Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1902-12-10
THROUGH HUMANITY TO GOD.

proof or that such proof would be unde-
sirable even if we could obtain it. 1t
is also alleged that the Bible assumes
the existence of God and does not. there
fore. attempt to discuss the matter fe-
garding it as among the res adiuaieIta
of the spiritual life But botl these state
ments are inexaet The Bible does not
undertake as an argument 20 prove the
existence of God, but il is filed with ar
gualents which are addressed to the Judg-
ment only on the basis that it would re-
quire reasons for Gods work and exer-
else Judgment on the use.of His author
ity. Nor can it be alleged that such
proof if we can find it. is useless. The
best answer TO this is that man has from
the dawn of the human intellect been try
ing to find such proof which would seem
to be good evidence that he regards such
proof as of value The simple assurance
of the existence and supreme authority
of God is probably the one single force
which alone supports all religion. All
doctrines and personalities and rituals
become useless and hollow unless undec-
meath and through them there abides this
one fundamental truth.
The fundamental inquiry of religious
men in our day may be imagined, then,
from the fact that this very doctrine in
yolying everything else has with all the
rest been laid under the searching scru-
tiny of criticism and interrogation. Where
other ages have debated what kind of
faith they should have ours has question
ed whether it should have any at all. At
other times men have doubted whether
a particular cult was divine or not; cur
age has boldly dared to ask the question
whether there be any Supreme Head to
the world and the human race.
Most of the argument in time past for
a natural reason has gathered around
what is called the argument from de-
sign. The theologian and philosopher
Paley furnished its characteristic illus
tration in the symbol of the watch found
In the roadside which from its mechan-
ism and orderly adjustment of part to
part showing design proved designer.
The world is such a mechanism, argued
he, and thus proves the existence IF n
great designer whom we call God. The
late DIR. John Fiske, applying the doc
trine of evolution to the universe which
showed 10 be not q mechanism but an
organism took this so-called theological
argument and substituted for Paley's
watch the lily, arguing that the unfolding
growth of lily showed design as God
exercised it in the natural world far bet
ter than a thing of mechanical arrange
Dient like a watch, but was not less but
more the evidence of purpose and there
fore of a mind governing and directing
the affairs of nature and the world.
But the mind of man does not easily
rest its faith upon arguments which can
not be illustrated best ont of his own ma
ture and experience. Hence by and by
the watch argument with it's mechanism
began to lose interest. And now even
the attractive evolutionary statement of
the argument sounds tame and lifeless.
Nature is great. bit human life is great
er. The organic world, with its multi
tude of wonderful forms and changing
forces. is fascinating and often bewilder-
ing. And for a time the mind can be
bewildered into resting i'll this kind of an
argument. But sooner or later the mind
rcvolts and demands proof from within.
Natures laws, after all, apply only to
man when man applies them. If he does
not like them he ncutralizes them. He
makes night day and day night to suit
his ends. He makes summer cool and
winter warm with device and Appliance,
and in a thousand ways shows that Of
ter all natural law, so often invoked as if
it were Il fnnlity in this world. is thing
with which man takes all kinds of lib
erty.
The only laws with N,'liicl he cannot
take liberties are the inner ones. And
this is true because. as 'sus taught, the
kingdom of God is within us. not Without
us. What is less than God we can con
troll because He has given us eharre of
it. But God Himself and His king, ON.
which He has written in the nature nd
heart of man himself. must be and !, i'll
be obeyed.
Singularly economics by the Increase
estimate under Christian inspiration am,
guidance which it has put upon man has
supplied the newest form of the argu-
.ncnt for the existence of God Man is
nm economic animal, but one that rea-
sons, thinks, has memory. can suffer
through time and ningle in the present
many intangible ard mighty forces which
cannot be reduced to statistics. Thus
the spiritual valuations in mans life
have acquired great economic Importance.
1t is of greater Importance that ii man
shall feel that justice is being done than
that he shall have a full dinner pail. The
full pail with conscious injustice prey all
ing will never. as it has never, still the
anger and cupidity of man.
But where men under great trial have
been reduced for Justices sake TO dire
straits, they have shared and shared
gladly and uncomplaiuingly the i.iost
meageF fare This was because the nam
was greater than his work 1t is the
spiritual capacity of man, so wonderful
in his aspiration. so capable of sacrifice.
so divine in his demand for the realiza-
tion of the most abstract spiritual ideals,
who thus himself proves and illustrates
that because he seeks these qualities
seen incomplete in himself in an eternal
quest for completeness there must be a
final resting place where the faulty JUS
tice of man becomes the perfect justice
of God, where the fragmentary knowl-
edge of man becomes the omniscience Of
God and where the divided powers of
man are united in the Omnipotence of
God and where the intermittent moods If
benevolence among men ere made whole
and final in the universal love Of Gcd.
Man is himself the sublime and final
argument for Gods existence, and the
God reached. not through mechanics or
philosophy, but through man himself, will
BE- the God Of Jesus Christ revealing
Himself as Power. knowledge and Lore.
MAKING THE MOST OF LIFE.
b Rey. n. r. Harris.
They who live longest do not nccesSar-
lie. 1esl~ In e I Ts