Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-05-03
sENTIMENr AND REASON.
The Heart, Says Mr.. Beecher'
Is q Better Guide than the
Head I'm Regard to Relig-

The Heart, Says Mr.. Beecher'
Is a Better Guide than the
Head In Regard to Rehg-
Ion.
n. Y. World.
1.-THE heart" said Mr.. Beecher yester'
day morning, sis mightier than the
head: sentiment is more important than
reason or than science. We are living
In an age when there is q great deal OF
reason and OF reasoning-thank God Tor
II great deal OF talking OF the exact
forms OF physical science-thsnk 700
for that. ! am as glad that We are get
ting knowledge out OF rocks and their
strata as Moses was when be got water
out OF the rock. He got it by the roo !;
we get our knowledge by the hammer.
There is an impression, and especially
among the young, that reason is a saier
guide than sentiment, but that 10 an er-
ror. As philosopher was walking up
the Alps in the light OF glorious sun-
set his companion said, Can you look
upon such a scene as this and not feel
that there is a God? And he replied,
Il feel il as much as you do, but II you
undertake to reduce il to q scientihc
fact, i cannot understand It,. As Q
matter OF sentiment he believed in God.
but as a matter OF science he did not
know. There is feeling creeping into
all classes of the community-among
lawyers who have time between their
briefs to read, among literary men,
among editors and reporters who think
they know so much OF everything--that
there is a time TO come when religion
shall be scientific; when every single
data shall be attainable. and that when
we have a more perfect knowledge, re-
ligion will be in a much safer condition;
that then it will be rational. while now
il is largely empiric. II the babe would
not suck its mothers bosom till 1t knew
what the effect would be. we should
have very few babes; but they DO 1t and
are satisfied. and do 1t again, although
they do not know the reason OF 1t.
There are two influences, one sentiment
and the other reason, and the question
is constantly coming up. Which Of
these should lead; which is made au-
thoritative, especially in matters OF re.
ligion; which ought men to trust and
rely on% Both, say; the reason 10
vitalized by emotion, and emotion Is
assisted by the reason. But il you sep
arate them which is the more important?
II is divorce that never should take
place, but il it does, emotion is the m IRE
important. In regard to the lower
forms the reason is the better interpret
ed but when YOU come to the highest,
emotion is the truest guide. You never
by any reason in the world could ascer-
tain what love was. Who shall ana
I've it? What scale will weigh it?
What is the test that will tell whether
it be gold or copper washed? What is
the evidence OF love but loyingf Moth
ing else; and no man can approach 1t IN
any other way. The reason itself can
not tell il; it can only describe the ex-
periences that have been in the way OF
loving. Reason throughout the world,
and especially in the domain OF science,
has been recognized as an unsafe guide;
and everywhere throughout the world
sentiment has been shown to be safer.
The sentiment of honor keeps many
men right who without it would go
astray. Hear what the Word OF God
gays: Thou shalt love the Lord thy
God with all thy heart and all thy
strength and if there be men who have
been ashore on the sand bar OF infdeli-
ty let them understand that the istui-
tons Of the heart-the feelings-are bet
ter guides than the reason, but If that
also be added to these, so that We know
what we believe, all the better. The
reason that has been sanctified by the
heart is the best"