The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-03-02
MONIsM.
Second Paper.

| LIE buoOTy vi NdIulo, Ouc1 uAuo
all forms of being grounded in one
substance and so secures unity with
out duality, is Monism. 1t is in har-
mony with atheism for it does not
recognize the distinction between the
finite and infinite, the Creator and
his creation. In this way it banishes
from the universe the personal God
as the infinite Creator and Father of
all men. 1t is materialism, for the one
substance that is the ground of all
forms of being is matter. 1t is pan
theism, for this material ground of
all being is God. It is the all, and
the all is God. 1t is naturalism, for it
makes God and nature one-of one
substance, one life, one being. There
is no God but nature. 1t is not only
his measure but it exhausts him.
The supernatural is impossible be-
cause nature is all.
I object to this theory because it is
in conflict with all our intuitions.
The intuition of cause, of number. of
difference, of duty, are all contradict
ed by this theory. If there is no
dualism in nature, there can be no
cause and effect; on this law is
builded the philosophy of science.
If all is one there can be no science of
numbers. If no difference in things
there can be no comparison, analogy,
or classification without which all
science is impossible. If there are in
the universe no higher and lower ma
lures, no superior and inferior beings,
there is no authority, no law and no
duty. If there is no God, our religi-
GUS intuitions mislead us, and there
is no rational ground in the nature of
things for religious worship, and obe-
dience.
This theory is in conflict with
mans whole conscious experience in
life. We know by conscious expert
ence, that all being is not on the
same vital, mental and moral plain.
There are higher and lower forms of
life, superior and inferior organisms.
The plant is superior in the scale of
being to the crystal, the animal is
superior to the plant, and man is
above the animal. There is a differ
ence in quality between chemical and
vital action. They do not move in
the same direction.
They perform different function,
and do different work in the world
of matter and the world of mind.
The vital is an organizing, building
force, the chemical is disorganizing
and destructive force when it acts
alone. There is differencei in quail
ty and nature between life and sensa-
ton, instinct and reason, vital and
moral action. Consciousness, expert
ence, and observation unite in show
ing these distinctions to be true,
radical and universal.
We never in rational thought or
language confound cause and effect,
matter and life, the material and
spiritual, the mental and physical,
the finite and the infinite, the Creator
and his creation, nature and God.
We cannot think, speak or write
nationally without making these dis
t;nctions. They are made in all
thought, all language, all literature,
all law, all ethics, all religion, and
all history
Have these distinctions no foun-
dation in the nature of things9 Is
all thought, language, literature, law,
religion and ethics grounded in, and
builded upon, false conceptions of
nature, God, man, and lifeS If they
are, then the human mind is not
trustworthy. Its conclusions are not
reliable. 1t is impossible to know
the truth, because of the weakness
and imperfection of the human mind.
If they are not, then it is evident
that Monism as a system of phil
osophy is not true.
1t is in conflict with philosophy,