The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1855-03-29


cient!y conclusive to set all inquiry at res
that proceeds upon the mere deductions
logic. The grounds, however, on which Ii,
has based his negative, are totally different
from those of DIR. DEWEY, and of every
philosopher who attempts to solvo the prob
lem by IN appeal TO reason. We quote the
learned lecturers theory in full:
81. He showed that the order Of thing:
was an act of crea:ton--was created order
.. 1t WAS, though created, limited. 3. BY
reason of its lisn'a,ion, imperfect, and de-
syncdiy SO. In being created, it WAS an
expression or manifestation Of power, moi
in the highest sense of the term, as con.
ncrtcd with Deity, but as belonging to the
general scl,r"rc Of creation, in which good
is necessarily blended with evil; while, in
being limited and imperfect, it best an.
swcred the design of the Divine Architect
lis well as human purposes. For, us the
lecturer demonstrated, without sorrow, pain
and suffering, c"uIl their oppositcs be
6"o''n as without physical ills, could
the errors of sense the mistakes Of nexpc-
rlcnce, Or the illusions Of the imagination,
he corrected! Vice is the teacher of virtue
We know the one, said the lecturer, by the
correlation Of the ot!;cr. This was the cx-
pianaIion. This was, the solution of tic
; problem, Why evil in the world.'
! We have no scrious Objection tn This
! beautiful bnt 10y no means original, solution
Of one OF the most intricate questions with
which human intellect has yet struggled,
provided it be regarded rs simply the effort
OF mind dci;gh!ing to exercise lis pow
crs in brilliant excursions through regions
abounl:ng in mysterious and un!riel paths.
Dat if it is meant inissasssails, and in the
effects which may flow from
its general accept R of phil
osophic theology, W. Pal very Sc
riousi iobjesGees Ae urge ssainst it. ,Nan-
kind hays s aSaSusly busxssGo
sho cfisd uifiEsth
% asyos 8 6n 5swheso Head
may safely be rested ithe aSfl responsibility
of sin-'rhc question of III origin of sin,
precisely ilentical| Will shc origin
of evil. ADAM, seriously pressed on the
point, readily shifted the load from his to
tho weaker shoulder Of his poor wife, and
si;c being arr''igned, as quickly threw it
upon another, who already had more to
Bear than he could WILL stand up under.
The great Law-Givsr, however, proceeded
10 pass sentence il accordance with his
Judgment OF the case, aud gave decision
that should have Sc, the matter at rest for-
ever. But the children have been no more
decided than were Inc tcrTor-stricllen pa-
rents; and nearly eFcry age and tribe, l,:u,
had solution OF its own. Some held on
tenac:"us ! TO Satan, still making him,
tllpnyh smoking with. Tie torii4r;s imposed
for other misdcmranors, responsible for
theirs too. Some traced it UP to imlc..!cc-
tions iii the Creator himself: while others
were rs wei! satisfied; to believe ii the Lliui
l,ap-liazar'l work of Chance The pron-
gale writer's of the times Of the Second
Charles, conpl:;iSan,'y relieved themselves
of a'l serious car. an The subject, by for
gctHny the magni::n'c of sin, and ascrbine
to human reason the power TO develope and
regulate III nl; himself, ali that is requisite
to make him happy.
DIR. DEWEY wiincs on these, and with
great logical sui,:leiy, finds The origin of
cvii-lI'e source from which death sprung
into tie w":!'i, and aI orr woe iii God The
Creator. liz agrees, however, with the
wits of Charles r.sn in one important
poins-that intellect guided by free will,
is adequate to the great work OF rcnova-
ton.
W. quote him as reported again: {" lie
first showed, in this connection, that it was
deduction from his theory, that the origin
Of evil, as of good, Vas in Infancy, which
is to be moulded to vituous or vicious inn
pressions, by being left, under the influence
of education and example, to the develop
mcnt Of the germs implanted, which will
come to tares of crime, o. blossom into
virtues, when left b the guidance of free
'ciU and intellectual Independence"
! Before reaching this point, and while e!o-
quently expatiating in the gloomy scenes of
human sorrows and mistortunes, the lectu.
rer pause.l to cast a acharitable veil over the
enormities of Antiquity: Historical COM
parison could hot b made the basis of our
conclusions-to judge each for himself, and
through himself, way AN Integral part of our
nature. We could no more be divested of
it than of our personal identity. In this
connection the lecturer observed that crime
and vice were presented On The canvass of
history, massed as:lit were in high relief
without the sh9dinss and softenings that
are found in individual lifs-without the
virtues that bloom ii, its sunshine and ir-