THE BOOK OF JOB 103 



Shall we then turn to Science ? 



Science has taught us many things since the writer 

 of the Book of Job penned his great drama, nor is it 

 her fault that the greed and selfishness of men have 

 turned her great discoveries into channels of destruction 

 and death* Yet, with due apologies to Sir Oliver Lodge, 

 I very much doubt whether Science has helped us, or 

 can help us, to solve the problem of suffering* Cer- 

 tainly, up to now it has done far more to accentuate 

 than to solve the problem. The solution demands 

 spiritual insight, and this, though not incompatible with 

 Science, is outside its sphere* 



Shall we then, turn to Theology ? 



Theology has, or thinks it has, made some dis- 

 coveries* It has certainly given God two worlds to 

 work in, this world and the next* So now it is not 

 necessary, in order to vindicate God^s justice, to make 

 the debit and credit side of the ledger exactly balance in 

 this life* Therefore it is easier for us, than for the 

 writer of the Book of Job, to believe that there may be 

 a solution even though we have not found it* 



But I doubt whether Theology can really help 

 us any more than Science* The day has long gone by 

 when men were content to solve the problem by pro- 

 jecting themselves and their friends into a heaven of 

 bliss and their opponents into a Hell of woe* With Job 

 we are beginning to realise our ignorance* How, then, 

 are we to solve the problem ? 



Let me confess at once that I have no better solution 

 to offer than that found by the writer of the Book of 

 Job, a Vision of God* *' I had heard of Thee by the 

 hearing of the ear, but now mine eye seeth Thee*** 

 When once we have realised by personal experience, the 

 Love and Goodness of God, we can never again distrust 

 His rule. 



To many of us this vision has come through Jesus, 



