The reign of superstition is not yet ended.
It is impossible for any great catastrophe, involving loss of property or
life, to occur without a certain superstitious class harping upon the
event as a judgment of God upon the wickedness of the victims. If a great
city is swept away by the devouring elements, we hear the cry that "an
offended Deity has visited the 'Babylon of the West' with his vengeance
for her wickedness." Some penurious wretch takes it up, and says, "I'll
give nothing, then, to the victims of the fire. It is God's judgment; I
won't interfere." A rich man is murdered in cold blood, and the same howl
goes up, "It is the judgment of God upon him for heaping up riches." The
fact of his riches going to thousands of poor artisans, actors, musicians,
widows, orphans, and "western Babylonian sufferers," goes for nothing with
such people. These same superstitious wretches have not yet done
asserting that the assassination of President Lincoln was in judgment for
his attending a theatre.
Twenty-five persons were killed in a church at Bologna, recently, while
kneeling in prayer. Was this an expression of God's wrath upon
church-goers?
"The laws by which God governs the universe are inexorable. The frost will
blight, the fire destroy, the storms will ravage, disease and death will
do their appointed work, though narrow-mindedness and bigotry misconstrue
their intent. All things are for good. If natural laws are violated, the
known and inevitable result follows."
* * * * *
I have already exceeded the space to which this chapter was limited, and
there are a thousand superstitious beliefs and practices which are not
herein enumerated nor explained. But rest assured that nothing exists
without its uses, without the knowledge of the divine Author, and nothing
supernatural does or ever did exist amongst natural beings. There is
nothing within this world but what God has placed for man's good. There is
nothing here past man's ability to fathom. God is love.
What there is beyond this world, we shall find out quite soon enough.
[Illustration]