The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-03-23
Origin of Evil.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
AS the heart panteth after the water brooks SO
panteth the soul OF one OF your late contributors
after an explanation of the existence of evil-and
he is but the type of millions OF thirsty souls with
whom feel deep sympathy, having passed through
the same deserts Of doubt and distress; but,
10y virtue Of mans inherent power of rejection
and reason, have come into the smooth waters of
peace and alteration Of the infinite wisdom good
ness and holiness Of our Maker-out of pure
sympathy will offer the results OF my reflections,
In hope that the craving thirst Of distressed souls
may possibly be assaaged; but protest before.
hand that If offer anything in contradiction Of
Orthodoxy" am not to blame since draw all
my inspiration from the "word OF God"
1 remember snce to have deeply shocked the
Orthodoxy OF q NEST excellent Quaker friend by
declaring that God has taken the responsibility of
the existence OF evil upon Himself-an assertion
which he pronounced ut once q downright bias.
phemy, as the great majority Of Christians would
to-day. TacIt, blank astonishment pervaded his
countenance when referred him to book, chapter
and verse IN the Old Testament in support OF nay
assertion. For tine benefit OF all will here give the
quotation from the greatest OF all true prophets
Isaiah XIV, I'll form the light ans create dark
ness; make peace and create evil. l, the Lord,
do all these tblngsv The verse occurs in one OF
prophecy in which he calls the great Cyrus by
name two hundred years before the birth Of the
hero, and tells him who IL is that calls him and
what he can do and perform No wonder that
Cyrus honored the sepulchre OF the Prophet when
ne conquered Palestine.
Many minds and many pens have been employed
IN all ages on the mysterious 'origln OF evil,r and
tne writer himself in his early manhood attempted
10 translate into English splendid poem on that
supJect' indted In German by the learned SWISS
DOCTOR haer, proving the hold this subject had on
tne writers mind. But why should all the world,
tnrough all ages, make such mystery OF the exist
ehce ol eVll when God Himself reveals through the
M VI one OF ms most favored prophets, that It
rs ne himself, the Lord, that creates evily' Mod
ern Orthodoxy VIII be apt 10 say, ave will not
believe this, though proclaimed by the most in
spired or prophets, because IL is absolutely con.
trary 10 the nature oil Gou, whose holiness cannot
look upon EVIL. Yet, let us reflect, can anything
happen IN the whole universe without the will OF
GodY Must not the foundation of all pnenomena
be still the Twill OF Godfr And must we not witha
rest satisfied that all He does is wisdomg n
we analyze the subject we shall find that God
found Himself under the necessity much against IIs
choice OF goodness and holiness, TO create evil
"Preposterous proposition ~ will be the instant ex.
clanatlon Of most Christians. I say that II Gsd
would have beings OF intelligence outside OF Him
self He could not help placing before them beth
good and evil. for n He had created them ncapa-
Die OF the latter where would have been the good