Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-10-08

experience similar order aud adaptation
aIo invariably aud necessarily caused by
forothoUSht, design, purpose, that IN,
Intelligent direction of the will, | must
necessarily, therefore, or &C least may
legitimatoly conclude that the UJdsr aud
harmony ! see IN the universe must
likewise have an intelligent Cause
la tho language OF tho Duke oi
Argyle, Creation by law, evolution
by law development by law, or, rs includ.
ing all these kindred ideas, the reign OF
law Is nothing but the roisn of creative
fOrco directed by creative knowledge,
worked under tito control uf creative
power and in rulhmont of creative pur
pose" Precisely the Same reasoning
also, which, therefore, | need not repeat,
vii, lead us to tho conception OF goodness
and love in tho Divine Bciug, ard these
a,o tho sum OF all moral attributes
our Know ledge oI uvd Limited.
IA all the foregoing, however, | would
not bc misunderstood as saying or thinking
that by seal ching wo eau find out God"
can comprehend the mysteries OF His
being, or enter into tho secrets of His
divine nature. OF such impiuus presump-
ton there has hD"n too much in the
thooiogies of the past. Perhaps the most
important service evolution has yet
rendered mau il to mako him more
humble IN just this respect. In
His essential character the lniinite
and Absolute One is aud must re-
main tho "Grcat Unknown " To finite,
falHbc man until that day when we
"shlll know men rs also VS. are known
| believe that iucaloulably more harm has
been done by those who, dying M 1t we're
| in tho face of the scriptural assurance that
" His ways arc past finding out, have
| arrOgautly dared to try 10 map out His
nature, anllyZs His motives, aad accurate
| Iy dcHnc His inScrutablo bang, than by
! th3ss who. going To tho other extreme,
| have declared that W. know aud can know
| absolutely nothing AZ all about Hun. But
| | also believe that, remsmboriug tue mn
| uitely vast difference between His essential
nature aud ours, aud that nothing like u
! full and adequate comparison even Dc
| tween them is possible, we yet must by the
ycry constitution Of our minds, form some
conception such aS have tried 20 point out
OF His being and attributes, aud that IN 80
| far this conception s true and correct
| Perhaps the terms ia which we speak OF
| Him, as Intelligent, loving, holy, may bo
only relative aud partial terms. Iorhaps
even we can do no more than discern a
likeness between llls aCts and our acts,
| which gives us no more than glimpse OF
the similarity batweCn llig true self aud
| Ours, let " must IL ~ lNA bN - "
glimpse. Whoa fpr Instance, We call
certain relations between our deeds wise,
aud others gpDl, arl thea sLYtug ina tho
human character from which they ilbw
| possesses wisdom aul gOOiursS, proceed
to attribute tbs sans qualities To the
divine character, blGlls, His work" eA
| nibit similar relations we may % gong
too far or rather not TAR enough. Whlle,
40 far as oar assertion declares that tho
divine character Is one chat produces WISE
aud good deeds. We Will bb pN'icGtly
aud uuaitcrabiy correct, tho time may
cDme when, no longer seeing " through
a glass darkly,' We shall perhaps realize
that goodness and wis iom, and lbpther
such terms are bat uamas, Ike red, orange
and violet Of few reelected rags OF tho
ineflable Light Of tho world, while the
eternal source thereof II Himself, different
from each aud infinitely moro than the
sum of them all. Ict not IN quality, but
only in form and dUgrCo the rays are ray
OF real light, and the source Of them not
darkness, but light aui warmth and glory
altogether.
or this shall speak more next Sunday
evening, whom troIJinS OF what consider
the benefits accruing 20 the true Christian
: idea of God from tho direct aud indirect
influences of evolution. This evening it is
enough for us to have learned that this
philosophy does not IN any wise forbid,
but NIGHTLY aids, our faith in the divine
Briug who is our loving, Holy Father
who Is present IL every manifestation
> OF flEcn, working according % the eternal
> laws lie has impressed apon the universe
= guides the suns aud stars in their courses
) yea, as Emerson sings.
tie l. tho axis OF the star
Z lie is the sparkle OF the spar
II" II the heart OF every creature;
lie l. the meaning at zach feature
And his miud Il as the sky,
Tnan al Il holds moro deep, more Ligh''
) AQd yet us so wl.ohos HIS creation tina
I not a sparrow shall fall to the ground with
= out Him, aud has numbered the very hair
| of our heads. All this evolution helps IL
; to realize and understand {, az well as th
tho solemn fact thAI lie will by no mean
It clear tho guilty, but shall reward ever
man according o. tbs deoiS done IN the
u tleeh lie il is who call Him by whateve
Y name we will, yet remains tho Que Go
= blessed iOTeyemOre. Amen.