No Mortal Answer
2
SOLITARINESS is the core of every man. And what he beli eves lies at the core. Whe n ove rcome by emotio n this inne r loneliness vibrates, and its secret s can be disc harg ed by love, by prayer, by meditat ion. But no one can stan d de lib era t ely bef ore a micro phone and mak e that int ima te rev ela tio n fro m which eme rge s the under sta ndi ng peace that surpa sseth knowledg e. I ca n, howe ve r, tr y to gi ve you th e atmosphe re in wh ic h my dee per sel f dwell s. Whe n I paus e for re fle ct ion , I am awa re of bi - ~ol ar ten sio ns. Al l the di ffe rent asp ect s of me are arra yed on one SId e and are dr awn to one magn eti c field. Pull ing at the ot her end are a ll the force s in the univers e tha t are not par t of ni e. And ye t I fee l not mer ely this separa ten ess, but a strong tog eth ern ess be- twee n me and every thin g else t hat is. I, wis h I cou ld say that this vie w of my rela tionship to the uni - ver se h ad mad e me humb le. Humil ity is th e noble st fruit of int ro- spe cti on. It esta bl ish es de fen ses aga ins t pri de -th at sin whic h the ort hod ox churc h jus tly stamps as the fou ndation of all evi l. But when I bec ome con cer ne d abo ut the mis era bl e cre atu re that I am I do not draw closer to God, or to the magn ifice nce of His creation: I am only infl atin g my own import ance in my own ey es . Yet self -assessmen t is no t se lf -def eatin g. Thr ough intimate anal ysis , man reco gniz es more clea rly that he iswe ak, and tha t he lives wi tho ut prot ecti ve boun dari es, alwa ys dimly appreh ensi ve of the impe net rab le be yon d. If man is to comp reh end this fur the r ter rit ory he must summon as his gui de not rea son, but mys tic in- sig ht . And the re is no guar antee tha t a reli abl e gui de wi ll come when called. Not ha vin g had any mys tic exper ien ce mys elf, I for - mer ly thoug ht I could ove rle ap the limita tio ns of my kno wl edg e, my reas on, and my dis cernment by develo pin g for tit ude . I sup - pos ed that by in hi bit ing my des ires and tra ining my will , I cou ld 15 8 THIS I BELIEVE-CONTEMPORA.RIES beco me immu ne to shock. But self -kno wled ge and self- disc ipli ne did not yiel d me a Stoic virtue and equa nimi ty. But experience prevents me from assuming that by mere volitio n, pra cti ce, and res tra int, wi tho ut gra ce, man can become his own comman der . The fic kle ness of his hu man disposit ion stan ds prey not onl y to out sid e dis asters, but also to intern al pressu res that he cannot dist ribu te acco rdin g t o adva nce orde r. Nay, the orde r itsel f may p roduce not obedience, but revo luti on. Ha ve I then no aut horit ati ve ans we r to the unive rse 's ul timate ques tion ? I have none. Ind eed , I take it as inher ent in the human dilemma that no mortal can ha ve an answe r that wil l fully and per- manently all ay doubt . And yet I dare to fee l con fid ent tha t to be even pa rtial ly sati sfact ory, an answer must bear the seal of religi ous faith. An d wh at do I mean by rel igio us fait h? Surely more th an a cre ed, a comma ndmen t, a met aphys ica l sch enie. It is that inn er comp ulsi on persu adin g us tha t we are imp lica ted in an env elop ing myster y. It is th at sear ch for meaning, wh ic h thou gh it ne ve r reaches its' goal, giv es life a str uct ura l uni ty. It is that con sta nt nour ishment of ou r own pe rson al and communit y root s as the emo- tion al sour ce of spiri tual cour age. It is th at inex press ible year ning towar d the ful fil lme nt of the undiscovera bl e purpose of the uni· verse,-a pur pose which when we are tun ed to our most exc ruc i- atin gly sensiti ve pitc h, we firml y beli eve is un fold ing befo re, and, in smal l part, throug h each of us . '4<j CHA RLE S EDW ARD W YZA NSK I, JR. is Dis tr ict Judge for Ma s sa c husetts. Educ at ed at Exete r an d th e Harvard La w S ch oo l , he se rv ed as cl er k to both Judge A. N. Hand and Judge L ~m e d Ha nd , who , he says, gave him his pro fes sio nal can ons, intellectual standards, and cr it er ia of what ma k es a use ful ci ti z en . In 1933 F.D.R. a p- p oi nte d hi m a Sol icit or of Lab or for Se c: e. tary Fr ance s Pe rkins. In 1935 Sol ICI tor Gen era l Ree d too k him on his sta ff for arg ume nts bef ore the Su" pr eme Cour t onhe U. S. Fr om 1 93 7 to 1941 he r ev er t ed to pr ivat e pr a c- tice; but, afte r serv ing in Wash ingto n on the Na ti onal Defense Medi atio n Boar d, he wa s appoint ed .District Judg e by Presi dent Roos evel t. Judge Wyza nski mak es annual tri ps to Eur ope on beh alf of ILO. In 194 3, as he phras es it, "I had the inc red ibl e luc k to mar ry the hap pie st, most un- spo iled and most l ov a bl e gi rl I ha ve ever met. L iv i ng wi th her ma ke s the whol e year Sprin g."
Transcript of No Mortal Answer
8/14/2019 No Mortal Answer
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SOLITARINESSis the core of every man. And what he believes lies atthe core. When overcome by emotion this inner loneliness vibrates,
and its secrets can be discharged by love, by prayer, by meditation.
But no one can stand deliberately before a microphone and make
that intimate revelation from which emerges the understanding
peace that surpasseth knowledge.
I can, however, try to give you the atmosphere in which my
deeper self dwells. When I pause for reflection, I am aware of bi-
~olar tensions. All the different aspects of me are arrayed on one
SIde and are drawn to one magnetic field. Pulling at the other end
are all the forces in the universe that are not part of nie. And yetI feel not merely this separateness, but a strong togetherness be-
tween me and everything else that is.
I, wish I could say that this view of my relationship to the uni-
verse had made me humble. Humility is the noblest fruit of intro-
spection. It establishes defenses against pride-that sin which the
orthodox church justly stamps as the foundation of all evil. But
when I become concerned about the miserable creature that I am
I do not draw closer to God, or to the magnificence of His creation:
I am only inflating my own importance in my own eyes.
Yet self-assessment is not self-def eating. Through intimateanalysis, man recognizes more clearly that he isweak, and that he
lives without protective boundaries, always dimly apprehensive of
the impenetrable beyond. If man is to comprehend this further
territory he must summon as his guide not reason, but mystic in-
sight. And there is no guarantee that a reliable guide will come
when called. Not having had any mystic experience myself, I for-
merly thought I could overleap the limitations of my knowledge,
my reason, and my discernment by developing fortitude. I sup-
posed that by inhibiting my desires and training my will, I could
15 8
THIS I BELIEVE-CONTEMPORA.RIES
become immune to shock. But self-knowledge and self-discipline
did not yield me a Stoic virtue and equanimity.
But experience prevents me from assuming that by mere volition,
practice, and restraint, without grace, man can become his own
commander. The fickleness of his human disposition stands prey
not only to outside disasters, but also to internal pressures that he
cannot distribute according to advance order. Nay, the order itself
may produce not obedience, but revolution.Have I then no authoritative answer to the universe's ultimate
question? I have none. Indeed, I take it as inherent in the human
dilemma that no mortal can have an answer that will fully and per-
manently allay doubt. And yet I dare to feel confident that to be
even partially satisfactory, an answer must bear the seal of religious
faith.
And what do I mean by religious faith? Surely more than a
creed, a commandment, a metaphysical schenie. It is that inner
compulsion persuading us that we are implicated in an enveloping
mystery. It is that search for meaning, which though it neverreaches its' goal, gives life a structural unity. It is that constant
nourishment of our own personal and community roots as the emo-
tional source of spiritual courage. It is that inexpressible yearning
toward the fulfillment of the undiscoverable purpose of the uni·
verse,-a purpose which when we are tuned to our most excruci-
atingly sensitive pitch, we firmly believe is unfolding before, and, in
small part, through each of us.
'4<j CHARLES EDWARD WYZANSKI, JR.
is District Judge for Massachusetts.Educated at Exeter and the HarvardLaw School, he served as clerk to
both Judge A. N . Hand and JudgeL~med Hand, who, he says, gave himhis professional canons, intellectualstandards, and criteria of what mak esa useful citizen. In 1933 F.D.R. ap-pointed him a Solicitor of Labor for
Sec:e.tary Frances Perkins. In 1935SolICItor General Reed took him onhis staff for arguments before the Su"
preme Court onhe U.S. From 1937to 1941 he reverted to private prac-tice; but, after serving in Washingtonon the National Defense MediationBoard, he was appointed .DistrictJudge by President Roosevelt.
Judge Wyzanski makes annual tripsto Europe on behalf of ILO. In 1943,as he phrases it , "I had the incredibleluck to marry the happiest, most un-spoiled and most lovable girl I haveever met. Living with her makes thewhole year Spring."
