The square is a very handy instrument for the use of men, both in
squaring material for building or for squaring our actions in the
intercourse with mankind; but as the Creator is greater than the
creature, so is the circle greater than the square. The great majority
who may read these lines will acknowledge the existence of a Supreme
Architect of the Universe, no matter by whatever name it may please
individuals to call him. Even the so-called radical unbeliever when
cornered will acknowledge that the Universe has been made and is kept up
by something which he cannot comprehend, but which he cannot deny, but he
calls it Nature. Very well, let us call it Nature, and give praise to the
work of Nature. But the great majority have seen fit to call it God, and
this name is again spoken differently by every language of the globe, and
I suppose that is the case with all intelligent beings on any heavenly
body that may exist. This being the case the name is nothing.
Now, when God made the heaven and the earth, he did not use a square,
for there is nothing that indicates anything like a square. The whole
Universe is laid in a circle, and as far as our vision reaches we behold
everything round, and, according to Genesis, when God made a covenant
with Noah, He sealed his promise with the beautiful curve of the rainbow.
Every star is round, so is the earth, and even its three-fourths surface
of water, which constitute the mighty oceans, are in a perfect circle;
and everything that grows upon the earth is more round than square. We
may go anywhere, and every thing that we behold points out that the Great
Architect of the Universe formed his plans within the radius of a circle.
In humble imitation of this divine principle, I have adopted the circle,
and parts of the circle, within which I form my plans for the covering
of men, which became necessary after Adam and Eve had tasted of the
forbidden apple, which, I suppose, was round, too. (See Dia. XI and XII.)
But I may have made mistakes. Making mistakes is natural to every person.
The brute creation make no mistakes, but do they advance? The spider
weaves his web as perfectly as his ancestors wove theirs thousands of
years ago, and in all probability will do so for thousands of years to
come. He makes no mistakes because it is not in his nature to do so; but
neither does he improve; he can not even transmit his skill to any living
being, unless of his own specia. Man alone is capable of improvement, and
because of this, he is liable of making mistakes; for, what would become
of him if he proved successful in all his undertakings? Making mistakes
is a wise check, which the Creator has implanted in the nature of man to
prevent him from getting ahead faster than what is good for him.
The wise man learns from mistakes, either from his own, or those of
others, and the man who never makes a mistake, will never grasp a
valuable idea. Mr. Ingersoll pitches into Moses, because that master mind
has made mistakes, as he claims, in writing Genesis, but notwithstanding,
the name of Moses is before the world, as a mighty pillar of truth,
and no man has yet been able to improve upon the ten commandments, as
laid down by that great lawgiver. If some of the old masters have made
mistakes, they certainly have left us some valuable substance, from which
sensible men will gather wisdom, while fools throw slurs.
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