The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1892-06-15
IS THERE A GOD -?
HISTORICAL PROOF THAT CAN NOT
BE REFUTED.

SO Says Max Muller, the Great German
scicntist-What history Te"ches-An
Exceedingly Good Argument on
Great Subject.
To my mind the historical proof of the
existence of God, which is supplied us by
the history of the religions of the world,
has never been refuted; and can not be
refuted. It forms the foundation Of all
other proofs, call them genealogical,
GntologicaI, on theological; or, rather, it
absorbs them all, and makes them all
supcrliuous. There are those who declare
that they require no proof at all for the
existence of Supreme Being, or, if they
did, that they would find it in revelation.
Suppose they wanted no proof them
selves, would they really not care at all
to know how the human race, and how
they themselves, came in possession OF
what, l suppose, they value as their most
precious inheritance? Do they really
think that in this case an examination Of
the ancient title deeds might safely be
dispensed with, while with regard to
much less precious holdings it is con-
sidered plain duty to guard these docu-
ments with the greatest care? An appeal
ito revelation is OF no avail in deciding
questions of this kind.
The history of religions teaches us that
the same appeal to special revelation is
made, not only by Christianity, but by
the defenders of Bi.hmanism, of Zorro
:astranism, and of Mohammedanism,
and where is the tribunal to adjudicate
.on the conflicting appeals of these and
other claimants? The believer in the
:Vedas is as thoroughly convinced of the
;superhuman origin of his ancient hymns
:as the Zoroastrian of that of the Gathas
aud the Mohammedan of that of the SUI
rahs; and the subtle arguments by which
:elch. but more particularly the Brahman.
Supports his claims, would put some of
Sour ablest casuists to shame. The fol-
flowers of every one of these religions de-
clare their belief in the revealed charac-
ter of their own religion never in that
of any other religion. Many persons be-
iieve, and believe honestly, in visions they
have had themselves, never in the visions
claimed by other people. We may APP
pal to revelation in the court of our own
conscience, but, before the court of uni
versal appeal, we require different proofs
FOR the faith that is in us.
Our belief in God as the author of all
that exists, whether we call him father,
or creator, or supporter of the world, has
It's deepest, its only living roots in that
ancient, universal stratum of thought
which postulated an agent in the sky, the
sun, the fire. and the storm wind; which
was not satisfied with the mere play of
appearances in nature, but yearned to
know what it was that appeared; which
Telt the limits of the finite in all its SEN
suous perceptions, and in feeling the
limits, felt at the same time the presence
of something that was beyond those
limits. This dissatisfaction with the
finite, this struggle after the non finite,
this search for an agent for every act, Of
mover for every movement, whatever
slape il took, whatever name it claimed
forms the primitive and indestructible
foundation of mans faith in God. If il
a. taken away, people may indeed have
dogma, and may have creeds, but they
ran not have their own ineradicable con
Motion that there is and that there mus
- God. Dogma can supply no argu
taGt ,ainst atheism. Dogma is what
my excellent colleague at Edinburgh
Mr.. Hutchison Stirling, has very truly
called mere Vorstellmg which require:
itst,st .,gD.. Il; ,t -. u,;