The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-05-23
evening State Sollrnal.
TUESDAY EVENING, MAY 90, 1871
Tho Idsn of Law.

man. who gives you the impression of an
extremely sensitive and refined organiza-
tion. Radical in his creed, he is deeply
religious in his nature. His voice is calm
and sweet, rather than passionate or eo-
uuent, and his manner is at once modest
and earnest. He spoke of the "Idea of
Law" in Gods dealings with men.
The idea of law holds large place in
modern thought. The laws of nature, the
laws of society, are phrases familiar in all
our ears. We hear also of the laws of
trade, of supply and demand, and the
like, indicating q sense OF certain order
of events taking place beyond the control
of individual wills, something inherent in
the nature of things, making them to be
what they are, and to go on as they do.
This idea of law is everywhere taking the
place of the notion of accident, or of arbi-
trary will, in the carrying on OF the world.
Indeed, Mr.. Huxley, the English physioo-
gist, thinks it will soon Danish the notion
of anything like spontaueity in the uni.
verse. But the idea of spontanety and
the idea of freedom, which we believe in
because we feel them in ourselves, and
must needs ascribe them to all spirits, are
not necessarily opposed to the idea Of law.
For, by law, we mean the orderly and
continuous method according to which
a force operates; and force may be
spontaneous in its origin, even though
it, must act under fixed conditions.
We need not be afraid that we
shall lose our freedom because we are under
law. There is more freedom in order than
=. l. - Ii
is found in thinking logically and oonsecu-
lively, not in thinking at random. True
freedom in loving is found in loving wisely
and chastely-not passions slave, but pas
sion's master. We mark the progress of
civilization by the gradual substitution of
a government of laws for the arbitrary
power of despotism. AS intelligence pro.
crosses, the autocrat gives way to the
limited monarchy, and that in its turn to
the republic. And we fni-have found
in the history of our own nation-loyalty
to country stronger and deeper sentiment
than loyalty to any king. Our delight in
law is a delight in order-physical order, or
bsauty; moral order, or justice. The scientific
observer cannot rest contented with new
fact till he brings 1t under general state
ment, sees 10 it the expression of the law.
We all find crystal more beautiful than
a clod and we delight to know that each
mineral crystalzes invariably into spe-
cial form. Out of the same materials of
earth, air, and water the rose will always
form roses, the apple tree apples. What
security as well as delight we have in this
presence of law ia outward naturel 1t is
this sense of order, of the omnipresence of
law, which makes scientific men SO unwl-
ling to accept the idea of miracle. Even
conservative theologians ars beginning to
speak of miracles as the operations of
hidden law---but when miracle is &C.
knowledged to be the result OF law, hidden
or other, does it not cease to be miracle
and become simply a rare event.
The truly religious man can see God in
the ordinary, as well as in theextraordina-
ry. To the devout mind the order of ma
ture is far more sacred, far more divine,
far more full of God, than any interrupt
ton OF order could be. / do not say that
the order proves God, and more than the
miracle would; for you cannot find in
outward nature the proof of God. In the
soul alone, in the human spirit, the con-
science, the affections, the will, the ideal
imagination, in these lies that primal sense
of God which is its own proof. But when,
in the soul, we have met and known God,
we look abroad, and the universe becomes
full Of illustrations of Him, and our re-
search into His ways in the world Of mat
ter throws light upon His ways in the
world of man. We must learn not to
think of the law of God for us as the ar
bitrary utterance of His will, but to look
for 1t in every one of our condi-
tons, physical, moral and spirit
ual, and so to respect our ma
lures as the revelations of his purposes
for US. We want to recognize that what
we call sin is but the perversion or misuse
of some faculty or passion or propensity
that in its right use leads only to good
We want to recognize that the Love of
God and the Justice of God and the Truth
of God and the Providence Of God all
work according to their law. Not that
God is Law, or Law is God-law is not
power, but only the orderly method by
which a power acts. The love of God,
viewed as law, belongs not to one man or
one race alone. 1t is universal, nor do we
ask individually to appropriate it, any
more than going out into the brightness
of a summer morning we ask that the
sun and air should especially distinguish
us from our fellows. And the provi-
dence of God, under this idea of law, will
no longer be thought Of as special inter-
ference, nor even as mere general superin-
tendence. but as perfect. omnipresent,
saving Presence, saving still, through all
seeming destruction and loss. Tt is said
that in this concession of Providence we
make no allowance for accident All
events happen under fixed laws, but the
coincidence of two events may bring about
an accident, and when we consider how
manifold are these intersections, we shall
find ample room for as much of this ele-
ment of chance as we need, to explain life
The justice of God, viewed in the light of
Law, loses its every shade of applicability
or arbitrariness. 1t is the justice of
cause and effect. Because we live in Gods
universe and are his children, every law of
his being is also law of our being. And
the Law of our life-that is the ideal of
our life, its possibilities Is our Judge
and 1t is our Redeemer, too. Every moral
truth of which we once had vision--every
thought and purpose of good-that which
we are capable Of being, however faithless
wa ha va rrnvad- -tha idaol IF ans l;fa II