The problem of evil

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THE

PROBLEM OF EVIL

OR

THEORY AND THEOLOGY,

TO WHICH IS PREFIXED

PREPARATORY AXIOMS, QUERIES AND COROLLARIES; AND FOLLOWED WITH AN APPENDIX.

The absent danger greater still appears ;

And less he fears who's near the thing he fears."

— Danibi,.

MADISON, WIS. :

WM. J. PARK & CO., 11 King St.

Tr coPTKianT, 1877.

A preface is supposed to be a key to what the author has attempted to do in his work, or a kind of private chat between the reader aud the writer. And as in our case the reader will hardly understand the object and the tenor of our production except through an explanation of its intent; therefore, to all who may chance to read this little volume, we desire to whisper before they begin, that it was not written with the expectation of pleasing those who are exacting and scrupulous in the arrangement of sentences, or in the showy combination of words and phrases. Neither was it written to satisfy the demands of the cold critic in mere artistic beauty, or simple mechanical book finish and completeness; but written for those who earnestly and anxiously wish to pry into the dark problem of human sorrow, and earthly disorder, with all the anxiety and perseverance with winch a lost child seeks the homeward way, or seeks a road through the thick brambles which may hedge its path or hinder its journey home.

And, as with this child, it is the end in view that fills the entire thought and that binds and holds the heart captive — as with this child it is not the time requisite in attaining the end — not so much the labor of attaining it that demands special attention or especial anxiety, but the certainty of attaining it; so we in tins earnest search for a path over the mountains of moral mystery and through the brambles of difficulty surrounding the subject of moral evil, will have done well if we may find (Jby this route) the way to our Great Father's loving arms, and also arrive at a clear and a satisfactory solution of our knotty question, in any manner whatever, or by any method, however clumsy and commonplace.

And, as men pushing their way into some wild wilderness country are generally pleased, and well may be pleased, with blazed trees (leading over rough and winding ways and through fordable, yet unbridged streams, only so they are sure the way is comparatively safe and leads to the desired locality); and as these men veiy reasonably conclude that time and energy will mark and pave along that route a shorter and plainer path, so we conclude that active genius and theological industry in coming time will enlarge, simplify and beautify any path we may now be able to find and follow to the long sought — long coveted goal; or to the solution of this intricate problem of evil.*

To some, and perhaps to many who may chance to pick up this volume, the subject may seem uninteresting and repulsive, and the manner of treating it dry and unreadable; but if they reflect a moment, they may perhaps see that very much of the good which pertains to the present life, and all that gathers into the thoughts and hopes of the next, have their root and their reason in some solution or disposal of this ever-present problem.

Hence, in this way the need, if not the desire of understanding the subject — the need, if not the determination to do all that can be done to fathom it fully, can be readily seen; if in fact (by all thinking men) such work is not at once coveted, embraced and prized as all-important.

Let this, then, be the apology for the appearance of this volume, and also for the plain and earnest manner in which it is written.

Again, the peculiar style of the first few chapters may embarrass

* Since this volume (except the appendix) was in type, we have learned that Dr. Baymond of the Biblical Institute (Evanston, Illinois), is publishing a work on " Systematic Theology," and inasmuch as his especial attentention has been called to this subject of moral .evil during the last few years, we may reasonably look for something fresh and pointed, from his sharp and polished pen upon this important topic. True, we were urged by a few of our good brethren to publish this volume because of ceitain paper criticisms made over two years since, upon two of the Doctor's lectures, or upon that part of them in which he essayed to give a key to ihe mystery of moral evil, in few yet plain and emphatic words. The lectures were delivered before the graduating class of 1874, and the key he then gave, the reader will lind on page 158 of this work. That is the last ana best we have seen in print from his pen on the subject, but the friction of the last two years has probably elicited sparks of new light which will shine out in his new and forthcoming volume. We will hope and wait; but will think and work while we wait and hope.

Preface

many, and especially those who are not accustomed to think in that manner. Hence, they may find it very difficult, at first, to so shake themselves free from Bible ideas respecting God and His work, as to fully discover the exceeding darkness which shrouds or hangs over nature, without some means of explaining its strange hostility to man. But by a little discipline in that direction, all will, doubtless, become clear and plain.

Our opening exhibit, of Axioms, Queries and Corrolaries, too, may, to many minds, seem at first thought out of place and uncalled for; but upon a little reflection, they may deem them just in place and all-important as the first stepping stones in any argument (with or without a Bible), for either the existence of God, or for any reasonable solution of the moral condition and physical surroundings of man. For if we, as men, have no real and conscious existence, or if we are not distinct from the material world — are not the accountable creatures of a wise and a powerful Creator — are not moral beings, in fact, then all argumentation touching the existing ills of earth and time is fully closed up and finished, and all the lines and traces of thought on such subjects blotted out forever. Therefore if men are not moral agents, and if the Creator is not distinct from his creations, the problem of evil sinks out of sight, or is lost and swallowed up in the Creator himself, i. e., in nature.

Hence, unless we are prepared to adopt the bald errors of Pantheism (the notion that God is the Universe and the Universe God), or if we are not ready to foolishly affirm that there can be two absolute beings (one good and the other evil, after the notion of the Manichean philosophy, see page 108), then we must adopt and be governed by the principles and spirit of these axioms. In other words, we might as well attempt to constitute a moral council or a theological club of the gearings of a mill or the wheels of a watch, as to do so out of so many fixtures in nature or factors of fate, or out of so many men and women who are not moral agents. Accountability being a fundamental ingredient in the make up both of men and of angels. For, in this accountability, only, do we find the responsibility for their moral beauty or deformity before God. Yet, to-day, a gentleman informed me that God made the devil, which was remarkable news surely. And when the proof for this statement was asked for, it did not appear to lie around just handy; did not appear to lie anywhere; was not to be found. And it seems sad and strange that men of good, fair sense cannot see the difference between Cain in his cradle-bed and Cain a murderer, flying as a fugitive to the land of Nod. We are ready to say that God made the child (Cain), but to say that God made the first murderer, or made the devil, is blasphemy; for, Cain could not be a murderer except by taking the life of some one. And if we know anything about Cain, we know that he made himself a murderer, and that Cain knew that he had done so, and was frightened and pained at the heinousness or blackness of his crime in the eye of Heaven. And in this sense Satan made himself Satan and would not have been Satan otherwise.

And then, again, as to these Axioms, we have placed them at the beginning of the volume, rather than at its close, because they are intended as a brief rule by which much that is to follow must be measured. And we have printed them in fair sized type, for the ease of reading them in such type as compared to the labor of reading print of a finer character.

Again, it may appear paradoxical to the reader that we wander, so radically, from the beaten path of theological thought, touching moral evil, and attempt to cross the mountains of difficulty into the Italy of assurance and rest upon that subject, not by " The Pass of St. Bernard " — the conclusion of the divinity doctors, nor by "The Simpleton " — the theory of the schools, but by a new, unexplored and untrodden route. In fact, to ourself it really seems strange that we should be led to conclusions so totally contrary to all our theological education, and to all our earlier modes and lines of thought on this topic. Indeed, it has been a matter of deep and troubled regret, that in canvassing this intricate subject, so many distinguished authors have been found opposed to what seems in this canvass the only true theory. But being thus opposed to what appears to be the truth in the case, they could only be placed in opposition to the views advocated herein. And we have frankly given many of then names and words so that they can be defended if possible to do so. And it will be a real and a thankful relief if their views can be shown to be true — shown to be reasonable and scriptural.

Hence, the learned world have hereby the earnest invitation, or request thrown at their feet to thus help us out of any error into which we may have fallen, and to speak for and to defend the doctrines of the dead.

The reputation of those departed and worthy men, however, needs no defense — is above reproach — greener than the lam-el. And then- giant abilities and their deeds and names, too, will be remembered with pride, thankfulness and reverence while the sun shines over us, or while science and religion have a shrine or a home in our land.

And besides what we have just said, it yet seems eminently fitting and proper, here and now, that we openly and frankly apologize for the freedom with which we have opposed various leading doctrines, principles and precepts of the Christian world in this volume; although it is evident that truth, like God, will plead its own cause — will defend itself against all comers, and will even lift its adherents and advocates to a higher and happier plain, despite all contumely and reproach.

But, were this not so, we cannot imagine how any advance could be made in morals — how any theory of religious faith could be published without colliding, or conflicting with some prior scheme of ethics — some previous system of faith.

As an instance, the reader will notice that in the solution of our problem, the subject of natural theology is one of the radical thoughts — one of the principal aids or agencies by which we reach our conclusions, or rather the crucible in which we attempt to melt various theological compounds, and thus separate the truth from a showy and long list of fallacies. Hence, the old and carefully cultivated field of Butler's Analogy (touching natural religioa) lay directly in our way. And thus, as all may see, we must either go through it or stop the procession at its border — must go through it or lay down our pen. But deeming it proper if not demanded that the train should move on, we have crossed that field with as little damage as the case will admit {i.e., considering the condition and the character of our train), while we have felt a respect which borders upon reverence for that gifted, useful and honored man of God. And the same may be said of several other authors involved or thus concerned herein. But in respect to criticisms and opposition of views, as can be easily seen at a glance, all authors on vital subjects reside in glass-houses and must expect the compliment of criticism, as a certainty, or as a matter of necessity m the case itself. Hence every considerate author enters the arena of controversy, as the knights of old entered their fields of strife, expecting to try lances with the most dexterous, and to measure swords with the mightiest of mankind. Again, it is proper to state, just here, that some portion of the matter contained in this volume consists of parts of twelve sermons, written upon the subjects contemplated in these pages; and that instead of publishing those sermons together and in full, as was the original intention, portions of them are taken and placed with about as much more additional and new matter, so as to thus condense and simplify the thoughts for the convenience of the reader. But in doing this, as the reader may discover, occasionally there is a trifle of repetition touching the same idea or fact, which idea or fact has of necessity entered into several of the twelve sermons, and hence this little repetition has seemed almost unavoidable in this manner of compiling this work. But as this partial reiteration can do no harm to the truths and facts involved, and it being very difficult to sift them all out, the publication has been allowed to go on with those little repetitions remaining, trusting to the good sense and forbearance of the reader for exemption from blame for so doing. Also, and finally, several of those sermons have been again and again repeated in various parts of the East and of the Northwest, so that a portion of these thoughts cannot be entirely new wherever they originated, while other portions of this little book are entirely new, at least to the author, and so far as he knows, new in fact. One of those sermons, " The Fall and Rescue of Man," was published in 1867.

And now, anxious for the downfall of error and the spread of truth in our land, and wishing for the wellbeing and happiness of the readers of this volume, as well as for the spread of light and joy

in our world, I am, etc.,

THE AUTHOR.

Contents

THEOLOGICAL "BRIEF,"

In Axioms, Queries, and Corollaries, or a few Fundamental Facts in Sacred Science, 13

Chapter I. Statement Of Principles And Grounds Of Belief

Difference of Constitution and Modes of Thought — System of Error — The Apology for the Work — The Challenge — The Author's Wish, 27

Chapter II. Grounds Of Belief

The Existence of God a Fact to be Believed, not to be Proven — Something must be taken without Proof — The Senses must be credited — Berkeley and Fichte — God, according to Nature and parts of the Bible, appears severe if not cruel, - - - 35

Chapter III. Nature Denies The Justice Of God

Man naturally believes that God is Good — The Mind will not credit Reason when it intimates or says there is no Future — Butler places too much Confidence in the Continuance of Nature as it is,

47 CHAPTER IV.

SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE.

Bishop Bulter's Analogy in Fault — The True Analogy — Nature has no Key to a Future State — The Idea of Immortality is Intuitive or God-given — Conscience not a Faculty, but God speaking to the Soul — No General Rule of Right discoverable by Conscience, 65

Chapter V. Nature Interrogated

The Problem of Pain the Study of the Ages — Plato's Statement — It is not the Common but the Extra Ills of Life we dread most — The Nobleman and the Orphans — Dire Effects of Poison, Lightning, Fire, etc., upon the Human Family, - - - 81

10 CONTENTS.

Chapter VI. The Interrogation Of Nature

(continued.)

The Further Reading of Nature's Book — It gives a False and very Unworthy Idfea of God — Law is not the workman, but the Rule by which the Workman Works — Three of the Laws in Nature have a War and produce Pain and Death — They snap their Fingers in the Face of Courts and laugh at Prison Bars — Thomas Paine and Bolinbroke's Bible — John N. Maffit's Statement — Man's Body and Mind both badly Out of Order — Description of a Battle, 92

Chapter VII. The Bible As A History And A Light

Reliability of General History — The Bible as a History — Its Re- Hability and Evident Honesty — Nature cannot account for its own Contentions — Birds, Worms and Insects Fight — The Broken Watch and the Smitten Forest — Some of the Animals seem to be made to tear, kill and destroy, ... 105

Chapter VIII. The Bible As A Light And A Guide

Nature Fails to Explain either Man or his Surroundings — The King of Siam and the Freezing of Water — The Infidel convinced and converted, ----------- 115

Chapter IX. Inspiration Of The Bible

The Bible, an Inspired Book, if it is a Reliable History — The Dying Charge of Moses Prophetic — The Jew is a Present Proof of the Inspiration of the Bible, 123

Chapter X. The Character Of The Bible As A Book

It is a Leader and a Lamp — Argument is not what the Infidel needs — The Savior used and accepted the Old Testament as God's Inspired Word — The Earth is a Witness to the Truth of the Bible History — The Composition of the Bible Language — Rousseau's Praise of the Scriptures — Thomas Jefferson reading his Bible, 133

CHAPTER XL

THE BIBLE OUR ULTIMATE ARBITER.

The Return to the Sacred Record — The Men who must Know the Why of Everything — Question of Depravity and Consequent Sorrow — Every Man who is not an Atheist Interested in the Question — Voltaire's Shocking Picture of Men and Human Life — Nature does not Proclaim a Moral Government, - 145

CONTENTS. 11

Chapter XII. The Cause And The Boundary Op Guilt

Men not Born under the Guilt of Adam's Sin — Origin, Calvin. Wesley, etc. — Dr. Shedd's and Dr. Hodge's Theory —Dr. Raymond's Theory — All based alike on Divine Sovereignty — Thomas Paine's Prophecy as to the Bible — The Five Points Made — But for Christ there would have been no Cain and Abel — (The First Stake) — We would choose to Live, although we must Live in this Sorrowing World, 155

Chapter XIII. The Cause And Object Of Temporal Death

Temporal Death not a Penalty of Sin — Not in the Threat to Adam — Adam and Eve would not have Died, Temporally, but for the Attonement — (The Second Stake) — The Facts of Geology — A Supposition as to Inhabitants on the Earth before Adam — The Terror of Death tends to keep men from taking their own lives — The Bodies of Men raised if the Bible be True, - - 168

Chapter XIV. Redemption And Its Results In Respect To Moral Evil

The Propriety of Making Moral Beings — The Changes God Made in the Earth to fit it for Fallen Adam — " Moral Evil " — [The Third Stake) — All Three Grow out of the Plan of Redemption — Where the Lights of Infidelity go out — No Part of the Penalty for Adam's Sin has Reached the Posterity, nor any Imputation of that Sin — Adam and Eve not Exposed to Eternal Death until Redeemed by Christ, - - - - - 183

Chapter XV. Sources And Effects Of Depravity

The Death threatened Adam was Spiritual Death — Children are Born Depraved — The Depravation not to be attributed to their Birth as stated by Wesley and Calvin — Comes to us by the Arrangement of God Himself — We wait like the Child looking for its Father to Come and take it Home — The Creator goes out into the Night of Sin that we may Exist — A. Full Recovery of Man here Impossible, 198

Chapter XVI. Moral Agency And Immortality Of Man

Why God placed Adam in the condition of an Agent — The Cause not in Man but in God — Whatever God did was Considerately and Wisely done — The Testimony for the Present Life and the Testimony for a Future Life alike positive — It would be Miraculous if there is no Future State — Men may have Light if they wish it — The Buddhist Decalogue, .... 218

Chapter XVII

I. The System of Development not a Key to the Problem of Pain

• — The Divine Presence a Key — II. Back Door of Christianity —

III. The Unity and Omnipresence of God — IV. Conscience and

Right — V. The Universal Father or the Existence of God —

VI. Moral Scales — Origin of Evil — Faith and Intuition, 231

A THEOLOGICAL "BRIEF"

AXIOMS, QUERIES AND COROLLARIES, OR A FEW FUND- AMENTAL FACTS IN SACRED SCIENCE.

1. We exist.

2. In our mental and moral natures, we are different and distinct from the material world.

3. This material system around us is not our work, and does not exist by our agency or supervision, nor by that of any human power.

■1. We did not originate ourselves.

5. We are something: i.e., we have a real existence.

6. Nothing could never produce something, therefore something existed before us.

7. Whatever exists, or has existed, did not create itself; i.e., every creature implies a Creator; in other words, " every effect must have a cause," Hume to the contrary notwithstanding.

8. Every effect must have an adequate cause, otherwise a portion of the effect would be uncaused, which is a contradiction.

14: THEOLOGICAL

9. All that exists cannot be effect, i.e., cannot be a caused cause; hence something is uncaused and independent of all causes.

10. Whatever is uncaused and independant of all causes must be eternal. And whatever is eternal must ever be the same, i.e., unchangeable.

11. This organized system of nature is made up of parts, each of which is subject to change — each of which had a beginning; and, inasmuch as each part of this system had ■ a beginning, the whole system must have had a beginning, hence this system of nature was not from eternity.

12. If matter is eternal as to its substance, still, inasmuch as its present organization is not eternal, and inasmuch as it could not organize itself, hence, there must have been an organizer, which is distinct from and superior to matter.

13. Whatever instituted and made this system was before it and superior to it ; hence he is not the system itself; otherwise he made himself, which is absurd, as well as impossible. That is, impossible from the very nature of things, and absurd from the fact that the scheme of the physical world seems to be a scheme for carrying on, if not of perpetuating, a system of endless variety; or a scheme of variety, by a system of perpetual change. Hence, the great theater of nature to-day is different, in many important respects from nature one year since, or in any year or age in all the long eras of the past. Therefore, if behind nature there is no changeless and operating entity, then we have creations without a creator, and change without a changer, which is doubly absurd.

14. The intelligent and thinking part of ourselves is not matter; else the distinctions between mind and matter are mere fancy, and we shall need to go back and reconstruct our language and give new definitions to our words.

15. If matter can think or move itself by its own ability, and according to its own volitions, under any possible circumstances, then we do not know what the laws or properties of matter are — do not know what the properties or laws of either mind or matter may be; nor what the words mean which we use in relation to them.

16. If there is but one God, and if he is just and good, then man was created upright and happy.

17. If man was created upright and happy, and is now, evidently, neither upright nor happy, then man has fallen from his primeval state — has, in some way, lost that character of uprightness and that condition of happiness in which he was created. And if this loss did not occur in the manner and at the time in which sacred history affirms that it occurred, then we have no knowledge of the occasion, nor of the time of its occurrence.

18. If we attempt to ascertain the character of the Creator by his doings or by his works alone, then nothing which is uncertain, unseen, or unknown, should be adduced as a proof of his justice or goodness. Hence, no merely supposed future rewards for present pain can be taken as proof that this pain is permitted by justice, and will result in good to us here, or will be rewarded with joy and rejoicing hereafter. In other words, this supposition of future reward cannot be taken as proof for either the goodness or justice of the Creator.

19. If the Creator is just and good, and if man as man, and everywhere, has now, and always has had the idea and the assurance that the Creator is thus just and good; and if nature does not declare the justice and goodness of God (if in fact it declares otherwise), then man as man surely has now, and always has had, some other and better instructor than nature alone can possibly be; and an instructor, too, more general and present than any Bible, or written law, or instructions can be. Again, if the Creator is not just and good, as the human mind thus instinctively or intuitively declares, then man by nature and of necessity is the prey and the bond slave of falsehood, and the very foundation or root of his nature is a lie.

20. A Creator naturally implies creatures or creation; and creation implies ownership or possession; and ownership implies control, or the right to use and govern; and government implies law, and law implies penalty, and penalty implies pain or privation; i. e., implies suffering of some sort. Hence, a Creator without creatures, a governor without subjects, and government without law, and law without penalty, and penalty without pain or suffering, are misnomers — are contradictions, if not impossibilities.

Therefore, it seems that even infinite wisdom could not contrive free intelligences, or intelligences with power to choose for themselves, who would not he capable of suffering, or subject to the privations and penalties of law. Thus we appear to be pushed at last to the conclusion, that although suffering now seems the enigma of creation — seems a dark spot on the sun of human life; or a fearful frown on the face of goodness itself; yet, to he human, ever was, now is, and ever must be not only to be capable of pain and sorrow, but conditionally subject thereto, although not necessarily afflicted therewith.

21. If in every human soul there is generally a feeling of weakness and dependence, with an oppressive sense of ill-desert or guilt; and if thereby the need of an intercessor or "day's man " is easily and readily intimated to the human mind; and if being thus intimated or suggested to the sorrowing heart, Christ is laid hold of, at various times, as a drowning man catches at whatever comes in his way, until an acquaintance is formed between the soul and its Savior, then why may not some men who have no Bible, still know so much of the Redeemer of the race, as truly to believe in him?* Again, if God the Father evidently manifests himself to the human soul in a plain and in an understandable manner, then why may not God the Son also communicate to such as seek him, so much of his relations to the race, as its redeemer, as that all attentive and careful "minds

* See Back Door to Christianity, ch. 17, sec. 2. 2 shall at once discover that he (under whatever name) is their refuge from this power of sin and from the plague and the pain of guilt?

22. If the query is raised, whether the atonement was made through mental, or through physical suffering; that is, whether it was made by the Savior's physical death, or by his great mental agony, caused by the hiding of his Father's face, while he took the culprit's place on the cross; the answer seems to be, that it was by his suffering before he died, and while he was yet able to testify to its completion by crying " with a loud voice, It is finished; " * i. e. y if it was not pain, nor physical derangement that brought on his death (which seemed to be the opinion of the soldiers who came to break his legs) ; and if when death touched him, all suffering must have been over at once; and if, also, he laid down his life, himself, as he said he would do, then for him to die was his release from the sufferings of the atonement, rather than as so much additional and meritorious suffering for the race. Yet, to fulfill a long list of pnyphecy, and in view of the resurrection of men, as well as to take the chill and the gloom out of the grave, it seems fitting indeed, if not absolutely necessary to the quiet and faith of his followers, that Christ should die a physical death, and be laid in the tomb of the wealthy Joseph of Arimathea. For, in this way only, it seems, could he sweeten the grave for his saints; while it also proved true, that "He made his * Fall and Rescue, page 25.