, 1876-07-01
Review OF Professor Rn ina
Sermon.

MIR EDITOR ] Mon'u Ollrr n trW
structures ON the dirrOurSc of PIoirs.ur
Swing in last wcrE's STAR.
1t seems to me the Professor Ina not
rntircly emerged from the darkness nHd
harJarism Of ancient nn,l modern cr"rd-
Bound theology into the light Of science,
at least on somc points VI mcntd anal
moral p|ilosophy.
His theme is "Rcwarl and Punish.
u,cnt," aud the way he handles it, lcay.
II. to imply fmt God will arbitrarily rc.
wal or punish mna tat any cool or bad
irrAs he may arbitrarily commit, and
therefore human governments should do
the sane, or act on the sane God.likc
hIan. On this iaisc basis the orthodox
sell is built; bat which the Professor
modirs in time, as VEL rs in severity:
or in othcr words, he co0ls it down and
limits the duratior of the application
which, it seems is until the cuIprit is rc.
formed,
He says "in the qualities that 90 to
make up rational being, one must
reckon freedom of the wilI' claim
that ncnc Of the foregoing is comprc-
hendcd in the scientific view Of the sub
icct; bu. that everything in the material,
mental, moral, or spiritual universe, is
governed Ivy inherent, inevitable law
no effect can take place without adequate
cause, and no cause can take place with
out hcing followed by its adequate effect
therefor the eternal law OF cause and
effect leaves no room for free will; for
thc will Is always imPcllcd 10y the
stronger motive. Tie idea that mNu
cannot be happy in doing right, unless
Le is conscious Of the power at the same
slmc 10 do wrong is absurd. Every well
constituted man naturally takes delight
in doing right and cannot do wrong
without pain; if u man is not well con
stilutcA it is his misfortune, and mot his
fault; for every man inhcrts his consti-
rution--hc ,L,rs not make his heritage
it is transmitted to him; and if he comes
from yiciated parcntGGr, he is necessarily
Vicious. The well constituted man has
10 merit in being well constituted; for
it was his fortunate heritage; neither
has he any merit in acting ont his natu
rally good tendencies; ior it is with him
anaturnl consequence, Neither has the
BADLY constituted man any dcmrrit in
being badly constituted for it was his
unfortunate heritage; neither has he any
lcmerit in acting out his naturally bad
tendencies; for with him it is natural
consequence. He is an object of pity
ayictim of the crimes of his progcnitors,
and il no more accountable for his moral
iniirmtics, than the idiotc is for his
mental iniirmities and to hound such
uniortunates with Vengeance and hate is
barhursm and ignorance.
In one place he says, "while self con
ceit is one of the most iorlorn and ridic.
rous Of all weakness" And farther on
he says "whcn mind in the midst OF
the worlds temptation has built up a
strong and delicate sense of honor, it
enjoys u consciousness Of Il pcgsonsl
nj thnN
in u world where virtue was involuntary,
ike the circulation OF the blOcd.' The
mind which lie suppOscs in the last quo
tation above, must be one that was born
tncomple's-with no strong and delicate
sense Of honor and went to work and
built up one himself thus completing
what nature had failed to do for him,
and the work filed him with pride and
self ConCeit. THE most iorlorn and
ridiculous Of all weakness" for what is
IA consciousness of personal worth and
work but sell conccit1
No If u strong and delicate sense or
perception and love of honor, is not
bonn in the individual he is morally un
sound, and you cannot educate into n
man what nature left out, neither can
the individual whom nature lett incom
plete, go to work on himself and change
natures botch work, into good job
for where nature failed, the individual
need not presume that he can succeed.
As well might the idiot attempt to build
up for himself sound mentality; for