Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1867-08-09

he may not ask counsel Of the Positive Philoso-
piers, may not always have to accept their IL
mutations, be may not always conceal himself
behind the veil of general laws. Revelation Of
himself is possible, and it is probable and by
the same facts as 70 to prove other events. We
may require for such facts peculiar clearness
and strength of evidence, indeed. Now this pc
culiar clearness we have in evidence of the reye-
lation which Is called Christianity, and most of
all in Jesus and his life His character, ethical
wisdom and grandeur Of soul are unparalleled
in the worlds history; snd that the men who
have recorded his history did not improvise it,
is most evident. they had not the knowledge or
the culture 10 do it. That Jesus actually lived
Is the only explanation of his recorded life that
is not absurd. Equally insufficient is his nation
or culture TO account for HIS character. Could
we even throw out His miracles, He would re-
main a greater miracle than all, wholly unac-
couniable for by the Positive Philosol by, being
entirely apart from his age and people, whom
No influence could have shaped or inspired.
Tne aim Of His life was worthy the highest con-
ception Of divine wisdom.
The positive philosophy claims to rest on facts.
have confined myself to observation offacts. BIT
fac,s have shown involve causative power Of
will, this leads inevitably to a supreme will and
an Infinite first cause Where then the point
/ Of divergence between US
Mil and Comte admit the value estimony
as to certain books; applying their canOns
We obtain conclusion Of the genuin' IS Of the
Gospel and the authenticity of it's Co nts. But
We do not thence infer the possibility arevela-
ton, We hare a revelation. Where do We
part company
The formula on the lips OF the P twists is,
the events Of Jesus's life are abno nal God
governs by general laws which ha ; no refer
ence to details. The chariot wheels roll on and
pause not though under them an individual may
be crushed; legislation IS for all, bet no care is
had Of the iniiyilual We meet and refute this
by again returning to the facts Of consciousness
We exercise Discretionary power Identical with
that Of the Supreme Being; we are possessed OF a
will by which We can make plot of ground a
fruitful field, an orchard or an arid desert.
Here is no interference with the laws Of nature,
but control Of them. We exert a supernatural
agency, not a superhuman. Now if there be a
God, can his power be less than mans? Can
he be the slave Of laws which he has made, OF
can he in making have abiicatei his power to
control Man does not disturb the relations Of
cause and effect, God does not. We do not force
but direct and modify the wills Of our fellow
men can God not thus act, also, We know
whence many thoughts come to our minds, o.
many we do not know whence they come. May
they not be from God, through our Wills thu:
controlling the course Of nature?
This conclusion cannot be evaded by any
theory, for no man can believe that God Is, yet
that His Will possesses less power than that Of
his creature.
All facts are normal, and we cannot call even
miracles abnormal, in the hands Of whose suthor
the very laws which appear to bind all things
are fluent, whose arm once made bare remains
ever visible, who makes the elements his minis
/ ters
have attempted service for Literature, in
this discourse, far as it may seem from that sub
iect Our age is barren Of any works but his
tory which will last or deserve to last and believe
it due to this tendency of the age to POsitivism,
much Of the best writing Of our day betrays this
lack Of religious faith. Divine names and things
are not indeed ignored would they were,
rather than to be 50 travestiei. Clear and
bracing thought, lofty imagery, and the hearty
pathos Of the true poet can be looked for only
from strong belief. The human mind is Ike an
overshot wheel Whichmust be filed full with flow
from a higher level. The best and loffiest
thoughts AMI imaginations must have to work in
the room given by the Christian revelation, and
the Spirit of the Most High. 1t is not without
purpose that so much is unreyealed. Therein
have wrought the master minds in every sphere
Of high endesyor.
would say word to the young men, the
growing scholars, before me, and 1t shall be a
word of that greatest man God ever made
g Beware lest any man spoil you through unbe-
lief" If you would be the leaders you ought to
be, it can only be by taking service under Him
to whom the mind, no less than the heart and
soul, owes fealty.
The exceedingly clear and abl, discourse
Of whose close argument We have endeayored
to present sketch, was very attentyely lis
tened to by good audience. Only the ex.
IRENE heat Of the afternoon preyentcd a
very large attendance, We presume.