Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-12-24
Working ont Conclusions.
Observations Of a Philosophical Friend
of Ours)


OF Ours)
There must be conclusions."-shakes-
peare. 49,
beauty They shall behold the land that
is very far of. "-Isaiah.
The whole business Of life, natural and
spiritual. IS, worEing out conclusions:
the operation OF causes and forces to-
wards the fulhlment of the conceptions
ana designs of infinite wisdom. The
main chance of things lies entreasurea in
seeds and weak beginnings: terminating
leaving. poisoning, fruit-bearng, ma
turing, and yielding seeds for reproduc-
ton, each after his kind, the whole sys
tenn Of things being ordered, sustained,
quickened by Almighty God. Ambitious
science beclouds itself and shuts off Ills
face with high sounding words and abb
sractions-a brilliant mist Evolution
and agnosticism are the parents of airy
and inebratng nonenuties. And truth
Is truth to the end of the chapter. The
leayen Of vital principle, leavening the
loaf Of humanity, is an idea infinitely
surprising the mere method Of develop
ment The work OF the spirit Of God
in the soul OF man is more than mortal
mind can tell. We know its results we
cannot trace its ways and processes
There is no evolution in The dawnng of
the day and the rising of the sun 70 its
noontide. The first promise I'm Eden of
the redemption Of man. the ever bright
ening light of prophecy, the rising Of
the Sun Of Righteousness, His disappear
ance below the horizon of time, leay-
ing the world possessed forever with
His light, and the whole earth preparing
for his return to reign I'm righteousness
and rule in judgment. over man i'm glory,
swallows up all mans methods and pro-
cesses i'm infinite expansion.
Mans methods are most honorable and
wise and far-reaching as they are minia-
| lures and limitations of the ways of God,
as we see them in His works. And the
most inspiring and life and lght-giving
book that We can read is the book of
nature, illustrating His works. The
grandest conclusion that can be reached
is man reconciled and talking with God,
as did primeval man in Eden, as lord of
creation, the Vice-regent Of Heaven.
In the matter of human books, as re-
c0rding and keeping and imparting know
ledge, our race easily falls into idOlatry.
Simple men admire them: Wise men use
them. The exceuency Of knowledge is
that wisdom giyeth life to them THAI
have IT, We are like, the old heather
that WOrshipped the net and the drag
They caught fish with them and believed
in them. Because We get more or
| less knowledge through books, we be-
I fr. md
proud OF idolizing them. Then we for
get their purpose and turn them into
mere pleasure or means Of honor or
profit or supersttions. SO it is that
thousands Of readers are ever learning
and never able 20 come 70 a knowledge
of truth. The whole business of life be-
comes ambition and avarice and pleasure
and the end Of 1t vanity and vexa-
ton of spirit. The root is Iottenness
/ and the blossoms 30 up as the dust
Books are valuable, as they hold and
dinuse the knowledge Of the ways and
works OF God. and enable men through
| His works 10 know and talk with Him.
| AS they are mere amusements and things
! Of pleasure they are toys. inebriants
| and time MASTERS. They are Ike painted
| windows or Ornamented spectacles They
| Open no vista, nor reveal any light be-
| yond. They shut out the real world and
| disable us from seeing Things as tuey
are. To relieve his friends from these
! illusions and let I'm the light of Heaven
| the good. old Apostle advises them to
anoint their eyes with eye salve that
| they may see. In contrast with them
! the Psalmist tells Ms that the COM
/ mandments of the Lard are pure and give
/ light 10 the eyes" They relieve US from
/ the mtOXicatOn Of mere fine writ
! ing and sentlmentalizang-f the
/ effects OF delrium tremons and night
mares in musical words. The mind, lift
| ed up to vanities and wasted I'm goddess
| pleasures, loses all It's dignity and divine
ness. has no stomach for nObleness.
| Honestly devoted 70 truth and loyal 10
| the source Of light, through books it de-
| rives light and shines more and more 90
| the perfect day. It worIes out the great
/ conclusion lu approaching the image of
/ God. the measure Of the stature OF the
/ fulness Of Christ. Its scope expands from
/ the nursery TO tho home, the school, the
community. the State. the country, the
! world. tho uniyerse-to God as all in all.