Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1885-07-10


verge upon the Divine itself, and by
them moral intuition does come with
certainty as great as any that scientific
investigation brings to the senses of
men. The question of design in crea-
tion is being restored in grsnder way.
If adaptation to special uses was an evil
dence of design, how much more Is IL
an evidence Of design when we see such
adaptations proceed from 4 universal
plan of development! Paley's cele-
brated argument of design was illus
trated by man finding q watch and
inferring from its adaptation to the
purpose of keeping time that it Was the
work OF an intelligent being. But sup
pose the same man should be taken TO
factory where thousands of watches are
turned out by machinery every day
without being touched by human hands,
except to put the parts together, would
he not be still more profoundly i'm
pressed by the evidence of intelligence
in the designer of the machinery adapt
ed to such wonderful work?
COPS PERSONAL CARE.
As TO special providence, no doctrine
was more explicitly taught by Jesus
Christ than that of Gods personal care
and inspection of individuals and COM
munities. II science should overthrow
this doctrine IL would make a serious
breach in our faith, not only in the
New Testament, but in the divinity of
Christ itself. Men said that God would
not set aside Il natural law for the bene-
fit of any favored person, family or
community. They say God works
through laws of force and never other
wise. This 10 impudent. We don't
know what God thinks nor what He
does. Some parts OF His ways have
been let down within the reach OF our
observation, but not all aud while we
have no right to affirm that He does,
not. The popular idea that natural
laws are Interchangeable, irresistible, un-
controllablc is an illusion. Nothing Is
gentler, more pliable and usable than
natural laws. Obey them and they be-
come your servants. Natural laws are
constantly checked, directed made in
operative. They are set in conflict, one
against the other, and made to compro-
mise. We make wind and water grind
for us and carry us. Electricity, the
great buffoon of the North iE winter
nights, or flashing about In storms, the
pyrotechnics of the world, in its un-
touched state was useless and barren.
Now it doctors the sick, lights our
dwellings, plays post boy, carries news
in twinkling round the world. 1t has
become fruitful because the will OF
man learned how TO use 1t. Men can,
by using, not abusing, or violating nat
ural laws, make OF them provideDces
for the advantage or elevation not only
of themselves but of those around them.
The invention of a single machine may
change the Industries aud the destinies
OF nation,. Civilization itself Is but n
wise subsection of natural laws by hu-
man intelligence and will. And If God
cannot create a providence by using,
not violating, natural laws, then He
cannot do what the meanest creatures
on earth can do in some degree.
HOW GOD WORKS.
He can exert directly or indirectly
upon the consciousness Of men that
which will make them enactors Of His
own DEGREES. Some hold that GOO takes
care of the system only and does not
heed incidental results. But | hold
that there 10 another teaching In the
Bible, namely, that all things shall work
together for good to them that love God.
In other words, hold that the laws we
have learned up to certain point arc
doubtless surmounted by other and
statelisr laws which have relation not
so much to flesh and blood as to the
mind and spirit OF man. And when
men love God and live in the attitude Of
the Divine nature and will, they are
beaten upon there by invisible infu-
ences, that are more really natural laws
than any of the lower and grosser ones
that pertain to body and to external
conditions. find nothing in science
that sets this doctrine aside, but / find
much there that oorroborates it.