Panola, an electronic edition
- CHAPTER XIII. A SAGE'S PHILOSOPHY.
by Sarah A. Dorsey [Dorsey, Sarah A. (Sarah Anne), 1829-1879.]
date: 1877
source publisher: T. B. Peterson & Brothers
collection: Genre Fiction
<< chapter 1 | < chatper 12 | chapter 14 > | chapter 30 >> |
CHAPTER XIII.
A SAGE'S PHILOSOPHY.
"GRANDPAPA," exclaimed Natika, one day when they were all gathered, as usual, about Mark in the study; "grandpapa, do you call yourself a Comtist?" she glanced at the book which her grandfather was reading--it was "Comte's Philosophy."
155 A SAGE'S PHILOSOPHY.
"No," replied the docteur, looking up from his page, meditatively. "I do not call myself anyzing as yet, Natika. I zink I should razer be classed in a ver' general and wide classification among zie order of zie Christians; of course, perhaps of a peculiar species."
Victor laughed aloud. "A very peculiar species, I think, grandpapa," he said.
The old man looked at him gravely, then after a moment's silence he said:
"My chief object in life is to search after the truth, wherever it may be found. I cannot zay I haf found more zan I really haf done. My powers and senses are very limited. I have studied not wiz pride, neider arrogance, but wiz deep humilitee, and great willingness to learn, in any way, some little truth from anybody at all. I have immense sympathie wiz aspiration after perfection, anywhere and anyhow. Wherever life is, I find zat life wonderful miraculous, mysterious--an atom in zie Divine, a part in zie Infinite! I have immense respeck for all life, for zie ordered Kosmos, for zie creative power; zat I admire, I reverence, I adore, I love!"
The old man put his hands gently together, as if in prayer, as he spoke, and his eyes glowed, his thin face became radiant, and a slight flush crept over his sallow cheeks. He bowed his head reverently as he uttered the last words. His grand-
156 PANOLA.
children looked at him with tender, respectful eyes. The intense earnestness with which he spoke was most impressive. The old man paused and then continued:"I know not much. I have been able to formulate but little of a system of religion for myself. I find zie essential truths whose highest utterance has come from zie lips of Jesus Christ. I find someting of zose truths in all periods, and in all zie high teachings of zie world from pre-historic times. I like not names; I like not partisanship; I like not zie narrow teachings of theology anywhere; I like not too much definition. I love zie good everywhere; I love zie truth everywhere; I love what you call God, zie all Fader; I love man. I reverence life and organization, mental, physical and moral. I zink zere has not been any teacher like Jesus; I zink he had more of zie divine life in his manhood dan any ozer. So far, he has taught zie best I know. I like zie Christ spirit; it is zie right spirit, zie divine spirit. I zink I am pretty much of a Christian, Natika."
"Grandpapa, are you a Pantheist, then?" asked Victor.
"No," said Mark, "he is rather what Krause calls a 'pan-en-theist'-not 'eu-kai-pan,' but 'pan-en-theo.'"
"Your distinctions are too subtle for me," said Victor, yawning.
157 ASTRONOMICAL CALCULATION.
Natika looked at Victor half contemptuously, and pityingly.
"Your brain is too light for metaphysics," she said.
"Natika has the brain of the Greek; it is subtle and mobile," said Docteur Canonge, smilingly.
<< chapter 1 | < chatper 12 | chapter 14 > | chapter 30 >> |