Page:Studies in the Scriptures - Series I - The Plan of the Ages (1909).djvu/40

 34 The Plan cf the Ages.

that God would supply to man information concerning the objecl of his existence, and his plans for his future/ On the contrary, we ask, would it not be unreasonable to suppose that such a Creator would make such a creature as man, endow him with powers of reason reaching out into the future, and yet make no revelation of his plans to meet those longings ? Such a course would be unreasonable, because contrary to the character which we reasonably attribute to God; con- trary to the proper course of a being controlled by justice and love.

We may reason that in creating man, had Divine Wisdom decided it inexpedient to grant him a knowledge of his future destiny, and his share in his Creator's plans, then surely Divine Justice, as well as Divine Love, would have insisted that the being should be so limited in his capacity that he would not continually be tormented and perplexed with doubts, and fears, and ignorance; and as a conse- quence Divine Power would have been used under those limitations. The fact, then, that man has capacity for ap- preciating a revelation of the Divine plan, taken in con- nection with the conceded chara&er of his Creator, is an abundant reason for expccling that God would grant such a revelation, in such time and manner as his wisdom ap- proved. So, then, in view of these considerations, even if we were ignorant of the Bible, reason would lead us to ex* peel: and to be on the lookout for some such revelation as the Bible claims to be. And furthermore, noting the order and harmony of the general creation, as in grand procession the spheres and systems keep time and place, we cannot but conclude that the minor irregularities, such as earthquakes, cyclones, etc,, arc but indications that the working together of the various elements in this world is not at present per- feel:. An assurance that all will ultimately l>e perfect ami harmonious on earth as in the heavens, with some explana-

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