The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1890-04-02
Published by request
SERMON.
Delivered at the Universalist Church, Ravenna
Sunday, March 9th, 1899.
BY REV. STANFORD MITCHELL.
OF Boston

For the things which are seen are temporal,
but the things which are not seen are eternal.
-2nd Corinthians. ~ :1s.
The present age is characterized by a prying
sort of research; and the quest is pushed in
matters of religion quite as much as in other
ways. Men would know all, demonstrate ALL
The deepest mysteries of being must be pene-
trated, and this tendency is not blameable SO
long as it is reverent. But it has its dangers
and easily becomes carpinS. presumptuous,
egotistic. 1t tempts many into skepticism re-
gardiDg the highest and most precious interes is.
1t fosters demand for other evidence than that
of a spiritual kind for the existence of spirit
Men would look on the very uncreated God
with their fleshly eyes. Seeing is believing ~
is trite and shallow proyerb to be coined by a
creature whose 'seeing" tells him that the
round earth is fiat and that the fixed sun moves.
Indeed. in how many ways is the seeing, which
is reported to man through his physical senses.
proved to be illusory. mans eye is nothing
but ball of clay, and it can act only on what
is material and corruptible. 1t is so inaccurate
that given twelve persons to look at certain
object. scarcely two of the twelve would agree
as to the length. height, diameter or other as
poets The eye. tear dims it. speek pains
it, spark may destroy it. A man will say that
he will not believe in what he cannot see; and
yet he cannot see the dull mind which permits
him to make the foolish utterance. AS to W 1at
many pair of eyes see, they could as well veal
horses blinders.
Laura Bridgman saw more than an army Of
double orbed, wide eyed men and women might
The open eyed spirit, though the lenses of fiest
be curtained, hath no need of the sun by day
neither that the moon should give brightness
How absurd that a creature with an eye defec
tive at the best inferior to sea guli's surpass
ed by Vulture's. or a crows. SO easily distem-
pered SO often giving false pictures, SO perish
able. should place such reliance on his physical
vision as to say that he will only believe what
he can see. The eye is SO little part or us that
it may be taken from its socket. and the eyeless
manremains the same as before.
These considerations exhibit the weakness OF
that sort of requirement which literally de.
mands to I" see and handle" the profound prob
lens of our being. This weakness is not a rare
one, and going away back to Moses we find that
in an hour of perplexity the noble leader cried
to his God. II beseech thee, show me thy glory. ,
Show mo thy very self, not alone in precepts
and Symbols not in the guiding cloud and col
umn OF fire. but show me thy SELF thy essential
being. He got for answer. not as he asked. but
the reply was: ~ will make all my goodness
pass before thee. And will proclaim my name
before thee, but thou canst not see my face
there shall no man see me and live
Nevertheless, men from that day to this have
dem snded that they should see Gods face. In
vain for them the benefcent seasons pursue
their constant round. and proclaim the Creators
name; in vain for them does God show His
glory in the illumined souls of men; in vain for
them that