p. 6 | OTHER INTELLIGENCES by Roderick S. Owen

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Oct 17, 1895

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 21, No. 41.

OTHER INTELLIGENCES.

By Roderick S. Owen

BY RODERICK S. OWEN.

“For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited.” Isa. 45:18.

A world, then, without inhabitants would be a vain expenditure of creative power. Again, in Rev. 4:11, we read, “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”

From these two texts we must conclude that the presence of intelligent inhabitants contributes somewhat to the pleasure of God, compared with which the pleasure derived from all the rest of creation is as nothing. Let us inquire, In what does this pleasure consist?

1. In Companionship.—Could an intelligent Creator find companionship in the vast systems of worlds wheeling so silently through space? Could he find it in any one of them—in its beautiful valleys, its broad plains, its lofty mountains, its rolling hills, its babbling brooks, its mighty rivers, its dense forests, its beautiful lakes, or its broad, extended oceans?

Place an intelligent creature in the midst of the most beautiful surroundings, where the Creator has lavished his wisdom and creative power, where the eye would be greeted in every direction with scenes of beauty, where the ear would be enraptured by sweet and melodious sounds, where every sense of our being would be filled for a time with ecstatic joy, yet soon he would tire of all this, and intelligence would feel alone. The soul would long for that companionship which could be found in none of these. In fact, a great deal of the pleasure which we now derive from the things of nature is due to the thought that sometime we will describe them to others. Yes, intelligence can find lasting pleasure and real companionship only in other intelligence. But the degree of each will depend upon, (1) the degree of intelligence, none being found with an idiot; (2) the degree of harmony that exists, none being found when there is complete variance.

Perchance you have taken great pains to prepare something for your child, friend, or associate, yet when you have presented it to them, they have shown no appreciation of it. O, how disappointed you are! How your pleasure is marred! So in the creation there must be intelligence sufficient to lead them to appreciate the wonderful works of God. Then, brother, if you find no pleasure in any one of the various manifestations of the handiwork of God, begin at once to cultivate a taste and a love which will lead you to have feelings of gratitude for it, so that your Creator may not be disappointed in you; and this taste will draw you more and more toward the Author of all these things, even as says the psalmist: “I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands. I stretch forth my hands unto thee; my soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land.” Ps. 143:5, 6.

Again you plan a great sacrifice, which will be a witness of your love, but, lo, when you have exhausted your store, you find no response! You have squandered it upon an inappreciative and lifeless heart. Instead of the pleasure you anticipated, your heart is saddened by disappointment. Thus we see that the intelligence of the creature must include a sensibility which will be moved by every manifestation of the Creator’s love.

As we look at the material universe about us, we find it everywhere controlled by fixed laws. A course of action is prescribed for every part, and from this course it has no power to deviate. It is obedient to the Creator’s will. But this is not the service which yields the most pleasure to the Creator. In all this there is no intelligence. There is no power to choose, and consequently no willing heart service. That obedience to his will is the design of God concerning the inhabitants of this world is taught by the Saviour in the Lord’s prayer: “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” But the obedience of the intelligent creature must be voluntary. It must spring from the heart. God is not pleased with a forced service. The true parent is only pained by that obedience which is extorted by the uplifted rod, while that obedience which springs from a heart delighting to do the parent’s bidding, creates in each one a fountain of joy which yields a sweet peace.

“In earth as it is in heaven.” Of the angels it is said, they “do His commandments, hearkening unto the voice of His word.” Ps. 103:20. Yes, leaning forward to catch the first word, that they may hasten to obey. O, what pleasure such obedience must yield to the Father! Far too often are earthly parents pained by being compelled to repeat, perhaps again and again, their commands, because they fall on inattentive ears, controlled by hearts in which there is no real desire to obey. So Paul says, “Not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.” Eph. 6:6.

“Eyeservice!” Ah, the world is full of it! The laborer who is industrious when the foreman is by and dilatory in his absence, the man who tries to appear to be what he is not, the Pharisaical Christian who does his good deeds to be seen of men, the man who attends church, who performs his Christian duties, who refrains from this or that simply because it will affect the opinion of others concerning him, are eyeservants. What an abomination such must be to an all-seeing and holy God!

Thus we find that God must desire his universe inhabited with creatures possessed with intelligence sufficient to afford him companionship, to appreciate what he has created for them, with a sensibility to be moved by his love, and with hearts to render him a willing service.