Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1839-10-23


J, a question Of evidence than would be
fdeemed sufficient ia question of common
4 literature, audto demand the aeqaiescence
OF his reader upon the strength Of this SD
perlor evidence Ii it be not right be-
yond a certain degree-and if there be a
tendency in the mind TO carry il beyond
that degree, then this tendency is founded
upon deiuslon, and ii is we'll that the
reader should be apprlsea OF its existence,
that he may protect himself from its infu.
enee. The superior quantity of evidence
which We can bring forward, will, in this
lease, al go to augment the positive effect
upon his convictions and be will rejoice
/ TO perceive that he is far safer In believing
what has been handed down to him ofthe
! history Of Jesus Christ, and the doctrine OF
his apostles, than in believing what he has
never doubted-the history of Alexander,
and the doctrine of Socrates. Could all
the marks of yeracity. and the list of sub
sequent testimonies, be exhibited to the
eye of the reader in parallel columns, it
would enable him, at one glance, 10 form
a complete estimate. We shall have oc-
casion TO call his attention to this so often.
that we may appear to many of our read
ers to have expatiated upon our introduc.
tory principle to degree that is tiresome
and unnecessary. We conceive, howev-
er, that it is the best and most perspicu-
Gus way of putting the argument.
|. The different pieces which make up
the New Testament, Were written by the
authors whose names they bear, and at
the time which is commonly assigned to
them.
After the long slumber of the middle
ages the curiosity of the human mind was
| awakened, and felt It's attention powerful
/ " directed 10 those old writings, which
! have survived The waste of so many CEN
tufles Ii We're curious speculation to
ascertain the precise quantity of evidence
! which lay 10 the information of these old
documents. And it may help US in our
estimate, first TO suppose tha, in the re-
searches OF that period. there was only
one composition found which professed to
be narrative of past times. A number
,of circumstances Can be assigned, which
might give certain degree OF probability
| to the information even of this solitary
and unsupported document There is,
| first, the general consideration. lha, the
principle upon which man feels himself
induced TO write a true history, is of more
frequent and powerful operation, than the
principle upon which man feels himself
induced to offer false or di guised rep-
! reservation of facts to the world. This af
fords general probability on the side of
the document IN question being true mar
| ratfve; aud there may be some particu-
lars connected with the appearance OF the
performance itself, which might strength
en- this probability. We may not be able
TO discover in the story itself any induce
ment which the man could have in pub
fishing it, if 1t Were manly aud sabstan-
tally false. We might See an expression
OF honesty. which it is III the nover of
written language, as well as of spoken
language, to convey. We mis- hit see that
there was nothing INDUSTRIOUS o. imnroba-
Bile IN the narrative itself. And, without
eenumerating every particular calculated
4 10 give it the impression of truth, we NAV.
III the progress Of our inquiries, have as
certalned, that copies OF this manuscriD,
were to be found in many places, and in
different parts OF the world, proving, by
the evidence OF its fusion, the general
esteem in which it was held by the read
ers OF past ages This gives Us the teSti-
mony Of these readers TO tbs value of the
performance and as we are supposino
It Is history, and not work of imauin-
alton, It could only De valued on the prin
cIpie OF the information which was laid
them being true. In this way solitary
| document, transmitted 10 us from remote
( antiquity, might gain credit ia the world
though it had been lost sight of for MANY
ages. and on y brought to light by the re-
vlval of literary spirit. which had lain
dormant during long period of history.
: We can further suppose. that in the
progress of these researches, another man
usc.in was discovered, having the same
s characters, and possessing the same sepa-
rate aud original marks of truth with the
: former. If they both touched upon the
!, same period of history, and gave testimo
t. ny to The same events. it is plain that a
f stronger evidence for the truth Of these
Y events would be afforded, than what ii
5 was in the power Of either of the testimo-
b nies taken separately TO supply. The
e separate cifcumst 4nces which gave dis
s tinct creaibility to each of the testimonies
! are added together, and give also much
: higher creai5iiity to those points of lnor.
e nation upon which they deliver com
Of mon testimony. This is the case wher
= the Testimonies carry in them the appear
! ance Of being independent of one another
y And even when the one is derived from
nj the other. it still affords an accession Z