National Republican., 1883-02-19

ges the claims Of the material uni
(. other those of the moral ideal. Be-
4 proposals there are many Others
consider those that seem 60 be tho
I lmanding and important matter first
the substitute of many scientific
nd more who would be scientific.
are many voices eloquent in
8half, and, if they have &C.
r. hcd nothing else they have
9ilishcd for all intelligent and Thought
IN wonderful revision Of the ideas of
g that have come down to us from the
jr thcss ideas have been Of something
and coarse. Matter is dirt" says a
<l} sor of philosophy in Harvard college.
hen one has entered into the treasures
Ne snow with the microscopic and the
1 Fist, and into the laws of crystallin struc-
in the rocks, and thon one step beyond
the structure Of tho little monera, con-
ing which when challenged, animal,
table, or mineralW We know not how to
,er but which do nevertheless appro-
~. tie surrounding matter and propagate
Fhsclves by self division, and then
dvancing inch by inch-nay by bllionths of
nches--thrOugh even subtler combinations
|fnd at length tho monoron become a mana
\agnor, an Emerson, a Darwin. Why, then
=. rely the stuff that in its various transforma-
q ms is equal to this range of architectural
(M applied TO 1t which, from the application,
res not derive immediate splendor. Look
this matter from another point Of vicw
Hhat of the atomic theory of its constitution
he smallest area which has yet been brought
within the field of microscopic vision is
II bout one fifty thousanth of an inch. IL
Dc the Rtpmsts belief that such an area
would contain two millions of atoms.
'That is 10 say: Divide a cubic inch into
10000 equal Parts, and each one of these parts
into 100000 parts and you would have the
size of an Ultimate atom. " Fine or super
finer" | ask YOU, as childr ask each other in
their pleasant games. "Dirt," quoth the pro.
fessor of philosophy. Dirt that is up to every
thing--to ma king 75,000,000 of stars already
counted, and the eyes that watch their ever
lasting round, to making $4,000 different
varieties of animal life already classified and
of vegetable life as many, to making the body
of "A man, the body of woman, the human
face, the vocal cords Of Nilsson, or Parepa
or Salyini, the iuhnitude of form and color in
the outward universe the livelier iris man
Ting on tho FURNISHED dove, splendors
of Adam and Eve, the emerald of the grass,
the sapphire Of the sea.
\ Thinking Of all these things, the harvest
Sof quiet eye, and that which science reaps
'from earth and sky and the deep bottom of the
|sea, do not wonder at mems enthusiasm for
the entity of which these are so many separ-
ate forms. do not wonder at their indigna-
Ition with the professors of philosophy who
1call IL dirt and "mud." do not wonder
that they could almost hush their voices when
| Ihey speak of it. l do not even wonder that
km,<nu0R1Y his be our God, or that one who
bstitute the material universe for
Zto| h oar habitual affirmation calls it
II * der God"
for all that has been done by men
suasion to make the material uni
Ie beautiful and sacred in our eyes,
n nnot accept their substitute for God.
because they cannot themselves re-
.I. ~ persuasion of an intellect eternal
no?' Why but because the moment
defined in such a way as to account
.{{0I C order the definition is q confession
Il tnito and everlasting One2
and the material universe are the
n XXX ties for God that are attractive prin-
to men of scientific thought and
c men of science. Men of poetic feel
n Imagination generally when they
3{ rokcn with the common faith, who
st have sOmo object for their trust and
Tx upon nature rs the Affair If not
~ and good and render unto her their
I'd solemn vows How pure and sol
csc have sometimes been the verse of
" is perhaps our finest illustration.
hat a hymn TO nature is that which
urne has intoned for us in these last
Is of mans time travelling generations
tn of H. nostrils, hearts blood of his heart,
Dove all Gods, wor ,hlppel OF all nations,
ht above light, law beyond law thou art.
lands without exception or exemption,
3d all men ininting fiom false peace an strife |
U IN the resurrection and redemption,
godhead and the manhood and the life.
is magnificent. You will all agree with
hat it is so. But theni is a hymn which |
thest might appropriate with joy and |
ness The nature celebrated here Is no |
9 extcrnality; it is an inmost, all pervad-
life; it is the adturd ndttrauS, the dynamic |
ire of tho schoolmen's subtitle thought |
yheism is faulty through the ascription to |
= uSi ~onality we have tho same |
re. In fact the scientist |
While requiring tho theist |
N .' literal, matter of fact, |
N N E>l' N elves much wider liberty. |
i. will notice That many things |
| inst the existence of God or |
n stice and benhcence which are |
~ ye and yet for nature, those |
u !. l{2 Z NJ ken to set up her worship |
|<|| I IT hler, have only sweet and |
l1I But she has her dark |
6 klignities; her rapac-
y NV X Z 1eSsSe are destruct-
p. g. ~ pres