Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1839-10-16

knowledge and belief of the men of other
.lhes can be transmitted to poslernv?-
0an we Distinguish between corrupt and
iaiinInl transmission Have we evi.
oence before US, by which we can ascer.
'ain what was the belief of those 10 whom
'ne message was first communicated o.
Ana Can The belief which existed in their
.a'nds Do derived 10 ours, by our sitting in
Judgment upon The reasons which pro-
duced ii!
lhe surest way in which the belief and
knowledge of the men OF former ages can
DC transmitted 10 their descendants, Is thro'
Tue medium OF written testimony; and il
Is fortunate tor Us, that the records Of the
christian religion are not the only his
to'leal documents which have come down
TO us. A great variety of information has
come down TO Us in this way; and great
part oil that information is as firmly be-
'leved' and as confidently proceeded upon,
DIS Il tne thing narrated had happened
within the llmns OF our oversight. No
man doubts the Invasion of Britain by Ju-
Illus Cesar; and no man doubts. there
lore, that conviction of the truth of past
events may be fairly produced in the mind
oy the lnstrumentalily of written memo.
rial. Inns IS the kind of evidence which
is chiefly appealed 10 for The truth OF an
Client history; and it is counted satisfying
evidence for all that part of it, which is re-.
celved and depended upon.
La laying before the reader, then. the
evidence for the truth of Christianity. we
10 not call his mind to any singular or
Unprecedented exercises OF It's faculties
We call him TO pronounce upon the credi.
blllty OF written documents, which profess
TO have been published at certain ace.
and by certain authors. The inquiry In.
wolves In 1t no principle which is not ap.
pealed TO every day in questions of ordin.
airy criticism. TO sit in Judgment on the
credibllity OF written document, is fire..
quent and familiar exercise of the under.
Standing with literary men. II is forum.
ate tor the human mind, when so interest.
Ing question as its religious faith can
be placed under the tribunal of such eyi-
dence as IL is competent to pronounce up.
on. Ii was fortunate for those to whom
Christianity {, proftssed communication
from heaven) was first addressed, tba,
they could decide upon the oenuineness
OF the communication by such familiar and
everyday principles, as the marks of
truth or talsehood in the human bearers
OF that communication. And il is forum.
ale Tor US that when, after that communi-
Cation has assumed the form of historic.
al document, we can pronounce upon the
degree of c:edit which should be attached
to It, by the very same exercise of mind
which ne SO confidently engage in, when
sitting IN examination upon the other his.
torical documents that have come down 10
us from antiquity.
Ii two historical documents possess
equal degrees of evidence, they should
produce equal degrees of conviction. But
if the object of the one be to establish
some fact connected with our religious
ianh. while the object of the other is to es.
tabllsh some fact, about which we feel no
other interest Than that general curiosity
which is gra:i6ed by the solution of am
question IN literature. this difference in th,.
object produces difference of effect in
the feelings and tendencies of The mind
1t is impossible Tor the mind, while it in
qnlres lnto The evidence OF Christian doc.
amenr, to abstain from all reference to the
important conclusion of The inquiry. And
this will necessarily mingIe its influence
with the arguments which engage its al
lentlon. II may be of importance TO at
tend TO the feelings which are thus given
to the investigation, and in how far thew
have affected the impression of the Chris
tian argument.
We know it to be the opinion of some,
that IN this way an undue advantage has
been given 10 that argument. Instead of
pure question ofiruth, it has been made
a question of sentiment; and the wishes
OF the heart have mingled with the exer.
cises OF the understanding. There is a
class of men who may feel disposed TO
overra,e its evidences. because thew are
anxious to give every support and stabI-
ity to system, which they conceive to be
most Intimately connected with the dear
est hopes and wishes of humanity be-
cause their imagination is carried away
by the subimiiy OF its doctrines, or their
heart engaged by that amiable morality
which is SO much calculated TO improve
and adorn the face of society.
Now we are ready to admit. that as the
object of the inquiry is not the character.
but the truth of Christianity, the philoso-
pher should be careful to protect his mind
from the deluSion of its charms. He
should separate the exercises of the un-
derstanding from the tendencies of the
fancy or OF the heart. He should be pre-
pared 10 follow the light of evidence, tho
1t may lead him to conclusions the most
painful and melancholy. He should train
his mind TO all the hardihood of abstract
and unfoaaLIrcr ;s,,oll; cs.,r,ao IL, eh-