ANTHROPOMORPHIC THEISM 



adaptations, death from disease and accident 

 would no longer occur. Were there no concur- 

 rence of phenomena defying interpretation and 

 refusing to be classified, there would be perfect 

 knowledge. Were no desires awakened, save 

 such as might be legitimately gratified by the 

 requisite actions, there would be perfect happi- 

 ness. That the ultimate state of humanity will 

 be characterized by a relatively close approach 

 to such an equilibrium between external require- 

 ments and internal resources is a belief which, 

 however paradoxical it may seem to a super- 

 ficial observer, is justified by all that we know 

 of history and of biology. It is with reason that 

 the modern mind sees its Golden Age in the 

 distant future, as the ancient mind saw it in the 

 forgotten past. But however bright and glo- 

 rious may be the destination of mankind, its 

 onward progress is marked by irksome toil and 

 bitter sorrow. Though like the crusading chil- 

 dren, in Arnold's beautiful simile, we may cry 

 from time to time, " Jerusalem is reached ! " it 

 is only to be rudely awakened from our delusion 

 — to realize that the goal is yet far off, and that 

 many a weary league must be traversed before 

 we can attain it. Meanwhile, grinding misery 

 is the lot of many, regret and disappointment 

 the portion of all. The life of the wisest man 

 is chiefly made up of lost opportunities, defeated 

 hopes, half-finished projects, and frequent fail- 

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