The Sun.
London, England, 1824-06-11 00:00:00

BLASPHEMOUS PUBLICATIONS.

We have often had occasion, as Journalists, a
painful duty to discharge in adverting to certain
diabolical Publications to shake the tenets of
the Christian Faith, introduce disorder, and bring
his MAJ EST Y and the Government into contempt :
We think we cannot do better than direct the at-
tention of the deluded Authors of these writings
to the following Extract from a Work by RAE
WiLsoN, Esq., who has pointed at these abuses
after a Journey over the Holy Land, where he
compared the countries and still existing manners
and customs with the descriptions of Holy Writ.
" I travelled over countries where prophets
had lived, in communion with the Father of
Spirits, and had written for the instruction of
those involved in a state of darkness. I trod
that sacred soil, and my eyes beheld many of
those places which were eminently sanctified by
the presence of the Son of God, who performed
miracles to astonished multitudes, and poured
forth his precious blood to redeem a guilty
World.

" I sojourned in regions where distinguished men
were commissioned to declare, and who published
his power, cured diseases, and proclaimed the glad
tidings of salvation. And, further, I was a wit-
ness of those mountains, seas, and cages where
they wandered, and concealed their persons, who
were scourged and tortured, nay, laid down their
lives for the testimony of their Divine Master.
Among the natives of these countries I had occa-
sion to mark a thousand minute circumstances in
the manners and customs, fully corresponding
with that clear and distinct narrative which has
been handed down to us in the sacred volume and
p roving to demonstration that the Scriptures con-
tain the word of God.

" Had the supposition entered my mind that
the volume of inspiration was a compiled narra-
tive of fraud and imposition, as scoffers of Iteli-
gion so impiously pretend, I must have been
abundantly satisfied by all the accumulated mass
of evidence which passed every moment under
my eye during this journey, that no worm of the
dust, by the highest ingenuity, could possibly have
composed or compiled a history so harmonising
in all its parts. The authenticity of it, therefore,
rests on a most solid foundation, emanating from
the great Author of our faith, with whom there is
no variableness or shadow of turning, and it will
endure till this earth exists no more. Here I
would ask, can its historical detail be brought in
any possible shape into question ? Where is
there unfolded, in any volume under Heaven,
such a Code of Laws and Precepts, and so coin-
pendious a system of morality, containing, in fact,
all that the most mighty Monarch on the earth
should know, 'and accommodated to the under-
standing and circumstances of every soul, yes,
down to the most ignorant of mankind ? Does it
not disclose events the most unparalleled and
sublime in their nature, conveying the purest de-
light, and a mirror, as it were, in which all may
have an opportunity of seeing their hearts re-
flected, where a powerful remedy is pointed out
for sin by the precious blood of Christ, which
was shed ? In short, no person who studies this
revelation of mercy with any degree of attention,
can otherwise than be satisfied that it is the most
precious lewicy which has been given by God to
man, since it lays open to his view a bright world
beyond death and the grave, and points out the
path which conducts to glory everlasting. When
I reflect on the present age of infidelity,
or, to use the expressions of a prophet, this
day of trouble and blasphemy, where a spirit
stalks abroad with gigantic pride, and when
publications are sent forth with stings of
deadly poison, circulated with unremitting exer-
tions, unparalleled effrontery, and in every art-
ful shape that Satanic imaginations can suggest,
not only in violation of the tremendous judg-
ments of the Majesty of Heaven, but the esta-
blished laws of this land, wherein the enemies
of our souls have attempted to shake the tenets
of Christianity, and bring the great Author of
our Faith into ridicule, lay the Church in ruins,
sap tlje foundations of religion, and blow up the
sacred deposit of this Gospel : I say, when I
further perceive the object of these publications
is to excite a spirit of disaffection and revolt
against his Majesty, his family, and the Govern.
ment of these realms, and even dare to direct
atrocious reflections on the memory of his re-
vered father, oue of the brightest ornaments that
ever filled the British throne; what is the lan.
.guage that should be used on this accumulation
of evil to so miserable a class of men as sceptics,

atheists, and those who assume the namS
free-thinkers ? I would address to such chalicii
ters the following observations :—I would o_,
upon you, by the mercies of God, to look 0P;
this Gospel, the oldest record in existence, tot (
purity of its doctrines, the accomplishment;
Prophecy, the operation of the Holy Spirit, foil
the corruption of your nature, and the remedy
sin pointed out by the sacrifice of a Redeetnei
which displays a brilliancy of light to illuminate
your path, and is the power of God unto stall
tion. Search the Scriptures with the most Prfl
found and serious attention ; they will 3131,"dij
tually anatomise your thoughts, acquaint you ye!,
your own state by nature, and practice the dotiej
you are called upon to perform. towards GUA,i
yourself, and man, that you may secure the 01"
less happiness which is reserved for the righteool
beyond death and the grave. Mark how powers
fully it is represented, that it is a fearful thing ti
fall into the hands of the living God, and becoo
subject to those eternal punishments which aA
denounced against the Guilty, who trample under
foot his only begotten Son. I implore you, theN
to weigh its precepts and sublime admonitionli
as a revelation of Mercy from above, exclusively
bestowed by the free grace of God, and offered
to all ranks of men, without money or price!
Let it be engraven on your minds that it it b,
i)
this sacred standard you must be judged bell!,
a dread tribunal, the authenticity of which Y°:,
pretend to doubt, nay throw aside as a cunning',
devised Fable.

" Although this Fountain of Truth will relylT
as a rock in the ocean,sure and sted fast, notwit:i
standing it be assailed with tempests, and we
shine more and more as a refulgent luminary 00
nations yet involved in darkness, and requiresons
confirmation whatever from mere mortals, 1e
let me repeat to such men, a solemn assurance
e
that in the course of the journey I made overtha
Holy Land I bestowed some degree of care nll4
attention in comparing Scripture with it, and the
customs there treated of, which I found literal
.4
strictly faithful, and which appearto
the same since the period of the entry cf th
Israelites into the promised possessions. All°"
me then to express a hope, that under all the tf
ternal and external evidences of the realty 1/0
this word, these characters may experieice 10
their own case the same happy conversion,
that exemplified in the soul of that indilidn"
who, similar to themselves, had been at one tits
not only an unbelieving blasphemer, but Vole 1:
persecutor of the Lord of Glory, and itis 10
lowers."