"See the loving power at the heart of things, Isy!" said James to his wife:
"out of evil He has brought good, the best good, and nothing but good!--a
good ripened through my sin and selfishness and ambition, bringing upon you
as well as me disgrace and suffering! The evil in me had to come out and
show itself, before it could be cleared away! Some people nothing but an
earthquake will rouse from their dead sleep: I was one of such. God in His
mercy brought on the earthquake: it woke me and saved me from death.
Ignorant creatures go about asking why God permits evil: _we_ know why! It
may be He could with a word cause evil to cease--but would that be to
create good? The word might make us good like oxen or harmless sheep, but
would that be a goodness worthy of him who was made in the image of God? If
a man ceased to be _capable_ of evil, he must cease to be a man! What would
the goodness be that could not help being good--that had no choice in the
matter, but must be such because it was so made? God chooses to be good,
else he would not be God: man must choose to be good, else he cannot be the
son of God! Herein we see the grand love of the Father of men--that he
gives them a share, and that share as necessary as his own, in the making
of themselves! Thus, and thus only, that is, by willing the good, can they
become 'partakers of the divine nature!' Satan said, 'Ye shall be as gods,
knowing good and evil!' God says, 'Ye shall be as gods, knowing good and
evil, and choosing the good.
Pages:
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324