The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1889-11-13
OLD AND THE NEW.


the Modern Agnostic. fs
The Athenian who erected an altar
to the Unknown God" symbolized
one Of the deepest cravings Of the
heart He was an Agnostic, bedAnse
the revelation of the gospel OF the
grace Of God had not fallen on his ear.
Canopied by cloudless sky, famed by
the soft breezes of perennial spring,
loving philosophy and art, and graded
in luxury, he seemed to possess all
that heart could wish. All sufficed
not to still the irrepressible yearnings
of his immortal nature. He stretched
forth his hands beyond these things,
beyond the relig ious traditions of his
race. to 'the unknown God" He had
risen higher than the modern, Agnos-
tic, who turns scornfully from reve-
lation which has nodded the worlds
thought, and influences the Agnostic's
life in spite Of himself. This reverent
act of the ancient Agnostic touches
our deepest sympathies. But the
modern Agnostic starts with
the assertion that God q I'M
movable and glories in the thought
that he is emancipated from the bond
age of an antiq uated superstition. To
be consistent with himself he then de-
MES the spirituality of his nature and
origin; and claims to be material
entity, an accident of an evolution in
finitely more uncomfortable than the
existence of God. He exalts intellect
as the sole arbiter of truth and closes
the portal by which spiritual light and
life-giving influences might enter. He
declares his intention Of admitting
nothing that can not be intellectually
defined or rendered palpable to the
senses. He gropes for his own origin
in fossiliferous strata, and listens de-
voutly to the testimony of bones and
fints in ancient caves. No theory
founded on these is too wild for his
adoption. With the microscope. the
surgeons knife, the scales and tests OF
the chemist he seeks for spirit, and as
by these he can not render it palpable
to sense, he claims that its existence is
at least probl ematical, if not dis
proved.
We ask him then to solve simpler
problem. Will he point out the hid
ing place of life in plant, separate ii
from the substance. and render it pal
pable to the sensesp If he can not dc
this, will he deny the existence Of
vegetable life? We know this kind Of
life by results, which are 10 us conclu-
sive evidences. What miracles it per-
forms! 1t draws strange sustenance
from the light of heaven. incorporates
not only tenuous gases. but mineral
salts and other inorganic matter, con
verting the whole into organic, w
know not how. 1t builds delicate ant
intricate organizations, differing &C
cording to the nature OF the seed
One moment we gaze on a wealth o.
beauty. the next our senses are raw
ished by the richest fragrance
Here the farmer gathers In
abundant harvests OF grain ant
luscious fruits. There the physician
seeks the active essence BY which HI
cornbats disease. We look on tn
transformation scenes which the sea
sons are ever presenting and say
Here is life!" Is not the evidenc
conclusive?
In like manner we observe the evi
dences of the existence of law. design
unresting energy. If there be law
there must be a law-givor. Wher
there are order and intense activity Q
life. there must be an intelligen
Agent A mighty will. a living ener
gy must have given atoms their frs
impulse, and must have continued t
sustain and direct that activity, cor
troll the order and maintain the law
A moments cessation OF that energ
and the universe must have fallen int
confusion. Are these differences III
warranted. or unphilosophicalP Woul
1t not rather be unphilosophical
shut our eyes to such testimony Tn
universe is a vast theater on whic
is displayed evidences of wisdom SUI
passing human conception. Here al
infinite skill aud perfection Of deta