The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1844-04-21

German philosophy DR. Bethune then entered into an
examination fthe writings of the most eminent ofthe iea
hen quoting of the most sublime passages from Pla
TO- Pythagaras Aristotle Cicero, &c to show that their
views on the grand doctrines Of the existence of God
and the immortality Of the son imperfect and crude
The great Tully after elaborate squisition in which he
audes the fact that nations so barbarous
De Se had Of the age the deren
given OF the deity. by differ mt WRITER'S their
clashng ,t IN mis- Tuscma1 eues
Iect and that if he to be guided in his belief
by clesrness and plausby he would go for the Atheist
rather than the Theist He entertained abeef in future
from the universal anxiety about utrrity the trans
mission Of the works and acquisitions Of men to postery
Hercules said he wished for heaven, but if he had
by his abors secured passage through the world to
il, he never would have gone and he was Of opinion
philosophers might draw their strongest arguments,
not from reason, but from nature. Dr. Bcthune then
snd 0S Of the Holy Scrip
| lures. He proved that the Books OF Moses were in
nv has quotations from him; Berocous the Babylonish
historian makes mention OF the Jewish records while
the s1
no doubt of great antiquity Ward, the mission
ary who has acquired by vast research great familiarity
with their sacred writings refer them to about the time Of
David Josephus says that Abraham. when in Egypt in
structed Cycrops arhmetic but whatever truth there
might be in that il certain that the influence of the
Jews on the opinions of the Egyptians during their
ourn there must have been greaand in no small degree
connected with the boosted learning o. their mag was
wise Of and Zoroaster who restored theChal
dean system abon the prophet was said to
from Palestine and pupil Of Daniel IL was well known
that SO traces OF resemblance estGd between the Zen
davesta and parts Of scripture especially the Psalms
of David and this hard be accounted for consider
ing the tenacty with which the Jews monopolized and
guarded their sacred writings and the rigid spirit seclu
sion which marked them separate from the rest OF the
world The inference conclusive from all he said.
that there nothing innate in the human mind to fur
nish perfect standard Of morality guide between
right and wrong that the truth of morality does not de-
pend upon human reason but upan from God
TO He would stop here as he feared the arguments
| were dry and wearisome. The conviction, however,
that an interest in religious truth prevailed
among them, and that they were DESTROYS to see
tested the validity Of skeptIcal objections, encour-
aged him matter for exultatoE that the divine
oracles of God have and shall survive all the various and
clashng and loose systems which would rear themselves
in their stead And would be wise toemember the words
Of the old divine" Pernicous weeds may be planted in
divine soil the Devil built his chapel nowhere but on the
sacred ground where Gods temple stood truth is of the
greatest antiquity although error has still the most
wrnkled face and would pass her deformty for antiquity
and there nothing cid as that which could not give
| an account OF It's age
The doxology was sung and the vast assembly separa
ted evidently much edited by the eloquent and powerful
argument in defence Of the fundamental truths Of ortho
doxy