Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-05-29
Christian Science Association.

This Society met last evening in the par
Tors of Mrs. E. P. Figg's residence, Rev.
DR.. Frost in the chair. The essay of the
evening was by Rev. Carroll NJ. Davis, NJ.
A., upon the subject Natural versus Re
Yealed Religion" which was followed by
free discussion by those present. From
the essay we take the following:
The subject is not new, nor is it expected that
anything new viii be said upon it. But ofttimes
ii is well to recall old subjects. | take for grant
ed that all men who think have religion of
some kind; all acknowledge some God, whether
il be personal God, first cause, or the vague,
indefinite term Nature None so SO far as to
DENY some higher power; and he who acknowl-
edges this at once admits an authority greater
than his own-at once has religion. In the
breasts of all thinking beings there Is planted
mind naturally inclined to reverence and wor-
ship as we know from the fact that no race OF
men has ever been found which had not some
form of religion.
So taking this for granted-which cannot be
called an unwarrsnted assumptlon-the ques-
ton pressed upon us is What is the aim OF re-
ligion? ] would answer briefly, That rule OF
life which brings the greatest happiness and
good, whether it be in this world or IN
the world TO come What then, is the
best rule of life-that which will bring the
greatest happiness and good? There are those
who would say, Nature herself has taught us.
The experience of men has caused them 10 learn
that the laws of Nature work without any inter
vention upon the part of man. and that all at
tempts TO thWart the ordinary course of events
have proven useless. We learn then, that ODE
dience to these laws is the first requisite-then
men in their relations to each other have fol-
lowed the same teaching Again men have
found that by skill and machinery they could
avail themselves of the forces OF Nature. SO,
also, socially, men have learned the same
lesson and so on indefinitely. And the
optimist of this school would tell you that
men are making all their Roadway and progress
in civilization merely from the natural use OF
reason and judgment; that religion is a rule OF
life simply; that sufficient keeping OF the law
for this life will be amply sufficient for that to
come: that God (whateyer be their under
standing of the world cannot be contrary to
nature-and so Il right use of reason rs given by
nature is a sufficient guide
Let us pause a moment, however, to note that
at the present day it is quite hard to say just
how much of what is attributed TO nature right
fully belongs TO her. We are i'll danger of
attrbuting TO her much which has come from
revelation.
If nature can instruct us sufficiently in relig-
ion we need not 20 elsewhere. Look then TO the
earlier nations, cunning in skill, sound III
philosophy and reason, wonderful in culture
and oratory; to Greece and Rome in the zenith
of their glory, when the sun, moon and stars
were their gods when the beasts of the field
were exalted into deities; when the most sacred
portions of their worship were the most impure
and blindness and superstition were almost uni
YeFSil
No one need deny that the seed of good is
planted in mans heart, but it is choked by evil
call il by what special name you willard
Nature herself has never been able to throw Ii
Off Even in those countries and nations where
the most plausible stand for natural religion has
been made-if you pause moment you VIII
know that 1t Is where revelation has shed It's
light more clearly-Nature has been raised no
tons of God, of duty, and of love TO men have
gradually been grated onto Nature so that She
herself to-day bears witness to revelation. But
where the light of revelation has not penetrated,
darkness reigns supreme
Life is indeed problem. And which would be
most in keeping with all that we see around us ;
that God should place us here to work out I'M
aided our own destiny, that He should give
us the additional help of counsel and guidance?
| hesitate not to anSWcr-it is the latter. Every
thing III nature mas law; ana II Ill the moral
realm there is no law then there could be no
transgreSsion. And so, naturally, we should eX
pect to find Il law revealed to man as guide
and teacher. There must be some means of re-
cOnciling God TO man. In natural religion there
is none that can gain for itself the least warrant
In the revealed word of God this want is recog-
nized and met, and we have the gospel story of
Jesus Christine one great sacrifice for sin The
truth of this revelation of God i'll Christ is at
tested by history, by powers extraordinary, by
the foundation OF II kingdom which, after the
trials and prosecutions of over eighteen centu-
ries is moving onward day by day until the al
lotted time shall be fulfilled.
1t is objected that this story is contrary to ma
ture-that miracles are the breaking Of Gods
laWS-thereby proving that they are not sure
But the old doctrine of Hume, of admitting
nothing contrary to experience, entirely begS the
question. Nothing could attest an extraordinary
power except an extraordinary act. To attempt
TO fathOm the mystery of the gospel of Christ; 10
explain the nature of God, and to account for
His ways Of working; to understand the mind of
the Infinite, is Il strange thing on the part of a
finite being who cannot understand his own
being. You cannot explain your entrance into
the world nor your departure from 1t: you can
not comprehend Il thousand things which are
going on around you every day, yet you know
that they occur because you see the evidence be-
fore YOU. There is nothing natural or revealed
which requires so much actual faith on the part
Ofman as to believe that things in heaven, and
things in earth, and things underline earth have
no Ruler-have no God.
So, then, q priOri argument would be decidedly
in favor of Il revelation Of the will of God The
very ones who set up natural religion against
this revelation Oweto this very revelation which
they are trying TO overthrow all that is pure and
good i'll that which they champion Strange
return then when they show their gratitude and
Il anks by turning and rending their own bene-
factor All honor to whatever is good whenever
it is found; but let not half truth take the
place of the whole; let not the material strive to
palm itself off for both material and spiritual.
The true scientist is not the one who in the
imaginations of his own seli-cOnceit rises SUI
perOr 10 the ruler OF heaven and earth, refusing
to accept anything as true except it can pass
through the crucble of his acute reason. Rather
it is he who in all he sees learns to realize his
own litteneSs, and who in the especial light
YOuchSaied him sees the better the grandeur,
the sublimity and the mercy of God.