Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-06-13

one who has followed the growth Of
philosophic exposition from its rise in the
East to the advent % Christ, whose teach
ings regenerated the old world AMI created
tae new, must recognize in Christianity
the source OF culture and perfection OF
humanity superior 10 the sublimest pro-
duet of human reason. and therefore in
ferentially, Of a higher origin. We believe
that it will 20 on % development Of in
telect. moral ascendency ana political
power IN nations prpp0rtlOned TO Its IN
fluence on them, ami therefore regard
with jealousy anything that seems 70
weaken its claims on our faith in il. TINS
is the case always when we hear
IT said that such a recognized master
of thought" as Dr.. Draper declares our
world too insignificant TO require the at
tentiOn OF personal God, and read that
the Rev. Ii. w. Beecher adopts the theory
OF evolution as correct and quite teuabie
Aud when We recall TO mind the specula-
lions of great minds from early times in
their hunger for "a cause" from the ORR
gin Of the Neda-, through the eXpositiOns
of Plato, and unto the realms OF gnos-
ticism, manacheism and modern mystl-
cism, we are almost inclined TO think that
our doctors have either never read attent-
that the human mind expands In a spiral
that from time TO time crosses the same
lines Of thought.
Sunbeams and mud have ere now been
accepted as the source of animal life, and
tadp0les and monkeys the original pro-
genitOrs of the human race before Oar
win found them in animals OF arbOreal
habits" A discussion Of these matters
might amuse, but could not do away with
off
in all philOsOphic and religious instTuc-
ton on the one hand or 10 pantheism on
tue other; but as | have received much
benefit from my own conclusions on the
subject OF mans nature and obligations,
will leave the evolution doctrine as too
extensive to be discussed here, and eX-
anime that of the insignihcance Of man
and his world.
Moses states that in reply to the ques-
tion of His own nature God replies, II am
that | am" This, have been told by
competent scholars, should be, Il am that
am" i. e., all that is, the Extant Being
that in which We live and move and have
our being. But this is not pantheism,
since God may be and is in all things, and
yet all things be not God. Such a conclu-
sion would destroy all freedom Of action
and the very notion of virtue, and become
the fruitful source OF immortality and Oh
literate remOrse. Therefore | felt myself
uneasy till | worked out this theory,
which, though may not have acted up TO
it'll practice, relieved me from intellectual
disquiet and directed me 10 a course of re-
search which carried me far from "A low es-
innate Of my own value IN the sight Of
God, however unfit might finally prove
to JOIN the angels and hosts Of righteous
men made perfect in His presence here
after. fnis is my theory, which
hope will prevent my being among those
worshIpers OF the material and the SEN
sual, whom the gnOstic philosophy places
as watching cternaliy, silently, motion
less and sadly over the ashes Of Hyle
entOmbed In the abyss. This idea would
suggest to DR.. Talmage as the text Of a
discourse, or to some painter as a picture
as awfully Michael AngelOQue as the
famous last judgment OF the Sistine
chapel Of the Vatican.
All demonstration must start on an
axiom of self-eyident proposition. Such
hold TO be the reality of substance" or
that which underlies all things. This
must be infinite In extension and in con-
tractiOn-since space has no bOunds-an d
no traction has denomination that can
not be made larger. But substance Itself
Is necessarily unprOductiYe whether self
existent or created and must be set in
motion by a force from within or from
without. That force we cannot accept as
due TO "a tOrtuitOus concurrence OfatOms,"
but must regard It as the product of
a will, directed by Intelligence 10
eftecting design, and asso-
ciated with power TO complete il. Here
we have being Of three attributes, act
ing on substance, in the likeness of which
man may be said 10 be created, II we re-
gard him as having will-intsliect and
affections incl0sed in a body. This indi-
naturalization Of man may establish his
claim 10 be spark of the divine enclosed
in minute portion of substance, without
cutting him OF from "A return 10 the bosom
OF the Father or to "A final expulsion from
His presence, according TO the use OF
abuse Of "A free agency. without which be
would be unlike his original, God, anC
like his pretended prOgenitOr, the primer
dial ape. So much for evolution"
In reply to DR.. Diapers alleged asser
ton as TO the worlds insiguifcance, W,
may propose that il matter bee form Of
substance, and worlds and men forms O
matter, that no more limit, substance
than the condemnation OF a cloud in tn,
sky limits the vast eNpnnse Of moisture II
the circumamhlent atmosphere; while, !
we regard substance rs the illimitabli
nerve element of creation, through whlcl
the divine life is communicated to crea
ton. the smallest atom ot it would be NJ
more indifferent 10 Him than "a point o
/ nerve would be- 10 the doctor, if expose,
/ 20 the touch Of the smallest needle.
These subjects cannot be- properly treat
/ ed In a daily newspaper, but cannot keel
/ down my inherited Irish propensity 10 hi
these scientific (so-called) heads whei
/ they revive those OLD long worn out specu
I latiOns IN the light 90 Christian lluinna
I ton. The temptation 20 iOin iu the shindl
Z 10 Irresistible. u. w. II.
Ur.d,,- pi,.,,,-.,, .,,.- r.i.,..-.,..