The Christian Philosophy of Life

Man is by nature a philosopher, and has been aptly characterized as a being in ceaseless quest of the causes of things. The force impelling to this quest is within, and the human mind is incapable of resting until the first cause and last end of existence stand revealed. By philosophy we are taught to take cognizance of those deeper-lying causes which transcend the limits of sensible perception. The philosophic instinct is as legitimate as it is ineradicable, a constituent element of reason itself, tracing its source within man to Him who created man. The whole world of human experience is a challenge, a problem which demands to be resolved, but the solution of the problem lies within a region to which thought alone can penetrate. Man's natural trend is not only towards philosophy, buttowards religion as well. and the religious instinct forces him to recognise his dependence upon the first cause and last end of all existence. The human imagination is responsible for not a few extravagances in its endeavour to give outward expression to the conviction within. Religion, no less than philosophy, calls for the exercise of reason, by the use of which man is guided to knowledge of the Supreme Being, and taught to submit. himself to God in the precise way which He enjoins. But reason is essentially weak, and its very weakness should impel it towards a God who, on His part, waits to accord to it His aid. By his own sin, man forfeited the gift of Divine grace, but the mercy of God has made good the loss, and for Christ's sake He bestows His grace anew, not alone on every soul that seeks it, but on humanity at large, through the medium of Christianity, wherein the social aspect of the life of man finds complete expression. Christianity is the supreme act of love on the part of the Godhead. The revelation it contains transcends, it is true, both nature and human reason, but all that good which is inherent in either is claimed by it as its own and perfected. In Christianity we possess a philosophy of life, and the aim of this present work is to set forth certain cardinal points of that philosophy. Read and ponder it well. The division of the sections into" Weeks" will recall the spiritual exercises of Saint Ignatius, the method of which has been followed in the main. Where this philosophy is concerned, a man must be prepared to dig deep; he must reflect, and reflect most profoundly, on that which it is of vital importance for him to know. Here is no light task, for the mind rebels against the restraints imposed by such thought. The world chooses to point the finger of scorn at Christian philosophy, but the world is no true judge. It relegates to its asylums those whom it convicts of outrageous acts of folly, but for him who shares the common delusions of his fellow-men and of his day, it has nothing but praise. He is acclaimed as indeed a man, wise in his generation, and knowing what it is to live. But, after all, can this truly be termed life? We have but one life, and the number of those who fail to live even this one is legion. For most of us, all that life implies is a fruitless waiting for the moment when we shall begin to live. We are reminded by Von Humboldt of the lasting profit a man derives from reflection upon the mystery of his own being. The hastily scanned page teaches us nothing; each separate truth demands consideration, and patient consideration. Thy whole life must be a learning how to live. Be not stubbornly tenacious of thine opinions; greater courage is often displayed in changing than in maintaining them. He who would tread the true path of life must begin by discarding all prejudices, and renouncing every idol.