[The following discourse was delivered November 25, 1900, by Abbot Edes Smith, C.S.B., at the Church of the Redeemer (First Universalist) of Minneapolis, Minn., by invitation of the pastor of said church, the Rev. Marion D. Shutter; the same being one of a series of discourses delivered in that church by representatives of different denominations. On the occasion in question, we are informed there were about fifteen hundred persons present, and the speaker received at the hands of the large audience most respectful consideration and attention.]
From the earliest times, mortal life has been darkened by misconception of the nature of God. Mankind has seen everywhere present sin, sickness, sorrow, pain, death. How to explain evil has been the great problem of every system of philosophy and of religion. In the study of this problem, the evil has usually been conceded to be equally real with the good, and much more widely spread and more powerful. Two forces, one good and the other evil, have seemed to be always at war with each other, and on this side of the grave, at least, evil has been believed to be generally triumphant. In many an Eastern country the good god or gods were deemed unable to protect their devotees against the bad god or gods, and hence the former were neglected, while the latter were sought to be propitiated by continual sacrifices. Even in the New England Primer, one of the earliest spiritual guides of our great-great-grandfathers and great-great-grandmothers, many of you may have read the "Dialogue between Christ, Youth, and the Devil," wherein Christ is defeated and Death comes with this message:—
Youth, I am come to fetch thy breath,
And carry thee to th' shades of death.
No pity on thee can I show,
Thou hast thy God offended so.
Thy soul and body I'll divide,
Thy body in the grave I'll hide,
And thy dear soul in hell must lie
With Devils to eternity.
