Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-07-01
DESIGN AND PROVIDENCE.
Beeoher Disputing HaeckeTs Theory Of
self-EXistent Matter-The Divine Ma
ture and Gods Personsl Care.

Beocher Dfsputing Haeckers Theory Of
selr-EXistent Matter-The Divine Ma
ture and Gods PersousI Care.
Rev. Henry Ward Beecher's sermon
Sunday morning was upon the questions
Of "Design in Creation" and of General
and Special Providence" as they stand
related not only to Scripture testimony,
but to what we now know Of the course
of natural law in this world. The view of
the famous German scientist, Haeckcl,
that the world needs no God,
that it has in itself provision for
all the phenomena that have taken
/ place. seemed to Mr.. Beecher not to sim
! plify the problem Of creation, but to make
it. still more difficult TO comprehend.
Nothing in human experience furnishes q
basis for believing in the origin and urO-
! gress of the world Of It's own self without
any external influence. The belief that
back of every effect there must be a cause
/ has been wrought into the very common
/ sense of mankind. and HaeckePs theory
/ leaves the origin of matter stlIl unac-
| counted for. The origin of matter and
! the existence of tendencies or laws
! in matter seems incOncciqaDle. The same
is true of the origin Of the Divine Being,
/ but confessedly this is removed from
/ human investigation, which can only take
/ hold of that which has some relation to
the organization of the mind and body,
I and God has not. But we gain nothing
/ by excluding divine intelligence and TO
/ include it smOOthes the way of investiga-
ton and is agreeable to the nature OF the
human mind.
/ THE DIVINE NATURE.
/ 1t is easier to conceive OF a personal
God, with intelligence, VIII and power,
/ than TO conceive of a world of such vast
and varied substances as this performing
all the functions of intelligence, viii and
( power. The doctrine Of evolution at first
seemed to destroy the fact of intelligent
I design in creation. So the agnOstc
/ school, which includes some OF the nOblest
Z spirits Of our dav, sprang up. Good may
exist, hut we do not know it," they say.
| But this is what the Bible said from be-
ginning to end. 1t is what philosophy
is now beginning 10 explain. We cannot
understand the divine nature, so exalted
above anything yet developed IN us, eX-
! cept it dawns upon us when we are cur
selves unfolded and rise 30 such "A higher
operation as does not belong to the great
mass Of the human race. God is to be seen
only by those faculties that verge upon
! the Divine itself. and by them moral in
tuition does come with a certainty as
great as any that scientific investigation
brings to the senses Of men. The ques-
ton of design in creation is being restored
in a grander way. If adaptation TO
special uses was an evidence Of
/ divine design, how much more la
it an evidence of design when we see such
adaptations proceed from a universal
/ plan of development? Paley's celebrated
| argument of design was illustrated by
man finding a watch and inferring from
! its adaptation to the purpose Of keeping
iY1a Z haf ura of ON mi ppf
! being. But suppose the same man should
/ be taken to factory where thousands Of
I watches are turned out by machinery
| every day without being touched by hu-
/ man hands, except TO put the parts to-
/ gether, would he not be still more pro-
/ fOundly impressed by the evidence Of in
/ telligence in the designer Of the ma
/ chinery adapted TO such wonderful work?
GODS PERSONAL CARE.
/ As 10 the special providence, no doc
/ trine was more explicitly taught by Jesus
/ Christ than that of Gods personal care
and inspection Of individuals and COM
munities. If science should overthrow
/ this doctrine il would make a serious
! breach in our faith, not only 10 the New
! Testament, but in the divinity of Christ
/ Itself. Men said that God would not set
/ aside anatural law for the benefit OF any IA
/ voreG person, family or community. They
!
never otherwise. This is 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 ObserVa-
/ ton, but not all; aud while we have no
right to affirm that lie does. we have no
I right to affirm that lie does not. The
popular idea that natural laws are un-
/ changeable, irTesistiale. uncomfortable
/ is IN Illusion. Nothing is gentler,
more pliable and disable than natural
/ laws. Obey them and they become
/ your servants. Natural laws are con-
stantly checked, directed, made inopera-
tive. They are sci IN conflict. one against
the other, and made TO compromise. We
make wind and water grind for us and
carry rs. Electricity, the great bufl0on
of the North in winter nights, or flashing
about in storms, the pyrotechnics Of the
world, in its untouched state was useless
and barren. Now it doctors the sick,
lights our dwellings, plays post boy,
carries news in a twinkling round the
world. 1t has become fruitful be-
cause the will Of man learned how to
use it. Men can, by using, not abusing
or violating natural laws, make OF them
/ prOVidences for the advantage or eleva-
ton not only of themselves, but Of those
around them. The invention OF single
machine may change the industries and
/ the destines Of nations. Civilization
itself is but wise subsection of natural
laws by human Intelligence and will.
And II God cannot create providence by
using, not abusing natural laws, then He
cannot do what the meanest creatures on
earth can do in some degree.
now GOD WORKS.
He can exert directly or Indirectly upon
the consciousness OF men that which will
make them enacters of His own DEGREES.
Some hold that God takes care of the
system only and does not heed the incl
dental results. But ! hold that there is
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 a certain point are doubt
less surmounted by other and stateiler
laws which have relation not so much 20
lesh and blood as TO the mind and spirit
Of man. Aud when men love God and
live in the attitude OF the Divine nature
and will, they are beaten upon there By
invisible Influences f'gt are more really
natural laws than any Of the lower and
grosser ones that pertain % body and 10
external cond ti0ns. / frd nothing Ia
science that sets this doctrine aside, but
] find much there that cOrrObOrates h..