The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-03-07

with the feeling tha. he is too insg-
niflcant to attract Gods personal atten-
tion. much more To be the object OF
His constant loving care. he will find
himself wonderfully reassured If he will
lay down the telescope and take up
the microscope. Such an examination
will disclose to him that, as a positive
fact. God has somehow found abundant
time. Notwithstanding the multiplicity
and the magnitude OF the interests of
His vast universe, to give His personal
attention to the equipping and provis-
ioning of beings of infini.esimal min
uteness. That mighty hand. in whose
hollow the heavens are held, has also
sufficient delicacy and precision of
touch to fashion the finely reticulated
wing of the ephemeron. The same art,
conception and marvellous skill that
paint the sunset and bend the rainbow
have touched with the most brilliant
pigment each feather in the plumage
Of the fly. The same musician who has
conceived the grand organ harmonies
OF ocean biliow and thunderburst has
also adjusted, part to part, with loving
care. that sweetest of musical instru-
ments, the throat of the sky lark"
This eXhaustlessness of patience and
infinitude of forethought is true as well
OF the inorganic as of the organic
world. 1t is an omnipresent truth in
nature. If it be true of ephemeral in
sects living only for a day, who shall
say that IL Is not equally true of man,
the perfected crown of creative effort?
vI.-DOES GOD HEED PRAYER?
Unless we credit God with continued
personal oversight or all kingdoms of
His created universe. He becomes, in
stead OF an exhaustless fountain OF
outtlowing, energizing thought, instead
of the very personification of living
force, of tireless mental buoyancy and
2est a picture of changeless, thought
less, emotionless calm, Of absolute
mental stagnation." The author con-
tends that not only is this conception of
the divine existence repellent to every
earnest active soul. but that further
more there is nothing in the discoveries
of science 70 compel such u belief
But granting that God Is still active
In every department of His creation,
does He or will He change His plans
because of human prayer? Mr., Kins-
ley answers yes. Objecting to the hy
pothesis that God, having foreknown
all things for all time. Is therefore
changeless in purpose, the author de-
MES that His foreknowledge is all
comprehendinS. and contends that such
a denial can be shown to be in perfect
consonance both with sound philosophy
and with the ghtly-interpreted Re
vealed Word. Were Gods fore-knowl
edge all-comprehending. He must,
since the infinite past. have been in Il
state of stagnation. which the vital
ity of His universe no less than the
dictum of His printed word disprovcs.
Our author elaborateS this proposition
with remarkable thoroughness, reach
ing at last the conclusion that God.
too. is progressive; that. being able
to forecast the general trend. the or
dinary tendencies. Of the lives of His
children, has unquestionably pre-ar-
ranged His proyidences to meet their
probable wants." while. "for the ey
traordinary and unforeseen He has
made provision by leaving Himself
ample facilities for immediate inter
ference" such Interference being pos
sible of solicitation through prayer.
.'Such a view of God--of His matur-
ing and executing plans, of His in
tellectual and emotional life--as I have
endeavored to present is" says Mr..
Kinsley, the only one, after all, ac-
tually conceivable by finite minds. To
pronounce Him unconditional. un
changeable. Omniscient, omnipOtent,
omnipresent using these words in their
ordinary and fullest acceptation. plaC-
Ing no restriction upon their meaning,
is simply falling. unintentionally no
doubt, into nothing less than word-jug
glery. affirming what to human minds
must of necessity be absolutely un-
thInkable. The only rational course is
to take for our basic thought that we
have been created in Gods image, and
then to picture God as q spirit possess
sing in perfection attributes analogous
to our own, although our own are yet
germinal and sim distorted"
This view affords an opportunity for
u rational belief in the efficacy of pray
err. and certainly broadens and deep
ems the foundations of thoughtful re-
ligiOus faith. l.. s. X.