St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-07-01
AFLOUR CITY SUNDAY
Rev. H. M. Simmons breaches
on the Subject, els There
aProvidence ?"
The Discourse Of Rev. w. j.
Lhamon on "Christ as a
Character Study"
MethodiStS in Southeast Min
neapolis to Have a Brand
New Church.
Globe ENJOYS Run Down Sew
epal Small Items of News
During the Day.

Rev. n. NJ. Simmons preached yester-
day morning on the question, us Ihere
a Providence" He said the old idea OF
Providence suspending laws TO nelp
saints, or sending disasters to harm
sinners, is fast becoming obsolete. Sam
uel taught that destructive storm OF
the time was because the people asked
for king, and the Old Testament
writer that the pestilence of Davld's
day was because he had taken a census.
Increase Mather thought that scanty
harvest was due to the low salaries
the preachers were getting, and still
later New England minister that
flood in Connecticut valley was due to
the growing neglect of family prayers
within twenty years the bishop of
Verdun ascribed drought in his do
cese to the sin of Sabbath breaking,
and only last Sunday Minneapolis
minister was reported as saying that at
Jesus crucifiXion the great sun itself
event out'' for three hours "aS a token
of Gods wrath against sim" But
Jesus taught a more impartial provl-
dence, who made His sun shine
OH good and evil alike, and we are fast
learning that God is just as free from
wrath as Jesus said. Not only does the
sun rise and rain fall on good and bad
alike, but the storms rise and floods
| flow by the same principle. Corn grows
| lust as we'll for a Catholic as for
| Protestant, and Just as we'll for an
ATHEIST as for either; the lightning is
| lust as apt to strike theOloglan as
| thief. and more apt to strike the lofty
| roof of sanctuary than low saloon
beside 1t. All things comein strict con-
| Torrance which no Providence ever SuS-
| ponds. But does this faith in laws
deny Providence? Not at all. Rather
laws are the best signs of Providence.
Water is provided abundantly in rains
| and rivers to bless the world; but the
best thing about is that its laws are
sure and can always be trusted. Trust
ing that it will always press with liked
principles, men build mills by the
streams and trust ships on the sea;
and the providence that should
weaken that pressure IN poor
Pennsylvania dam to save a city,
would only mock men and be
no Providence at all. So blessings of
countless kinds are bountifully pro-
vided, and the best thing about each is
| that it's principles are fixed and can be
depended on to the utmost. A provl-
dence that should ever prove false to
one of these would be unworthy OF the
name. AS a necessary result OF these
| principles, disasters sometimes come.
| But the worst evils of this kind are
! small compared with the good which
the same principles produce. Besides.
| these evils are the best educators OF
mankind. Progress has come through the
contest with dangers. The fear of fam
inc has developed farming, and need
has been the origin of all the arts.
| Storms have strengthened ships and
brought the triumphS of navigation;
and the lightning itself gave the first
| lessons in electricity and led to the tee-
graph. And dangers have developed
| not only the arts, but human ingenuity,
mental strength, moral power, bravery,
patience and all the virtues. Sufferings
develop sympathy too, and lead US to
| help each other; and it some
| time seems as if disasters do
more than anything else to
| strengthen charity and the sentiment of
human brotherhood. Evils are good
thing after all, and a society without
them would soon Stiffe our energies and
freeze our hearts. Even heaven, if so
perfect place as our preachers pict-
ure. would put us to sleep in mind aud
|
are no evidence against Providence,
and the fixed principles from which
they come are the best argument for
| Providence.
Nor would it make any practical
| difference even if we should know of
no person behind the Providence. 1t is
these fixed principles, rather than the
person, that make the value of the
Divine government. If the laws of our
| government are sure to be eXecu ted,
what difference does it make what per-
son is president, or whether there is
any? Indeed, in human government,
the less personality appears the better.
The trouble is we have too much per-
Sonality in our rulers. Personality makes
one officer wish to help his nephew,
cousin, and each to have his favorites,
and only diSturbs the administration of
| Justice. Personal feelings mar human
| rulers: and one sometimes fancies the
world would be better if we could have
| patent Self-regulating steam presidents
and Judges and mayors. What we want
| in government is simply the strict exc
cution of the laws, and that is just what
we have in the divine government.
| Its laws, at any rate, are
sure, and it makes no practical
! difference what is Dehlnd them.
But philosophy will ever see a power
behind them, for laws are only the fixed
method through which some power
works. The mistake of too much mod
ern thought is in forgetting this, and
supposing that laws are themselves
power enough. They are no power at
all, but only the regular channel
through which the creative power is
working. Seeing that Its works are so
good-ever advancing life and turning
even evils into blessings-we have to
call this power good, too. And though
philosophy may call only fate; religion
will still see something fatherly in such
fate, and something like love behind
these laws. In short, religion will see
providence ruling in all laws, living
in all life, and loving in all human love;
seeing its smile in tie beauty or fields
and faces, and feeling its warmth in
human affections, will go on trusting
this Providence as heretofore.