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


capable of Intelligent self-action
/ than the mechanical statutes and
the constitutional principles of civil
government? l am answered af-
firmatively, and the attraction OF
gravitation is cited as an illustra-
ton. An apple is l0osed from its
parent twig and falls to the earth.
or a stone is cast into the air and
returns to the earth, and we call
this the attraction Of gravitation.
l ask, then, what is the attraction
of gravitation ? and am answered /.
'It is that power by which one
body attracts another to itself.
Again I enquire what that power is,
and am gravely told ii is the 0ttrdc-
ton of grdUitdtiOnt As, therefore,
no one understands the philosophy
involved in very common fact, 1
prefer the solution suggested by the
statement that God is the creator.
God is Therefore the force which
brings objects floating in the air
back to the earth again.
But / am told that the accuracy
with which atmospheric changes
are predicted is demonstration of
the fact that the world is governed
by seif-acting fixed laws. To this
we return, for answer, first, that
there is not so strict accuracy in
these predictions as is assumed by
the argument. ] know nothing in
which there is a wider margin al
lowed for variations than in the
weather probabilities prognosticated
by the signal corps.
Secondly, ,ifthese calculations were
certain and reliable, that fact would
only prove that we have discovered
the methods of God in nature, but
would not prove that "nature is
bound fast in fate," and governed
by inexorable laws. Therefore,
though there is a fixed system of
government in nature, the laws of
this system are only the vehicle of
divine energy, the channels through
which God operates to produce
the phenomina common to our
experience. These laws are per-
fectly under his control. and be can
turn them whithersoever he will or
suspend their action at his pleasure.
This principle is demonstrated in
the seven years of extraordinary
productiveness. followed by the
seven years of drought and famine,
in Egypt and the adjacent country,
during the premiership Of Joseph.
Also by the drought of three years
and six months continuance, jn
Israel, and the sudden great rain
fall in answer to the eprayer of Elijah
at the end of that time. The fact Of
Elijah's prayer is a conclusive proof
that the prophet recognized the per-
sonal government of God in the ma
terial universe as well as in the
world of spirits. The instant and
abundant answer to his prayer was
the seal of divine sanction to the
prophets creed, and proved that, in
all things Gods ear is attent unto
the cry of his needy creatures.
JOseph's remark to Pharaoh, that
the Interpretation of dreams belongs
to God alone, teaches the same doc
trine. His meaning was, that God
had foreshadowed to Pharaoh, in
vision, tremendous events near at
hand, which could only be foreseen
by an omniscient eye, and could not
be made to transpire by a power
less than omnipotence.
These facts demonstrate Gods |
control of the material universe, and |
prove his personal supervision of
the works of his hand.
His control of intelligent ere
atures is no less distinctly enunci-
ated, or clearly marked, than his
government of the material uni
verse. Our text says: ''In him we
live, and move, and have our be-
ing; as certain also of your own
poets have said, for we are also his |
Paul's idea is that God |
is our creator and envelopes us in
his personal presence: and that our
relation to him is that of children to
a father, therefore like as father
pitieth his own children, so the
Lord pitieth them that fear him."
Daniel informs us: '"The most
high ruleth in the kingdom of
men, and giveth it to whomsoeYer
he will" This teaches that the
destinies of nations, as well as the
of individuals are sub
ject to the control of a superruling
providence. The question, there
fore, for us to consider is, on what
may we expect divine
in our favor? The
answer is, we must sustain true re-
lations to the God of providence,
and acknowledge him in all our
ways. ''In all thy ways acknowl- !
edge him, and he shall direct thy
paths" God has said ''if a mans
ways please him he will make even
his enemies to be at peace with
him." And also, "if any man serve
me him will my father honor"
These principles were exemptified
in the histories Of Joseph and
Daniel. Each was raised from the
position of a captive slave to that of
premier of the kingdom in which
he had been enslaved. There is no
upon which these facts
ean be explained but that of a
special providence; and this is the
which Joseph makes of his
own case in that painfully pleasing
in which he makes him