Theism; being the Baird Lecture of 1876Flint, Robert
Religion
Theism; being the Baird Lecture of 1876
Flint, Robert
Theism
I have challenged the theology of Mr Darwin, and those who follow his
guidance in theology. I have no wish to dispute his science. I pass
no judgment on his theories so far as they are scientific theories. It
may be safely left to the progress of scientific research to determine
how far they are true and how far erroneous. We ought not to assail
them needlessly, or to reject the truth which is in them, under the
influence of a senseless dread that they can hurt religion. In so far
as they are true, they must be merely expressions of the way in which
Divine intelligence has operated in the universe. Instead of excluding,
they must imply belief in an all-originating, all-foreseeing,
all-foreordaining, all-regulative intelligence, to determine the rise
and the course and the goal of life, as of all finite things. That
intelligence far transcends the comprehension of our finite minds,
yet we apprehend it as true intelligence. It is no blind force, but a
Reason which knows itself, and knows us, and knows all things, and in
the wisdom of which we may fully confide, even when clouds and darkness
hide from us the definite reasons of its operations. We can see and
know enough of its wisdom to justify faith where sight and knowledge
are denied to us. Let us trust and follow it, and, without doubt, it
will lead us by a path which we knew not, and make darkness light
before us, and crooked things straight.
LECTURE VII.
MORAL ARGUMENT--TESTIMONY OF CONSCIENCE AND HISTORY.
I.
WE have seen how the power manifest in the universe leads up to God
as the First Cause, the all-originating Will. We have seen also how
the order manifest in the universe leads up to Him as the Supreme
Intelligence. But there is more in the universe than force and order;
there is force which works for good, and a just and benevolent order;
there are moral laws and moral actions, moral perceptions and moral
feelings. Can anything be thence inferred as to whether God is, and
what He is? I think we shall find that they clearly testify both as to
His existence and character.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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