The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1889-03-28

1on must be absolutely sure that these ap-
alliances are infallible before you are al
loved IN draw a conclusion that would not
he justified by the premises, and psrtlou-
l,riy in this case, where consequences
reach as far as those which you so ooVl-
onslv intimate Since when has science
discovered all the mysteries OF nature
Has it discovered any at all! Science In
itself Is all right enough, but what do you
know of that science? Do you take for
Granted all the proofs and arguments that
are set forth by ingenious scientists
But history comes and morklngly points
at the proofs and arguments OF
so many that III their days were consld-
cred men of talent, men of genius, and
shows that their arguments have long |
since been overthrown by modern research,
which, armed with the microscope and |
divers chemical appliances, seems to ind |
nothing too hard, and imagines that 1t has |
overcome all difficulties. But investlge- |
ton has not ceased, and new results are
continually developing. I would, there
fore, suggest title which is more correct
than proofs or arguments-l would call
it The Opinions of the Scientists of a
Certain Time"
Remember it is natural science of which
l am now speaking, because you seem
to mix up with it, another kind
of science of a little higher stand
ing, of which you ought to have some
knowledge, since you confess your belief
in personal God. Here is proposition:
If you can explain for me all the laws OF
nature, 1 will tell you the reason of all the
wonderful happenings which you have re-
corded in your journal. For instance, to
make clear to your mind what l mean,
take a set of dice, place them in box or
in your hand, so that they show the same
number; then shake them as much or as
little as you like, but tell me exactly
mind this-what force is given to each in
every shock and countershock; how much
more or how much less resistance the one,
being perhaps heavier or not SO heavy as
the other, has encountered from the sur
rounding air; how much the gyration OF
this or that is increased by the heavier
shock which it may have received, etc., and
it will take but few mathematical formu-
las to tell you exactly what the result will
be. In theory, you see, 1t Is not any harder
than that; but you cannot furnish me
these data in such simple thing as dice-l
throwing, which is generally consider
pure chance, or hazard, but, as you en-
see, it is far from being chance, and its
well founded on physical laws; and 20
want to speak of the causes of cyclone
and earthquakes, of wars and pestilence
1 could reject your objection or query az
inadmissable, yet will give it some con
sideration before Diminishing it.
Our friend "sees the hand of God il
wars and pestilence, but not in railroa
wrecks, where an innocent creature J
MANNED and crushed" Well, a nation
composed of families; family of ind
yidGals. Every one enjoys OIL Loses hi
life invidually, he cannot lose it colleoN
lively; armies are composed of individuals
fighting for general purpose,it is true; hu
every one is killed for himself proximateGs !
for others remotely; every one feels tl2 .
effects OF war on himself and for himseg [.
first then, may be, for others; and, as
rule, those of the poorer class, feel it fg
more heavily on themselves and for then
selves than the rich. In contradistinctio
to these onsequenoes, drawn manifest
from the premises laid down by our frlens
and which we quoted textuslly, he stats
without blushing that "God does not dr.
sire to injure individuals" Verify, til
poet seems to have expressed the truth
this case: "Oh where, and oh where 3
your logic system gone"
Oh! it's gone to smash completed,
and "your reasons fled her throne,
for my friend wants here to establis
that private calamities come from th
Devil, and public ones from God. No,
if the Devil has power over man indivit
ually, he has it over everyone individuals;
he can, therefore, do away with apyop
individually and at any time he wishes. 1t
would take few years longer, but GER
tainly the number of individuals is limited
consequently, the Devil could destroy
them one by one, which in the end would
be tantamount to destroying them collect
lively. Your premises, thus pressed lit, |
tie, yield what they contain, and evidently
the result is anything but what you wished.
You must say what you mean and mean
what you say, for the following passage
again shows the ridiculous in its perfec-
ton: GOD is omnipotent, omniscient
and omnlpresent." Perfectly correct!
And, few lines further: "Of the plans,
intentions and schemes of the Devil, He .
(God) knows nothing" Evident contra
dlction; such is the logic of our friend |
Now listen, omnipoteDt means possessing !
unlimited power;' therefore, there is moth
ing within the range of realities and even .
of possibilities which God could not exc.
cute if He chose to do 80. Ominiscient !
means "having knowledge of all things;"
therefore, nothing exists at present, |
nothing could possibly have existed in the |
past, nothing can possibly exist in the
future without Gods knowledge. Omni
present means "present in all places at |
the same time;" therefore, you profess to
to believe that which you deny. Now, to
affirm and to deny at the same time and
under similar circumstances one and the
same thing is simply absurd. But it is
useless TO waste time in refuting elarirg
blunders which u little school girl can
overthrow.
Seriously, if our friend had said this in
Jun, it were much better to keep that fun
for himself if he must have it; he ought
to respect little more the ideas of a
Christian community that do believe in
God, for the personality which he
gives to his God is ruinous; the power
which he gives Him is fictitious, and the
knowledge which he gives him is fsrcical,
The poet Gays:
Know thou thyself, presume not God TO scsn.
Inc proper study of mankind Is man:
Borh put to die, AID reasoning but te err
Alike in ignorance, his reasoning such
whether he thinks too little or too much