The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1850-09-12
TIE BIBLE.

| We tpahc ttc ioiloWi1B oeautitul auu CIV"
quent extrac. from the address made by
Hon. EDWARD EVERETT, before the Massa-
chusetls Bible Society. It is noble tri-
butte 10 the Bible and the faith upon which
il is founded:
There is another consideration Of prac-
tical nature, which should be glad to offer
TO the meeting. il have. not exceeded my
allowance of time. We all have pretty
strong, and as think, just Impressions Of
The superiority oil Chris,endom over the
Mahomeian, Hindoo, and Pagan countries
Oar civilization, know, is still very imper-
feet, impaired by many vice and many a
woe which disgraces our Christian nature
4 and
Appears spot upon the ves,aI's robe,
The w,rse for what it soils.
But when we compare the condition ofthings
in Christendom, with that which prevail in
in the countries just named, We find that
all the evils which exist among US, prevail
there in greater degree, while they are
subject to innumerable others-so dreadful
MS to make us already to think il were bet
ter for The mass Of the population, human
" speaking, if they had never been born
Well, now, MIR Chairman, what maketh us
to differ? know Of no final and sufIicen,
cause, but the different character Of Christi
anity, and the religions which prevail in
Turkey, Persia, India, China, and the 9TH
er semi-civiized or barbarons countries
and this difference, us far as know, is nc
curately reflected in their sacred books -.
moan, Sir, that the Bible stands to The
Koran and the Vedas, in the same relation
as that in which Christianity stands to Ma
hometanism or Brahmansm, or Buddhism
or Chrisiendom TO Turkey, Hindostan or
China.
We should all, believe, more fully appre-
ciate tho value Of the Scriptures, if we com.
pared them with other books assuming the
character Of sacred. have not done il SO
much as wish bad; but one reason--a
main one--hns Lcen, the extreme repulsive-
ness Of those books which | have tried to
read. have several times in my life at
tempted to read the Koran. have done
so lately; have approached with highly
excited literary curiosity. | have felt a
strong desire 10 penetrate this great mys-
terry OF the Arabian desert. As have, in
10 some. quiet Turkish town--lor in the
! provincial Turkish towns is little Of the bus.
lie of our western lfe)--listcned at the
close Of day To the clear, calm voice Of the
inuzzin, from the top ofthe graceful nina
ret, calling the faithful to evening PRAYER
-as nave unused on the vicissitudes of all
human things, beneath the venerable dome
Of ST. Sophia's, have, may say, longed
to find some rational ground Of sympathy
hctwcen Christianity and Islam; but any
thing more repulsive and uninvting than
the Koran. have seldom attcmptedto per
sue. even when taken up with these kindly
feelings. And yet, Sir, You are wei!
hostility to the Old and New Testament,
bp, recognizes them both as divine reve-
Iation. With such portions Of the sacred
books of The Hindoos as have fallen in my
way, the case is for worse. The mytholog-
icaI system contained in them is tissue of
rnonsirosities aud absnrdi,iss. bv turns 50
revolving and nauseous. as 10 defy perusal.
except from strong motive Of duty or of lit
rerary curiosity, which would prompt the
Investigation. really believe, Sir, that
few things would do more toraise the Scrip
lures in our estimation, thanto compare the
Bible with the Koran and the Vedas. II
is not course of reading to be generally
recommended. The books arc scarce, as !
have said, their contents eminen,ly rcPu-
sive but | will venture 10 say to those
whose professional duty it is to maintain
the sacred character OF the Christian Scrip.
Itures, that know of scarce any line OF read
ing which might be taken up With greater
advantage for the purpose Of fair coUpar-
son, than that Of the sacred books a they
are called, Of the Mahome,ans and Hin
docs.
One word more, Sir, and have done.
Il is sometimes objected 10 an indiscrimi-
nate distribution Of the Bible, that it may
be perverted, misunderstood, neglected and
abused And what means ofimprovemen
what instrument Of Christian benevo-
lence--is no, subject to the same draw
back' The fault is in the mind Of man,
subject to error, 10 the binding effect Of
passion, 10 the debasement Of vice, in all
,ha, he does; md in all that is done for
him. There are things in the Bible hard
10 be understood. Even our exact scien-
ccs--constrncted upon ideas the creation
Of our own minds--are full Of difficulties.
When we turn from revealed truth to the
teachings Of human specialists on duty
aud NORRIS, wc do not encounter on the
!, threshold, those terrible problems Of
il Providence, fore knowledge, will and fate
Fixed fate, free will, ore-knowledge absolute,
problems tha, have tnsked tie unaded un-
derstanding of man, ever since he began
TO think and to reason. For myself. Sir,
I am more and more inclined to believe, thst
the truth is presented 10 rs in the Bible. 10
the form best adapted 10 the infinite vnse.
l,y Of the character and talent, intellectual