The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-07-14
TIfE POPUI.tR MTSCONCEPTTON or d.
VINE PROpIDENCE.


always with the sumo imperfect success. Rolf
gious cNhortatlon and philosophical reasoning
alike fail to reconcile tho sufferer from the ills
OF life to the cxistrnro Of God who can pro-
tcct him against them, hut will not Exert our
selves IA wa may ~ bc resigned under Hllliction
doubts will suggest Themselves. We find our
selves asking why God alwise, all-pOwcriu'
ana allgood. as he IL represented 10 be-. does
not prevent tho evils which We and so many
others have to endure, and why, II his prOvi-
drnco extends. NJ We arc told II docs, TO the
minutcst events Of our experience, those rvcnts
are not 80 ordered az to accomplish his pur-
poses without innicting pain. We know what
We should do " we were In his place and II
passes our comprehension TINT tho Creator
should be lcsss benevolent than tho croaturc.
Then comes up the ovcr-recurring question
Of mans freedom and Gods supremacy.
the difficulty Of surprising, on the ono side,
ruler. without whose decrecs nothing can hap
pen that does happen, and. on the other. sub
Iets who, In obeying these irresistible DEGREES,
act Of their own ireewl II Divine Providence
ordans all things. what scope IL left for human
prudence1 Are we anything more than pup
pets In the hands Of an omnipotcnt performer
shadows cast on the wall by the only reality OF
tho univorse2 And IL SO. what becomes Of our
our actons7 There il and there will be no end
Of such pcrpextics so long as Gods providence
is misconceived to be the expression Of an arbi-
trary personal will. acting upon no fixed prin-
ciples. and susceptible OF continual mOdiflca-
ton at the prayers and entreatics OF mon. This
idea must be supplanted by the truer one of a
power working according 10 unchanging laws.
and accomplishing In all cases particular re-
suits by universal means. before we can ade-
quately comprehend our own relations to Provi-
dcnce and the relations Of Providence TO us.
THE FORCES OF NATURE.
Many thing combine TO suggest the entire
helplessness OF mar. and the existence OF an
overrulng power which directs and controls
him. mere atom in bulk compared with the
globe on which he lives. he is whired by II with
inconceivable velocity and overwhelming force
through the realms Of space He ploughs and
plants. hut the rain and sun make or mar his
harvest IN scorn Of his puny efforts He builds
houses and cities. but spark of fire seizcs
upon them and sweeps them from the face OF
the earth. He sends out ships laden with costly
cargOes. but the winds beat upon them and the
sea swallows them up. Freshcts destroy his
bridges and wreck his railroad trains steam
explodes tho boilers in which he strives to con-
fine 1t. and skaters his machinery; air. water
architectural achievements. No wonder that
our Aryan ancestors deined these terrible
agencies and sought 10 nlacate them with nrav.
ers aud sacrifices. No wonder that even now
men regard them A. being under the snacial
control OF their Creator. and believe TINT their
OPERATIONS ara the result Of his dire,t com.
mands
On the otherhnnd. every day brines us nearor
and nearer to n perfect subiugation of the de-
mons Of nature. and their complete transforma-
ton into slaves. Fire. long ago. as the proyerb
indicates became from n bad master a good
servant. and it IL only through carelessness
that he occasionally gets uncontrolled sway.
The skill of the mariner compels even adverse
winds To- forward his shin upon its path. and
guided by the compass. no VOYAGES over the
tracklcss ocean to unseen shores Steam some
times rebels against our mastery. but for the
most part 1t IL kept well under subsection.
Tho lightning. which was shorn Of its ter
rors by Franklin has been tanned and broken
10 harness by Morse. The tillcr Of the earth il
slowly learning 10 take advantage Of climate
and seasons. and TO be independent of the un.
certainties Of the weather By irrigation he
supplies the lack of rain. and by drainage no
relieves himself Of an excess Of II. By the skill
ful employment of manurcs he remedies de-
10y glass roofs and artificial heat he makes up
for the absence Of the tropical sun. until the
pineapples OF cold and foggy England surpass
those of the West Indies and her grapes and
pea,he those Of France So much has been
gained toward the domination Of nature that
the hope Il suhdung It altogether Ia reason.
ah'y well founded.
WAR. PEsTILFSCE AND FAMINE.
Formerly. war. pcstilcnce. and famine wore
regarded as peculiarly the scourges made use o
by God to chastisc disobedient nations. War
unfortunately. has not yet lost its horrors bu
Lad as it ia, it was worse in the days when. TO b,
loft wounded on the battlefield was TO die lin
eering death and to be captured was to be made
n slave for life; when the track OF m advancing
army was marked with unchecked pillage anc
devastation. and the private property Of tn,
conquered became the spoil u the conquerors
What is of moro importance. however, W,
have learned that mans own injustice ant
folly, not Gods providence are to blame FOL
wars. and that to avert them we need onl,
to avoid doing the things which render
them necessary. The time when each individ-
ual citizen had to wear arms. and protect Will
| them his person and his property against tn
aggressions of his noiehbor. has given way II
civinzcd countries to more peaceful epoch