THE EDITOR, Sir:
ONCE UPON a time in Heaven, God was missing for six days. He reappeared on the seventh day. "Where have you been?" asked his servant, Michael.
God proudly pointed to a great big ball below the clouds. "Look, Michael. Look what I have made!" he thundered. "It is good!"
"Good?" asked Michael, incredulously. "What is it?"
"It is a planet," God replied. "I have put a thing called Life on it to live and enjoy it. It is a place that is well balanced.
"Balanced?" asked a puzzled Michael. "What is that? I have never heard of it!"
"Let me explain," God replied, pointing to different places on the planet. "There is a place I shall call Europe, and there and there I shall name. Over there, I have placed white people, and over here, I have placed people of other colours. That region will be hot and this region will be cold. Here is a region that will neither be hot nor cold."
Michael, greatly impressed, pointed to a little spot that caught his fancy. "What about this little spot that is swimming in the sea and looks like a fish?"
A BEAUTIFUL PLACE
"Ah!" said God. "That's a beautiful little place! Look at the vegetation! Look at the beaches! Look at the mountains! Listen to the birds ! Look at the rivers, the waterfalls! I have put some innocent people there. When I am tired of them, I shall replace them with centuries of idiots!"
"Idiots!" exclaimed Michael. "What are idiots?"
"That you shall see for yourself!" God replied. "They are for our special amusement and for our annoyance and sorrow, as well. Heaven is rather boring these days."
Asked Michael. "Will they always be idiots?"
Replied God, stroking his great scintillating beard. "I will send them prophets, preachers, teachers, doctors, lawyers, inventors and politicians. They will have to think and do to redeem themselves."
Epilogue: "Finally, Brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are honest, whatever things are just, whatever things are of good repute, if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."
(Philippians 4: 8 )
I am, etc.,
OREN O. COUSINS
