The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1872-04-04
Limits OF Revelation.

Many people say, sWhy does not
tho Bible settle agreat many points
which ara porpleSing to mon !"
They have IN idea that II book which
is inspired Of God is TO be a guide for
the settlement Of any moral ques-
tons that may arise in the lives of
men, 80 that they shall not have the
trouble of making inquiries on any
subject which concerns their higher
interests. And they do not believe
that it has u different meaning I'M
der different circumstances. But
do you suppose that God would have
given us a book that undertook to
60 into the whole genius of crea-
ton? The world WIS not made for
any such purpose. You might as
well say, "Why did not God make Il
garden behind every mans house,
where all desirable plants should
come up of their own accord, where
weeds should be banished, and where
evoly thing should be in perfect or
der, without giving the owner any
trouble?" 1t might as well be ask
ed, "Why is not fruit provided with
wings like birds, so ihat it might fly
IN through the window, and set it.
self down on peoples laps?" 1t would
be just as reasonab. to say, "What
was the use of making things SO
that We should have to work in Or
der to get theu?" God meant that
man should be forever boilding him
self, by thought, by feeling, by evo.
ution; adapting himself to circum-
stances; sharpening this faculty and
strengthening that faculty; lifting
and pulling down. 1t was the
intention that by an active
process Of education we should be
developed from a lower to n higher
state o. being. Therefore it is that
if a man would be sculptor, or a
painter, or q scholar, he must be. ,
3omesuch by working out the things :
which belopg to tho particular pro- !
which he has chosen. We !
ire working out ourselves; and eve l
'ybo1y knows, who has given the !
subject any thought, thatthe strong Z
,st men and the best men are t3ey l
Who, being put into this lite, have 1
wrought out patience and endurance I
md energy by the necessity which y
las been laid upon them to do or to a
lie. Now, in the woll; which is l
on purpose to kill lazy folks =
nd to build up industrious people, !.
II a world which has been made Ill Il
vast grinding-stone on which to q
'olish and sharpen men by attri- I,
ions, DO you suppose God, iu Civ L
lg IL the Bible, has given us II book Il
bat settIeseverythlng? Instead otbe- "
ag such u book, it is one which stirs a
zen up, and requires them to form u
ldgments Of their own. / would II
.ot thank anybody who should bring n
nto my house q book that settled all Il
.ues'ions of casuistry, and all ques- s
ions Of morals, so that no child who 1
ook it into his hands should have L
ask any questions. Iwould Soon A
r thank q man for giving my chill 81
rem such wealth and luxury and e.
.leasure and honor as should cut "
If every motive which was calcula-
ID TO wake them up to acquire by
leir own exertions these amenities
{ life. That is not the creative de-
1t is not the divine method. n
lie Bible answer precisely to the q
nalogy Of the word into which we st
re born. 1t is u book which c)n- h
Tins q given amount of instruction vi
nd stimulation, but which does not CT
Ike away from us the necessity Of ST
an effort to find out for our W
those things which are most &C
Ital to u welfare both, here and IL
GREATER. And it is an obligation st
5ich rests upon every mat to take W
is one talent, his two talents or his IL
We talents, as the case may be, and OF
, ont and make them more.-H az
7, BGerher. c!