, 1874-03-09


Sermon by the Iccy. lsr. III. Powers, Of
New York.
Tho nov. DR.. II. Powers, Of New York, preach
eli in the Fourth Unitarian Church, corner Of
Prairie avenue and Thirtieth street, yesterday
morning o., tho subject Of "Eyoution tho Law
of Life," taking lis toxt from I. John, Sd
chapter and I'd w." It dotl, not yot appear that
wo shall bo." Tho preacher commenced his dis
couruo by generalization on natural and spirit
ual lifo, showing that in tho human being the
progressive development Of the former was OK
celled by tho progress Of that which related to
tho divine easo,,co of Immortality. He went
into tho depths Of natural philosophy. iluatrat-
ing Ills loas by the growth OF plants and Of flow
ers-tho advance Of tho simple germs Of
vegetable lilo from tho simple to the complex
Rtate-ns from the acorn springs tho oak and
mich moro III the Bane strain. Tho world Of
lifo was ono vast procession to tho tomb, and
TINT goal roachod, What then? 1t doth not yot
appear what we shall boz" said tho beloved dis
ciple but cacll marchar in TINT yast procession
feols Within hin, thut mysterious stuff which
dreams woro made of-tho longing aftor the iu1-
mortal-tho discomfort with tho limited mortal
state.
Tie lecturer briefly, but brilliantly, reviewed
How Atuyn' truly lad it boon @ i' said by great great
English -Tennyaon-that were it gwen
n heng eoH Of the s hublea osar @ ot tho ed
| tho whole business Of tue UniyorBe would bc
maao plain before his oyos. 80 it WINS. The
croation Of the humbIost plant Of tho vegetable
| kingdom was aH much 1nystory to the human
| mind ~ was tho exiBtonce Of the human soul.
lie did not shrink away in horror from that iion
| Of animal progression aud evolution broaohed by
| Prof. Darwin and otllorH, which placed man
si,uuly % the highest animal, There WAS no do
best rudo sayago,, for tho bible dealt
| had shown whore Nilurod has q
h boen ood os IN Tie I ss Of Wild
beaBts to protect themselves from tlia rigorH Of
| the weatllor. Also how from bong more savage
| pursuorb OF game, men caino to be pastoral.agrl-
culturists and shepherds, Btill showing the
cplo Of existence from tho highest to tho lowest
OF things oreatod Still it did not follow that
God was Nature Or tho Inter God. Only, at
como period Of tho progression, of tho hl.::san
rhe Ee et preaeer =; ts point wont into somo OF
thephiloaophicai theories regarding the establish
n,enf Of tho solar system. mud all thAt we 800
| OF the croatod universe. First 1t vas ila1ne,
gloom, aud chaoB. Thon d period OF progres-
zion, Oh tho divers planets aud Btara and worlds
wore formed, and thon tho uniyorHo US 1t
| appeared to tho vision Of science.
| TAo walled town succeeded tho ro,noto period
Of agriculture anl Of hunting, and thus tic first
| impetus wns given to trado between town aud
cotlntry,-the fountain bend wlonco sprung tho
immo1lao commercial advancement Of tho cur
rent century. Evolution WAS not God, but it
WINS the manifestation Ut Ills presence Ii. lifo. It
ruled tho universe Of lIia lnnking, aud 0yery-
thing IN the ssopo OF creation laa to bow to it's
inexorab1u law. -....
Antiquity taught It's TINT Lesson. Wo nooa but
consult tho anetonts aul observe thoro, IN all
grandeur, the principle Of evolution. Looking
70 Egypt VIC saw, that the grentest display OF
physical pnwor which tho oarth bud known III
The construction Of tho pyramids, s,-1rsasnes Of
muBoury sot IN placo by a stupsndona ongnery
unknown III the present ago,-Iost to tho raco of
nau to-day. There was in.lia-ti,o sollrea OF nll
philosophical tl,ought-tho nurse Of moth
physical philosophy. China il tho birthplace
ii logic-the roaaonlng faculty. poraia
showed the rolation hotweon good md
OWL, and taught mankind how 10
which WIZ delod. Cha!lea waH tho cradle of
astronomy. Phnnicia WIS tho mother Of
trado and comu,oroo lreeco WIS tho classic
temple Of tho arts and sconces-in
powor ruling natter. Homo was tho Legislator
OF tho world, for tho laws Ut Justinian. oyon l,-
to thiY hour, furnished tile groundwork for the
diyora codos OF the civilized world. Tho cllilron
OF Iaiaol gayo mankind tho bonolt Of the moral
law, In the revelations Of the Bible aud In thelr