Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1880-12-04

For in him we live, and move, and have OuI
being, as certain also of your poets have
said : for we are also his offSpring.-Acts
xviii, 2S.
| There is no question upon which
there is more universal scepticism
than that of Gods personal govern
ment of the world, denominated
providence. The reason for this
scepticism is contained in this state
ment of holy scripture: :sWhom the
world cannot receive, because it
seeth him not, neither knoweth
him." The idea expressed in this
scripture is that God cannot be ap-
pretended by the physical senses,
or comprehended with the intellect
ual understanding. He announces
the fact of his existence and sum-
mons creation to testify to that fact.
But for this revelation we should
not have known that there is a God,
or had any idea of the origin of
things. "Canst thou by searching
find out God? Canst thou find out
the Almighty unto perfection ?"
Job, XII, Z.
The futile attempts of modern
scientists to fathom the deep ques-
tions involved in the origin of the
material universe, are in proof of
the necessity for revelation. The
nearest approximation to solution
of these questions is in the theory of
evolution. This theory assumes
that there was originally cellular
germ containing the potentialities
of the universe, and from this was
evolved the whole cosmos. IF this
theory be true, we would inquire.
how came this potential cellular
germ to exist? If it's original, and
therefore self-existent, it is God,an
all that was evolved from 1t is a
part of itself, and therefore a part of
God, and pantheism follows as a
logical sequence from the theory:
God is the universe and the universe
is God!
But if this potential cellular germ
was originated by power, or en-
anated from a source above and be-.
yond itself, then nothing upon the
question of the parent source of be-
ing is taught by the theory of evo-
luton. Only supposed method is
suggested and discussed, leaving
untouched the great question of the
uncaused cause of all things Nor
is solution of the question more
nearly reached by assuming that
the application of ideal force pro-
duced the material universe; the
question still recurs, upon this hy-
pothesis, what is force?
And where shall we go for solu-
tion of this problem =? There is but
one source of information upon this
question, and that speaks authori-
tatively and dogmatically: SIN the
beginning God created the heavens
and the earth" This God is re-
vealed to us being of infinite per-
fections, and therefore we are pre-
pared to believe that he made all
things, although we cannot compre-
hend the statement, and may never
understand even the methods and
processes of the work. Faith comes
to our rescue at this point, and
''lends its realizing light" to the
tentative efforts and anxious inqui-
ries of our darkened understanding.
"Through faith we understand that
the worlds were framed by the
word of God, so that things which
are seen were not made of things
which do appear" Neb., XII, 3.
If God created the world, does it
not follow as a natural, as well as
logical conclusion, that he governs
it? This conclusion is irresistible,
and it only remains therefore to
settle the true theory of his govern
ment or providence.
One theory of gods government
is that, having created the universe,
as a handicraftsman makes an inn
plement of useful toll, he has COM
missioned subordinate agencies to
manipulate the machine. But what
creature has the wisdom for so great
an undertaking and what less than
omnipotence could support the
world
Another theory is that the world
was created on the principle of the
modern chimera known as the per-
petual motion. 1t is cOntended by |
the disciples of this theory that God
put the world under the govern
ment of fixed laws, whose natural
operations, uncontrolled by any ex-
traneous power, produce the results
contemplated by the creator.
The objection to this theory is
that it makes law an intelligent,
self-acting entity. But, in truth,
law is only a method of action, and
a condition which limits authority.
If it be a statute, it is only me-
chanical expression of power. If it
be principle it is eternal, and fun
damental in the very nature of
things. But in either case 1t is in
ert and therefore without capacity
for intelligent self-action. There is
a statute. for example, against MUIR
der, but if some one should felone-
ously take the life of some rational
creature, upon your streets to-
day, the statute would not sud-
denly become animated and go |
forth with intelligent volition to /
vindicate the peace and dignity of
the state. Again, the declaration
of independence declares that among
the inalienable rights of man "are
life, liberty and the pursuit of hap |
piness." But if the convention as
sembled in independence Hall had /
simply framed that celebrated in |
strument and published it, and |
there stopped, the colonists would /