Independent Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1842-1844, 1844-02-03


lecturer would have strengthened his ar.
rument by consulting its suggestions.
Mr.. Smith assumed one position fom
which we are inclined to dissent, although
The proposition was reiterated with an ear
nestncss which showed his conviction of
its truth. He said we could never have
arrived al the idea of God without the aid
OF rcyolairn This assumption proceeds
on The old maxim Of the perpateiics: that
"nothisg is in the intellect which has not
been frs; IN the senses" This doctrine
we think, puts philosophy on the road to
materialism and atheism. We beisve God
10 be a necessary idea; we believe the idea
of God 10 be a rational conception, which
a man possessed of reason can no more
void than the knowledge Of his persona
identity, or the external world. There
are some ideas termed necessary because
they force themselves into our minds inde-
pen1ent of our wills. OF this class, are
the IDEAS OF time, Of substance, Of personal
identity, Of space, and of the infinite. To
these we may add the idea of God. The
idea of time is derived from none of the
senses, but is a conception Of the pure rea.
son. The idea of time is the logical con-
dtion of the idea of a succession of events
in our own minds. The idea of a success
sion of events is the chronological condi-
ton of the idea Of time. Any succession Of
events pre,supposes that of time, in the
logical order of dels. The same may be
said in regard to body and space. The
idea of space is the logical condition of
the idea of body. In the order of reason
body pre-supposes space. 1t would be
impossible to have the idea of body with
out the idea of space Immediately follow
ing it. the idea of God is marked with
the same characteristic of necessity
When we turn our attention TO the interior |
world Of consciousness, and observe the |
operations of our own minds, we find that !
those operations have ii beginning and an
end, that they are sometimes vivid and |
palpable, again faint and indistinct that |
they are characterized by the qualities
more and less, that they have different de-
grees of intensity & energy; in short, that
they are imperfect, Unite finite. The
this id is fprmcd in the mind,
the reason, with torce it cannot resist is
driven t, he conclusion that there is some
thing infinite. Now the idea of the infiA.
lte, is the flea OF the perfect and the idea
Dftlnite, the idea OF the imperfect. The
infinite and the perfect, is God himself--
Man knows himScifa finite aal imperfect
being, the moment this truth becomes the
subject 0, consciousness, ne instantly and
rresisibly arrives at the idea of q being
Infinite and perfect.
To do entire Justice to idea, to show the
full force of the argument woul require a
small volume, we shall therefore lay it a.
side for the present. While taking leave
IF MIR. Smith, we think we should alude TO
IN incident which probably occurs at eve
y place he lectures. Before he dismissed
lis audience, we were unpleasantly re- {
minded OF the cnviOus proximity of the ri. |
iicuious 10 the sublime. In all sincerity {
We would advise the Rev. lecturer not TO :
ay any thing about those "books" from 6
he pulpit. We felt chastcncd, refined and ,
elevated by the magnificent Thoughts which v
le 50 eloquentIy delivered, bnt by the con-
uding scene we felt Inundated, degra- =
ed, brought back again TO this work .dav n
World of dollars and cents. We felt as if S
iter his admirable lecture, he had read to e
; the following hucksterlng, canring adj "
which we find in the Char. :;
,s,on Courier:- nj
THAT BIBLE. p
o. Nearly al nv supply Of The H1r- =,
er'S Great Pictorial and Illuminated Bi. -
,e went of yestcrday-,and | have order =,
new supply. This Book, which is so h,
ysterIous 10 the sinner, went off as rap. n
~ as The "MySteries OF Paris" and in ..
nd 10 exert myself in my small way, TO ne
ke It as popn'ar-as generally read.- IF
III not the c!ergymon of The city help or
{! w ihev n't preach next sunday ,.r
IN "iAc FaN of Nan" so wildly de. 90
leated IN his first number by the Artist, ~