agnostics. At the close of the nineteenth century a larger proportion of the scholars and thinkers and wise men of the world than at the close of any former century in history were firm believers in Almighty God, and were rejoicing in their belief These men, who now include eminent scholars, great thinkers, foremost scientists, are men influential among their fellows. Some of these were for years agnostics, but have passed through to a higher plane and stage.
“For myself, I can testify to the knowl-How to 2)eal with Doubts
edge of, and to the loving help from, God day by day and from year to year, for nearly half a century. And in this I am by no means unique or exceptional; thousands upon thousands can testify similarly, and their numbers are increasing, both actually and relatively, with the progress of knowledge and science in the world. To me God has long been more real than ever was my devoted mother, and readier to give me help in little matters and in great. No pastor, or physician, or wise teacher, has been so sure a guide in any special sphere as the Almighty God — my spiritual Father and Great Physician and ever-present Helper — has ever been ready to prove himself in my need and faith. The truth is not a matter of spiritual belief It is the realest and most practical truth of my every-day life.”
“In your experience and conviction you are certainly to be envied. I wish I had such faith.”
“Why, then, do you not have it? God mot :fi3eUevtnQ in Bnis Sptritual Bitstcnce
is ready to give it to you, if you will ask it, — if you will take it.”
“But I lack the belief, or the evidences that give belief, that such an experience is possible to me.”
“You remember, perhaps, the story of the atheist, who, turning doubtfully toward the light, dropped on his knees, and cried out in prayer:” O God, if there be a God, save my soul, if I’ve got a soul! “Such a prayer God will welcome from one who comes unable to pray more confidently, but who is ready to receive added light as it is given to him. Are you willing to kneel with me now in prayer, while I ask help from God for you in fresh spiritual knowledge?”
“I am, even though it be in doubt.”
We two knelt side by side. With my arm about my friend, I talked with God as one who knew God and trusted him fully. I spoke of my companion and his need, and asked help for him as God saw that need and could relieve it Then I asked
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my doubting companion to speak to God for himself, and tell him not what he doubted about, but what he would like to attain to or to receive. The feeble cry of the doubter went up to God; it was heard; it was heeded. And that was the beginning of a new day to that darkened soul. The light that then faintly dawned shone more and more unto the perfect, or complete, day. He who had before had doubts as to the very existence of God, came to be not only a firm beHever himself, but he grew to have power in bringing others into the full light and joy of God’s service and favor. God is ever ready to work wonders for and with those who come to him in need and desire.