Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1878-08-22
TIle ExIstence OF COD.


1t Tile Existence OF God.
If Theological writer's generally take the
40 ground that tho existence Of God and some.
thing of correct notion of his character,
III can be learned from the works Of creation
or and providence, without the cid Of the
= Scriptures. We have DO inclination to oall
~ this position in question and thus array our.
~ selves against tho opinions of, perhaps, tho
TO majority of religious writers; still We have
grave doubts whether the generally received
- opinion on tbis subject is correct. The
u, effcots of tho fall were so many, SO extern
10 sive and 80 complete, that man is morally
* blind, as we'll as physically miserable. It
}. certainly admits of doubt whether the
~ human intellect, as it exists since the fall
10 is able to make, from tho works of God in
D aud around him, the discovery TINT there is
Q. Supreme Being. We have no example Of
Q. any ono of tho human family who was abso-
ID lutely destitute of tho Scriptures making
IN tho discovery. It is admitted that the great
l. majority, if not all of the human family,
ke have some idea that there is a Supreme
nc Being; but whore did they acquire this
OF uotion2 From the Bible, we think. 1t
'n would be difficult, if not impossible, to find
J. q sipgle individual of the human family
who has not, in some way or other, learned
da much from tho Holy Scriptures. The laws
N of all nations show that thor authors knew
IN much Of the Scriptures, although many of
ls them had no knowledge of their existence.
Up Some Of the teachings Of tho Scriptures
have been disseminated amongst all nations.
nc Even the North American Indians, whose
ut very origin is involved in, perhaps, hope
less obscurity, had in some way acquired
somo of the historical facts contained in no
d. book but the Bible, and they had imbibcd
ne somo of the precepts of the Scriptures.
II, Whether we are able or not to obtain,
y" thwithout the Scriptures knowledge Of the
all n5eipg and attributes of God, ono thing is
;entt' ,bsolutely certain, without tho Scriptures
umORc are unable to acquire correct notion
,co either of tho being or character of God. 1t
.. is true that the Scriptures do not, in any
wilpace, enter upon an elaborate arguement to
whorhe fact is stated; not proved or demon-
n pu,Itrated If we were asked, "What are tho
.; Scriptures?" we might reply, revelation of
'o'" - the will of God to man. From this will of
'eot lGod, as revealed in tho Scriptures, we arc
fdo able to decipher the character of God. So
aln, coon as the fact of the existence of God
hints made known by revelation from Heaven,
, = iathen the works Of creation and providence
,"ia 10 come 10 as 80 many proofs Of tho fact.
ensj The atheist or the man who denies tho
Bl,existonce of Supreme Being, must prove
SON. Two things before ho can establish his posi-
pay ton. He must provo that the Bible is not
he revelation from Heaven, or that it is sim.
caI ply the production Of mon, and that the
10 worke Of creation and providence are not 10
,I' rJ harmony with the teachings of tho Scrip.
". lures This Los often been undertaken.
- Men of prodigious intellectual powers aud
vast erudition have labored with untiring
energy to prove that the Bible is only a
VI ., human production. So far, at least, thoy
, -, have failed, and we may safely say tho
~ failure has been most signal The effort to
ps prove that the BibIo is oontradicted by what
10 yse SEQ in the material world has only served
ohEto demonstrate the very opposite doctrine.
ord ! With regard to the existence of Su..
e; thpremo Being, it may be said that it is the
ION primary article Of religion. Whoever de-.
oeI MES the existence of some God cannot be
It even superstitious. Such being is desti-
o? tute of everything which resembles religious
no feelings, and is in no respect superior to an
o, irrational brute. Whoever admits that there
Q, are moro Gods than one, may be supcrsti.
n. tious, but not intelligebtly pious.
Theoretical atheism nevor had many, if,
II indeed, any adhercnts. Many, it is true,
have said that there is no God; but these
or individuals said what thoy did not believe.
in The first article in every good mans
OF creed, is that there is one, and but ono,
ID living and truo God. This starting point
g. he gots from tho Bible. Practical atheism
!. is very common. There is vein of prac-
Il tical atheism 10, perhaps, all men. I. con.
~ slsts in giving to God different character
- from that lie reveals of himself in his word
Elo is practically atheiatica who aots toward
3, God as it God wero like himself
~ Nothing is botter calculated to develop
20 piety in the heart than correct Scriptural
:. :. knowledge of the boing and character of
~ !. God. Before wo can approach God we
~ must believe that he is or exists
y YorkviNe Enquirer.
~ Mixed Babies.
I Some time ago thoro was dancing party
n givon in certuiu neighborhood in Toxas,
and most Of tho ladies present had littlo