Monthly Lecture.

Feilding Star, Volume III, Issue 112, 5 June 1883, Page 3

Monthly Lecture.

On Sabbath evening the Eev. H, M. Murray delivered his usual monthly lecture. Subject— " What the Bible teaches on Natural Law." He gave as his text Job XXXVII., 14: "Stand still and see the wonderful works of God." He said that one great feature of modern times is the large attention given (o natural phenomena and the success with which the laws which regulate these phenomena have been elucidated. Modern discoveries not only gratify men's curi-fl^p-gity. but they have been made subservient to their wants and conveniences, so that life, in its practical and social aspects has been enlarged and enriched by them. But these discoveries have not only produced a change on men's outward life, but also on their- mental condition. "We are all to some extent creatures of our age, and our mental state must be to a large extent influenced by the circumstances in the midst of which we live. We cannot he quite the same, mentally and spiritually, as our ancestors who lived before the ace of steamboats and railways, of telegraphs and daily newspapers. This was not to be expected nor desired. But modem progress affects some minds in a way which is much to be regretted. It creates in'them a speeces of pride and exultation. They seem to imagine that modern society, by means of its scientific methods and appliances, is raised above all preceding ages, ao that not only are we more fortunate, but wiser than our fathers. Especially they imagine that we are able now to dispense with religion— that the Bible has become antiquated— that it has been displaced and dethroned by science — that the lead* era of science should take the place of Moses and Paul and Peter, who should no longer he allowed to dictate to an enlightened and emancipated age. In most cases of infidelity, reached in this way the heart is more at fault than the head. Men say in their heart there is no God, and having done so, they seek for some argument to support the plea of their heart. Nothing is at OTice so shallow and so dogmatic- as modern infidelity. But this very shallownessand self-confidence giv»» it a certain effectiveness. Many minds that would not be influenced by cautious and balanced statements and careful analysis are mightily impressed by bluster and self assertion. An acquaintance with the true intellectual qnnlity of the prevailing infidelity of our day would be a help to the faith of mnny who nre overawed by the high sounding words and cool assumptions of infidels. The phraze natural law or the laws of nature is often used by modern scientists nnd their admirers in a tone hostile to religion. Their tone is— We must hear no more of the supernatural or of God's sus- ; pending or over raling the operations of nature, for we have proved that everything happens by natural law. They thus oppose the two ideas of natural law and a God who rules all as if they were irreeonciliable with one another. This is just as if a man should argue that becanse we are ruled by a code of laws, therefore we ns not rnl«d by the Parliament in Wellington. The fact is law is a relative term, and implies law-giver. I<aw supposes an intelligent mind. It is the product of intelligence. It is an important point to notice whence came to us the idea of natural law and a world governed according to a harmonious law. Not from Greece or Rome ; Greek and Roman culture did not contain such an idea. It came from Jndaea and from the sacred books of the Hebrews. The Rreeks and Romans had not the idea of natural law because they were heathens and did not know the one" God who created the heavens and the earth. The Hebrews had the idea because they knew this one God; becauce they received it as a part of Revelation from Him. Natural law iB, in fact, a religious idea. If men had not believed in a creative God they would never have believed in one who rules the world by law. The study of nature, in fact, begun among those who believed in God and in Revelation. The lecture was listened to attentively by a deeply interested audience. '