Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1843-10-04

the art Of building2 What disc0verer or
inventor Of the things most valuable in prac-
Iical life will pretend 10 say that his pecul-
lar religious notions had any thing to do
with his discovery or invention Or who
in the exercise of reason or candor will pre-
lend they had Have not the individuals
TO whom the world is indebted for these i'm
provemenls had each their religious peeuli-
arilies2 IL any one will pretend that his
invention or discovery came from his partic-
ular religious notion, " i'll not all the others
deny it--and thus when they have gone
around among themselves, confirm all that
is alledged above on the poini2
Another evidence that religion does not
propagate knowledge but depends on knowl-
edge for its own modification, is, the fact that
The religion prevalent in the most enlight
ened parts of the world, is divided into the
greatest variety of forms and phases. This
comes from fidelity TO better knowledge, re-
jecting this folly, that absurdily, and the
other imposition, according TO circumstances
attending education.
Ii will be seen that what has now been
said proceeds on a separation between TeLi9-
ion and philanthropy This point is SET
lied at once by the most enlightened of re-
IIRlOulsNS tUcIlScVGSs ICY indbC CtiS tUH
TO consist in what is peculiar 10 their relig-
ion. No matter how much goodness others
may possess and practice - no matter how
much they visit the widow aud falherless ~
their afillciion-no matter how much they
bestow their goods 10 feed and clothe the
poor no matter how much knowledge they
acquire, or how useful they make themselves
with it-no matter how perfect their honesty
EIol.,. ~, THAR oh onI
humaDi'y-all these together, they are told,
are not religion. Religion is another thing
| from all these. And what 10 fact is il? IL
may be summed up in asserting to certain
beliefs and performing certain ceremonies
Now IF a man may hare ertru practical rir-
tue Ioiihout religion, he may hare religion
1oiihout single practical rirtue. And
they are wanting 10 observation who have
not seen the evidence that il may be so. A
mans devotion TO religion, and his zeal IN II,
is no evidence OF his goodness. BY this II
is not meant that religious men may not be
good men. Ii is only meant that their re-
ligion and their goodness are two things.
That they may have both. Or that they
/ may have either without the other.
/ The fact has already been alluded 10 that
all religonlsts sci each their own religion
above all others The adherents 10 each
system hold all other systems to be idola-
lrous. So that among them all, all religion
is pronounced by religlonists themselves, 10
be ldolatry. What has here been said GER
Iainly goes no further. And then il pro-
ceeds on ground altogether more charitable.
Ii puts the most favorable construction upon
every thug, atlrIbuIng all The difficulties Of
the case 10 ignorance. Whereas religion
does not allow its devotees 10 exercise such
federation. All religionisls are inIolerani
Each puts bad constructions upon the say
ings and doings of others. None OF them
as religionisis, are charitable. As men
they generally have more or less phildnthrO
: py in exercise. But as reigiOntsts they
hale one another, and practice hatred on'
towards another. Hence the proprietv ant
. necessity OF separating between religion
aud Irdctioat goorInro0. Each reirSrv" be
iug an enemy 10 all other religion, and o
course producing enmity between the devo
tees as religionlsis, how can there be any
identty between religion and goodness
P Good against eood2 Philanthropy a9aius
philanthropy 2 Love TO man against love
: mani Impossible. Such a ihing canno
i be. But religion against religion Is lib
!. commonest thing in tue world. IL parts a:
under and esIranges very friends. Their
lis no other bitterness and Ill blood IN priyat
e life, like that where religion has got the al
tendency over philanthropy, and set Ihos
to hating who, but for its damnaoie doing
II would love. In carrying out the halre
4 which il creates, it has always kept The b
man family full OF violence, often exlendin
i 10 enormous blood shedding. Thus II
70 plain that religion and good 1riH TO n1'
are two different and dlstInct things.
What has now been said Of church al
ia state institutions, has been said TO sho
:, that they are so far from being The sourc
~ OF knowledge, as they claim aud have bee
&c aIledged TO be, they are but the relics OF !
4. norance, modified and refined, as 6eto
said, according 10 the degrees OF knowled;
u" possessed. As long as they are looked U
re on as ends, instead OF means, they are {
:, reclly ia the way OF human progressio
- Their destruction is not asked for or soug
tn any faster than the true philosophy Will a
- complish the work, by supercedlng The
with something better. As knowledge
ne perfected, they will die out. The ultima
ed object is, not to destroy OF dlsplace 9over
menls or religions, but TO regenerate =
az save men, ADD let all hinderances 10
OF operations oil mind take care OF ihemselv
30 Something like The foregoing exposlll
has been deemed 10 be necessary, TO sh'
m the true relations Of things as they exist,
On order that truth and knowledge may 60
and accomplish their peaceful and peril
eu work.
st- This tpora can only be performed
lev man. The world has remained 10 Ign
r,h ance on this matter long enough. There
noneed of stopping here to accuse the tea
OF ers OF religion with intentional! deception
me regard 10 it, Taking the view that Il
are in ignorance 10 the case-that they
nj themselves deceived, while they are dece
,ost ing others--it is bad enough. II is 81
!. ciently deplorable 10 have the world OF NJ
'hh kind so much under the control OF the
led. fessedly ignorant. On the point now 40