The evening light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1881-1883, 1882-06-03
POSTAL CARD NO. IA.

MY DEAR SoN-It should excite wonder
that among all the learned men of the earth
not one can be found 10 explain why God per-
mits wrong or, in other words, why misery
and crime exist. The human mind and human
heart are wrung with sorrow all the year, for
whatever may be preached about eternal pun
ishment, perfect happiness can not abide in
world of suffering or perfect peace prevail
where pain endures.
In explaining to you this incapacity of the
learned can not spare the errors that lie at
its base. The most important of these is that
the God whom men adore is being of their
own creation, and not the Infinite Author OF
Existence. He acts by special providences-
not by general laws. He is a being whom
the finite mind is made to comprehend which
could not be of the Infinite. Such God as
men have thus created, would, of course, re-
move all misery and wrong, and hence men
are unable to see, or explain, why he does not
remove them. They are unwilling, and indeed
unable, to see that there can be no such God.
to realize that all acts called special providen-
ces are acts of finite beings like ourselves, that
Gods government can not be one of partial
laws. The divine principles by which only
He can rule are the Laws of Life. or Laws of
Being, that prevail in all worlds, spheres or
kingdoms, natural and spiritual.* They are
sole and we're always, and will be forever, the
same. There are no other laws. Their vio-
lation is sin, and from it proceeds all suffering
wrong in every form, discord in all degrees.
1t follows that there is no room for social laws
that do not conform to the divine. Yet it is
under such that the world lives. 1t lives
under laws designed exclusively for our gov
eminent as physical beings, hence in organ
lied opposition to the divine laws or, as have
before stated it. right against them. All our
religions are founded in these errors and serve
no spiritual end save in affording choice of
evils, and are cause in place of cure. Penalty,
in every form of human suffering, is the per-
petual fruit. 1t is thus Society has filled the
world with crime, and it is thus it is itself the
only criminal
The Infinite wisdom has organized, in his
Divine government every measure essential to
the perfect happiness of the human race, not
its happiness hereafter only, but here, not in
other worlds, but this. Through His divine
care we are not left an instant unattended by
those unseen dear ones who most love US. and
whose Office it is to watch over US, who share
our lives and whose affections we can not lose I
They govern our desires and impart to US our
thoughts. If we are in danger they are COM
Petent to warn us, and, as our guides, can
shield US from every hurt-from suffering,
sickness, death. 1t is upon their protection
we must, and only can, depend to guard US
from the snares of worldly, or vicious spirits,
against whom Jesus invoked the Divine care
in the words "Leave us not to temptation but
deliver US from evil."t
1t is in conformity with these divine princi-
pies that society must organize its government
adapt all its remedies, so that all reform
may afford scope for their operation. There
III Is proper 70 say 70 you that use the express
sions Laws of Life, Divine Laws, Spiritual Laws,
Laws of Being, Laws Of God, Infinite Laws, Laws Of
Nature, Laws Of the Universe, etc. as synonyms
There is but series of Divine Pnciples and thew
may be variously called by any Of these names
tWhen Jesus in the Great Prayer said "Leaye us
not to temptation but deliver from evil " he me ant
Do not leave to the influence of these tempting
spirits about US, but deliver from them. Is it not
sorrowfu to see these words which originally
rendered, on account Of not knowing what was
meant, "LKAD not into temptation but deliver us
from evil now, after centuries have gone by rem
dered by the revisors Of the New Testament on ac-
count Of knowing still less what meant "BRING
US not into temptation but deliver from the EVIL
ONE? What is the value Of such learned ignorance
that it should be preserved and perpetuated age af
ter age At the cost Of all the crime, misery and mis-
fortune that afiict humanity |