The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1869-09-03

involuntarily. Just so it is with the in
stinct which points them from nature,
physical and mental, up to natures God.
The recognition is instinctive--a naturz
al result of the organization. Of the hui
man mind and will forever fpd express
ion in some form or other Of Higher
Power. The preeisian may strive to
content himself with Hero Worship;
but.he sinks immeasurably his Hsav-
cn-born instinct when he thus substitutes
the Creature for the Creator, even be-
low the Idol worshipper though he pay
his devotions to Newton, Bonaparte or
Abe Lincoln, as the heathon invests the
object of his devotion with conceptions
of superhuman power.
Recognition Of Deity is instinctive--a
natural result of the organization of the
human mind, and all effort to ignore it is
vain. A recent writer says "every
branch of knowledge passes successfully
through three stages: LIST. the Sapernat-
aral or fictitious. 2nd the MetaphySt-
cal or abstract. 3rd. the poSitioe or SCI
entifc. In the theological stage Nature
is regarded as the theatre whereon the
arbitrary wills and momentary caprices
of Superior Powers play their varying
and variable parts. In the MetGphySi-
cal stage the notions of caprieious divin-
tiles is replaced by that Of abstract enti-
ties, whose modes of action are however
invariable. In the positive stage the In
variabIeness of phenomena, under SINH
lar conditions is recognized as the sum
total of human investigation and beyond
the laVS which regulate phenomena It rs
considered idle to penetrate"
Among the objections, to such reason
ing, it may be said, that it discards as
worthless every theological conception of
the past and rejects all future efforts in
the same direction, though such concep-.
tions are instructive, and confirmed and
sustained, by the wisdom and bcnefcent
design which the lars of nature unfold.
1t discards as useless all that mental
philosophy has taught, the peculiar
province Of which has been to explain
the laacS of mind. 1t is true that both
the theology and philosophy are defecs
tive. How could they be otherwise I'M;
der a law of progressive development '
But, the idea, that we have passed, or
must pass, through both stages, without
learning a single truth from either, to
that positive stage, wherein there is no
God, is not only repugnant to human ma
ture which disdains such stage, but.
contrary to the operations of the law of
progress which advances the mental de-
velopment of man by the gradual eyoln-
ton and accumulation of truth.
No branch Of knowledge carries tho
student of nature beyond the theological
stage. The positive truths of Astrono-
nv, Instead Of obliterating the concep-
ton of Deity, sustains, enlarges and re-
fines it.
"Wbat though no real voice or sound
Amid the radiant orbs be found
In reasons ear they all rejoice
Aud utter forth glorious voice
Forever singing as they slime,
The hand that made us is DiriHe"
Blind Matcrialist Why, with sim
pie faith, did the Egyptian, the Persian,
Greek and Roman, from CONF
mon impulse look up to Deity in fear
md hope Why does man, place him
where you will, or find him where you
will, resolve, as almost the first business
If life, his religious worship7 What
,ives him this Involuntary, instructive,
mental direction Is it not God, Him
elf; or if you choose, His lawsa fit
we're not soft religious worship had no
oundation in truth; if there were no
iod-nothing above us to love and
ldorc as the Infinitely Perfect, would
nan repeat, continually, everywhere
he absurdity of religious worship p
leather or Christian-Sayage or Civil
zed, place him where you will he turns
o his worship as instinctively as he
,beys any of the operations of the mind
esulting from the existence of organic
aw.
The truth is we have not, and cannot,
PASS through either stage unless the or
,aniSation Of the human mind can be
There is but one stage for
hcology, mental philosophy and physi-
,al science, and it is only necessary that
hey be harmonized, to teach the true
positive philosophy. From the progress
We development of physical science,
mental philosophy may discover more
|, .lll.sassassspre accurately the evidenccs
Sslce, design and prevailing
6s in the creation, and from
lsolegy may learn to develop
iGhlltly and harmoniousfy the
ms nEtillct of the Soul.
Sho has some Emusic in his
most cheerful and sooth-