New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1846-03-04

position OF defence, surely never was one s"s1acu
so in the spirit of offence.
The reasoning is sophis.ica, and it would need
the patience OF a Socrates 10 rave the weary web
and convince these sophisis against their Will that
they arc exactly in the opposite region to what ney
suppose. For the task we have not space. skill or
pstience but we can give some hints by which read
ers NAV be led TO examine whether il is so or not
lst. Mr.. Lewis appeals either 10 the natural or
degenerate man as suits his purpose Sometimes all
traditions and their literal interpretations are right
sometimes j, is impossible to in;erpre, them Alright
unless according to some peculiar doctrine and Tue
natural inference OF the common mind would De an
error.
cd. He strains but vainly to show the New les
lament no Improvement the Old, and himself IN
harmonious relations 10 both On this subject We
would confidently leave the arbitration TO a mind
could such an one be found sufficiently disciplined
10 examine the subject and new both 10 the Me-"
Testament and his essay, as tina; OF Bammohun
Roy might have bsen whether his views are not ol
the same strain that Jesus sought 10 correct and en-
tighten among the Jews and whether ne does not
,rea, the teachings of the new dispensation most
unfairly in his desire to wrest them into the service
Of the old.
Sd Wherever there is 4 weak place IN the arsa'
r1ent. it is filed up by abuse OF the opposite party
The y crds absurd. nfdel.' blasphemoua, shall
low philosophy sicbly sentimentalism and The
like. are among the favore missiles OF these defend
crs OF the truth They Of a sort whose frequent
use is generally supposed 10 argue want OF shield
OF reason and heart Of faith.
And this brings us 10 a more close consideration
of the spirit of this book characterized by our CO.
temporary as 'diabolic.' And we, also, cannot ex-
cuse ourselves from marking It as in this respect
one of the worst books we have ever seen.
1t is not merely bitter intolerance, arrogance and
want Of spiritual perception which we have TO con-
denim in these writers II is a wan, OF fairness and
honor, Of which think they must be conscious
We fear they ere Of those who hold the opinion that
the end sanc.fes The means and who, by pretend
ing TO serve the God of Truth by other means than
strict truth have drawn upon the professors OF re-
gion the frequent obloquy OF 'priestcraii how
else are we 10 coustrue the srtu use OF the words
dishonest and infide wherever they are likely
10 awaken the fears and preiudces Of the ignorant
How the studied introduction and coupling together
of the names of Paine aud Parker. and the relation
in which they stand Does the writer here sin
cerely express any conviction of his mind IF he
does not, while daring tic accuse others of dshon-
estv, the words moral and penal should, indeed be
associated for him
OF ss bad stamp as any is the part OF the book
headed Spurious Public Opinion Here. as in
the insinuaiions against Charles Bureigh- we are
unable TO believe the writers to be sincere. Where
we think they are however poor and narrow we
NAV esteem their statement can respect it but
here we cannot
Who can believe that such passages the fol
lowing stand for any !hins real III the mind OF The
writer
indeed there Is nothing that possibly check the
syir OF murder bu; ,Lc fear Of dssrh Tbet all
;ha, Cain feared he did not say people viii put re in
prison but. theT will put death and ho,o ncny
otto murders Il moy have committed 'ae7 released Jr'T'
that fear The sacred uriier does not tell ne
Why does no, the writer draw the inference and
accuse God OF mistake, as he says His opponents
accuse Him, whenever they attempt 10 get beyond
the Jewish ideas Of vengeance He plainly thinks
death was the only safe penalty in this case OF Cam
The reasoning from these drivelings of depravity in
naefactors ia to last degree wreched and absurd
Hard pushed indeed must re be IN argument who can
conseu, TO dive down into the polluted heart OF New
gate criminal order to fish up, from the confessions OF
his monstrous unnatural obduracy, an argument in
that very ObduTacy against the fit punishment Of his own
crimes.
We can only wish for such man that the vicssi-
udes OF life may break through the crust of thcoosi-
cal arrogance and Phariseeism and force him to
dive down" into the depths Of his own nature
We should see aFierward whether he would be so
forward to throw stones n indicators SO eager to
harry souls to what lie regards Us final account
But we have said enough as TO the spirit and ten
,encv of this book We shall only ada few words
. . TO the unworthy use oil the word inhdel in the
y temp, to fix stigma upon opponents. We feel
sri u more contempt than Indignation at the desire 10
WORT in this way on the unthinking and ignorant
We ourselves are of the number stigmatized by
those persons as sharing an infde tendency, as are
all not enlisted under their own sectarian banner
They on their side seem to us unbelievers III all that
is most pure and holy, and in the saving grace OF
love. Thew do not believe in God, as we believe ;
thev seem 10 US utterly deficient in the spirit Of
Chris, and 10 be OF the number OF those who ore
ALWAYS calling Lord, Lord yet never have known
him. We end throughout these pages the temper
of q Lord I thank thee that am not as other men
ore hatred of those whom they deem Gentiles, and
merciless spirit toward the sinner, yet we do not
take upon ourselves 10 give them the name OF INF
dels. and we soleuuly call them 70 trial before the
bar OF the Oaly Wise and Pure, the Searcher OF
hearts, to render an account Of this daring assump-
tion. We ask them in ,hat presence if they are not
of the class threatened with "retribution' for say
ing 10 their brother Thou fool snd that not mere
X in the hea, of anger. but cooy. pertinaciously,
and in thousand ways
We calito sit in council the spirits OF our Puritan
fathers. and ask ii such was the right OF individual
Judgment, of private conscience, they came here TO
yindica,e. And we solici, The verdict OF posterity
as to whether the spirit Of mercy or OF vengeance
be the more divine, and whether the denunciatory
and personal mode chosen by these writers for carry
ing on this inquiry be ihe true one
We wish most sincerely the book had been a
wise and noble book Tosscertau just principles. it
is necessary that the discussion should be full and
fair and both sides ably argued After this has been
done. the sense Of the world can decide 1t would