00_1852-07-22 Diary of Martha Call 2021.061.001

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Sunday, June 27. Went to church this morning with aunt Sarah. Mr Horton is out of town, and they had a stranger to preach, and I should be very willing for Mr Horton to remain out of town as long as I remain in.

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1st Cor. 15. 35, 36. "But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come? Thou fool, that which thou soweth is not quickened, except it die."

I shall have to begin again writing sermons, for since I came away from home I have done so little at it, that I do not remember well at all. The preacher this morning spoke of the folly of those, who, because they are unable to understand how the bodies of the dead that have for years lain in the dust, or that have been devoured by the beasts of the field, or the fish of the sea, can be restored to their form and beauty, and raised incorruptable and undefiled, will therefore doubt whether it is so. We are surrounded by mystery on every side. It is a mystery how we were originally formed. The connection between soul and body is a mystery past finding out.

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So in the world around us. Who can explain the manner in which the seed buried in the ground grows up and becomes a great plant? We hear from chemists that fire, air and water are the first elements of which all things are composed, but who can trace these to their very source and tell us of what they are composed? So in regard to God - we learn both by reason and by revelation that he is an omnipresent being, but what mortal mind can grasp the idea of a being every where present, and all powerful, sustaining by his hand everything, the least as well as the greatest, in all parts of the universe? It is vain for those to attempt to solve mysteries such as these, who cannot explain the least thing connected with themselves. It is as if the child unable to bear its own weight should demand the load of a giant to be laid upon it.

From the contemplation of subjects like these, we may learn the wisdom and goodness of God, and the gratitude we owe to him who tempers the wind to the shorn lamb, and who, while so many things are shrouded in mystery, has made clear and plain enough if we will heed it, to secure our eternal happiness.

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Heard the same man again this afternoon. Genesis, 22, 2. "And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Noriah; and offer him therefor a burnt offering, upon one of the mountains that I will tell thee of." How fearful a command! how dreadful a test of the faith of Abraham! and yet he failed not, but immediately and unwaveringly did as he was commanded. We can think of many reasons which might have suggested themselves to the mind of Abraham, why this command should not be complied with. In the idea of a human sacrifice there is something revolting to every heart - surrounded by heathen nations as he was Abraham had not learned to look with other than an eye of abhorance on their barbarous customs and now how could he do the same thing If the sacrifice demanded had been one of the meanest of his servants, he would have shrank back with honor, how then could he stain his hand with the blood of his son? Secondly, he might ask why should Isaac die? if I have been guilty of some heinous sin, the agonised father might have said, let my life pay the penalty, but spare

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the boy; the child of so many hopes, of so many prayers - When - one of the old Roman consuls ordered two of his own sons to be beaten to death in his presence, the deed was applauded the impartiality of the iron-hearted parent admired, for the young men were engaged in a conspiracy to overthrow the state and the government - but here it was different, as far as appears Isaac was in every way worthy of his father, and why should his young life be cut off? Thirdly - the command seemed to be in direct opposition to the promises of God - Abraham had been told to look upon the sand by the sea shore to see how numerous his seed should be, and this seed was to come from Isaac, the son of the free-woman. But if Isaac's life was soon cut off, how could those promises be fulfilled?

Again - Isaac was not the child of Abraham alone, he was the son of Sarah also, the darling of her old age, and if with his own hand he took away his life, how could the father carry back word to her that she was childless?

Lastly - the distance of the place made the trial yet harder - If Isaac must die, why not die at home? why should he endure the agony and suspence of three days travel?

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Abraham could know no reason for this He could not look into futurity and see that the sacrifice of his son was typical of a much greater sacrifice - than on the very mount where he built his alter, two thousand years after, the Son of God would be offered once for all - yet - notwithstanding all these things we do not hear that Abraham uttered a complaining word, that he had even a murmering thought - Let us look at the story - "And it came to pass after these things that God did tempt Abraham," that is test or try him, "and said unto him, Abraham, and he said, Behold here I am, and he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom than lovest, and get thee into the land of Noriah; and offer him there for a burnt-offering upon one of the mountains that I will tell thee of. And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt-offering, and rose up, and went into the place of which God had told him. Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off. And Abraham said to his young men, Abide ye here with the ass, and I and the lad will