Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-07-23
WHO MADE THE WORLD?
The RrOoklyn Preacher Harmonic
inc the laws of Nature with His
Theories ON Evolution ina
Religion.

One of Rev. Henry Ward Beecher's late
sermons was upon the questions OF design
in creation and of general and speclal
providence, as they stand related, not only
to scripture testimony, but to what we know
of the course of natural laws in this world.
The view of the famous German scientist,
Haeckel that the world needs no God, that
it has in itself provision for all the pheno-
mena that have taken place, seemed to MIR.
Beecher not to simplify the problem OF crea-
ton. but to make it still more difficult to
comprehend. Nothing in human experience
furnishes basis for believing in the origin
and progress of the world of its ownself with
ont any external influence. The belief that
back of every effect there must be cause
has been wrought into the very common sense
of mankind. And Haeckers theory leaves
the origin of matter still unaccounted for.
The origin of matter and the existence OF
tendencies or laws in matter seem lncon-
ceivable. 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 and God has not. But we gain moth
inc by excluding divine intelligence, and to
include it smooths the way of investigation,
and is agreeable to the nature of the human
mind 1t is easier to conceive of a personal
God, with intelligence, will and power, than
to conceive of such vast and varied sub
stance as this performing all the functions OF
intelligence, will and power.
The doctrine of evolution at first seemed
to destroy the fact of Intelligent design IN
creation. So the agnostic school, which IN
cludes some of the noblest spirits OF our day;
sprang up. "God may exist, but we do not
know it." they say But this is what the
Bible said from beginning to end. 1t is what
philosophy is now beginning to explain. We
cannot understand the divine nature, so ex-
allied above anything yet developed IN us,
except 1t dawns upon us when we are our
selves unfolded and rise to such higher
operation as does not belong to the great
mass of the human race. God is to be seen
only by those faculties that diverge 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
creation is being restored in grander way.
If adaptation to special uses was an evidence
of divine design, how much more is it an
evidence of design when we see such adapta
ton proceed from universal plan of deve-
lopment? Paley's celebrated argument of
design was illustrated by man finding
watch and inferring, from its adaptation to
the purpose of keeping time, that it was the
work of an intelligent being. But suppose
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 impressed by the evidence
of intelligence in the designer of the
machinery adapted to such wonderful
work?
AS to special providence, no doctrine was
more explicitly taught by Jesus Christ than
that of Gods personal care and inspection of
individuals and communities. If science
should overthrow this doctrine it would make
a serious breach in our faith, not only in the
New Testament, but in the divinity of Christ
itself Men say that God would not set aside
natural law for the benefit of any favored
person. family, or community. They say
God works through laws of force and 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 observation, but not
all; and while we have no right to affirm that
he does, we have no right to affirm that he
does not. The popular idea that natural
laws are Interchangeable, irresistible, uncon-
trollable, is an illusion. Nothing is gentler,
more pliable and disable than natural laws.
Obey them, and they becomeyour servants.
ed, made imperative. They are set in con-
hict one against the other, and made to
compromise. We make wind and water
grind for us and carry US. Electricity, the
great buffoon of the North in winter nights,
or flashing about in storms the pyrotechnics
of the world, IN its untouched state was use
less and barren. Now it doctors the sick,
lights our dwellings, plays postboy, carries
news in a twinkling round the world. 1t has
become fruitful because the will of man
learned how to use it. Men can, by using,
not abusing or violating, natural laws, make
of them providence for the advantage or
elevation, not only of themselves, but of
those around them, The invention of a
single machine may change the industries
and destines of nations. Civilization is but
a wise subsection of natural laws by human
intelligence and will And if God cannot
create providence by using, not violating,
natural laws, then he cannot do what the
meanest creatures ON earth can do in some
degree. He can exert directly or indirectly
upon the consciousness of men that which
will make them the enactors of His own
decree.
Some hold that God takes care of the sys-
tenn only, and does not heed incidental re-
suits. But hold that there is another
teaching in the Bible, namely, that all things
shall be worked together for good to them
that love God. In other words l hold that
the laws we have learned up to certain
point are, doubtless, surmounted by other |
and statelier 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 altitude of the divine nature and |
will, they are beaten upon there by invisible |
influences that are more really natural laws
than any of the lower and grosser ones that |
pertain to the body and to external condi-
tions. l find nothing in science that sets
this doctrine aside, but find much there |
that corroborates it.