Should One Man Die Ignorant…

Of man and his mind, Henry Giles said: “Man is greater than a world⎯than systems of worlds; there is more mystery in the union of soul with the body, than in the creation of a universe.”¹ “Mystery,” yes. “Greatness,” yes⎯along with limitless potential and possibilities. On the opposite side, lest we become too self-assured, too impressed with ourselves, we would cite this sentence: “Human vanity can best be served by a reminder that, whatever his accomplishments, his sophistication, his artistic pretension, man owes his very existence to a six-inch layer of top soil⎯and the fact that it rains.”² It is apparent that we still need help beyond ourselves. Both these citations tell the truth. It is true that man is most remarkable. It is true that he has eternal possibilities. It is true that what he can achieve cannot be calculated. But it is also true that these things are not to be handed to him without effort. And it is true that he is not completely sufficient unto himself. There is much to help to keep him humble. Without learning, without law, without other men, without his Maker, man would be lonely and lowly⎯if indeed he were at all⎯and lowly he is when he becomes arrogant or indolent. Lowly he is when he is content with ignorance, content not to search, not to know. No man can be saved in ignorance⎯not saved in the sense of the fullness of going forward. We have an obligation always to learn, not just a little, but to learn deeply, to think, to search, to repent, to improve, to learn everlastingly. And so in our relationship to God and the high destiny we have, we need to learn and to live, both with pride and humility, with self-respect and respect for others, and with a sense of urgency and obligation, and with faith in the future, helping to make the future what it can become, never expecting an effortless existence, never being content with not knowing. “That there should one man die ignorant who had capacity for knowledge,” said Carlyle, “this I call a tragedy.”³