The San Francisco call., 1896-02-10

revelation is not, as Father Yorke says, about
one and the same thing, but two widely diner
ent things.
We are told that God inspired men. We say
nature inspires all, and all OF our senses are
but SO many open windows and channels OF
natural inspiration or inbreathlng from the
material universe of which we are part. Ana
inspiration is simply The Impressions we take
on from what we see, hear and feel, and these
impressions may be correct index OF truth or
may not be true at all, and guide US quite
astray from the truth. And while dlVlne
revelation is discovery of.facts anG truth, ,hu,
man inspiration at the best is impressions ana
belief, and from human fra1lty ana limitations
no human inspiration can be perfect or lnfai-
lible, and yet is prime factor in promoting
menta! and moral life even II only partly true.
For gravitation is natures method in STIR
ring the material world, so also is inspiration
natures method of promoting mental and
moral life in the world.
Inspiration is simply an impulse which ex-
cites and intensifies and brings out what is
Inherent within us, but cannot create whistle
out OF pigs tail. To inspire bulldog or
tiger would only increase their cruel power.
To inspire a donkey would not create speech or
song-only a louder noise and more mulish-
ness. An inspired goose would still be moth
ing but goose and after all do nothing but
SO it is, the quality of human inspiration
Will always depend upon organism, endoW-
ment ana cultivation. And the history 2 OF IN. IN.
destroy individuality, but increases the power
OF the good man to do more good and the
WickeQ man TO DO worse ana as u RUE Is III
keeping with the character and habits OF the
person inspired.
Inspiration is not, as some suppose re1ig-
lous word, as men are inspired on every side
and phase of life and being. The poet is in
splred with poetry, the artist with art, the
naturalist with nature, the musician with
music, the philosopher with science and the
superstitious person or saint with religion.
In TACT people do not do anything real well
without inspiration, and all great leaders of
thought in letters, music, military skill, poll
Tics, science and religion have been inspired
men,. And Newton, Watt, Stevenson, Frank
lin, Napoleon, Grant, Wesley, Beecher, How
ara, huxley, Darwin. Jennie Lind, Bradlaugh,
lngersoll and Jesus of Nazareth, each inspired
IN his own way TO do his own work, have
left their mark as ideals in the history of this
world. Without inspiration to quicken and
stir the world of mind there could be little
else but the dead level of stagnation and the
history of all inspiration in the Bible and out
SIDE OF the scriptures from first to last, shows
clearly the good and the bad side of human
nature. Moses, David and Saul were inspired
TO acts OF cruelty and blood, and Torquemada
OF Spain TO rob and kill the defenseless Jews to
promote Christianity.
Jesus was inspired to acts of love and kind
ness. Peter to lie and deny his master-his in
splration OF bravery and love had all oozed
OUT wnen his master needed friend and poor
seter was hid away among the hired girls in
tne kltcnen, and crowned his meanness with
the basest action.
Booth was inspired to kill Lincoln, Abraham
70 klll isaac ald Guiteap to xiii Garfield, end