Editorial November 16, 1940 Issue

Requirement

Evelyn F. Heywood

How earnestly does each individual need to ask himself, and refuse to be satisfied until he has found the answer: What is it that life requires of me? What is it that I require of life?

The story of the rich man whose ground brought forth plentifully, as related by Jesus to the people and as recorded in the twelfth chapter of Luke's Gospel, uncovers the attitude of those who seek to answer the second question without considering the first. This man was greatly concerned with adding to his already vast accumulation of goods that he might bring assurance of future ease and prosperity to what he called his soul. But in that very hour of his resolve to further bulwark and safeguard his material well-being, this soul was required of him. And along with all those other things which he believed he possessed exclusively for his own satisfaction, it was found in this supreme crisis to be of no value, to provide him with no advantage.

At such a moment, only an understanding of Soul, which ushers men into immortality, which reveals to them those things of which no force, however unforeseen, however relentless, can rob them, is requisite. Then, what has appeared so essential to success and happiness, safeguarded by human foresight and self-provision, is seen in all its naked worthlessness. In that stern hour of differentiation between the true and the false, the question presents itself, Of what avail? The things to which they have devoted thought and energy surpassing all else, the things upon which they have bestowed so much power and prestige, are met by the words of the parable, "Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?"

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