The Abbeville press and banner. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, August 07, 1872, Image 1
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ABBEVILLE, S. C., WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7. 1872.
VOLUME XX
LEE AND HUGH WILSON.
BY W. A.
CHRISTIANITY.
An Address Delivered before tiie
Auxiliary Bible Society of Ab
beville District, at its Forty
ninth Anniversary, on Wednes
day, July 31st, 1S72, by
GEN. SAMUEL Mc GO IF AX.
JUr. President: I occupy this placc
very reluctant]v. I feci that I am un
/? v
fit to treat properly the great subjcct of
the Bible, its? value and the importance
of its distribution. But approving the
custom of having a yearly discourse
upon the subject, and having been elec
ted in turn to perform my part, I will
do the best I can:?taking good care
not to intrude into the sacred province
of the pulpit, but standing afar off with
reverential respect, give expression to
the crude thoughts of one anxious to ar
rive at truth, yet claiming to be in no
way illuminated.
Dr. Paley opens his natural theology
with a remark ad felicitious as it is sim
ple : "In crossing a heath suppose 1
pitched my foot against a stone, and were
asked how the stone came to be there, I
might possibly answer that for anything
I know to the contrary, it had lain there
forever; nor would it perhaps be very
easv to show the absurdity of the answer.
But suppose I had found a watch upou
the ground and it should be inquired
how the watch came in that place, I
should hardly think of the answer I had
before given, yet why should this answer
not serve for the watch as well as the
stone ? For this reason and no other.
When we come to inspect the watch we
perceive fhat its several parts are formed j
and put together for a purpose, and we
think the inference is irresistible that
the watch must have had a maker who
comprehended its construction and de
signed its use." So says Dr. Paley.
Man is born. Soon as his eyes open
and his faculties sufficiently expand, he
looktf around and finds himself in the
world without agency or will of hi.s own.
He beholds the beautiful face of nature,
the earth, thesea andthestarrv heavens."
He observes the rising and setting sun,
the alternations of day and night, of
Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter,
lie soon perceives that the race from
which he sprung is only a very small
r>art of a maeuiticent system. He learns
from the records of his ancestors that
this stupendous structure as he finds it,
lias certainly stood for centuries?that
generation after generation have been
born, lived and have died as he must die
and, finding himself possessed of that
strange something called reason, he most
anxiously inquires whence is all this!
whither going and to what end! We
.think the first impression must be that
the mechanism of the untch is as nothing,
*ind that it is impossible to conclude that
this sublime system camc by chancc, or
"has lain here forever." These grand
evidences of design prove the existence
.of a designer?of a great First Cause, al 1
powerful and as benevolent aa powerful.
"None but the fool lias said in his heart
there is no God."
Closely connected with the belief in a
great First Cause,{without beginning and
without end, conies the idea of the im
mortality of the soul. Man, like other
portions of the animal kingdom, comes
into the world, lives his appointed time,
dies, and the places which knew him
know him no more forever. Does he
turn to dust like the brute which
perishes? Or does any part of him?his
intellectual or immaterial nature?his
ppirit live beyond the grave ? This is to
him the most important of all questions.
He is a religious animal. His first
aspiration is for immortality, but this
alone cannot establish the truth of a fu
ture state of existence. He is not con
tent with the idea of annihilation. He
sees himself at the head of all created
beings of which he has knowledge. He
ia r?re>atjpA n litfIn lnivpr t.lian thp. nncrp.ls.
He looks in upon himself and perceives
how fearfully and wonderfully he is
made. His span of life is short, restless!
and soon to p;iss away. He lives, he j
breathes, he has his existence and he
<lics! . The thought is irrepressible and
lias been from the beginning of the
world, is this the end! Was it to end
thus, that the great First Cause evoked
order out of chaos ! Was it for this alone
the magnificent system of worlds was i
called into existence! Was it for this man |
was created from the dust of the earth and ;
a living soul breathed into his nostrils?!
Is it all thus to live and thus to die ? No
one has risen from the dead to tell us,!
but something whispers that it cannot'
* mt .. ?x _ m _ 1 i '
be so. mere is a monitor wmiiu wmcn
teaches that it is not all of liie to live,
nor all of death to die !
"We believe it is true as a historical
fact that no people have ever been dis
covered in any age .or part of the
the world sunk so low in ignorance and
barbarism as not to have a hope at least
in the immortality of the soul, and a
system of religion, involving the idea
that after death there is to be a second
existence, among spirits who control the
world, whose approval is desired and
whose worship is enjoined. The unlet
tered Indian recognizes the Great Spirit
and Governor in the thunder of the
Ciuuu uuuu. xiiv ^la^ituxc uuu
worshipers Bee him in the sun. Some
ancient philosophers believed in metemp
sychosis and jlie transmigration of the
?oul?:tbat after death it passed into
other bodies and lived again in that
T f in Vwil f fl?nf in nAtviA ^V>wm
iUlXJLi* XI/ lO U^IICVCU Il_l OUJLUV7 IVJllll
or other, all the peoples, of the earth, ex
cept perhaps some small sects such as the
Saduccecs among the Jews, entertain the
opinion that Man has within him the
germof immortality. The idea is beau
tifully expressed- in Addison's Cato,
when driven to the last extremity by the
conquering legions of Cajsar, the old
iiero, coiucxijpxubixi^ uuinuc, ic ??.j?vovu
tocl with a drawn sword in one hand and
Plato's little book upon the "Immortality
of the Soul" in the other, soliloquizing
thus:
"Eternity ! Tliou pleasing, dreadulf
thought!
Through what variety of untried being,
Through what new acenes and changes
must we pass?
The wide, the unbounded prospett lies
before me:
But shadows, clouds, and darkness rest
upon it."
But whilst this opinion of immortal ex
istence, drawn from the lights of nature,
has existed in all ages and countries, there
has not l>ecn, by any means, such uniform}
ty of opinion as tc the character of the
great Creator, the precise nature of the fu
ture state or what is required of man to
win his immortal crown. In these par
ticulars the evidence from nature alone
fails the weak intelfect of man. As old
Cato expressed it clouds and darkness
rest upon the future. If, as most moral
philosophers contend, man is endowed
by nature with the capacity to dis
tinguish right from wrong and virtue
from vice, or with what is sometimes
called "an innate moral sense" it is most
certainly true, that the exercise of that-si
"sense" has been anything else than uni- 7
form. There is scarcely a single vice
that in some age or country of the world
has not been countenanced by public
opinion.
TTnrlnr tTinso pirpiimstfinops n. nrro.lt.
number of religious systems have sprung
up at different times among the differ
ent nations and races of the earth. The
God of nature has written His existence
on all His works and His law in the
heart of man, and to make plain
this writing and enforce this law, has
been the real or pretended aim of the
prophets in every age. They saw, but
"through a glass darkly." The ancients
were, in the main, rank idolators. The!
j most cultivated of them had systems of u
Mythology. Their Pantheons were fill
ed with an infinite number of divinities.
Even the chosen people, the Israelites,
set apart from the rest of mankind ironi
the call of Abraham down, coiild with
difficulty be restrained from idolatrous
practices in the very presence of the
Ark of the Covenant! Nor are the
moderns in any way exempt from the
delusions of superstition. Even at this
1 day, in the blaze of the latter part of the
19th Century, it is stated, upon what
seems good authority, that of the 830
millions of people estimated to occupy
the surface of the globe, only 260 mil
lions are christians ; 130 millions Ro
man Catholics, 02millions Greek Catho
lics and 59 millions Protestants whilst
the other 570 millions are either entire
ly ignorant of Christianity or ridicule it
>i? n fnhlc .in.l sunerstition. 4 millions i
profess Judaism, 300 millions profess
Buddhism aud Brahmanisni, whose male
votaries, amidst the most obscene rites of
heathen worship, throw themselves un
der the wheels of the car of Juggernaut,
whilst their wives seek to secure their
immortal bliss by burning themselves an
the dead bodies of their husbands. 120
millions are the fiery followers of
Mahomet?Arabs, Turks and Saracens,
who brandishing their flashingscimitars,
shout Allah! and propagate the faith
of the "True Prophet" with fire and sword!
And 146 millions profess other miscel
laneous creeds, not rising to the dignity
of religion, including the different forms
of Fetichism among the negro tribes of
Africa, in Polynesia and in some parts
of Asia and America?coming down to
the miserable caricature of the "Latter
Day Saints" the last if not the very
lowest of the superstitions.
At first view it would seem r trail ge?
the light of nature vouchsafed to all
being the same?that the world should
he so full of different systems of re
ligion?differing so widely from each
other, and some so strange, so grotesque,
so ridiculous and absurd. These reli
gions are so far from being in accord,
that the pious zeal of the different secta
ries has caused more bitter wars upon
each other and more bloodshed, than all
other causes in the history of the world
combined. To say nothing of the con
flicts between different sects of the
Christian religion, the Protestants and
Greek Catholics and Roman Catholics;
lor centuries the crescent and the cross
have waved in fiercest opposition upon
many fields of blood! To the honest
inquirer after truth, this is a startling
fact and sometimes a stumbling-block!
When closely examined, however, it
may not seem so strange. These differ
ent systems of religion are the off
spring of a natural anxiety to secure a
i i i 1
iiaveu ui rest uuyunu uiu giuv^givnnig
out of a belief in a future state and
working in ignorance of the precise na
ture of that future state and of what
is required from man. These systems
were constructed as Robinson Crusoe
constructed his boat to escape from his
solitary island, that is according to the
destitute circumstances of the situation.
In other words in want of a revelation
of more light.
It is very certain that all these differ
cut systems, ol religion can not uc true, j
The votaries of each believe their own |
to be true, but the votaries of all others
know it is .not. Assuming that the
great Creator, the Author of so many
systems of worlds, possesses unity in na
ture and design?is unchangeable, the
same yesterday, to-day and forever, (and
no other idea is admissible^ it is impossi
ble to believe that systems so essentially
different and inconsistent?different in ..
theory?different in form?different in
their objects of worship and standards of: J1'
conduct are all alike emanations from the
same source, the great Creator and C1
beneficent Rvler of the universe ! As all
cannot be true, there Ls danger that the
skeptical mind may jump to the conclu- ..
sion that all alike are vague, uncertain, 1(^
conjectural and doubtful?that the ?
snliippf. is nt.Inst, but "shadows.!11
, clouds and darkness."
It is perccived that upon the subject
of the filial destiny of the soul of man,
which relates entirely to the unknown
future and is spiritual, invisible and in
tangible in its nature, the claim of (r
divine origin for a religion is not always ^
reliable. For we think it may be safely! w
stated that no religion has ever been j ^
promulgated in the whole history of j
man from Zoroaster to Joe Smith, with
out a claim on the part of the believers,
that their religion was originally estab
lished by divine authority and is proved
by miracles entirely satisfactory, at least
to the faithful. Credulity performs the
office of faith?fanaticism is permitted
:
10 assume tne language oi uispu?uuu.
and the effects of accident or contri
vance arc ascribed to supernatural
causes, as in the latest and most notable
j example of the "golden plates and stone
I spectacles" of the Book of Mormon.
Nor is it safe to rely with implicit
' confidence upon the evidence afforded
j by the zeal or number of the followers.
' In eternal, spiritual concerns there is
something avoid vniloubtuirj faith that
exalts and transports the believer, which
! is entirely independent of the truth or
I falsehood of what is believed. Will
ingness to suffer martyrdom affords the
lighest evidence of the sincerity of the
)cliever, but not of the truth of his
treed. All history, profane and sacred, is
iill of the most striking examples of
vhat the fanatic can do and dare under
he enthusiasm of his religion. Amidst
his multiplicity of religions and con
lict of opinion, in seeking for some safe
aundation upon which to rest, we must
ook for some other evidence less likely
0 mislead.
As we have seen, the light of nature
ad merely suggested?intimated the
ubject and then left it in darkness,
'his state of things made it proper and
1 one sense necessary that there should
e a revelation of further light, and in
be fullness of time there was given to
lie world this Book, the Book, TPIE
>IBLE, which claims to be the written
rord of God. Here is the whole story
f the Christian religion given for the
ispection, perusal and faith of man.
Ve have been constrained to say that
lost of the systems of religion which
ave obtained can not be true, what shall
*e my of this* Amidst all this confu
on, doubt and error, the solemn thought
nbidden will obtrude itself upon the
ouest, truthful mind. Does this book
ziiainly contain the true religion, or may
e not be deceived like, the followers of
te Grand Lama or of Mahomet, who arc
ss sincere and confident as we arc?
Let us advert most reverently to some
f tlio minims of t.lw (Miristian mlirrion
) be considered superior to nil the other
rstems referred to and to be in very
uth the authentic revelation of God to
lan:?saying nothing as to the evidences
illcd internal, theproofs from prophecy,
om inspiration, from supernatural inter
osition and from miracles, which arc only
ppreciated to their full extent by those
ho are spiritually regenerated and
hich pre-suppose the proofs complete
ud the question alreaay settled. We
mil only venture to touch such consid-1 \a
ations as may occur to one somewhat r,K
^customed to consider the weight of ,
/idence upon matters of less importance
nd anxious to arrive at truth upon the
iost important subject ol" life, but clahu
ig to be in 110 way spiritually enlightcn
First: Considering the nature of the
isc?that there is a great Creator?that
ie soul of man is immortal, and that
c had some vague and indefinite innate
:nse of riglit and wrong, which could
lly be satisfied with the theory of a fu
irestate of rewards and punishments to
>rrect the manifest wrongs of which this
orld is full?that the moral world was
roping in darkness dividing into a multi
ide of religions inconsistent with each
her?doctrine combating doctrine and
ct fighting sect, a revelation of further
yht was proper and, considered from our
r'uit of view, absolutely necessary. This
ying necessity for further light?if if
>es not absolutely prove the truth of
ie J>ii)ie, at least clears inc way, ana
eparcs the miiul to rcceive without
ejudice the evidences which may he
Forded, that which in reason is expec
d is more readily believed to be true,
ich being the great need of revelation,
the Christian religion could be proven
be untrue, it would be the greale :t
istortune wiiien coma Demi manKiuu.
lie question is certainly ihis or no rc
aled religion. Its destruction would take
om frail, groping man the only Oasis
the desert of doubt, the greatest sup
>rt in the trials and toils of life, the
eatest safeguard against vice and in
lcement to \ irtuc, the greatest comfort
affliction, and support in death, the
eatest source of happiness here and
' hope hereafter. It would unchain all
e wild and selfish passions of the savage
an and throw the world back into the cln
irk state of disgusting paganism,
hich universally existed when the
liristian religion was promulgated, and
the moral world would be like blot
ig the sun from the heavens.
Second.? The conformity of ihe story
the Bible to the constitution and courseqf
iture makes it probable that they both
,me from the same source.
It is legitimate to argue from what
e know to what we do not know;
om what is acknowledged to what is
sputed; from that part of the divine
tublishment which is exposed to our
ew to that more important part which
beyond it. We hold on to that
hich is certain and reach out for that
Li-i ? : i 1._
U1UI1 WU WISH IU 11JUKU CUJ UU1I.
id ourselves possessed of some knowl
Ige of the world around us and of our
vii complex nature. We have already
sumed it as established, by the evi
?nees of design, that no rational mind
.n doubt the existence of a designer, and
d now think we may add the reason
)Ie probability is, that that revelation
liich, beingsoniuch needed, appears and!
in genera1 conformity with that design, [
mesjrom rue same wurcc.
As well as we understand it, the re
gion of the Bible is the mere supplc
ent of natural religion and in full
arniony with it; the two, taken togeth
make one complete whole. The Bible,
hen properly understood contradicts 11
othing which nature teachcs but goes
irtlier. it connrms xne pre-existing | ~
lea of the immortality of the soul and j
f one great First Cause, spiritual and i011
?visible, and therefore denounces idola-1Vl1
y in all its forms. It makes clear I th
hat was before dark and obscure, ex-j ^
lains the origin and eternal conflict of 'K
ood ami evil, gives the specific laws oi il,v
ice and virtue, declares that this world j t'1
i only a state of probation and the' pi
reat doctrine that there is a judg-!*a
lent beyond the grave, by which re
ards and punishments are to be distri
uted according to the deeds done in the
ody; and gives the scheme of salvation
irouofh a Redeemer, and thus provides
solid resting-place amidst the quick
mds of confusion, doubt and error?a
avcn of rest beyond the grave for the
oping, doubting, disturbed and dis
racted spirit of man.
This conformity with the constitution w
,nd course of nature, can not, as it ap
>ears to us, he affirmed of any other w
eligion of which we have knowledge. J)'
jet us for a moment consider some of '
ban.
TIE MYTHOLOGY OF THE GEEEK8 AXI>
ROMANS. jit
Tlie elaborate system of polytheism n:
if the most cultivated nations of anti-joi
[uity, was nothing but a collection of: a
ables?sometimes beautiful and ingeni-|it
ius but still fables. There was an im! y
nense number of divinities. Pantheons1 fc
tf the most exquisite architecture, were tl
lied with Gods and Goddesses, Nymphs
'uries and Graces-all endowed with mor
l1 passions and weaknesses, possessing
inflicting powers and jurisdiction, the]
ere constantly warring with each otlier
apiter with his thunder ruled Olym
as?Neptune with his trident the sea
id Pluto the infernal regions. Ox-ey
1 Juno was the Empress of Heaven
[inerva was the Symbol of learning anc!
enus the matchless Queen of love and
viuty! besides a host of lesser lights.
3ods partial, changeful, passionate,
unjust,
Those attributes were rage, revenge
and luBt!'-'
It requires but small capacity to sec
?n *u;., ,1:
ai> iin iiiia mis in uii wu uuiitiuuii uuu
the unity and consistency of nature,
lie very number of their Gods is
one conclusive evidence against the
hole system. But besides most of these
iities were immoral and vicious beyond
e standard of their own worshipers,
s Rosseau says, "the continence oi
mocratcs was admired by those wlio
lebrated the debaucheries of Jupiter.
:ie chaste Lucretia adored tlie unchaste
enus. The most intrepid Romans
crificed to fear. The most contemptible
vinities were served by the greatest
en. The holy voice of nature,
*An rvf> y? o r\ + hof nf tTio rir>f?a ninrlo
elf heard, respected and obeyed on
rth, and seemed to banish to the
nfines of heaven guilt and the guilty."
Indeed the Greeks and Romans did
t believe the Polytheism, which, with
was universal around them. But it
is so dove-tailed into their shows and
ectacles, their literature and fine arts,
at it was convenient to tolerate, and
safe to oppose it. Gibbon, in one of
3 grand antithetical sentences, charac
rizes the whole fabric as follows: "The
ricus modes of worship which pre
iled in the Roman world, were all con
lered by the people as equally true, by
o philosophers as equally false?, and
the magistrates as equally useful."
-j- i....1 *".i:~. _i:
illU UUU UUU ui WJ11
mitv to nature required ; awl Socratcs,
lg before the birth of Christ, was eon
nine:! to drink hemlock for corrupting
c youth of Athens by teaching strange
ctrines.
THE BUDDHISM AND BRATIMANTSM
the Asiatics and that whole family of
ndred systems. As to these we need
rdly say one word to show that they
2 not in accord with the constitution
d course of nature. The three hun
ed millions who profess these religions
long to an inferior type of the human
;e, and their prevailing doctrine of
jcessive transmigrations to higher de
jes of being, culminating in the holy
iddhas, is but one of the many forms of
;iun ) ;
JUDAISM.
Vv'e can not say that Judaism is cou
ry to the constitution and course of
hire, for so far as their Old Tcsta
'nt is concerned, it is identical with
iristianity. But this we do say that
daism, as wc now see it, not
thstanding its great antiquity,' is
imperfcct system?the foundation
an edifice without the snperstruc
pc?the preface of a great work
lieh hicks completion. It appears
ns that without their own prom
d Messiah?the central character
d pivot of the system -the whole
eparatory fabric tumbles to pieces?
iking the ceremonial law of Moses.,
eir types and figures, vain and
^anincless, if not positive!}' super
tious. Does it not strike the most
sual observer that Judaism without
second coming is merely an anti
atc-d fragment, like the huge foun
tions of' some great temple, which
is never built ? Look at it. Jud;\
li, as it is contained in tho Old
stament, was not, as it seems to us,
;ended for all mankind. It does
t profess to be catholic, but pre
ely tho contrary. It is limited
ictly to the Israelites, which ex
esses more distinctly a rnce than a
eel. It seems plain that the mission
this people was to keep the oracles
til "Shiloh come," and for this
rpose?to prevent the contagion of
rronnding superstitions?exclusion
is the idea. That peculiarity made
cm proper instruments to preserve
c faith, bnt in no way fitted them,
t on the contrary, made them unfit,
propagate it. The original purpose
is accomplished, but the Jews still
Laiq the character of cxclusiveness
st impressed upon ihcm. "We arc
slined to think that now, as in the
ys of the prophets, they arc so
uud of their race as an ecclesiastical
istocracy, because of the sacred
ist confided to them, that they are
much opposed to spreading their
ligion as they are to mixing Uicir
X)d with those who- have not de
jnded from Abraham. In the olden
nc one of their objections to jJ-esus
iVio ATpeKinli ivnQ thnh lip
th "publicans and sinners." They
nsidcrcd it a violation of their rights
an exclusive people, and of their
ligion, superior to that of all others,
"expose tiic sacred arcana of the
ly living and truo God beforo the
ilgar gaze of the motley nations oi
e earth ; and denounced as impiouf
c sublime mission of the great and
iroic apostle to the Gentiles. And
>\v in these days, they are still in
e strongest sense an exclusive pco
c. They make no converts, and sc
r as wo ai-o informed, no effort tc
oselyte, How rarely has any Gen
le embraced as his faith Judaism
hero aro none but hereditary Jews
s somo classical writer has sait
iout poets, they are not made, bui
>rn. They possess their religion as
ley do their peculiar features, b}
jscent. The children of Israel I th<
loson people of God, who, alont
nidst the idolatry of the Pagai
orld, preserved the spiritual wor
lip of ono great invisible Jehovah
ho kept the ark of the covenant
ho toiled in Egypt, crosscd tho Iie(
Jti, wuiiuvruu iII tnu wiiuuruusa, uiiv
Dter smiting the Canaanites, hip am
iigh, conquered the land flowinj
ith milk and honey ! The Israel
cs, who in the Old Testament fin
ished the trunk, upon which wa
^grafted the Christian religion
nd Jesus, its founder. The Israel
es! who did all this, and much mor(
et rejected both the building and it
mndcr, and have been scattered t
lie winds of heaven !
The history of the J'cws is allowed
to furnish one of the most remarka
Ulo proofs of the troth of prophesy,
and of the divine character of their
own Son, whom they crucified.
With higher claims than any other
peoplo to tho-.favor of Heaven, up to
the time of Christ, they rejected him,
and aro now, a peoplo without a home,
without a country, and, wo had almost
said, without a God. Wo look upon
tho Jews with something of that
sentiment with which we regard "a
stranger in a strange land." More
desolate and hopeless than when they
hung their harps upon the willows
by the waters of Babylon, they are
scattered to all quarters of the globe,
speaking every language known to
man, in every latitudo, in evoiy clime,
and ou every continent, watching,
waiting and praying for the promiaed
Restorer, " until ono would
, thiuk, "that hopo deferred would
make tho heart sick." The mission
of this remarkable pcoplo is manifest
ly accomplished.
MAHOMETANISM.
The religion of Moslem is more
like Christianity than any of the
other systems. It admits the Old
and New Testament as part of the
Sacred Writings, and even recognizes
Christ as a groat apostle, but a mere
? ? _ ?. .1 4 A Ifn l^/> A 4- Tf
lliau, UUU 1IILU11UL Iv HiiUlVIUUU. JLU
teaches the immortality of the soul,
and the existence of one invisible
God, but discards tho idea of the
Trinity. "There is bub one God and
Mahomet is his prophet."
Like Christianity, it teas founded
by one person, Mahomet, who, though
undoubtedly an impostor, was gifted
with great endowments, beautiful in
person, of a subtle wit, and agreeable
behavior, showing liberality to the
poor, courtesy to every one, fortitude
against his enemies, and, above all, a
lilgn reverence ror me jiuiiio ui \jruu.
His religion spread, almost miracu
lously, over a largo part of the globe,
and lias to-day, as many followers as
any branch of the Christian Church.
This makes its doctrines and historj
very interesting to Christians. We,
have read the Koran with some care,
and, at the risk of being thought
presumptious, we venture the opinion
that Mahometanism is not entitled to
bo considered an original system. It
is, in our judgment, a mere imitation
and corrnption of Christianity 1 Ma
homet did not livo until the scvonth
century of the Christian era. The
farao of Josus, His religion and His
crucifixion, had gone abroad. His
doct'-ines, very peculiar in themselves,
and proclaimed by the indefatigable
apostles, had permeated the whole
couotry. civilizod and semi-civilized;
and, in a pure cr corrupted form, had*
certainly reached the wandering
j Arabs. There happened to bo no es
tablished religion at Mecca. Mahom
etan ambitions, but poor member of
the tribe of Koroish and family of
Ilashcm, concoivcd the plan of estab
lishing a now religion, and, seizing
upon the leading doctrines of" the in
visible nature and unity of God,
and taking Christ as his model, he
proclaimed Mahometanism. Ho de
nounced idolatry, but changed the
doctrinos of Christianity so as to suit
his own peculiar views, and the cus
toms, sentiments and passions of tho
warriors of tho desert. Most
of tho moral precepts of the
Koran are taken, indeed almost
copied, from tho gospels, and tho other
portions of it are inspirations of the
prophet as his needs or wishes sug
gested, adapted to the condition and
j character of his first followers. Christ
:and Mahomet, the original and copy.
I'-TTr-nfrinn to !i satrr." All the
world admits that tho founder of
Christianity was absolutely free from
personal impurity; whilst Mahomet
abandoned the character which he
had assumed for the purpose of per
sonal and liccntious indulgence. His
avowed, claim of special permission
from heaven for his unlimited sensu
ality is known to every reader, as it is
confessed by every writer of tho Mos
lem story. His bible, tho Koran,
refers to Moses and the prophets and
denounces idolatry. It tolerates pol
ygamy?indeed holds it out as one of
the joys of heaven. It teaches the
spiritual worship of one invisible
(iod, but at the same time, it exhausts
description in painting the carnal
iovs of paradise. Ilis religion was
framed with special reference to its
own propagation. It requires of its
followers, no other evidence than a
declaration of belief in the Koran.
It does not consider necessary an}
spiritual change or conversion. It is
aggressive, having sprung into exist
ence full grown and a nued cap a pie,
liko Minerva from the head of Jove.
! Its doctrines arc calculated to make
'warriors rather than saints. They
i aro all unitarians, universalists, and
fatalists. "The sword is the key of
, heaven and hell?a drop of blood
i shed in the cause of God, a night
! spent in arms, is more avail than two
months fasting and prayer. Whoever
i falls in battle, his sips are forgiven at
I the day of judgment, his wounds
i j shall be as resplendent as verinillion,
i iand odoriferous as musk, and the loss
of his limbs shall be supplied by the
> wings of angels and chorubims."
> The Moslem's famous war-cry has
-jbeen heard with horror upon many a
field of blood, when Moslem aim
Christian?the crescent and the cross
?rose and fell in mortal struggle.
'Yo Christian dogs, yo know your
option, tho Koran, tribute, or tho
sword."
Whilst there is in these systems no
evidence of a divine origin, to be
found from their conformity with the
constitution and course of nature,
which is the negative argument;
there is abundant evidence that they
are the productions of man, which is
tho positive argument against tliem.
The (lifFeront systcmp of religion con
stitute one of tho most interesting of
jail enquiries. They afford curious
J and striking evidence of the charac
ter of their producers. Upon a sub
ject deemed by all of tho greatest
! conscQtienco, tho religious conceptions
[of a people are but a reflex of them
selves. .Reason turns back from the
jproduction to tho producer. The
character of a people appears iu
their religion, when it is the creation
of their hands, upon a principle some
thing like that, which enables lis to
judge of a peoplo by examining their
literature. As for instance, who
could fail to know the taste and
learning of tho Athenians from read
ing tho orations of Demosthenes, or
tho history of Thucydides? Be
sides, when the production is a sys
tem of religion, commanding obedi- ]
ence by the solemn sanotions of eter
nal rewards and punishments, thero is
a very strong reflex influenco back
upon those who are not only the
creators, but also tho worshippers;
who first create, and then as follow
ers, kneel and conform by the high
est of all motives?the zeal which
animates tho devout believer 1 The
worshipper always assimilatos to tho
character of the thing worshipped.
Strange infatuation and absurdity of
idolatry, which has been rife in the
world since tho davs of Bel. whom
Daniel exposed by sprinkling ashes
on the floor. What a paradox that
men should deliberately -set about
cheating themselves! Those Gods owe
their existence, form and attributes to
the framing hand of man, and of courso
are formed according to his highest
conceptions; but these same awful
Gods, as soon as made and installed,
are worshipped, and in turn bend the
nccks and mould the hearts of their
creators. Some one has said let me
write tho songs of a people and I
care not who makes their laws. It
could be Baid with more truth and
force, "show mo the religion of & peo
plo and I will tell you who they
are."
Thero is one test, which applied,
will generally show whether a religion
is the production of the people who
profess it. When tho religion con
forms to tho prevailing tastes, habits
and vices of a pcoplo, we feel au
) liAin'orod frt cot' flmt-. t.hnfr. nnnnffi nrn
the architects of their own religion.
It may bo that it has a remote an
tiquity?that it originated time out of
mind. It may havo grown by grad
ual accretion from year to year and
from ago to ago, but it is nono the
less certain that it is not of divine
butjiuman origin. In the cold-and
froz'en regions of Scandinavia the
people aro illiterate, coarse and war
liko, delighting in little elso than the
stimulus of strong drink and the de
lightful glow of battle: and accord
ingly we see that same character
displayed in the happiness of their
heaven. Their highest conception of
life waa the happy state of their war
riors in spirit land, who hackcd each
other to pieces all the day long in
fearful combat, and then spent the
long night with their companions
whom they had been hacking in
wassail?drinking strong drink or
blood from the skulls of their enemies
slain in battle, and in making the
walls of blessed Walhalla ring with
the most disgusting revelry. Was
not that religion created by tiiat peo
ple ? No doubt of it!
In the warm climate of Arabia Felix
the people are less inclined to strong
drink, bat devoted to ease, luxury and
grandeur: and hencc we see that
Mahomet preparod for bis followers,
particularly those fortunate ones who
died in battle for the cause of tho
prophet or his faith, tho most volupt
uous paradise, with robes of silk,
palaces of marble, rivers and shades,
groves and couches, wines and dain
ties, and more than all, and above all,
black-ej-cd honries of resplendent
beauty and eternal youth I Is there
not as little doubt that that religion
was made for that people ?
The Mornionism of our day, reeking
with foul, feculent corruption and im
morality, tho principal doctrines of
which arc community of goode and
polygamy, is but the development of
tho dishonest greed for gain and li
centiousness which, in a pre-omiuent
degree, disgrace this age and country!
The community of goods is only a
bungling contrivance of the prophets
to cat the bread of others and live
without work. Polygamy in this age
and Christian country is a crying
snamc: Will) mau ituu \jii\j nviuau
were created and placed in the gar
den of Eden, and statistics show that
the sexes are born in about equal
numbers. It is clear, without going
into other considerations, that on this
subject Christianity teaches the doc
trine which is in unison with nature,
aud is both expedient and right
notwithstanding tho natural inclina
tion towards polygamy as evinced by
the practico of the patriarchs and
prophets of old?by the peoplo of all
Mohammedan countries, and lastly,
by tho followers of this miserablo,
contemptible caricature of religion,
instituted by a vulgar impostor and
horse thief, who found in a printing
oftico Spaulding's manuscript of a
crazy novel, considered unworthy of
publication, and made of it the Mor
mon Bible! Even this creature could
get followers, when under the gtiiso
of religion he gratified their sensual
inclinations, and might with truth?
I in imitation of another impostor,
Mokana. tho veiled prophet of Ko
| rassan, when he lifted the silver veil
jand exposed his hideous deformity?
exclaim with grinning mockery:
! "Here ye wise saints, behold your light,
your star;
Ye would be dupes and victims, and ye
arc!"
In all tho religions of which wo
have knowledge, the subject of most
solemn interest is the place of depart
ed spirits, as that is tho very centro
of tlae subject. In most of Hiem somo
favorite hero is represented in prose
op rrnntrv fin mnkincr the descent tO
v,. r~ J
that awful region, where opportunity
is afforded of seeing and describing
tbo locality, of recognizing the blessed
and unblessed spirits, and of convers
ing with departed saiuts and heroes.
As the dead do not return to earth,
jthedesiro to visit them seems to be
irresistible. Of the Creeks, Ulysses
is represented by Ilomcr as making
the fearful descent to Hades, and
talking with the long lino of Grecian
heroes ! Of tlio liomans the pious
Eneas, led by the Cumean Sibyl,
J crossed the stygian pool, passed Ccr
jbcrus at the gate and explored the
horrors of Tartarus'! A^d the Koran
represents that Mahomet, with his
companion, Gabriel, successively as
cended the seven heavens, and re
ceived and repaid the salutations of
the patriarchs, the prophets and the
angels in their respective mansions.
Beyond the seventh Heaven Mahomet
alone wa3 permitted to proceed. He
passed the veil of unity, approached
within two bow-shots of the throne,
and felt a cold chill that piorced him
to tho heart! These accounts are all
vory different from oach other, and
are extremely characteristic of the
peoplo who wore represented. If we
had time it would bo interesting and
instructive to compare these accounts
and note the striking differences I and
especially to remark how essentially
different they are from "The Vision"
of Dante, and tho sublime description
of Milton's hell!
Third. The teachings of the Bible
arc not only in accord with what we
know of the constitution and course
of nature, but its morality is pure
beyond anything in the history of
man ! Tho ethics of no other religion
is comparable to it. Christianity, in
common with some other religions,
teachos the existence of one great,
eternal, invisible God, who is to bo
worshipped in spirit and. in truth;
but its distinguishing characteristic
?its grand central doctrine?is that
this life is a mere probation for the
ucxt?a preparation for the great
judgment where rewards and punish
ments are to bo distributed according
to the deeds done in the body here!
This is the great doctrine, and out of
it grows me most important conse
quences. The general effect is to
dwarf all temporal affairs-?to miti
gate the intensity of worldly strug
gles by showing how trivial they are,
comparatively?to'soften the inequal
ities of life with the belief that the
ordeal is short, and that there is to
be a judgment, where the wrongs
which abound in the world will be
corrected by an infallible standard
and an upright Judge! The effect of
this must be most salutary, leading
practically to repress selfishness, and
to the great virtues of patience, hn
inility and justice. "Where else can
we find such a requirement as the
golden rule, "Do unto others as you
would they should do unto you?"
This appreciation of the concerns
of life at t heir true value, leads neces
sarily to the restraint of the passions.
Man is so constituted that most of the
ills of life arise out of the excessive
indulgence uf the passions, pride, am
bition, hatred, revenge, envy, &o.
These passions are natural,, but un
doubtedly they were intended to be
restrained, for their unrestrained in
dulgence leads certainly to pain and
evil. More pleasure, in the long run,
is derived from the restraint than
from the indulgence of the passions.
The laws of the land require this re
straint?the laws of society require
it, and it is indispensiblo to the Chris
tian character. The lessons of the
Bible aro restraining. They regulate
and repress, instead of giving a loose
reign to the appetites, and in this they
differ "toto crelo" from those of ail
other religions! Is it likely that such
dnt'.t,rinfts would be nronounded bv an
impostor seeking only &is own pleas
ure? A mere demagogue in religion
as in politics is never satisfied with
posthumous fame, especially if it is to
be earned by self-denial and mortiri
eation of the flesh. No conscious
deceiver is willing to pay that price
for the mere pleasuro of deceiving.
Haring nothing abiding, he wants
present onjoyment and living glory.
That is his mission?biB only motive
?and if ho loses that, he is even in
his own eyes a failure ! The obvious
coursc to success with him is to conform
to the prejudices and indulge the ap
petites, instead of preaching a crusade
against both.
Another peculiarity of the doctrines
of the Bible is this: they go to the
fountain-head, and concern themselves
with tho very thoughts?the will?the
intentions, and undertake the hercu
lean task of cleansing that unclean
cage, the heart of man. Goodness is
? * ^ Ar. r]nnnn H nnnn ATI l.wdrH
IJUO 41JUUU ?,v uw^vi.M
circuinstances, on forms and ceremo
nies, as prayers, ablutions, sacrifices
and genuflections; but on the quiet,
silent processes of the heart. What
a magnificent doctrine ! It seems im
possible that it could come from one
who was himself an impostor. At
ono swoop it levels all the inequalities
of life?elevates and comforts the de
spised of earth as well as the greatest
favoritos of fortune. It reaches the
humblo cottage of the poor as well as
the palaces of kings. Indeed, it seems
especially adapted to tho lowly and
humble. This valo of tears is so full
of sorrow that tho very thing needed
was a comfortcr?a resource wbicn,
under the most adverse circumstances,
could confer something beyond the
reach of the world?"a peaco above
all earthly dignities, a still-and quiet
conscience." It has been said that
Christ knew man better than Socrates.
"My son, keep thy heart with all dili
gence, for out of it are the issues of
life." There is no philosophy extant
equal to the sermon on the mount.
"Blessed are tho poor in spirit, for
fV.<vva ic thn kingdom of Heaven.
Blessed are they that mourn, for they
shall be comforted. Blessed are the
meek, for they shall inherit the oarth.
Blessed are the merciful, for they
shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the
puro in heart, for thoy shall see God,
aud blossed are tho peace-makors,"
&c.
Touching, as it docs, the very in
ward springs of action, and its com
mands being enforced by tho solemn
sanctions of eternal life and death,
Christianity is the greatest of all gov
ernors?not only assisting in self-con
trol, but in tho control of others.
' Thou fihalt not steal." ''Thou shalt
not bear false "witness against thy
neighbor." "Thou shalt not kill,"
have had more influence in restrain
ing the commission of crimo, than ail
the penal laws, judges and penitentia
ries of tho world 1 Onewho lives up
to tho doctrines of tho Eiblo will
never bo a law-breaker or a- criminal.
It not only contributes largely to
govern, but to civilize men. What
ever purifies .".rd softens tho hcart3
MB a direct effect in improving man
ners and conduct, for gopd maimers
ire bat the external expression of
jood feeling ; and therefore, u we
night suppose, Christianity is the rel
igion of the highest^race^afid "the
aost cultivated portion of mankind .
Fourth. Considering the.time and
aanner of its promulgation, the char*
ctcr of its doctrines, and the bumble
rigin of its founder, there is sOrae
hing most remarkable in the estab*
isbmcnt and spread of the Christian
eligion, upon any other hypothesis
ban that of a divine origin t
The mere spread of a religion is not
nough to prove its troth; False re
gions have spread wonderfully under
eeuliar circumstances,. But it does <'
3em that the Christian religion is_,
i_ t_l. it!- . ?ML ^7
smariraDio in mis respect, ane
orld was full of idolatty, which >
>ems to bo the special weakness of'
ar Dature. There were oractes andh
imples and graven images almost*
a every hilL All the sensual appe
tes of man wer^gorged to their
tmost capacity?indeed each, passion
ad its divinity to supervise ami stim
ate its exercise. This had existed^
om the beginning, and from the J
iture of the case* was growing
orse every day. This universal -
olatry had become imbedded in th$
Eibits of the people, and in the laws T
- the country. Each tolerated .the
iher to be tolerated in tarn; token j
new religion was preached by common
iople, full of strange doctrines, which "
as in its nature intolerant of all
.olatry, and at war alike with the
issions and creeds of men, which *
jw religion overthrew the altars '*
id temples of the Pagan world, and
itablished itself nrton their rnins f
This new religion being one purely
faith and practice, and not of worldly -
Dwer, did not at first connect itaejf*
i any way with government, but
mcorned about the soul and faturitjr,
ave "onto Caesar the things that
ere Caesar's." It had no empire to
ttend it ofl the point of the sword,
at pointed beyond the grave for iJe.v;
nDgdom." Some one has said
irmed prophets always establish
leir claims" upon the game principle
lat '-fortune always favors the heay-.
ist battalions." The remark contains
deep sarcasm. It might be sai<f
ith entire truth of Mahomei and his
iligion. Islamism fed the pridi^
rifishness and appetites of its vota*
ies, and was borne upon the conquer
ig arms of the Saracens "paripfimL,n
ith the empire of the Kalif! Bat
10 Cnristian religion had jao such
leans for its propagation.' At flnrt
, had no followers bat humble, no*
nown persons, and no oonnection
ith cmvfirnmfint other than to feel
s scorn, contempt and power in.,
7ery conceivable form of persecution.
; had to succeed?if it succeeded at
II?upon the inherent strength of its
wn merits, the sublimity of its own
Dctrines, against mountains of oblo
ly, against the colossal power of the
istress of the world, ana against the
itablished hierarchy of the jeakws
3ws, who, seeing in it the destruction
'Judaism, opposed it with all the ran
>r of religious hatred and desnai^aild
dually assisted unconsciously in its
tablishment by putting to death its
under and many of his followers 1
We Have seen some wnere a iitue
mday-school picture of Paal preack
g at Athens, -which is foil of i&orst
iblimity. How nmoh it oxprew!
ow .many classic associations it
achcs! Paul the heroic?the expo
jot of the true spiritual religion then
jw and strango. On Mar's hill. At
thcns the classic, in sight of the
cropolis and tne Jfartnenon, tne very
ntro of Greece, "the famed land of
ittle and of song," standing in tho
)en air upon the pedestal' of a mag
ficent marble column, under the
;ry caves of the Pantheon?a mere
ranger and exile and wanderor,
ithout power or authority, fearlessly
caching the resurrection and the
dgmont to come; and relying ex
usively upon the truth of his doc
inep, not only for success in bis
ission of love, but for the poor priv
)ge of being allowed to live I The
idieuco is a motley throng of Greeks,
sws and Gentiles, with here and
UI'C ViOlUiC tiJC O^iuuvnuu xiviujvv v?.
Roman soldier. Some are seated on
e ground, some are standing, and
I seem to bang npon the bold words
' him whom they called "the bab
erwhen, inspired by the dronm
(inccs aronnd him, the apostle to
e Gentiles rises to the height of the
oat snbjcct whioh stirs within
m, and proclaims, "Ye men of Ath
is ! I perceive that in all things ye
o too suporstitioas, for as I passed
r and boheld your devotions, I found
i altar with this inscription, 'To the
iknowr God,' whom therefore you.
norantly worship him. declare I
i to yon."
In opposition to Judaism, in oppo?
iion to polytheism, in opposition to
e prejudices and passions of men,
id in opposition to the political
>wer of the nations, the Christian re
tion proclaimed by the humble and
ispised Nazarene, with its passive
tctrines, denouncing violence and
oodshcd, preaching restraint and
U'UUUbiUl, ^HUUlttllUlu^ |jvavv. vu
irtli and good will towards men "
ado its silont, unassisted way in the
iman heart and founded the Chris*
z? Ckwch, which, surviving every
iriety of persecution in its early his*
?ry, cortainly down to the cofever*
nn of Constantino?surviving also the
mflicts of innumerable sects god
(isms which vexed and lacerated its
ivn bosom?of Arians, Sabellians,
ostoritfns, Collyrideans, JJazarenea,
iomosians, Homousiaus and others*
eatkered the dark tionnqf the midilfagu,
lien she alone rode, amidst darkn^M
3d tempest, on the dsluge beneath
bich all the great works of ancient
ower and wisdom lay entombed,
earing within her that feeble germ,
om which a second and moro glori
Lis civilization was to spring I Thai
rand structure, the Christian Church,
earing the unmistakable marks of
ntiquity, of the storms of nearly two
aousand 3*cars which have beat upon
has como down to us, and purged
f its corruptions and reformed of it*
buses, is now the most venorabta