The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-08-03
THE GENESIS OF DOUBT.

natural truth is undoubtedly an ap-
peal to mans faith; but doubt comes
in as an enemy to faith and thus
proves an obstacle to the full recep-
ton of the truths which the Gospel
inculcates. 1t is sometimes contend
ed that doubt is the natural state of
the human mind. When a PROPOSE
ton is presented to the mind, it hest
tates, delays receiving it, and at last
rejects it unless it is accompanied by
undoubted and convincing evidence.
This is the position maintained by
some philosophers.
Now we do not say that it is not
natural for man to doubt. But it is
just as natural for him to believe.
This is seen in childhood. When a
Statement is made to a child, he is
disposed MISUNDERSTANDING its truth
to receive it. This is a marked char
acteristic of the child's disposition.
He is perhaps inclined to believe too
many things without questioning
them. But after he has developed
and enlarged his mental capac ties
and become more intimate with men
and the world, he comes in contact
with deception and discovers that the
word of another is not always to be
trusted. Hence originates doubt in
his mind. He learns to question a
statement and hold it in allegiance
before he is fully prepared to receive
and believe it.
Hence we prefer to say that faith
or belief is the normal state of the
mind, rather than doubt. AS in child
hood, so it was in the earlier ages of
the world. Men lived in the SIM
plicity and artlessness of childhood
and were prepared to believe when
statements were made to them or
Providence spoke to them in the mys-
ferrous changes of nature and the
life-experiences of JOY and sorrow.
They received with undoubting faith
the simple utterances of the Lord
Jehovah as he appeared to them in
the garden, the burning bush, and in
their dreams, while they were lying
beneath the star lit sky and gazing
up into heavens solemn stiffness, or
bowling before the altar in the taber-
nacle or the temple. They were not
troubled with doubts then. They be-
lieved in God and his teachings, and
acted on the full presumption of their
reality.
AS the world grew older and science
became extended and contradictory
theories were advanced, men began
to hesitate and doubt. Possibly their
ancestors had been too credulous and
had believed too much. They soon
learned to reject what was presented
for their credence. They regarded
this appeal as derogatory to their
manhood, SO they at last rejected the
true and the false, the good and the
bad all alike together. Then skepti-
cism became the order of the day.
Thus it is with man in different
stages of his progress. At first cred
ulous, believing almost everything,
afterwards as his knowledge of ma
ture, society and man increases, he
begins to doubt some thing and soon
gets into the uncomfortable habit of
looking with doubling, scornful air
upon every proposition offered him.
Doubt may arise from an inability
to discern certain elements of the
Gospel system clearly. Some can
not believe in personal God or a
spiritual existence beyond the grave,
because they can not comprehend
how spirit can exist without matter
They have no adequate conception of
spiritual beings as such. Their God
is material, with a body and limbs,
feet, hands, head, mouth, eyes, ears.
Their own souls are material and par
take of the properties of matter,
etherialized perhaps, but still matter,
having extension and weight.as much
as the hand, stone or a stick of
wood.
On the other hand, the truths of
Christ are spiritually discerned,"
and hence can not be comprehended
by such minds. They like to believe
in such God, perhaps, as the Cos
pei reveals, being of adorable per
lection and infinite attributes, in
future state of elevated joy for all
earth's children, in Jesus as the spir-
itual head of the human family and
the Saviour of sinners. But when
they turn their attention to these the
cries, all is dark and meaningless.
They can not see the spirit after it
leaves the body. and for this reason
they can not believe that it exists.
They can not discern God with their
earthly vision, and hence they can