Neither Good Nor Evil

It is a great gymnasium in which you and I, and millions of souls must come and get exercises, and make ourselves strong and perfect. This is what it is for. Not that God could not make a perfect universe; not that He could not help the misery of the world.

You remember the story of the young lady and the clergyman, who were both looking at the moon through the telescope, and found the moon spots.

And the clergyman said, `I am sure they are the spires of some churches.'

`Nonsense,' said the young lady, `I am sure they are the young lovers kissing each other.'

So we are doing with this world. When we are inside, we think we are seeing the inside. According to the plane of existence in which we are, we see the universe. Fire in the kitchen is neither good nor bad. When it cooks a meal for you, you bless the fire, and say, `How good it is!' And when it burns your finger, you say, `What a nuisance it is!' It would be equally correct and logical to say: This universe is neither good nor evil.

The world is the world, and will be always so.