The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-06-30
in winter nights. flashed too in Aorms. III,

in winter nights. flashed too in HORNS. the
pyrotechnic of the world. But today il is sub
dued. Now it doctors the sick, shut up in boxes.
1t lights our streets and dwellings.
1t plays post-boy and carries news in the
twinkling of an eye around the whole world In
its early day. untouched by the will of man,
what did the electric element do2 IL was worth
less barren, frntlass, and Il became very fruit
full TO all functions simply because the will Of
man learned to utilize it, and not by violating
either: but by using the laws of nature, men can
and do create q providence, and so we come
right back to the gist of the matter. l can use
the laws of nature so that they shall be provi
dence to me, and can use them so that they
shall be providence TO my family God ought
TO be able to do almost as much as that in the
wiser use of natural law Not only can man
take care of himself and OF his household, but OF
all his neghbors as we'll. He can impart the
hood. One single combination of laws in
machine revolutionizes the industry of
the globe 1t gives to tho poor man
what before only the princely loom gave
to the rich sovereigns of the earth, and a mans
invention of machine may make cotton the
fabric OF the world, on whose existence states
manship turned and nations lived and throve or
perlshed. A man can, by discoveries of the
functions of natural law, bless the age in which
he lives. What are the steamboats, that ply the
world around! What the factories that are
turning out wondrous things for the whole popu-
lation of the globe, and what is creation itself
but wise subjugation of natural laws by human
intelligence directed by the human will! Ii God
cannot then create providence by using, not
abusing, natural laws, then He can not Go what
the meanest creatures on earth can do in some
measure and degree. All this talk about the
inevtableness of natural laws and their being
utterly irresistible, is inconsiderate, it is I'M
founded it is false. He can use these laws with
out violating them, just as men use the laws to
work for them
But hold that there is another teaching in
!, IL ~ l. xl.. L.
together for good to them that love God In
other words, hold that there is a probability
certainty, in my own judgment, that the success
sion of natural laws which we have learned is
surmounted by other subtler laws that have re-
lation, not so much to flesh and flood as to
mind. spirit and the will of m an; that when men
love God and live in the attitude of conservation
to the divine nature and the divine will, they
are beaten upon by invisible influences which
are more really natural laws than any of the
lower and coarser ones that pertain to the hui
man body and the external conditions of human
society, and that there is a system Of
special providence, though we very often
pe1vert it and misunderstood it, and
make it an argument of laziness l believe
that there is a special watch and over in
dividuals and over communities. believe it
most profoundly. nor do. see anything in the
scientific evolution of oue time that compels us
to set aside such truth | see very much in
science that corroborateS this child-like state
ment of the word of God
When men, therefore, have gone out of their
simple faith of childhood by the msinterpreta-
tion of the theory and the philosophy Of natural
law, it ought to be to them source of great joy
and rejoicing that science itself msled them has
been appealed from-science not we'll informed
to science better informed--and that this royal
doctrine, in which is so much hope, so much
courage, so much rest is returning to its place
for women and children. for heroic men il
straits. for all men who give themselves
outside Of those normal and ordi-
nary influences upon which prosperity
depends When men are hampered and find
themselves in such emergencies. if they are right
minded if they can lift themselves higher
than flesh and blood higher than the
lower forms of material law into the communion
of God they have a right to believe that there is
divine infuence-an atmospheric one, shall L
call it-something like sunlight to the leaves and
flowers, that which lifts them up and compels
such laws to serve them: and, what is better,
will direct them in such way as that they shall
como under the influence of those laws should
give them relief.
So, brethren, be not in haste to cast away, on
the instruction of science. yet crude in many of
its parts. that faith of childhood, shat faith of
your fathers that faith which is the joy, and
should be the courage of every right minded
mantle faith that Gods eye is on him and his
and that He cares He guides, He defends and
will bring him safely from earth to life eternal.