The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-03-10

"QuinQue naedici tres athei.' But we recognize
the peril Of what is sometimes pretentiously
called the scientific method" and we cannoI
shut our eyes to the fact that you may ne
tempted to dcpreciate that which will not SUP.
NIT to your dcmOnSlrative methods, ana thilI
the spiritual and the supernatural may be ls,
nOred. Young gentlemen, II is because ieel
deeply Oh this subject that speak of It, II is
q matter for sincere congratulations that there
is such marked advancement III our day IN
all departments of human effort.
The march of physical science, cspecla,lS
has been triumphal., We rejoice at It. Fuli OF
peril as this success is, 1t is full of promise:
This is a better world to live in now than u
was fifty years ago. We believe IL VIII oe pet.
Century Will hand over to it's successor a
splendid Inheritance You will be called up,
ON to continue this advance. You Will nave
the vast responsibility of receiving, investing
nineteen hundred years of Christian life with
It's intense activities. The danger IS lest'
flushed and cXultant with our material pro
greSS, we come TO regard this as all. Inc aali'
ly secularized philosophy shall delude us with
it's noslrums to cure our heartaches ana s;'C,s sS
fy our immortal longings. We see around Us
the rending of ancient assnciations the aMaK' enr
enccs and the ancient hOnesties are Shipping
from us. Our newspapers tell us how the IN
fection of dishonesty has spread untll IL has
tainted the most quiet and rural c9mlllu,,hi, ~,
i
popular eye as the embodiment OF stern, IN
flexible integrity, is fruitful in it's suggestions
of evasion. He who sees these things cannon
contemplate without anxiety the 1ear,ul a NOR OF
al strain which prosperity is puttng upon Us
Is there not good reason to fear tnat the ull'
seen is losing its hold upon us?
a celebrated German philosopher began ms
lectures at Jena with this sentence: "Gcntie
men. think the walls''-a sentence alike
doubtful in its meaning and Its grammarwoul
how it piliorics in droll absurdiLy the heresy
Of absolute idealism. We are IN danger o.
thinking God out OF existence. Ihcre coines
high regions of speculative philosophy,
great deal Of chaff about the majesty ol I'M
personal law. The very order and uniformity
that reveal infinite intelligence and Tnlershi[
are made the basis for their denial. With all
| of superior wisdom, sometimes with real elo
ouence and learning, always with arrogance
and dogmatiSnI this Science, falsely so-called
breaches to US its dark and dismal ncgatlons
| We are on the carth-why not beof the earth
And the farmer boy whose first teacncr was !;
piOus mother and on whose lap he nau ol!eI
! fallen asleep as he drowsily lisped ms eVeh'ns
prayer: and the plain mechanic' Inc tIl pusS a
shop girl, the intelligent merchant, the man
of affairs and o. letters, arc all toucheo oy lne
| dreadful conf lagion. In our newspapers oui
circulating libraries, on the cars, IN the street
in the literary club in the scientlfic conven
tion, in the very eulogies and obituaries O
! the dead, we imbibe the subtle poison: Oul
business, our social and our religious lie zee
! the effect of this steady assault on Inc aWlu
yerities of that which is unseen and eternal
The powerful moral restraint whic they ere
ate is immensely weakened by douDt ana uh
certainty. The sacred citadel OF 1alth me
! church. has not escaped unharmed. IheSe
constant sneers at the power OF prayer lhis
constant assertion and laudation of the reign
of law. with all its ineXible neceSsltles ltS un
alterable uniformities and continnlties, have
| 81 olen upon us in our closets and quenched
! The rervcnt petition ere twas blown from oul
| lips. Oh, for the earnest, simple faith of oul
! Puritan fOreratherS, who walked with GOO
and to whom all things were poSsible!
Called as You are to submit every doctrine
OF your profession, every remedy to some def
| desolating philosophy which would narrow
ones belief to sight and sense. Hear the
| words of one who is no sectarian doctrlnalre
but who is recognized as IL profound philoso
more hig0ted, than he who thinks that SCIENCE
is all. With his spiritual undevelopcd. self
complacent from defect, plodding and Sneer
ing in his little round OF uniformitieS, he j.
but half a man. You may see him where sci
entific associations gather with his plant boH
across his shoulder and his geologic hammer
| in his hand, on his way to- spend the Lord
day as naturalist, instead of honoring hin
by spiritual worship with His people, and n!
| he goes he shall meet II woman, aged anc
blind, who can see no plants. who cannot see
even him, but whose lips move in silent pray
cr and he shall think of her only as Il poo
specimen of natural history, and he may be
the greatest of naturalsts and she may be the
least in the Kingdom of Heaven, but she Il
greater than he.' This is the victory tha
OvcrcOmcth even our faith.
| With all the emphasis of concluding words
I commend to you this commanding princi
pie: Write over the door of your heart, Ms
Doninqas .frustra. 1t is this firm conviction
mighty realities unseen. this daily commu
nion with things celestial. this unwaverin!
! assurance of the invisible presence ofan Eide
Broi her that takes the canler out Of care, thu
bitterness out Of sorrow, the drudgery out o
! toll, and the sting out of failure and disap
pointmcnt. and that finally translates tn
mSeries of vale OF tears into the doXologie
! of the new heavens and the new earth.