Article May 28, 1910 Issue

REASON RIGHTLY DIRECTED

JOHN CARVETH.

The worldly belief that mind is both good and evil, or that consciousness can possess or partake of the nature of both good and evil, is seen to be erroneous and impossible when examined in the light of rightly and scientifically directed human reason. It is self-evident that whatever is composed of given elements must possess the nature and character of these elements; therefore, if the qualities or elements of both good and evil enter into the entity we call mind, it must partake of and possess the nature of both. It is also self-evident that whatever is unlike and therefore contradicts the nature of the elements of mind, must also contradict the nature of mind, and whatever contradicts the nature of mind contradicts the very existence of mind. Hence it inevitably follows that if good is an element or quality of mind, this mind must possess the nature and character of good. Every rational thinker will admit that evil, in its every essence, element, operation, and nature, is the very opposite and antipode of good, and as effectually denies and contradicts the nature of good as darkness does the nature of light. Then, since evil contradicts the nature of good, it contradicts the nature of mind and therefore contradicts mind and denies it.

First the supposition that both good and evil are real elements or qualities of mind, the conclusion is irresistible that, as good is the antipode of and contradicts the nature of evil, so it would also contradict the nature of the mind of which evil is an element; hence, on the supposition of the reality of both good and evil as elements of mind, we see that both these elements contradict mind or consciousness, and that from this standpoint there could be no mind, no consciousness, and universal and total oblivion would be the only state or fact. As, however, oblivion is not a universal state or fact, so both good and evil are not and cannot be real elements of mind. Even human experience and observation prove this, and clearly elucidate the eternal truth that good is the only real element or quality of mind or consciousness: that, as the sense of good is developed and enlarged in the human mind, this mind is improved.

Who will question the proposition that the mind of the man most imbued with and governed by wisdom, purity, peace, patience, harmony, holiness, honesty, morality, meekness, kindness, gentleness, charity, love of humanity, and kindred qualities,—all elements of good,—is the mind that not only does the most to advance and uplift mankind, but brings to him who has it the highest earthly blessings. Again, if evil is allowed to develop and grow in a human mind, that mind is impaired. The human mind imbued with and governed by hate, envy, jealousy, greed, passion, appetite, selfishness, dishonesty, and kindred traits, is devoid of that wisdom which distinguishes man from the lower animals. Since mind is intelligence, these qualities of evil are the veriest contradictions thereof, and when they are developed to their seeming limit they degrade mentality and dehumanize men.

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