True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1857-04-29
The Philosophy of Religion.

AAS ANANNSSRAJ Va ~SNNO~"N'
There is no subject better fitted to en-
large and elevate the mind than that Of
the natural evidence Of The being and
perlecions of the Almighty. The ha-
bitual study and contemplation Of nature,
as a mirror wildly rejecting the Divine
glory, may be used as the approximate
means not only of the youthful inquirer
after truth, but of more perfectly con
firming him who is mature in belief
and Of infusing into them spirit equally
remote from that assumption Of intellect
ual pride which infdelity fosters, ant
that abjeet spirit which is inspired by
superstition. The works of nature may
be appealed 10, as presenting proofs both
to verify, illustrate and enhance our
conceptions Of the Divine character.
The book of revelation was presented
to us, not for The purpose Of revealing tc
us the existence of higher power but
for the purpose of explaining to us what
He really is and the proper mode of Civ
ing alteration 10 Him, as also such truths
as are proper for our we'll being and are
emanalions Of His sovereign will and
good pleasure, such as could not be de-
duced from any indication Of NATURE
That this revelation has come by tradi-
ton and otherwise 10 all nations, is evi-
dent from the similarity Of all in many
acts Of The moral law existing among all
nations, which laws could not have been
deduced from nature. That nature is
herself teacher Of the existence of q
superior and supreme power, is manifest
in many instances, rs can be shown
from a multiplicity of facts not necessa-
ry to enumerate.
The first grand, and we believe incon-
trovertable reason is presented in this fact,
that there cannot be any c6tct without
a cause. This is an axiom. There can
be no design without an author. If we
examine house, we see that there is a
regular plan in its formation, and natur-
ally infer that some mind designed that
plan. We observe an oak tree, and find
ing that tree passes through certain ro.
tation without variation, evidently de-
signed for some object, we naturally in
fer that some superior mind regulates all
its operations first The acorn is buried in
the earth, it sprouts, grows, becomes a
tree, bears acorns for food, or 10 produce
other trees the buds become leaves, ex
isl for time, and fall. Thus we SEE
that there is a regular plan in all, ant
the mind Of man in its natural state will
make this plain deduction, without tn,
assistance of revelation, that a highe
power than that Tree controls its variou
changes. II we see stream Of water
we naturally suppose that it has a source
and no information is necessary exceT
natural inference, that water will not ru
or collect into body, unless it is der
we'd from some origin. So upon the eS
animation Of our own body the wor
,lerful formation Of which has engage
the closest attention and study Of philo:
ophers for ages, and will for ages more
and the astonishing mechanism Of its fol-
maion sill and will excite wonder, n
part Of It's operation is left to chance
Does not nature here, indicate a perfeC
dsign! and how can it exist witbou
designer : III. 10 siutf
The world, ihe sun, the pIanetes, m
The innumerabIe stars, raise the mind {
man, even III its widest and most savag
state, to an all powerful Creator. Agar
it is plain from natural observation tht
everything in nature moves or exists b
a fixed law which acts, guides directi
tei4d Ai ituH ~