New-York tribune., 1874-12-16

dencs not from monumental stones but from evidence
given. aud Il we take the history, Of tho
whether Il true or not sapposng fully understand
both. We shall be in position 70 pus tho Two togeSner
monumental evidence. The writer long before
science was so far advanced. has oommiuted @ nun,
ago no one knew with any certainty that there were
records preserved In the earth that cOuid Ie, WIN
Gods own handwriting. whether his servant. his sup
posed servant, mad been telling truth or e In
many other places where tbs first chapter OF ness IS
referred find this statement In regard 10 the
history of tho world.
Now 1t will not do for to take stand upon mo
theory that the Bible TO be committed 10 sell
Here IL IL different and the great error Is often
bv theorists and writers on this subject when
they cOnfOund these two distinct tng aud taik OF the
first chapter OF Genesis rs not to be CON-
pared with science. IL wont do. Tlere common
teaches them that that IL not the way 10 DO IL.
They will only hold that tue Incidental points will 10
records OF facts which present themselves GO the
but not with regard to those whioh me mtn coud
bring before you these generAl relations
THE HARDEST TEST.
First the general truth that the Bible does not teach
science aud was intended to do so. Then. when we
come to the history OF the creation bound to the
test by what know from other sources. Lbhal have
to bring 10 before you as well Many Of It's
friends frightened at thar test. do n't think they
should be. think they will hnd that Scripture VIII
stand that hard test and that VIII become, after
time TO DO regarded one Of the actual inspirations
Second, that brings before us this point, that the
Bible Is bound To hold to certain testimony to the
community of nature, wih regard 10 which itay con
illct with the theories OF philosophers IN an tlmr'
Now, know very well that one OF the prey
alcnt evils OF time down 10 our own ume. Is
that OF the worship OF natural objects. When men
losing the knowledge or the true tJu
aud OF science. they naturally afflicted with super
stious dread OF those objects Of nature which may DC
either prcudicial hurtiu TO then Hence the SUM-
mo0n &c, become gods. or symbols OF gods. Hfnoe
arises state OF mind superstition or POLY
forces he adores instead or llfting him up TO God.
Our own ancestors aud the modern heathen were
In hiG sta Ernn nIa nls
revelation to them. Next we tld the great Ho-
brew Llw-gyer graspng tue whole material OF heatnen
dOatry gins IL wlthu tho base Ot MS m0nOt1e
istic theology: TAls peryades the whois 90. OK
tue Biple' eneo poses p1oIu avs netveen his
feet all the created things which tho blind nations
woshpped This the vast achieyement OF revealol;
but when we see In OYh time even cultivated men
content to aysw themselves creatures OF bind natura
forces TO fall Iuto pantnesD, We cannot out 20
thankful for this. III tho Bible had not already tauhC
the unity and uniformity OF nature II Is doubtful our
scieuce would have emerged from the crultes OF Gieek
or Roman philosophy. We dOut know how much we are
indebted to the Bible IN this respect ana dom KloW
how we can know 10 unless we set an the my saoogeS5
against and which has GiTng TO ~ tae nnan NJ nm. VINO e
them. representing only these powers oil nature
| winch are ruled BY God And the Bible has delivered
us from that, aud there Is marvellous hdrmOuy Oo
There is another aspect Of less agreeable character,
and that is tnat with the mOuOthesuc creation Is
Obliged to hold GOd responsible all nature. dc cannot
be relieved or the Responsibility Tor destructive ahls
storms and all the oner things which are releVlted 10
the domain of malignant demons They, AZ we'll as the
gentle must be tho work OF the one God Most Oh
us are familiar with and appreciate its difcult9is
But we here consider how hard it was wiser
minds OF antiquity to advance SO TAR ana we can Deter
appreciate the holiness OF tue stand taken in all inspired
Scripture in the descriptions or illustrations OF DIVINE
acts. II to hold thiS, we may be oblged 10
rob nature of its unity or we may be Obliged t0 fall into
tnat hopeless atheism or o fall into tDat aDect super
siitiOn which always IN dread or the unknOwn am
not speaking Of the Bible in It's aspect but IN
| us scientific aspect. -
TairdIy, there are points Of union between the Bible
and revealed IN Scripture. Thus, the BDie il
inpH WI
Of the natural law. Cod has c'ed tho ordinances OF
Heaven and earth: he has established the heavens for
ever Tley all continue TO this day according to HIS
orders. The uniformity OF nature as under natural Ia"
expressing the Will OF the Creator certain dogma
Of the Scriptures results O science arc certain II
the Creator Is perfect His action must be unlIOrm any
ciseiy the ground held b7 tho BIoe. 1t is true
that the Bible may DO saii to be anthropomOrphlc
| could speak to the hearts OF without taking
| emOlenS OF God from human thnEs. Man Is maue Ia
the Image au1 likeness OF Go1 and, therefore. far
anthropomorphisn ls tho fair thing. But what shall
we say OF miracles and what shall We say OF prayer
We shall have occasion by ana BY IN tue course " these
| lectures TO look at these things moro minltely. Ia
To these pOuts-tGo cOnstducy VI he natural
awthe Bible takes here broader view than thdt OF
the mere matcralIst. Even tho materdllst has 10 ad-
tBat he lives IN what Is TO hn aWOrd oI miracles
think the most ahyIncrd nina 1 seeueo t wnen you you
fact because is surrounded by mysteries on
every side That being So tie materilst hn self look
Jug merely at material nature. may be said 10 1--we
surrounded by things utterly lncOnprehcDslOe 10 him
Farther it Is true that he OFTEN finds himself
in ihe resence OF forces aud processes beyond his
tro ana wniSn nc knows very well thIt If he had more
nouar ne cnnd maUng, without fringny natural laws
In other words liz Is himself in the presence of some
difficulty which he cannot overcome. He does not De
ieye that II Is nsuperaOle lie may hld some speeallst
who knows sun than he, aud asks tue man
to solve it, lis pray1 to his fellow man because MS TEL
low man has more knOwIeISe tnah Ie 90 tnere IS
God who mas made law, God should KNOW the most
about IT,
PRAYER AND FAITH IN MIRACLES.
We should pray to God expecting Him. through Ills
infinite knowledge. to grant 10 us things which to our
aIrn n,no
the attitude OF the man OF science that ought
TO feel the necessity prayer IL he believes God
The idea OF prayer s nscparablc from the idea OF God
Through it, can have more confidence IN Him as
GUd working Dy law.
In ike manner in regard TO miracles. 1t held that
If God has ordained aud arranged all things from the
beginning, it Ia hard TO beeye-one almost cannot be-
lcYe-t tdt miracles cvuiu naro veon Po. & uuuG,
these circumstances Yet the BlDe tell, Us or them. III
we hold God who has not taken the trouble to
plant things at tho beginning then we shall not SEQ any
thing seriously interfere with miracles. Scicnce holds
that God Is God who works by law, ana that II He
works miracles these shall como under some higher
part of His wills and laws That is all that science has
"a right TO demand. aud all. L thlnk, tnat IeSlmite
Prayer in scrptural of 1t ia simply appeal
to One whose know ledge Of and power over Hts own
works enable Him To WORK results lhcOnceVaDe 10 US
might be higher ground taken on this subject but
take that takes. There Is one Thought TO
which wish direct your attention for very few mo
ments the idea Is prevalent among sclentnc men, ana
among who are not scientific men, that every new
discovery which teaches law or sequences OF cause ana
effect in any operation Or nature pushes God further
back They thuk that we VIII plsh GOi outside OF his
works Now there is feeling OF that kind among men.
but t il an utterly unreasonable thing. I say tnat
God has enacted law of graVitati0n and that that
accounts for great many Things which L have seen
going there is no reason why should say He was
absent from It, None would doubt that God acting
In aud through the law Just Us much are they going
according to His will when they are going according 10
the law lie has appointed. Herodotus tells story that
was related to hun b. some Egyptian priests that in
Egypt they had need TO pray TO God Tor n Tor the
river Nile overflO wed its banks and waered the fields
A little physical geography would have told them II
the rain did fall the upper regions or ADyssna
they would not have any overflow. Just so In natural
things IL find TO do anything we have only
found out SO tar Gods operation to enable
work under HIN that particular thing Instead of try
ing 10 work against him. l would have you combat
this notion keep clear OF 1t OF the scientific
errors as well as unscientto errors OF our time But
10 leave this.