The Statesman.
London, England, 1824-02-06 00:00:00

MIL OWEN AND TEE
YSTEM OPPONENTS OF THE
NEW S.
.—eargain—
To TIM Miro* or MI OLasaoW CHRONICLE.
is full time to set the world right respecting the notion
that the Now System is opposed to Christianity. And I now call
that upon ill Christians to.bend their minds to this 'abject ; to
make themselves masters of it ; to stand forward and do their
duty, and declare formally and openly, whether this system is
opposed to reel Christianity, or whether it is not the most
puwerful earthly ally that Christianity has ever yet obtained.
The single base upon which the New System rests, is, that
the character of every human being is formed for him. In
other words, his character is derived from the peculiar circum-
stances of the country and society in which he lives, acting
upon the natural organization given to him by his Creator, at
birth ; and these circumstances and the particular organiza-
tion of each human being, which are equally and absolutely
determined for him, ha-,e, by their reciprocal influence, pro-
duced all the variety of national and individual character, ever
known in the world.
The important question for all the nations of the earth to
consider is, whether this be i truth or a falsehood ; and if they
shall discover it to be a truth capable of the clearest demon-
stration, then the inquiry necessarily follows, how much of
their religion is in accordance with it, and how much is re-
pugnant to it. For, as every single truth must be consistent
with every other, that which is opposed to this truth. in any
of the religions of the world, cannot be true, and must have
'proceeded from ignorant men ; while that which is in unison
with it, can alone be true, and must have been derived from the
origin of all truth.
Here, then, we have a sure test, by which truth and false-
hood respecting religion, the nature of man and human so-
Clety, may he for ever separated. Here is a principle, on
which the well-being and happiness of society may be perma-
stoutly established, and which, as *eon as it shall be under-
stood by mankind, will op en a direct road to a state of human
existence, that shall in all respects equal the promised Scrip-
tural Millenium.
Of those who are interested in supporting real Christisnity,
I ask, Is it contrary to Christianity to admit, that the infant
at birth Is the sole work of his Creator 1 Is it contrary to
Christianity to admit that the infant has no merit or demerit
for the good or bad qualities which his Creator has given t 9
him at birth? If all infants partake of the general qualities of
human nature, at birth, and vet no two are born with precise-
ly the same combination of these qualities. is it contrary to
Christianity to admit that the difference of natural or original
character between any two infants, cannot be attributed to
themselves, but to their Creator I
Is It contrary to Christianity to admit that the infant has no
will or pewer to decide where he shall be born. or in what
religion, habits and manners he shall be trained ? Is it con-
trary to Christianity to admit that the language, the habits,the
sentiments, the religion and conduct of all human beings are
essentially determined by the country and the general and par-
ticular circumstances In which they are horn and remain? Is
it contrary to Christianity to admit that these circumstances,
operating on the original character, or the peculiar combina-
tion of faculties and qualities given to each infant at birth by
fits Creator, do form the continually changing character of
every human being from birth to death ?
If circumstances do very essentially tend to form the human
naraeter and conduct, and these circumstances are under the
contreul of society, is it contrary to Christianity to recommend
to a.l nations mod all individuals, as the highest act of wisdom
which they can perform, that they should immediately bestir
themselves to remove those circumstances which experience
has proved to be injurious to human nature, by introducing
arrangements. combining such only as past times have de-
tnonstrated to be beneficial I
Is it contrary to Christianity to maintain that the hitherto
;lever ending war of opinions, produced solely by the errone-
ous supposition that each individual is the author of his own
sentiments, ought now to cease. and to be superseded by
knowledge that will, of necessity, make charity, kindness,
peace and good will, the easy and universal practice of all
IniFtklnd
. -Bet it is my to prove from the Scriptures themselves that
teat Christianity rely admits each and all these facts, and
lhatvtiterefore there can be no opposition whatever between
).si Christianity and the New System. Fur, the latter is
derived solely from these facts ; they constitate the whole
of its ptiociples, and they will direct the whole of its prac-
tice. The following are a few of the innumerable passages
in which the Scriptures distinctly teach the principles of
this system :
We are the clay, and the Lord ?fir potter ; and we are
len the work of his hand."—lsaiah,64, S.
" All things were made by him ; an I without him
was not any thing made that was wade."—.lohn, 1.3.
•6 Who malteds thee to differ from another? And what
Last thou that thou didst not receive ? Now, if thou iliac
receive it, why dolt thou glory. as if thou hadst not re-
ceived it."—lst Corinthiams,4. 7.
" Without me ye can do nothing."—John, 15. 5,
4 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to think any
thing, as of ouraelvee, but our sufficiency is of tiod."--2d
'Corinthians, 3. 5.
" For it is tiod that ss orketh in you, both to will
an I to do of his good pleasure "—Phillipians. 2. 13.
" lie bath wrought all our works in us."—isaiab,

26 12.
Man's goings are of the Lord. How can a man then
understand his own way ?"—Proverbs, 20.24.
" Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the Leopard his
:pots ? Then may ye also do good that are accustomed to
du evil."—Jiremiah, 13. 23.
Not only did Christ, knowing the true source of all our
actions, forbid others from blaming the individual, in
a case where be condemned the action itself as improper,
bnt he added : " neither do I condemn thee."—John,
8. 11.
On another occasion he speak. in the same go;rit :
" Judge not, that ye be not judged."—Matthew, 7. 1.
" Ye judge after the flesh ; l judge no 111411."—Jobo
8. 15.
" And If any man hear my words and believe not,l judge
not."—John, 12.47.
The parable of the sower is a striking illustration of the
force of external cireutitstaoces; and the compsrison of
1 uman nature with the different species of soil.edcli acted
upon differently, and producing fruit just in prop°, tioa to
the extent of this action upon its original qualities. is most
appropriate, and perfectly explains the principle of forma-
tion of character.—See Mark. In conformity with the
same idea, Christ desired his disciples to pray that they
might not be " led into temptation."—Matthew ti. 13.
And when the Jews. under the influence of religious into-
lerance, proceeded to take away his life, be blamed no one ;
Le said" Father, forgive them, for they know not what
they do."—Luke 23.34.
Solomon knew the certainty with which, under proper
circumstances, a good character might be given to every
child : " Train ttp a child in the way be should go, and
when he is old he will not depart from it."—Proverbs, 22.
6. lie knew, too, whence our thoughts and our words and
our actions proceed—" The preparation in the heart in
DM, and the answer of the tongue, is from the Lord."—
And, again —" A man's held deviseth his way," but " the
Lord directetb his steps."—Proverbs, 16. 1. 9.
Jeremiah saw the impropriety of imputing these to any
other cause, when he said—" I know that the way of man
is not in himself ; it is not in man that walketh to direct
steps."—Jeremiah, 10. 23.
As if Isaiah bad been aware of the inclination of man to
suppose that be himself created part of himself, be puts
the question to him most forcibly—" Shall the work say of
him that made it. he made me not ?"—lssiab, 26. 16.
In short, the Scriptures mod distinctly and unequivo-
cally tell us, that the individual forms no part of himself
nor of his character, which is in every instance the direct
work of his Creator.
The first principles of the New System, then, are Chris'
tian principles, and ought, as such, to be received and ac-
knowledged by all Christians. But it is not by its princi-
• plea alone that genuine Christianity is to be distinguished,
Jesas Christ himself 'has given us a test by which we tiny
at once discover whether alist schwa assumes the title be ge-
nuine or not—'• By tbil 'hail all men know that ye ate

rnpw•aie