Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1860-08-03
True Opposed to False Reason

An impressive passage like the following, while
it must necessarily enchan attention, will also re-
ward reflection by the salutary convictions to which
it so satisfactorily and irresistably leads the mind
We should be at loss where to look, in the vast
range Of English literature, for chain of reasoning
so complete and conclusive and at the same time
set off with such sparkling uxuriance of thought
and language 1t will be perceived that it contains
perfectly overwhelming answer to Hume's argu-
ment against miracles:
The culture Of the soil has, in all ages, been re-
garded as an appropriate and congenial occupation
for declining life. Cicero, in his admirable treatise
on" '" Old Age,'' speaking in the person of Cato the
elder to whom | have already referred when he
comes to consider the pleasures within reach of the
aged, gives the most prominent place to those which
may be enjoyed in agricultural pursuits. These, he
adds are not impaired by the advance of years. and
approach possible to the ideal life of the
wise man." Guided by the light of nature, he con-
templated with admiration that "power" as he calls
it. of the earth, by which it is enabled to return to
the husbandmau, with usury, what he has commit
ted to its trust. 1t belongs to US, favored with
knowledge of the spiritual relations of the universe
not vouchsated to the heathen world, to look upon
agriculture in higher aspects, especially in the ad-
vance of life and as we move forward ourselves
toward the crisis of our being, to catch ntell-
gent glimpse of the grand drcana of nature, as
bited in the creative energy of the terrestrial ele
and sprouting plant the resurrection of universal
nature from her wntry grave.
celebrated skeptical philosopher Of the last CEN
turv, the historian Hume, thought to demolish the
credibity of the Christian Revelation by the con-
else argument 1T is contrary to experience that
miracle should be true, but not contrary to expert
ence that testimony should be false" The last part
of the proposition, especially in free country, on
the of popular election, is, unhappily, too well
founded; but in what book-worms dusty cell
tapestred with the cobwebs of ages where the light
of real life and nature never forced its way-in
what pendants school, where deaf ears listen TO
dumb lips, and blind followers are led by blind
guides did he learn that it is contrary TO experience
that miracle should be true? Most certainly he
never learned it from sower or reaper-fro.n dumb
animal or rational man connected with husbandry
Poor Red Jacket, of here on Buffalo Creek, if he
could have comprehended the terms of the PROPOSE
ton, would have treated it with scorn. Contrary
to experience that phenomena should exist which
we cannot trace to perceptible to the human
sense, or conceivable by human thought Itwoud
be much nearer the truth to say, that within the
husbandman's experience there are no phenomena
which can be nationally traced to anything but the
instant energy of creative power.
Did this philosopher ever contemplate the land
scape at the close Of the year. when seeds and grains
and fruits have ripened, and stalks have withered
and leaves have fallen and winter has forced here
sheeted halfa continent in her glittering shroud
and all this eemng vegetation and org anized life
are locked in cold and marble obstruction and af-
ter week upon week and month upon month have
swept with seet and chilly rain and bowling storm
over the earth, and ryeted their crystal bolts upou
the door of natures sepulchre-when the sun at
length begins to wheel in higher circles through the
sky, and softer winds to breathe melting SHOWS
did he ever behold the long hidden earth at length
appear and soon the timid grass peep forth, and
anon the autumnal wheat begin to paint the field
and velvet leaflets to burst from purple buds hro
out the revivng forest; aud then the mellow soil to
open its fruitful bosom to every grain and seed drop
ped from the planters hand, buried but to spring
up again. clothed with new mysterious being; and
then as more fervid suns nfame the air and softer
showers dist from the clouds, and gentler dews
string their pearls twig and tendri, did he ever
watch the ripening grain aud fruit pendent from
stalk and vine, aud tree; the meadow, the field, the
pasture, the grove each after his kind, arrayed in
myriad-tinted garments, instinct with circulating
life seven millions of counted leaves on n single
trees each Of which is system whose exquisite
complication puts to shame the shrewdest cunning
of the human hand every planted seed and grain
which had been loaned 10 the earth compounding
its pious usury thirty, sixty, an hundred fod-all
harmoniously adapted to the susenance OF living
nature-the bread of a hungry world here a
titled cornfeld, whose yellow blades are nodding
ness-the great Fathers farm-where he "who
hears the ravens cry has cultivated with his own
hand his merciful crop of berries nuts, acorns and
seeds for the humber families of animated nature,
the solemn elephant the browsing deer, the wild
pigeon, whose iutterng caravan darkens the sky
the merry Squirrel who bounds from branch 10
branch in the joy Of his little life; has he seen all
this-does he see it every year and month and day,
does he live and breathe and move and think in the
atmosphere of wonder--hmsef the greatest won
der of ALL whose smallest fibre and faintest pusa.
ton is as much mystery as the blazing glories o.
Orions belt--and does he still MAINTAIN that mira
Gle Is contrary TO experience?
II he has, and if he does, then let him 80, in The
name of Heaven, and say that ii is contrary 10 ex
perience that the August Power which turns tn
eods of the earth into tho daily bread Of thons
aud millions souls could feed five thousand in TIN
wilderness l-Eoere,fs address bsfoys the ". y
State Ayrieu,tar7I Society.
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-Johp.ons Chemistry Of Common Life, |. r u