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DAILY ENQUIRER • SUN : COLUMBUS, GEORGIA. SUNDAY MORNING DECEMBER 26, 1H86.
GOI) IN NATURE.
The Earth Waa Created for Man and Man
for the Glory of God.
tilith of a Srrloa of Noi-mon* lining Hi llzornl b;
RoTorend II. H. lUrrln, I’aotor of the Klrut Rap.
tint Oiorrh, (olnmlnii,«».
Rev. R. H. Harris, pastor of the First
Baptist Church, of this city, is preaching a
series of sermons on “Qod in Nature.’’ Hi
delivered the sixth of the series last Bun-
day night, and it was ns follows:
tbxt;
“I am formed out of the clay." Job, 33:6.
"The breath of the Almighty hath given me
life." Job, 83:4.
"Whom ye ignoAntly worship, Him declare I
unto you; God * * • * who hath
made • « « * men, » • •
• that they should seek the Lord, if, haply,
they should feel alter Him and And Him, though
lie be not far from every one of us; for In Him we
live and move and have our being * * *
• (or we are * • His offspring." Acts,
17:23, 26, 27, 28.
"If a man die, shall lie live again? Thou
sdialt call, and I will answer." Job, 14:11,15.
"The earnest expectation of the creature wait-
eth for the manifestation of the sons of God.”
Horn , 8:19.
For some tirao past wo have been ' in
vestigating facts, os they hove been pre
sented to our consideration, in various
phases and phenomena of nature. Those
leading features which shape the who'e
outline have been carefully and conscien
tiously studied, on lines suggested by un
biased reason, and thus we hnvo found
that there is no Iconflict between
the revelations of nature in physical
matter and the revelations of the Biblo,
on the same subjects. The two lines of
revelation have been shown to be parallel
throughout the entire physical domain,
and even into the coniines of tho spiritual
realm. Now, "let us hear the conclusion
of the whole matter.’’
We have studied genesis, life, develop
ment, physical providence and the appar
ent object of all natural processes and
S henomenn, and our investigations have
emonstrated tho fact of perfect unity in
f ilan and perfect conformity of Bible teach
es; to the revelntions of nuture.
The discoveries of astronomy confirm
the observations of Job, with reference to
fundamental principles. “Ho hungetli the
earth upon nothing." He suspends it in
ice. “He stretchetk out the
the void of space.
north over the empty place." First, tne
powerful telescope of Herschel, and since,
all the improved instruments of modern
astronomy, confirm the Scripture teaching,
corroborated by tho observation of the
naked eye, that the north is the compara
tively empty quarter of the sky. Look
out, when you leave this house to-night,
and you will discover fewer stars to tho
northward than are to be discerned in any
other quarter of the heavens.
What is tho “influence of the Pleiades?”
Astronomy has discovered that Alcyon,
one of the stars in that beautiful constella
tion, at this moment beaming upon us
from its eastern elevation of sixty degrees,
is the apparent centre around whicli all
other stellar bodies swing. “Mazzaroth.
in his season and Arcturus, with his sons,
moving along their tenuous paths, and
Orion, that most splendid of nil the con
stellations, now wheeling up above the
eastern horizon, held in their orbits by the
eternal “bands,” and mapping out the cir
cles for all other orbs. The cent re of uni
versal gravitation was indicated by the in
spired Job, and astronomy confirms his
Observations.
The geography of the Bible has stood
the crucial test of later discovery ; “the
round world” of the Psalmist “the circuit
of the earth” and the “quarters” thereof,
wiht the “lands” described, or alluded to, by
the inspired writers, east, west, north mid
south, were matters of fact, with which
thousands are familiar now.
We have found, in the science of geolo
gy abundant demonstrations of correct
ness in the genesis of things, as de
clared in the Holy Scriptures,
from the “founding of the earth upon tho
Boas and its establishment upon the floods,"
ofwkick David suntyo the perfect develop
ment of physical life in man, of which
other inspired writers spoke. The up
heaval of tho lands and tho partition of
the seas by ttie power of Him who said to
the ocean; “Hitherto alialt tliou conic, but
no further, aud here s .ill thy proud waves
be stayed;” the adjustment, of the atmos-
f ihere by Him who “raaketb weight for
no winds;" and the establishment of the
great system of currents in sea and air, of
which Bolomon bore witnesswhen he said:
“All the rivers run into the sen, yet the sea
is not full—unto the place from whence
tho riverseomo, thither they return again.”
The order of creation, from atomic plants
through the vegetable kingdom to ineipi
ent animal existence and on to its Anal
perfection in man.
Circulation of a vital fluid, the chief
characteristic of life in plants and animals,
was known to Solomon two thousand
years before Harvey was born, ns indicated
by the poetic language of t bat wisest man,
“or (ever) tho pitcher be broken at
the fountain, or the wheel broken at
the cistern;” and the delicate, nervous sys
tem brought to its perfection in tho human
being, so “fearfully and wonderfully
made,” was not unknown to the inspired
king, who wrote, “Or ever tho silver cord
be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken.”
In botany, physiology and anatomy we
have found confirmed tho principles of
-hysical life, enunciated in many parts of
'ie Holy Writings.
The same correspondence has been ob
served between the respective teachings
of nature and of the Biblo with reference
to t he development of forms of life, from
tho lowest type of plant to the highest
type of animal; types and antitypes, one
form often pretlgurinc another far above
it, in tlv oncoming scries, but each genus
absolutely distinct from every other.
So, also, have we found it with regard to
physical providence. Herein, the facts as
observed in nature and the Bible teachings
agree; in the maud's of food supply, pro
tection, preservation and perpetuation of
kind.
And. at last, we have, in nature, discov
ered the object of all else—a grand pro
vision for the benefit of the human soul.
“All roads lead to Loudon.” Travel what
soever course you will; take your departure
from whatsoever point you may; move in
whatsoever orbit you please; man is the
objective point at which you will flually
arrive, ana the soul of man is found to be
nature’s chief concern. And nature in
this, as in all things else, has been found to
confirm even in their details the teachings
Of the Bible.
In my treatment of the questions dis
cussed I have endeavored to be simple
rather than ornate. I have made no effort
to cover the whole ground. On the con
trary I have been much concerned about
What to leave unsaid. There has been no
attempt at display of learning. I have
realized how little I can grasp in all the
boundless universe. But while I appre
ciate the modesty which prompted
Socrates to say. “All that I know is that I
know nothing.” I can enter still more into
the feeling of Sir Isaac Newton when he
said in his la3t moments: “I have spent
my life upon the shore of the
ocean of -knowledge and, after all,
I have only gathered up a few peb-
bl is from the beach.” Yes, only pebbles;
but pebbles are real—are substantial.
There are some things that we do know
smd some conclusions that are manifestly
true. And, in the search for truth, I
fi
ve carefully avoided theories. I have
..liously abstained from speculation. In
.muse of technical terms, os has some
ties been unavoidable, I have disregard
icchnicul applications, seeking only to
alto my meaning plain. It has been m>
.rposo, merely to traco lines and locate
rners; to make an open plat, rather
un a topographical map, delineating all
u mountains, and hills, aud valleys, and
..iins, the rivers and the seas.
And what has been the result? In the
.mple, even child-like method of inquiry
illowed, we have ascertained facts and
cached conclusions that defy the
ombined assaults of all the skeptical
eieutists and infidel dogmatists that the
vorld has ever produced. There have
ecu, and there are, Christian scientists as
nous as erudite, the peers oi uic moat
■aimed infidel philosophers, and their
iinclusions, reached on different lines,
ii common with ours, sustain
joth the demonstrations of science and the
• eclarations of the Bible. There is no con-
lict between true science and the Script-
ires: on tho contrary, wo have found that
he doctrines of the one confirm the dog-
mis of the other.
But the revelations of nature ore not
oded yet. Observation shows that all
iliysical matter returns to earth. In the
last analysis of anything, we find the de
limits of which it is composed. The
Platonic doctrine is relatively true, that
“from nothing, nothing can spring.” I say
relatively, because the doctrine of an abso
lute Creutor, which Plato seems to have
relieved, is inconsistent with the indepen
dent existence of matter, howsoever in
organic and infinitesimal the component
atoms. The Urocian philosopher main
lined that crude matter is co-eternal with
die one originnl Hod, who has moulded it
into shape, and that all we see is the
product of power conquering resistance.
This view would demolish the idea of a
Creator who is supreme. But it must re
main true, that dissolution resolves any
body into its original dements;
md thus chemistry proves that
tho solids, tho liquids and the
gases, into which all living creatures are
decomposed, are “of the earth, earthy,"
and verifies the declarations of all the
holy writers who have alluded to the gene
sis of man, os summed up in the language
of the inspired philosopher of Uz: “I am
fo/med out of the clay.”
We have seen that all men are innately
conscious of immortality. Plato was, per
haps, tho first uninspired man to formu
late the doctrine of intuitive perceptions—
or, as ho called them, “innate ideas”—but
all men huve developed such a conception.
The doctrine of tho soul’s immortality was
not original with Socrates. The primitive
Indian of America believed in that doc
trine, in common with every other savago
on earth. Pluto, the brilliant disciple of
Bocrates, seems to have become tinctured
with the heresy of Pythagorean metemp
sychosis, and others may have departed,
somewhat, from the Socratic faith; but it
was reserved for Buddhists and modern
followers of “The Light of Asia” to pro
claim the annihilation of the soul. That
“will o’ tho wisp” of doctrine which is
leading into bottomless marshes even some
Christian ministers of to-day.
Aud that spiritual intuition, which we
call consciousness, a revelation of nature,
confirms the teachings of inspiration,
summed up in tho passage of the text:
“The breuth of the Almighty hath given
me life.”
This same principle looks beyond the
death, which is certain, to another state of
existeneo and the question asked by Job;
“If a man die, shall ho live again?” with
the reply, “Thou shall call and I will an
swer,” has been asked and answered in the
heathen breast of the Andean savage.
Does any one call a halt hero ? or protest
that I have advanced too far? Why, nuture
leads onward, farther still, and proclaims
ttie doctrine of the resurrection as one of
her tenets. The Sadducees, while profess
ing a belief in spiritual immortality, struck
a blow at the fundamental principle, com
mon to both natural aud revealed religion,
and opened the way for the materialists of
a later day. The religious idea attains per
fection ouly in the resurrection of
the body. This is essential to complete
ness; and’without it, even the natural sys
tem is incomplete. Tho red man of the
American forest had placed in the grave
by his side the bow, the tomahawk and
other implements of tne chose. What
for, if not for use in the “happy hunting
grounds?” whither the body was expected
to follow the spirit; and in every nation,
history, tradition and inscriptions upon
stone prove universal belief iu the resur
rection of the dead. And this natural in
tuition of the spirit is ii; perfect harmony
with the Scriptures, us witness I’liul to the
Corinthians und the exclamation of Job:
"In my flesh, shall I sea Hod!” And thus
is the demonstration clear, Unit “the
earnest expectation of the creature wuit-
eth for the manifestation of the sons of
clod,” in tho ilcsh.
These spiritual intuitions inevitably pro
duce corresponding spiritual operations.
The soul of man naturally reaches out and
“feels afier God,” groping in the dark
ness, that “haply (it) may find Him.”
Hence, the temple of the Athenians, dedi
cated "to the unknown God.” They
were pantheists and their imagination
Li ad peopled the sky, the air, the
waters, the forest and the
subterranean caves, with deities of various
ranks; but iu their hearts they felt that
there wus One above and beyond all the
rest, to whom supreme allegiance waa due.
And that was the God of whom Haul
preached to them on Mars Hill, proclaim
ing the doctrines of my text in this con
nection, and teaching tnem upon the line
of their own natural intuitions aud spirit
ual operations.
Why tho temple? why the worship? if
the "Men of Athens” were not conscious
of an estranged and helpless condition,
and of utter dependency upon the “Un
known God." In conscience they heard
the “still, small voice” that all men hear;
in common with nil other men they real
ized their fallen condition and desired re
conciliation, and as it has been appointed
unto all men to do, they wero “feeling
after Him” iu the hope of restoration to
II is favor.
What is tho meaning of the word relig
ion? It is a heathen word—coined by
heathen men. Re-lego, re-ligo, I take
back, I bind ngain. The bond has been
severed. Religio is the rebinding. And there
is a nutural religion, the expression of a
natural intuitive desire on the part of man
to become reunited with God. And this
natural desire found its uatural operatiou
iu sacrifice. Propitiation is sought in the
surrender, in the giving up of something.
This is worship in its essence, and there
is a natural universal conviction that the
most uotent and effectual sacrifice is ac
complished in the shedding of blood, and
the propitiation of hignest virtue is
naturally sought in the libation of human
blood. Else why the human sacrifices of the
druids among our forefathers long before
Christianity had been introduced into
Britain from Gaul ? Why this sacrificial
custstom among the ancient Celts, the
Baxons of the north, the Goths and Van
dals, not to Bpeak of people more ancient
still ? Why practiced by the Hindoos in
their jungles, the African in his noisome
swamps, the inhabitants cf islands
in the great South sea, the Peruvian
and the Aztec? Slaughter! Why ? If ourcon-
clusion is not true, why should history and
tradition teem with evidence? Why the
significant emblematical inscriptions, on
broken columns of ruined cities, on crypts
and tombs and old sarcophagi?
And, now, we fiud that God, in the Mo
saic law, accommodates Himself, as it were,
to the natural predisposition ol man. He
has, from all eternity, planned the intui
tions and operations of the human soul,
that, in His own good time, He might
bring the terms of reconcilliation to the
“apprehension” of the human mind. The
ceremonial law of Moses, “in the letter,”
demanded the sacrifice of blood, as the
“figure” of the Great Sacrifice, prospects
iwly revealed “in the spirit” of that law.
■ The law is our achool-master, to bring us
to” the perfect means of propitintion—that
Which, through natural channels, the soul
bus ever sought in vain.
Nature convinces us of the existence of
the immortal soul and its departure, uu-
maimed, from the lifeless body; nature
speaks within us, of helpless, hopeless ruin
and warns us of a divine judgment to con
firm our perdition; nature proclaims
the resurrection of the body nnd its final
reunion with the spirit; nature prompts an
attempt to appease an offended God and
even suggests the characteristic of accept
able sacrifice: but, here, nature stops. Na
ture cannot find tne offering that will pro
pitiate. Nature bas brought us to the
brink of the horrid chasm, where we stand
upon the crumbling edge and with strain
ing eyes peer down into the fathomless
darkness in vain attempt to penetrate the
bottomless depths. Man stands shudder
ing upon the dizzy verge and strives, with
futile gaze across the gloomy gorge, to dis
cover the farther side. For ages, meu
have searched around in despair for mate
rial with which to bridge the dreadful
abyss, or for some buoyant vessel, light as
air, to waft them over tho yawning gulf.
Alas! unaided nature can do nothing for
us now. i.:.D
But there is a bridge! and tho chasm has
been spanned! Nature, as we bavc seen,
confirms the Bible up to this point, in all
respects, physical und spiritual. We have
found that the teachings of tho two are
parallel and never in conflict. Cun
we not, now’, trust the Bible further
on, and follow its guidance into realms
that nature cannot reach? Cau wo not
exercise faith, even “blind faith,” in the
God whom uatuie reveals to us? That
God, who is behind and'beyond all nature,
“though He be not far from every one of
us,” controlling everything by llis own
special providence from all eternity. That
God, who, as we were taught, this morn
ing is above and behind all natural law.
which is but the expression of His will,ana
who can and who does suspend and hold in
abeyance, at His pleasure, even basic laws,
in answer to the prayer of faith. He hath
given and He hath perfected the complete
spiritual revelation of His will and pur-
rose upon the inspired pages of this blessed
rook, nnd thus He meets and satisfies “the
earuest expectation of the creature,” for
this life nnd for the life which is to come.
In nature, and infinitely beyond, is God !
All things point to Him. He slirs tho in
tuitions of the spirit, arousesthe operations
of the soul and, having awakened man to
a realization of his lost and helpless con
dition, He reveals to him tho bridge of es
cape—“the way” to His forgiveness and
His love, through faith in the vicarious
atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ.
VITIATED BLOOD
Scrofulous, Inherited and Conta
gious Humors Cured
by Cuticura.
r pHItOUGH the medium of one of your books
1 received through Mr. Frank T. Wra^, Drug
gist, Apollo, Pa , I became acquainted with your
(JUTIJURA REMEDIES, and take this opportu
nity to testify to you that their use has
pernunently cured me of one of the worst cases
of bl >od poisoning, in connection with erysipe
las, that 1 have ever seen and this after having
been pronounced incurable by some of the best
physicians iu our county, I take preat pleasure
m forwarding to you this testimonial, unsolicited
as it is by you, in order that oihers suffering from
simi ar maladies may be encouraged to give your
CUTICURA REMEDIES a trial.
P. 8. WHITLINGEII, Leechburg. Pa.
Reference : Frank T. Wray, Druggist, Apollo, Pa.
fidROFIIUMJN HA IMS.
James E. Richardson. Custom House, New Or
leans, on oath says: "In 18/0 Scrofulous Ulcers
broke out on my body until I was a mass of cor
ruption. Everything known to the medical facul
ty was tried in vain. I became a mere wreck. At
tunes could not lift my hands to my head, could
not turn in bed; was in constant pain and looked
upon life as a curse. No relief or cure in ten
years. Iu 1880 I heard of the Cuticura Remedies,
used them, and was perfectly cured.”
Sworn to before U. S. Com. J. D. Crawford.
ONE OF THE WORST (lASES.
We have been selling your Cuticura Remedies
for years, and have the first complaint yet to re
ceive from a purchaser. One of the worst cases
of Scrofula I oversaw was cured by the use of
five bottles of Cut’cura Resolvent, Cuticura und
Cuticura Soap. The Soap takes the "cake” as a
medicinul soap.
TAYLOR ft TAYLOR. Druggists,
Frankfort, Kan.
ftCItOFri.OrN, INHERITED,
And Coi tagious Humors, with Loss of Hair, and
Eruptions of the Skin, are positively cured by
Cuticura and Cuticura Soap ex ernally, and Cuti
cura Resolvent internally, when all other medi
cines fail. Send for Pamphlet.
Cuticura Remedies are sold everywhere. Price:
CUTICURA. the Great Skin Cure, Rods.; CUTI-
r*UUA SOAP, an Exquisite Beautifkr, 25 c\s ;
CUTICURA RESOLVENT, the New Blood Puri
Her. $1.00. POTTER DRUG AND CHEMICAL
CO.. Boston.
IYIMPLKS, Blackheads, Skin Blemishes, and
* Baby Humors, use Cuticura Soap.
How My Back Aches !
Back Ache, Kidney Pains and Weak
ness, Soreness, Lameness, Strains aud
kPnin relieved in one minute by the Cuti-
loura ANTI PAIN PLASTER-INFAL-
tJLlBLE. 8e wedfcw
FOR SALE.
A substantial Six-Room Residence, centrally
located; quarter-acie lot; convenient to business,
churches, schools and street railroad. Owner
removing fYom the city, and will sell cheap for
cash, or on time.
Temperance Hall.
The Wilkerson Residence.
Tho Harrison place, Beallwood.
Store No. 143 Broad Street.
Quarter-Acre Lot north Second Avenue.
FOR KOEHSTT.
Rooms over 8in^er Machine Office.
Six-Room Dwelling, Rose Hill.
Col. Holt's Store and Dwelling, near Swift*
Mill.
L. H. CHAPPELL,
Broker, Beal Estate and Insurant® Agent.
dtf
g. Our Book, Th
Requires no cooking. Our Boole, The Care
and Feeding of li..'9nts, mailed free.
DOUBER. OUODALS a CO.. Boston. Meaa.
Mi
wSIrh he will ienii FREC to'hii fello'
Atldreu, C. J. MASON, r. O. Box »1T«,;
8c2oeod&w ly
1)1) T7D Send six cents for postage and
I XV1 /i III. recceive free a costly box of
goods which will help all, of either sex, to nuk
more money right away tha« anything elsel
this world. Fortunes await the workers abso-
utely sure. Terms mailed free. Tsua * Co.
Auguste. Maim*.
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ON CONSIGNMENT,
500 Boxes Oranges!
Choice, bright St. John’s River Oranges. No
rusty or sour oranges in this lot.
PRICE UDO PER BOX,
The following number of Oranges are in each
box—select sizes that suit your trade:
250 Oranges to the box at about l%o each.
2 c
2Vc
2|!jC
3V„c
4 c
Iu 15 to SO box lots will make special prices.
Apple.
and can t
40 Bbls Fine Northern
All the above goods now in store
orders promptly.
J. J. WOOD
Next above Central Hotel.
Qeod tf
Di. J. W, CAMERON,
Practicing Physician. \
D ISEASES of Infancy and Childhood a special
ty. . Dr. j, W . Cameron can be found c-t
Eva ns ft Howard’s Drug Store. Office b ours fYom
8 to 10 a m and fYom 2 to 5 p m. Residence No.
310 Tenth street, opposite the synagogue.
decl4 lm
FOR SALE.
VyiLL be sold, on the first Tuesday in January
next, at the auction house of F. M. Knowles
& Co., one hundred and twenty acres of land in
Hums rnnntv (la „ n
**'-’“* "‘xvvoruic. aiucs gooa. ierms '
For particulars apply to
. „ HATCHER ft PEABODY,
dec22 eodtd Attornm.1
COLUMBUS
ron Works
COMPANY,
Columbus,
Georgia.
FOUNDERS AND MACHINISTS.
DEALERS IN
Lime, Shingles, Dressed and Matched Ceiling and Flooring
and other Lumber. Specialty mcade of Dress
ing Lumber for other parties.
AGENTS FOR
Royal Pumps, Judson Governors, Eberman Feeders, Standard
Injectors, Hancock Inspirators and
BROWN COTTON GINS
MANUFACTURERS OF
Stratton’s Improved Absorption Ice Machines, Saw Mills,
Pumps, Hollow Ware, Syrup Kettles,
O-OLIDEInT cotton presses
The Improved Calender Rollers.
The above, cut represents the Improved Calender Rollers,
so much admired and extensively used by Cotton Manufac
turers of the present day. They consist principally of five
Rollers, six inches in diameter, 40 inches long; two of them
hollow, being a receptacle for steam. They are furnished
with all necessary pipe and valves, fitted up ready to be at
tached to a Boiler; has all the latest improvements on same,
including the Selvage Rollers ane Cloth Yard Folder ; a taut
and loose Pulley, 20 inches in diameter, 4 inches face, all
ready to be connected to a line of Shafting. It only requires
a trial to demonstrate their indispensibility.
ie20 wed.seAwfim
A
IS TEEMIN'Q- WITH
Bargains for the Holidays.
The entire stock of Winter Goods reduced in price to
close before the end of the season.
Blankets, Flannels, Cassimeres, Jean^, Balmoral Skirts,
Dress Goods, Merino Underwear, all marked down.
Our Bargain Counters are replenished daily with
goods at prices that cannot be had elsewhere.
You will save money by calling on
«T. IE. G-A-DRO-ILL
op10 <taw8m
7
Ag’t.
$50 REWARD.
cureVrmanently il taken according to directions. We mean just what we say. This won-
derful^onie and Blood Purifier is for sale by all first-class Druggists.
J. M. HUNNICUTT & CO.. Atlanta. Ga.