The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1883-07-06


say they arc eternal-matter, force and
law. One cannot be without the
others. But everywhere it is a pro-
gressive creation, dissipating its ener-
gies rs il goes on, and therefore com
ing to an end. 1t is not, then, eternal.
IL had beginning. The final resort
in this dilemma is agn0slicism. There
must he an Infinite Somewhat as the
ground of al things, out he. or it, is
unknOwable.
The mechanism of the universe NAV
be running down, but The end is also un-
movable Thus absolute agn0sticism
is put forth as theory of science, and
the highest attainment Of intelligence
is the denial of intelligence.
The opposing scientific school accepts
the perfect mechanism of the universe.
1t also finds law aud order every where;
but it holds to an intelligent origin of
all things-an almighty personal
creator. The mechanism did not oriyi-
nate itself. In order to this it must
have existed before its existence. A
self existent Intelligent creator gives
the only logical resting place to the
mind. This school OF science sees also
Intelligent design in the universe. In
its perfect mechanism, working our a
sure result and concentrating toward
that result heterogeneous materials and
forces, it sees proof that behind the all
perfect n achinery there is an all-per.
feet machinist and designer. If some
have given up the argument from de-
sign, the reaction has placed it on
firmer ground aud vindicated its soil
dity. The mechanical constitution of
the universe admitted, the necessity of
constitution becomes only the more
apparent. Evolution gives no expla-
nation of origins the origin of life,
the origin of mind, the sudden appear
ance of complicated forms, some of
which degenerate, nor of any changes
but those which have been reached by
intinitesimal accretions.
Manv other points might be referred
to as still undecided, earnestly debated,
making the heavens ring with the clash
of c,ntending forces; tor "the earnest
expectation of the creature still wait
eth"
We pass, tourthly, to another field of
conflict, old as creation itself, the first
strategic poiut lost in paradise. where
''the creature was made subject to
vanity" 1t is the conflict between
scepicism aud revelation.
Believers ana unbelievers have been
arrayed on opposite sides during all the
ages. One party has received certain
truths and certain books as stamped by
divine authority; the other party has
rejected them. The forms of scepIicism
have been protean; they caunot even
be outlined here. The hi .toric truth
fulness and fidelity of the Christian
scriptures have been so ably vindcated,
and the increasing testimonies from ali
learned research in Egypt, Assyria and
Palestine have become so unans wer.
able. that intideity has little to saw in
reply. But, first, it processes on
purely scientific grounds to reject the
supernatural as incapable of proof.
But you will perceive at once that this
is begging the question. However I'M
probable thing may be, single fact
may dispose OF it at once. A century
ago nothing was 81 Improbable as that
men on the opposite side OF the world
would consult each other by All almost
instantaneous transmission of thought
un,er the oceans aud across the conti-
nents. Bot the first and beautiful mes
sage of the ocean teleg raph: ''The
earth is the Lords and the fullness
thereof" put All end to all controversy
and to all douOt.
Nothing more absurd than the as
sertion that lightning can he boxed
up, carried under your arm and used
instead of a lamp in your study by
night. But now that it has become
fact, he who disputes it is in the dark
ness of the past.
The school of belief may refer TO
four questions of fact which decide
the question of supernaturalism. Did
the ancient Jewish prophets foretel the
Messiah? Was Jesus of Nazareth a
perfect fulfilment of those prophecies?
Did he rise from the dead? Did be
found the Christian church?
The last question refers to fact pa
tent to all. The Christian church ex-
lists. Ii cannot be disposed of. Ii is
filling all lands with its presence. 1t
has filled all history for eighteen CEN