The Neverlasting Man

TWIN CITIES CHESTERTON SOCIETY

Dale Ahlquist
4117 Pebblebrook Circle
Bloomington, MN 55437
Ph 952-831-3096
Fx 952-831-0387
E: info@chesterton.org


February 22, 2008

There are two alternative things that men generally mean when they say they have found all the world vanity. One is that they believe so ecstatically in the worth of something beyond the world they see, that this world is comparatively worthless. The other is that they believe in nothing beyond the world they see, and find that world intrinsically worthless. They are the direct contrary of each other, like many people who say the same thing. To the first sort of man the colours of paradise are so vivid that against them green grass looks grey or red roses brown; to the other all possible colours are prejudged as colourless. The former only dismisses this life because it is short; that is, because there is so little of it; but by this very doctrine of the soul he obviously wants more of it. The latter is intrinsically weary of life, and would presumably be still wearier of immortality.

GKC

“Dickens and Thackeray,” The Outline of Literature, 1923

Dear Chestertonian,

Sorry for the late notice, but I just found out that the guest speaker we had lined up for this month’s meeting got murdered. I hate when that happens. As you will recall, he cancelled his appearance last year, but that obviously did him no good.

So, that means, once again, we are forced to have to entertain ourselves on Tuesday, February 26, 2008, at 7 pm, at the University Club, 420 Summit Avenue in St. Paul.

Bring a favorite Chesterton quotation to share with the group, or even a non-favorite quotation that is still provocative and profound (like the one above.) We’ll survive nicely.

Guestlessly,
Dale Ahlquist
Acting Czar