Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1882-12-09

own, | will accept bis and let mine
In his history when he made up his |
mind TO find out what he should do TO |
be saved. His investigations resulted |
In bis being an infidei. / can say, aud
you can say, that the time
came when I went through . similar
exercise Of mind.t made up my
toward the God Of the uui-
verse. TO find out first of all if there
was God, aud II so how 1 should put
myself iu proper attitude toward
him. Bent on this. the time came
when 1 looked out on creation with
an earnest eye. scanning it round to
ascertain what could in reg ard to its
origin and my 5own; its government
aud my own; its deslinY and
my own. In the fret place my
observations and reflections upon the
material universe, instead of Leading
me TO reject the idea of personal
God. shut me up to the conviction
khat there must be one. | observed
that The whole frame OF nature was
written over. outside or iu, with in-
6pite thought. From tue infinitely
skillful adjustmsnt OF AL the plane-
tary syetems to the arrangement OF
the elements OF water drop, or q
breath of air, saw :hei 9 was lDfinite
thought nost nlinutely addressed to
everything in ihaI material universe.
Nothing seemed palmer 10 me than
ihsts thDaxhi ~ the fruI Of the mind. 4
1t Wss, not more axtOuIstlc that ANY
fruit looked upon was prOducsd by
its appropriate tree than that thought
10 the, product of mind, There
was never one thought which was
not the product Of sone mind. l
could not escape the conviction that
Infinite thought was the product Of
an infiuite mind plainly SAW that
al, the inlanlte faces Of nature moving
in aheir perpetual rooms was only in
hnite thought in infinite action. could
not Escape the connection, that Infinite
thought a. Infinitely wise action meant
an ffffinksly wise God. About this time
/ read the books Of the rnfidel philoso-
piers. They argued that II there W IS
indeed God IN nature He could not be
the Son OF God that is set forth In tho
bible.s They said just what Mr.. lnger.
soil n saying now: "tf God made as
He viii not destroy us." But l plainly
ssw that this was not true. and the God
ofHaturs does destroy whstever brings
itssIi into collision with His laws. Isaw
that Whenever man brought himself In
antagonism with the laws Of gravlta-
tionwhethsr purpossly or by chance. WAS
punishment imposed just to the extent
that he sntagoniEed that law, and that
ithsresult was bruised body or broken
IIlipb. saw that if man violated the
|jorganic laws that God had prescribed
tor him, he suffered just to that extent.
If he took poison, whether purposeiy
l'or by chance, is N sde him sick or per-
ihaps killed. 1t did not seem the right
lithing tor me to say that the God OF ma
l.ture was . cruel God because he kills
the mon who collide with his natural
laws. 1t did not seem to me that the
EOmpipotent God should make His laws
clear the track for every man who ran
Eacross them. Following that ano ogy
Er seemet reasonable to me that thl.
saMs God would administer the laws ol
the spiritual world in the same way. II
seemed to mo reasonable that when he
had lail down laws touching the healtt
and safety CT tho soul. that the man W hc
should collide with them would do 30 .
his peril. 1t seemed to mo that ths
only safe courss, in the ore case or the
other, would be for man to walk par
aliel with the laws Of God, and not un
d rtske to run across the track.
seemed to me that Gods laws, boil
natural aud spiritual, were mighty rail
roSd lines running through the univer.'
btaring untold wealth Of blessings .
they went. Without them it seemed t,
me that. the universe would be . wilder
ness and chaos. 1t did rot seem t
me that 1t WAS cruel ,hlng Tor coun
try to have railroad lines, because heed
less people. or people bent on suicius
sometimes throw them selves In III
way. ..s.
FALSE PHILOSOPHY.
4 The IngersolL philosophy says it il
and that The lines ought to give Wa
and allow men heed .essly or daringl
to p!ay upon the track. Nothing seem
to me- more reasonable than that tn
God of the, universe should say to al
His Intelligent creations. walk parable
with my laws and be happy; it yo
cross them you will destroy yourselve.
always had the consciousness wlthi
me, and / believe every man has, tina
whosver sincerely in his heart desire
10 live in harmony with the laws Z
God would walk In . safer place iha
those who had no such desire. There
tore. .AsI stood confronting . God i
infinite power, God who had made al
the world and who had made ms, = Go
who held the fortunes OF sll the worl
Ia His hand, and who held my fortune
Ink Ais hand, it seemed proper that
should reoos nize His authority over N
|, and exercise Ill obedient disposition t.
WsrH Him. l did not como to the COZ
clusion that Mr.. lngel soil has. that
! could not hurt God. l felt could woun
Him deeply. To b., sure, vas but
child a. related to the great Father c
thn universe; could not hurt Hir
b Oily; could deal no blow that coul
or ppls Him In any OF His a,tr, butes
but felt that II cursed Him ,dcfied HI
authority. and spit in His face. that
would DO wounding Him. felt th,
such conduct toward All earthly pnrsr
would hurt-would hurt the heart.
, ipla that nsitherI nor any one coul
!, assume such an attitude toward Got
> and be happy here or hereafter.
seemed TO me that the proper thing ,
. do would be to spread my honurs .broa
:. and lit up my cry unto Him. And 80
r did. Out on wide prairie. where sui
r beams were, kissing tho flowers. AL
} where the soft winds Of early summt
seemed to bedsw brow aud cheek, Ink
) the breath OF . mother kissing be
/: child, the breath Of God, warm An
! lifs-giving, Tell upon my quickens
|, pulses. Tears Of mingled awe and Iov
, rushed forth upon my face. did NJ
feel with MIR. lngersoll, like turin
r my glAring eyes toward Him, the thrill
. lnys OF whose heart had awakened
: all nature, aud in my pulses the thrill {
: lilo, and telling Him that He was ..suc
. q God as would not mako Il respectab
: devil" felt rather like throwing my
u self upon His bosom. IN the ecstacy
3 grateful tsars, while adorsd Him
q all His infinite attributes and marvs
r Gus psrfections. True, l had seen b
U terrors OF His power as He had exhi'
y tied them IN many . fearful provldenc,
+. But my heart was 20 iufl OF hlial lnv
I toward Him that it seemed to me tn,
. I could trust Him for anything, au
. that what could net now uaderstan
t He would hsaraiter explain. Ii ri
4 Ingersoll will convince me that this, III
j. first felt interview with God. took
i wrong direction, and that his attituc
b toward Him is the right one. then l.
oh -