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Article GOB'S IJTO ← Page 2 of 6 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Gob's Ijto
saith the Lord , the heaven is my throne , and . the earth is my footstool : all those things hath mine hand made , saith the Lord . " In Avhat a large and free spirit are these words conceived . And is it not welLfor us , my Brethren , from time to time to c ^ l off our thoughts from t ^ of our own particular creed , from tiie points , too , in which Ave , possessing the same creed , differ , and iti which our differences often tend to make us look
coldly and feel unkindly towards our Brelliren- ^ differences ^ too , it iriay be , to which our own narroAvness and darkness of vision have lent an importance by no means intrinsically th ^ sometimes irom tive ^^^ truths ^ especlihg the presence , and the benevolence of that Great Bfeing whoiri Ave all profess to serve- —in Avhich Ave all agree ? Apd is there net much in Ayhich we do
agree ? Can hot we ail uhite in realizmg the befief that the universe is the templfe of the Deity AyhPm we worship , that Ayisdom , strength and beauty are al > out his throne as the pillars of his work ^ for his Avisdom is infinite , his strength o : nimpote ^ his creation in symrhetry & iid ;" - <>? d « efc | - ; -tfi & i :. ; tlie- : ¦ ¦ B ^'« tirfen 4- ¦ 1 ie :. iii ' aiv ¦; gtretciieS . forth a § a canopy , the etel ^ nioon , and all thehbs his law is coiicord ? Can Ave feel theMlm confession , and
acknoAvledge Pur ag ^^ confession a bond of urnonand fe ^ a chord of brotherly kindness tod charity , ^ bther thought , too ^ strikes us— -ho \ v much the study of the hidden mA / steriei of nature and science to Avhich we are all invited , has tended to break the trammels of superstition and prejudice , and to bring out arid striking relief , the meaning of
such passages as that Avhich I have chosen for my text . Some are afraid , or affect to be afraid , of the study of God ' s works ill nature , of inquiring into the laws according to Avhich the Almighty works , lest , forgooth , the law should take the place of God in our mind and heart , and reason should drive out faith . We , my Brethren ; are not of those Who entertain this slavish fear—for we believe that God is light- —and that in him is no darkness at all . That consequently what can be discovered of him by the aid of our
intellectand surely it was not given to us to lay by , useless and unemployed , like the talent of the unprofitable servant , hidden in a napkin and buried in the earth —that what We can by our inquiries , I say , learn of Ms works ^ cannot he other than light ; also , that it too , must bear the unmistakable impress of that one infinite , all-wise Being by whom are all things , and for whose pleasure they are and were created . And is it not really so , that the free inquiry
into the mysteries of nature and science Avhich has characterized the later ages ofthe world , has resulted in bringing out into the strongest and boldest relief the absolute oneness , omnipotence , and benevolence of the great Creator ; and the unity arid perfect goodness of the government of all things by him , the one exclusive Ruler and Governor of the universe . However
multiform and various the aspects under which the natural works of creation may he viewed , and the departments of science to which thfe y have given birth , yet , on taking a survey of what the most acute and brilliant intellects of man in many successive generations have succeeded in discovering in all these departments , a firm and tried conviction of two truths becomes more
and more deeply rooted in our iriinds—the one , that all the several parts of creation unite in forming one great harmonious whole , in which each several part is beautifully arranged and adapted to the purpose for which it was designed , and all together are but one vast machine bearing unmistakable marks of being the work of one , and one only Author aixdBuler of all things ; pud the second , that the Great Architect has so arranged arid deigned his
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Gob's Ijto
saith the Lord , the heaven is my throne , and . the earth is my footstool : all those things hath mine hand made , saith the Lord . " In Avhat a large and free spirit are these words conceived . And is it not welLfor us , my Brethren , from time to time to c ^ l off our thoughts from t ^ of our own particular creed , from tiie points , too , in which Ave , possessing the same creed , differ , and iti which our differences often tend to make us look
coldly and feel unkindly towards our Brelliren- ^ differences ^ too , it iriay be , to which our own narroAvness and darkness of vision have lent an importance by no means intrinsically th ^ sometimes irom tive ^^^ truths ^ especlihg the presence , and the benevolence of that Great Bfeing whoiri Ave all profess to serve- —in Avhich Ave all agree ? Apd is there net much in Ayhich we do
agree ? Can hot we ail uhite in realizmg the befief that the universe is the templfe of the Deity AyhPm we worship , that Ayisdom , strength and beauty are al > out his throne as the pillars of his work ^ for his Avisdom is infinite , his strength o : nimpote ^ his creation in symrhetry & iid ;" - <>? d « efc | - ; -tfi & i :. ; tlie- : ¦ ¦ B ^'« tirfen 4- ¦ 1 ie :. iii ' aiv ¦; gtretciieS . forth a § a canopy , the etel ^ nioon , and all thehbs his law is coiicord ? Can Ave feel theMlm confession , and
acknoAvledge Pur ag ^^ confession a bond of urnonand fe ^ a chord of brotherly kindness tod charity , ^ bther thought , too ^ strikes us— -ho \ v much the study of the hidden mA / steriei of nature and science to Avhich we are all invited , has tended to break the trammels of superstition and prejudice , and to bring out arid striking relief , the meaning of
such passages as that Avhich I have chosen for my text . Some are afraid , or affect to be afraid , of the study of God ' s works ill nature , of inquiring into the laws according to Avhich the Almighty works , lest , forgooth , the law should take the place of God in our mind and heart , and reason should drive out faith . We , my Brethren ; are not of those Who entertain this slavish fear—for we believe that God is light- —and that in him is no darkness at all . That consequently what can be discovered of him by the aid of our
intellectand surely it was not given to us to lay by , useless and unemployed , like the talent of the unprofitable servant , hidden in a napkin and buried in the earth —that what We can by our inquiries , I say , learn of Ms works ^ cannot he other than light ; also , that it too , must bear the unmistakable impress of that one infinite , all-wise Being by whom are all things , and for whose pleasure they are and were created . And is it not really so , that the free inquiry
into the mysteries of nature and science Avhich has characterized the later ages ofthe world , has resulted in bringing out into the strongest and boldest relief the absolute oneness , omnipotence , and benevolence of the great Creator ; and the unity arid perfect goodness of the government of all things by him , the one exclusive Ruler and Governor of the universe . However
multiform and various the aspects under which the natural works of creation may he viewed , and the departments of science to which thfe y have given birth , yet , on taking a survey of what the most acute and brilliant intellects of man in many successive generations have succeeded in discovering in all these departments , a firm and tried conviction of two truths becomes more
and more deeply rooted in our iriinds—the one , that all the several parts of creation unite in forming one great harmonious whole , in which each several part is beautifully arranged and adapted to the purpose for which it was designed , and all together are but one vast machine bearing unmistakable marks of being the work of one , and one only Author aixdBuler of all things ; pud the second , that the Great Architect has so arranged arid deigned his