Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1849-11-21

HE BiBLE.-The Bible, surprising it TO be other
han 1t pretends TO be, presents us with singular
phenomenon in the space which it occupies through
out the continued history oflerature. We see no
thing like il and it may well perplex the infdcl to
account for II. Nor need his sagacity disdain
ter little more deeply into It's possible causes than
he is usually inclined 10 do. 1t has not been given
TO any other oook Of religion thus 10 triumph over
national prejudces and lodge itself securely in the
heart OF great cOmmunies-varyingb by every con-
celvable diversity of language, race, manners, Gus
toms and indeed. agreeing in nothing bat a vene-
ration for itself Ii adapts itself with facility TO the
revolutions of thought and feeling which shake TO
pieces all things else and feXiby accommodates
itself 10 the progress of society and the changes of
civilization. Even conquess-the DISCRIMINATION
OF Old nationS the formation of new-do not affect
the continuity Of lis empire. 1t lays hold ofthe new
as OF the old, and transmgrates with the spirit of
humanity; attracting 10 itself by lis own moral pow
err in all the communities it enters, ceaseless in
tensiy ofef0t for lis propagation, Illustration ard
defence.
Other systems Of religion are usually delicate e,
olics and will moi bear transpantng. The gods of
the nations are local deiiies, and reluctantly cult
their native soil at all events, they patronze only
their favorie races, and perish at once when the
tribe or nation of their woShippers becomes extinct
often long before. Nothing, indeed, is more Diff
cult than TO make foreigners feel any thing bat the
utmost indifference Except as an object of philo-
sophie curiosity about the religion of other nations
and portion of their national literature is regard
cd as more tedious unattractive than that which
treats of their theology. The elegant rnytholonies
of Greece and Rome made no proselytes among 9TH
er nations, and fell hopelessly the moment thea fell
The Koran of Nlahomet has, i is true, been prop,
agated by nothing else land lis dominion has been
limited TO those nations who could not reply to their
logic.
If the Bible be false, the facility with which il
overleaps the otherwise impossible boundaries oil
race and cline, and domiciates itself among 81
many different nations, is asSuredly far more srik
ing and wonderful proof of human ignorance, per
veseness and stupidity, than is o1orded in the lin
tied prevalence of even The most abec supersti,ions
or, if it really has merits which, UOugh a fable
have enabled it TO impose so COMPREHENSIVE and
varously on mankind wonderful indeed must have
been the skill of its composition; so wonderful that
even the nfdel himself ought never 10 regard it but
with the protOundest reverence, as far too success
full and sublime.
In his last Illness few days before his death. Sil
Walter Scott asked Mr.. Lockhart 20 read TO him
Mr. Lockhart inquired what book he would like
Can you ask 2" said Sir Walter; "ihere is bu
one" and requested him to read a chapter of the
gospel of John. When will an cdual renius {,
whom all the realms of fiction are as familiar as ia
him, say the like of some professed revelation ORIG
inatlng among race and associated with a history
ana chihe as foreign as those connected with the
birthplace of the Bible, from those Of the ancestry
Of Sir Waller Scott? Can we, by any strength q
Imagination, suppose some Walter Scott of new
race IN Australia or South Africa saying the same
OF the Nedas or the Koran Edinbpgh Reuiclc
A MONSTER wEDDING.-TheTo was recently, il
country town near Prague, a monster wedding
No less than 10 Jewish couples were married in one
day and the solemn ceremony was assisted by thei
children snd grand children. Tine following is Tn,
solution OF the enigma ;-lIitherlo the number o.
jewish families permitted 70 live in Bohemia was
limited by cruel law 10 5000. Hence LARGE mum
Der OF clandest|ne marriages. had taken place amonl
the Jews Since, however, the emarcipat of III,
Jews became the law Of the land, and these opprcs
stye restrictions as TO marriage were removed man,
OF the couples who had been handsomely married
were anxious 10 have their marriage contracts le
gally acknowledged and their children legitinized
This explains the marriage Of 5 old couples in one
day.
! % Why is the letter ID like fallen angel q
Because by its association with evil, it becomes