But if he hates her and his
children, he may be free! What a bounty on conjugal fickleness, on
unnatural treatment of offspring!"
"Was there no Canada?" said Mrs. North, biting off her thread. "O, I
recollect; Hagar went there. I wonder if the angel who remanded her was
removed from office, on his return to heaven."
"Come, wife," said Mr. North, "there is such a thing as being converted
too much. Please, Sir, will you answer the question as to the
consistency of all this with the divine wisdom and goodness?"
"That," said I, "is not the question which you wish to ask."
"I do not understand you," said he; "please to explain."
"You wish to ask," said I, "how I reconcile these things with your
notions of wisdom and benevolence."
"Why," said he, "I have my ideas of divine wisdom and goodness, and I
wish to make these things square with them."
"And that," said I, "is just the rock on which you all split. Your ideas
of the divine goodness must be based on a complete view of the revealed
character and conduct of God. But you and your friends say, 'this and
that ought to be, or ought not to be,' and you try your Maker by that
measure. Now I say, 'he that reproveth God, let him answer it.
Pages:
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234