Windham County Democrat. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1836-1853, 1853-09-28
Modern Skepticism and the Church.

The New York independents a well known Con-
gregational paper, holds the following language
"Among all the earnest-mnded young men who
are at this moment leading in thought and action in
America, we venture TO say that four-fhs are skep
teal even of the great historical facts of Christianity
What is told Christian doctrine by the church
es is not considered BY them And furthermore
there is among them general concealed distrust
of the clerical body class and an utter DISGUST
with the very aspect of modern Christianity and of
the church worship This skepticism is not fppant
little is said about it. 1t is popularity alone of
the radicals and fanatics many of them are men of
calm and even balance of mind and belong no class
of ultraists. 1t is not worldly and selfish The
doubers lead in the bravest and most sefdenying en-
terprises of the day."
On this subject tho E,o. CL,e..:~I~, el:.eJ
Mr.. Raymond observes
This may seem very strong language, but ten years
of reflection and observation in the service of the
Church has convinced us of its truth. 1t is fact
that large proportion of the young of this very
city, particularly the thinking and upright among
them,-ar to-day tnged with skeptical views 1t is
useless to stand shaking the head with sorrow and
anxiety about it-and much more useless to start back
with sanctimonious horror, TO attempt any sort of
prescription with regard to it, to label such
''infdel' and with "bel, book and candle," having
detached them from the sympathes and confidence of
society, to Brighten them back into the fold. The
day has long gone when such expedents could affect
anybody worth affecting. What ought rather TO be
done is to examine the of this disafection a.
mong our youth to the pure and beautiful truths of
Christianity, irrational and unnatural as we know it
to be. That this may be found in the tendencies of
fallen human nature, and in the hearts impotence of
CONTROL is true enough in sense, and we are well
IL Il. Il
seshness and sloth from all responsibility as it does
will be to many conclusive of all further investiga-
ton. But we are persuaded this sad detection will
continue to increase, until the Church begins to ask
how far sle in her life and teachings embodies
the beautiful ideal which she recommends so earnest
ly to the world.
When that inquiry is faithfully pressed home to
the heart and conscience, persuaded that she
will discover that she has permitted modern nfdety
to "steal her thunder"-to appropriate her livery of
light and write upon its banners that glorious
to-HUMAN REDEMPTION AND HUMAN ELEVATION
which belongs TO her. We believe in our inmost
souls that the of the Church and the Clergy
on the great questions of reform which occupy the
public attention at this day. is training the people 10
infdeity. Religion is commended to every mans
conscience'-t is said to be in perfect harmony with
his reason and with the convictions of his moral ma
mans judgment and every instinct of his soul recoil
from the idea of property in immortal man as an
inhumanity, blasphemy, libel on the Gospel of
Christ, outrage on the image of God-he is grave
ly told by solemn deacon of the church that God
sanctions the system and the Gospel in blank oppo-
ston to its most vital principles, haows it. While
the generous and manly heart of the youth is torn
with conflicting emotions of pity and indignation at
behoding the myrmldons of a government, venal and
corrupt alliance with the great slave abomna-
ton make it-these myrmidons themselves, noto-
rously the basest of mankind-ruthessly hunting
from his home or tearing from his wife and children
some poor dakskinned neighhor whose lifelong I'M
requed toll has yet cancelled another mans claim
to his body and to his soul-behod his minister Tor
his fathers miniser rises in his pulpit and tells him
that there is Higher Law than the statute that in
sttutes this accursed work. and declares that ODE
dent citizens "thus it becometh to fulfil all rgh-
teousness % Is it any wonder that when The same
clergyman the succeeding Sabbath, announces his
text Whatsoever ye would that others should do I'M
TO you, do We TO them, 1T should be recev-
ed by that youth with sneer,-the exponent of la
tent sceptcism Or when he hears some unctuous
church-member holding forth like an angel in the
prayer-meetng about brothery-loye, and the benign
Influences of a religion which diffuses through the
heart an impartial regard for the whole family for
whom Christ died and Monday sees the same
good brother talking about Triggers" and fanatics
and turning up his holy at despsed and perse-
cuted lis it any wonder that this dear man s
zeal for his soul, in revval-times fails TO affect him
very deeply, and that he is slightly dubious about the
value of his prayers in poor sinners behalf!