The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1851-12-12
From I ! The b, KSss'nosha' Ss', Wisconsin, Trdsh Seeker
THE HUMAN REASON. hs,' ".

| ltls by no means an uncommon thing
tohear II asserted that there are subjects,
| with reference TO which Mankind may mol
use their Reason, and these subjecls the
very ones most intimately connected with
Mans highest and most enduring inter-
es,s. We discard such teaching; and
earnestly desire that j, may be suniver-
sally discarded. ts .fa8} isaei ftfl d
To say thai Mankind may not use their
reason with reference TO- those subjects
more immediately aconnac,ed with their
eternal interest, is TO say they may not
exercise those exalted attributes out Of
which their immortality grows, with re-
feIence 10 that immortality. We owe our
humanity 10 the possession of an intel.
leciual and moral nature, and ye, 1--WE are
told that nature may not be exercised
with reierente 10 the highest interests oil
that humanity. Strange supposilion.i99
We are well aware that human
reason is fallibls. 1T is complete aud
perfect in no one, and hence the necess.
iiy forils exercise. Reason and morality
are the God within US, and as they ex.l
pand do we grow more in God like char
actetstics: they expand only by use, and
what use SO legitimate and proper as that
relating Immediately to eternal interests.
Our reason may he dark and may lead MS
aslray, but none are uinfailible, and we
are certainly quite as safe in the exercise
.oS our own powers as in depending on
others, It'may be said we have Gods
revelations on these subjects, and to rea.
son with reference to them would be TO
question Them Bit il will be seen by a
moments reflection that all Of Coils re-
velatiops, whether found in Books or Ma.
ture, possess significance to man'in vir-
tue alone OF bis reason.e They possess
no significance to the brute, because the
brute has oreasun., They possess little
Significance 10 the savage. because he
has bot little reason: and their signl6-
lcance to us, corresponds with our devel,
opmen. Thus, we perceive, that every
succeeding generation has new views
and occupies higher positions on these I
subjects, and lis instructive to trace the
modifcationeof religious theories in the
christian world from early periods until
the present time: down through the fiery
crusades--through devastating civil wars
through persecution and manyrdom-
through expatriatioh, and intolerance,
modifying, melIowipg, sofehing, becom..
ing mole humane with every succeeding
age, until now, when wars of all kinds,
the taking Of human life under any cir.
cumstances, slavery. intemperance, vim
diciiyeness, and intolerance of every ia.
ture, are falling into general condemns
ton. Just as, through the developments
of science and progress in genera!
knowledge, we see farther inio Nature SO
do we know more of its author and more
intelligen,ly worship him. aq'a icrr
The heavens were once 10 the race q
sealed book, but astronomy has unfolded
| its leaves, and we read in every plane
and every star exalted, sublime ant
truthful lessons, ofthe wisdom, the love
and The power Of Him who created ahe
set them in motion. And thus has eve
ry science and every! discovery in sci
ence, whether celestial or terrestrial
| whether pertaining to the world Of mat
ter or spirit, given us clearer ideas Of The
attributes Of the parent, and modified
into higher truths, our religious theories
Lay, If you please, the Bible at the
foundation of human progresses we oh
| iect not. All of Gods revealmentss at,
addressed 10 Mans reason, and wheihe
| we seek God in Books Or Nature, Oh
longer weigaze them more trulhfully dow
see him., aud as by seeing God in Natur
| we contemplate that Nature in ne,
| and higher light, So do we continual
obtain new conceptions from his word
and from its educational nature, ,pdeveIoI
better theories Of religion corresponding
with our higherlight.' % ~ dii7 ga'e0l
J, Then we must bear in mind, that'it Il
not to one mind, nor a few minds, bu
to all minds, that Gods revelations ar,
addressed, because We are all equal
| his children, endowed with a commo
nature, and equally 10 all IS a knowle dg,
| Of these revelations essential. We ma
i be taught, But no one Can be wise fo
| .us:-it is'not by the knowledge other
4 possess that we are, blessed, bni BY tia
alone which we possess oourseives: w
canno, love God through ihe know'edg,
j possessed Of him by another, but oni
| through that knowledge we possess .
! him. Then we must exercise oui mind
with reference 10 all things, 4 knowledg,
! Of which is necessary 10 our happiness
because il is only BY exercise that W. cal
obtain Or progress in such kauwledge.9
The bird does not learn % Fly by sitting
iimidly inahs nest watching The @ria
| flight ofits feilows, but i ventures forth
and though It's excursions are al first boil
4 shonand difficult, II soon attaiDs powe
i aud Confidence which enables tito speet
into the very eye Of the sun, aud batht
its wing in his golden ray. So must ,ht