W.E.A. LECTURE

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIII, Issue 105, 15 April 1933, Page 6

W.E.A. LECTURE

“EINSTEIN THE MAN.” At the W.E.A. lecture at Hastings on Thursday Mr. J. A. Brailsford reviewed the life of Albert Einstein, th* scientist who recently refused to return to Germany while the Hitler dictatorship and the persecution of the Jews continue. The lecturer spoke of Einstein’s opposition to dictatorships, his human qualities, his absolute pacificism, his self-reliance in early life, his popularity during his world travels, his views on social problems and the means to be adopted for the alleviation of the present world distress. The lecturer concluded with a reference to the scientist’s attitude towards religion. “Einstein,” said Mr. Brailsford, “spoke of the mystery of life but said that one thing was plain: We were here for the sake of our fellow beings. He felt that he had a debt to mankind beyond his power to pay. He had rejected materialism in science and history, finding intutition and inspiration -his best helps in scientific work. “The most beautiful thing we can expert’ ence is the mysterious,” he had said. “It is the source of all true art and science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead. His eyes are elosod. To know that what is impenetrable to us really exists, manifesting itself m the highest wisdom and the most radiant beauty, which our dull faculties can comprehend only in their most primitive forms—this knowledge, this feeling is at the centre of true religiousness.”