Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-10-14

In time and there leaves itunsolved.
The question Is, how did this visi-
bic world come into exisience7 and
Evolution gives the rather naive
answer, that Il evolved out Of
something that was never made.
Now, to any ordinary mind 1t
would probably be just rs easy to
suppose the world in its present
form unereated as TO suppose that
1t spontaneously evolved out OF
something else that had never heea
called into existsuce. The difficulty
Is precisely the same.
So far all philosophers have, when
they tried to 60 beyond the word Of
God, failed 10 explain the great
question Of existence. And no
wonder; for although we live on the
earth, yet our knowledge Of its real
nature and that Of the other bodies
o. tie universe is as yet dependent
on what we can gather from our OBJ
s-rvaiion Of the facts that come
within our limited range OF otser-
WALTON. And thee fscts are not
sufficient 10 establish the whole
truth apart from revelation. II is
clear enough that In our present
state Of existence We, as the Apostle
SAYS, know only in part, and we
have no means Of obtaining full
knowledge Of all the phenomena
that surround u. But rs long as
this is the case It is equally clear
that We can frame no perfectly re-
liable system o; philosophy. Our
greatest wisdom Is, therefore, to ac-
cep. the instruction Of Him vino
knows the cseatioE rs a great master
knows the work Of his hands.
Suppose the following case. Some
where ia the ocean there Is an is
land. II Is inhabited by intelligent
beings, who have never communi-
Gated with the outside world. One
day they perceive n vessel passing
the island at some distance, a sight
they have never seen before. They
would naturally endeavor 10 explain
10 themselves that phenomenon.
What Is il? How did il come to
exist, and by what laws is il gov
erned? All they knew and could
know about it was contained in the
observations made from the shore.
They could see a large object mov-
ing in the water. They perceived
that it moved independent Of winds,
currents and tide. They could OBJ
serve its masts, rlggings, etc. These
were all the facts they could gather.
What n variety Of theories would
not these islanders be likely TO form?
One might say that It had been
formed 10y some known sea monster
for shelter, perhaps. Another might
pronounce il 10 he some unknown
specimen Of animal. Oae might
contend that It was n supernatural
being, and some would, no doubt,
start the idea that it was simply an
Object formed by the process Of evo-
luton out Of PARTICLES Of water. The
molecular PARTICLES OF the ocean had
been moved upon and finally after
n long, long period Of time had
assumed the form Of n ship. OF
course, any Of these theories might
for 4 time satisfy the inquirers on
that island. But let these philos-
ophers come in contact with men on
the ship. Let them hear the captain
give a description Of the building Of
the vessel. Let them go on board
and see for themselves. How would
their ideas change, and how silly
would they be, IL they refused 10
give credit to the instructions OF
those who knew the nature OF the
object.
Now, we are in the same condi-
ton in relation to the universe Is
those islanders in regard TO the YES
sci. II we have nothing but our
own observations on which 10 found
our theories, We will be led to all
kinds Of absuriities. And all our
philosophers from Aristotle down 10
Spencer when they are in a
position to view the universe, not
from the shore only, will find that
they have attempted to solve what
was with the present amount Of
knowledge, apart from revelation,
insolvahle.
To believe with 4 chlldlike faith
the word Of Col which declares
that the worlds were made for GER
tain purposes by the Almighty Gre
ator, and TO live foT an exaltation
that will enable Us hereafter to OBJ
tain 4 full knowledge Of how it was
made, appears to lie the most sound
philosophy ever conceived. Il is
satisfactory alike to mind and heart,
because it unites man with his
Eternal Father.