English
) A QUESTION OF MIRACLES 377 he is carefully taught those beautiful precepts in the Sermon on the Mount (and every child ought to be taught them) and he follows them through life. Now, according to the New Testament, the unfortu- nate child of the gutter must suffer eternally in the flames, and all that time his more fortunate brother will be enjoying the sweets of Paradise, whatever they may be. Is such the best justice that Heaven can administer? Or is there some mistake somewhere in the record? To us of short vision it looks as if the chancery courts of Heaven will have to modify many a decree. To sum this matter up, will Heaven, as the final assize, fix an unadjustable high mark of morality and com- pel the child of the gutter to measure up to it, or roast eternally in the furnace ? Or will Heaven in pity send the sinning soul back to the earth for a new trial? If not this, or some other merciful plan, then the justice of the skies sinks to a lower level than that of the earth ! Eternal sleep would seem to be more fitting than eternal burning. The truth about that unknown coun- try beyond the grave (if there is such a place) no human being can truly tell. The most eloquent di- vines may thunder in their pulpits and pound their desks, hilt they know absolutely nothing about it. They imagine, they dream, they hope. They picture the joys of Heaven and the miseries of Hell ; and when we question them, they quote us Matthew and Luke; but Matthew and Luke and Mark knew no more about the eternal shores than you or I. Nevertheless, ideas 37^ A QUESTION OF MIRACLES of Heaven and Hell have been in this world for thou- sands of years. So long, indeed, that they seem to have become an inherited belief. If the churches would devote their energies to teaching mercy and justice, they would no doubt reap greater harvests. After all, was not this whole matter summed up and epitomized by old Micah (lo), who lived about two hundred and fifty years before Buddha was born, when he asked: "What doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" (10) Ch. 6, V. 8.