A treatise on theism, and on the modern skeptical theories

Front matter

UNITED STATES OP AMERICA. {

TREATISE ON THEISM,

AND ON THE

Preface

My object, in the preparation of the following work, has been to present the theistic argument, and the replies to the prominent modern skeptical theories, in such a shape as the best to impress the American mind of the present day. I have sought to reach this object in three ways: — First, by selecting from the vast material before me such main topics as seem most likely to affect those whom I address ; second, by relying almost exclusively on this country as the basis for induction and illustration ; and, third, by reducing the argument to such an analysis as will best subserve the purposes of students.

F. W.

Gambier, Ohio, April, 1859.

ANALYTICAL TABLE.

Chapter I. From Conscience

PAGE

a. The existence of God as a lawgiver inferred from the ex-

istence of conscience. , 13

a 1 . From conscience as to self, \\ 13

b l . From conscience as to others, §3 15

c 1 . From conscience as to abstract right and wrong, \ 4 16

b. The existence of God as an unconditioned executive, punish-

ing the violators of His law, inferred from the qualities of

conscience t 16

a 1 . From its action 16

a 2 . Incessant, §5 16

b 2 . Unconditioned by time, § 7 18

c 2 Unconditioned by matter, g 12 25

a 3 . From the nature of conscience itself, § 13 25

b 3 . From analogy 25

a 4 . Recalled impressions, \ 14 25 c\ Insanity, §16 28

d\ Comatose state, § 17 28 b 1 . From the spiritual consequences of a violation of conscience, e.g. remorse, $22 35

c 1 . From the physical consequences of a violation of conscience, $26 42 ,

1* 5

ANALYTICAL TABLE.

Chapter V. From Design In Nature

a. The ocean 70

a\ The sea-breeze, § 46 70

ft 1 . The ocean salts, §47 70

c 1 . The Gulf-Stream, §49 73

b. Climate >. 80

a 1 . Its alternations as producing contentment and patriotism, §52 80

b 1 . As producing home virtues, §53 81

c 1 . As necessitating labor, §55 87

d 1 . As generating energy, patience, and sense of the beautiful, § 56 89

c. Watering the earth, §60 93

Chapter VI. From The Progress Of Society

a. Arts and sciences, §72 113

b. Reproduction, § 74 115

c. Written history, §75 115

ANALYTICAL TABLE.

Chapter VII. From Geology

PAGE

a. Anterior uninhabitability of the earth, §77 118

b. Subsequent creation of specific forms of life 119

5 1 . Inferior animals, §79 120

Chapter VIII. The Relations Oe God And Man As Determined By Natural Theology

a. Propositions established in the preceding chapters, §85 131

a 1 . That there is an all-powerful God -who seeks the pleasure of His creatures, § 85 181

b 1 . That this God is sovereign, directing everything by His c 1 . That He governs by general laws, § 85 131

d 1 . That besides this He has placed in each breast a moral tribunal, armed with powerful sanctions, for the purpose of directing right and prohibiting wrong, § 85.... 131

b. Propositions apparently contradictory induced from the same

phenomena, § 86 : 131

a 1 . That what appear gratuitous pain and sorrow are often

inflicted on the animal creation, §86 131

b 1 . That man is endowed with freedom of will and action, which, however, he frequently perverts to his own c 1 . That human conduct is to a great degree affected by what are called "accidents," i.e. events not to be accounted for by any general law, §86 131

c. Reconciliation of these apparent contradictions, § 87 132

a 1 . The attempt to reconcile them by the hypothesis of an

imperfect Creator illogical, § 87 132

b 1 . They may be reconciled, however, by the following assumptions, § 91 134

a 2 . Man is in a state of exile from God, § 91 134

b 2 . The human heart, so far from maintaining a communion with God, is more and more inclined to place its affections on things earthly, § 97 142

ANALYTICAL TABLE.

PAGE

c 2 . There is a future retribution which demands that the free agency of those subject to it should remain unimpaired, while there are such general influences about them as will promote patience, submission, and earnest endeavor, § 98 "... 143

d 2 These disciplinary influences, however, are insufficient without special Divine aid, £ 99 144

e 2 . A written revelation as a final educationary process, is a priori probable under such a dispensation, §100 145

Chapter I. "an Imperfect Creator."

a. Inability of the finite to measure, \ 102 152

b. Incapacity of the infinite for measurement, \ 105 156

c. Supposing, however, apparently irreconcilable contradictions

and imperfections exist, § 108 161

a 1 . They cannot overcome the positive evidence of Almighty

wisdom and goodness, §108 161

6 1 . They are reconcilable with the Divine perfections, \ 109, 162

a 2 . As necessary to moral agency, § 110 163

b 2 . As ordained of God, as forming part of a scheme of

all others the best and most perfect, § 110 163

a 3 . Necessitarian view of moral evil, § 113 168 a 4 . It renders human exertion useless, § 115.... 172

b*. It enthralls God himself, § 115 172

b z . Libertarian view of moral evil, \ 119 178 a 4 . It still traces sin to God, § 121 180

b*. It sequestrates omnipotence, § 122 181

c 4 . It aggravates man's impotence, § 123 181

d i . It conflicts with consciousness, § 123 182

PAGE

c s . Present approximation of the two schools,

§ 128......... 186

d . The mere fact of the apparent opposition of the truths of Divine sovereignty and of human responsibility, does not justify the rejection

of either the one or the other, § 132 « 192

e 3 . Incidental moral consequences of evil, § 133... 196 e 2 . As the necessary incidents of limited creatures,

§ 135 198

a % . By a graduated scale there is room for the exercise of charity and an interchange of favors,

\ 136 199

b 3 . By such a scale the earth will be more thoroughly populated and human comfort

best promoted, § 138 201

c 3 . By such a scale a stimulus is afforded for enterprise and room for improvement, § 140 203

d 3 . What may to the human eye be a lower and inferior scale of happiness, may to a higher

vision occupy a reversed position, § 143 205

. The defects and evils complained of are in many cases

productive of positive good, §145..... 208 a 3 . It preserves identity, § 148 212

b 3 . It defends life, §152 215

c 3 . It economizes strength, § 154 216

d 3 . It is essential to the experience of pleasure,

b 3 . In its manner, § 166 230

a 4 . Its unexpectedness, §166 230

They are the incidents of an intermediate stage in a series of progressive advances from chaos to final perfection, § 173 238

Chapter II. Positivism

PAGE

a. In what Positivism consists, §174 241

b. By what it is sustained, §181 252

a 1 . Historical induction, §182 252 a 2 . There is no evidence of primary Fetichism, § 186... 257 b 2 . The character of human development affords a presumption against Fetichism, § 194 266

c 2 . Fetich-worship, such as it is claimed to be, exists at the present day among people with whom polytheism or pantheism once prevailed, § 195 267

d 2 . Theology, Metaphysics, and Positivism, are often

coincident, §197 269

e 2 . Fetichism, as it is called, is cotemporary, in non- Christian countries, with high metaphysical and

artistic culture, §200 276

b 1 . Personal experience, §203 280 a 2 . Psychological, §203 280

b 2 . Statistical, § 207 284

c 1 . Organic structure, §208 289 a 2 . The phrenological analogy is a mere hypothesis,

§209 290

b 2 . The analogy is not sustained by biology, § 210 290

c 2 . The argument proves too much, § 211 291

r. General considerations by which Positivism is to be met, § 212, 291 a 1 . The pushing back of first causes strengthens rather than

weakens the theistic argument, §212 291

6 1 . No materials exist from which a system of positive laws, as forming a Divine system of government, may be inferred, § 213 292

c 1 The subordination of human conduct to absolute law is

destructive of individuality, §216'. 296

d 1 . The religious sanctions of Positivism are inadequate,

§220 303

a 2 . In what these sanctions consist, § 220 303

ft 2 . Their inadequacy, §222 812

PAGE

a 3 . In destroying human liberty, § 222.... 312

b 3 . They substitute, for a faith which, if false, is believed to be real, one which, if real, is believed to be false, §223 313

c 3 . They dwarf the human by degrading the divine, §224 314

d 3 . They establish an absolute hierarchy, of all forms of government the most injurious,

§225 314

d. Positivism as modified by Mr. Buckle, §226... 315

Chapter III. Fatalism

a. A priori probability that the system which an all-wise and all-powerful Governor would adopt for the moral education of creatures under probation, would be a mixed one of general laws and special adaptations, § 280, (see ante,

§ 30-33) 330

a 1 . Proof of a special providence from God's constancy and b\ Proof of a special providence from God's fatherhood, § 235, 336

c 1 . Man's universal sense, § 236 337

d 1 . Analogy of answer to prayer, which may be taken as an extreme case of special providence, with other recognized effective agencies, § 237 338

e 1 . Hypotheses on which a special providence can be explained, §238 339

a 2 . By the assumption of a law based on angelic b 2 . By the prearrangement of the laws of nature, § 239, 342 c 2 . By a special connection between prayer and result

as between cause and effect, § 240 345

d 2 . By pushing up the principle which governs the results of prayer until it passes above the boundary by which human observation is limited, § 241, 346

Chapter IV. Pantheism

a. In what it consists, §.250 362

PAGE

b. Objections to it, §252 866

a 1 . Its hopelessness, §252 366

c 1 . Its repugnance to common sense, §254 368

d 1 . It destroys belief, not merely in a God, but in tlie practical sequences of nature, and therefore generates habits, not of energy and perseverance, but of dreamy mysticism and inaction, § 255 368

e l . It apotheosizes vice as "well as virtue, § 256 369

f x . It is inconsistent "with the marks of purpose and contrivance which we meet with throughout the universe, §259 372

<j l It involves the absurdity and the self-contradiction of intelligence generated by matter, bringing us back again to a first cause, "which differs from that of the theist, in that while the one makes God create matter, the other makes matter create God, $260 373

Chapter V. Development

a. In what the development theory consists, § 261 374

a 1 . Cosmical, g 261 374

L. General propositions by which this theory can be met, § 275, 390

a 1 . No progressive cosmical development, § 275 390

b 1 . Premeditation preceded creation, $276 390

c 1 . New forms of life introduced at distinct periods, § 278.... 390

d 1 . Advance sometimes broken by retrogression, §278 390

e l . The rudimental atoms themselves prove contrivance,

§279 391

f l . Creative care presumes preserving providence, § 280 392

g 1 . Physical forces, involving an intelligent director have at

distinct eras disturbed the globe, §281 392

h 1 . Distinct creations exhibit reciprocal adaptations, §282... 392

P. Development makes " matter" create "mind," §283 393

k\ It still leaves a first cause, §284 393