The Little Review, September 1914 (Vol. 1, No. 6)Various
History
The Little Review, September 1914 (Vol. 1, No. 6)
Various
Literature, Modern -- 20th century -- Periodicals
He was in Rome when the Goths swept down over Italy and sacked it. "What
will you give us instead?" he asked their leader. The Northerner frankly
did not know. "You have no right to sweep away something that has been
established so long unless you can put in its place something better,"
he complained. The great Goth laughed and grabbed another handful of
jewels.
Religions seemed to him peculiarly sacred. With great satisfaction he
watched the burning of the early Christian agitators, who were
attempting to tear in pieces the comfortable old hierarchy of Jove.
"What is this utopian theory of theirs?" he asked, derisively. "It won't
work. You can't change human nature in a day. When they give us a
program I can't pick flaws in, I will listen to them." Later he was
particularly incensed at Martin Luther and remonstrated with him for
undermining so many persons' simple faith without giving them something
that would exactly fill its place.
In the modern world he found a very comfortable niche. A city of
tradesmen offered him the post of chief prophet. Not that they bothered
much about his great principle, but he always did his best to stave off
the destructive elements of society, who interfered with business. He
advised people to be comfortable and quiet. He deplored violence of any
kind. Sane progress was all very well, but he always demanded progress
of visionaries and theorists, and he always pointed out tremendous flaws
in their programs. He opposed bitterly anything in the nature of tariff
reform or anti-trust laws. Such things destroyed business confidence,
and were not the business men the great constructive element in society?
To women who wanted the vote, he said "Woman's place is in the home. If
you had your way, you would destroy the family." He supported practical
men for office.
One day he came upon a workman wrecking an old building. The sight
filled him with pain. He went up to the man and asked him if he were
sure that the new building would be better than the old, if in fact it
would stand at all? To his great surprise the workman paid no attention
to him. Again the constructive reasoner put the question; he even
touched the workman on the shoulder. But it was as if the questioner did
not exist. He was angry and chagrined. Then it dawned on him that he was
dead. Unconsciously he had become a ghost.
Jehovah appointed a private judgment day for him. The dead hero came
before the throne. "Who are you?" asked the ruler of the universe. "I am
the constructive reasoner," he replied proudly. "What have you
constructed?" was the next question. For the first time since his birth,
the mortal was at a loss.
"Never mind," said Jehovah, "you have earned Heaven, for there all is
peace and perfection; there no one tears down or builds up." And so
Jehovah put him into a place which was labeled "Heaven," and locked the
gate on the outside.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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