Daily Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1854-1855, 1855-12-10


The GssetJs - coon 4 visit Dave nport and
towns to lecture on the proofs
Of the Christian Religion. It may not be
generally known that Mr.. Barker, while
once . Methods, preacher. is now. an svowed
infideI, and the object his lectures is TO
,ssauia Chr 'stian,ty. Were wsa' conlrov'f
salist" we should desire no other weapons
with which TO aBnihila,e every argumen,
Mr.. Barker now uses against Christianity,
than the very convincing facts and dcduc-
tons that he aforeiime s,rung together and
published in book form, entitled, Christian
inv Triumphant; or. an enlarged view Of the
character and tendency Of the religion Of
Christ; showing that it is every way calcu.
lated to remedy the evils Of disordcred and
miserable world. and make mankind truly
good and happy" From the small portion
tina, e have read Of this book we judge i, to
be highly creditable TO the mind and 10 the
heart Of Mr.. Barker, and should his life be
spared very many years, We doubt il he
could SOW tares enough in the field OF
whea, he has planted 10 choke single
grain. We will give one passage from Mr..
Bankers book, q deguerreotype of the pue-
rile Efforts that have been made TO overthrow
Christianity, and the inevitable fate that has
ever awaited its opponents. Mad Aerxcs
In his strange prank to chain the seas had
not . mere hopeless task than Mr.. Barker
to COMPUTE What he has written on the sub
jcc' of Christianity. As we'll might he at
empt in the graphic language OF Scott, 10
.siem a stream With sand or letter flame
/ ith flaxen band" IS TO overthrow, even
with the most specious sophstry, the clos
ing paragraph Of the following extract from
his book -
Before | enter on the great question
Which | am called upon 10 discuss, | am
ashfui To make few observations. Aud
| In the first place, let me advise the friends
| Of Christianity rel TO be 'ufuid OF the at
! tacks which are made upon the Gospel We
4 Cannot but be sorry thst any should be SC
I! ill-iDfurmed, or so iil-lispostd as 10 assai
4 the Gospel, but We have nonsed 10 be afraid
I Of the result. Il is no new thing for the
religion IF Christ 10 be oppos, d.. IL has
| had its enemies IN every age, tfum that day
! that il was first revealed 10 the world To the
| present time, but it was all in vain. The
Jews opposed it, but it still spread; the Pa
gan Philosophers opposed it, but it still
relied on The Magistrates and Rulers OPP
posed it, aud shed the blood o, its teachers
and disciples Ike water, but nothing could
stay it's progress. The Priest and The Ma
gician, tie Prince and the Philosopher, were
all borne Down b, fore it. The patience OF
its martyrs, affection and courage Of its
! CONVERTS, subdued the hearts oil its enemies
. and brought lib, IN with tears to implore the
| blessings OF lis Salvation. The vo.ces OF
! fishermen were mish,ier than the tlcets ana
! armies If the Whole earth, and the perse-
ruted Gospel put 10 silence the boastec
Philosophy of Greece and Rome. The cor
rupt interests and passions and customs oil
a DARK and degenerate world gave way be-
| fore il, and through blood and fires. anc
| many hdeous forms oil death, it still went
| forward, i'll meckuess aud in majesty, unin.
| jured and uutisnayed, "irom conquering to
conquer"
! The Gospel was opposed st the time OF
t th Reformation; the Pow er Of the Pupedum
| was against it, and the powers OF many ma
! lions were against it; but it still pursued
/ is course, aid multiplied its conquests OIL
/ every hand. Since the time Of the Refor.
nation il has been opposed BY a new kind VI
! enemies. A number of men appeared in
/ England, in France. and N America, some
years ago, protesting to be the children o
/ reason, and claiming for themselves alcne
| of all the people upon earth, the honor OF
! raiona.ty. TIA, also united their counsels
] o the Gospel, and made great efforts to
destroy Christianity from the face of the
earth; bu' tn passed away. Their boast.
/ ing was turned into silence; their pride and
| their pretensions all pcrished; Tut The Gus.
pei sill lives, und go,s lorih with quicker
ST. and with greater glory TO ilumine and
TO bless the world.
AT length another foe has enter, d the
field aga nst the rei'gien OF Christ, which
boldly threatens 10 sweep il, in few wears.
from the face of The earth. But we cannot
te afraid. The Gospel will triumph aga
and The syste m Of iniidcl socialism will 90
down 10 the grave Of lis fathers, and know
no resurrection. The men who al present
are fighting against tne Gospel are loud in
theiI toasting, and fierce and headlonp in
their alta b; but they are strangers TO The
system with which they are warning, and 10
The pow ers which are joined together in is
behalf. 4 itw more sifucg'ns will reveal
TO III III their Jolly, and eAtineti,h their
mad hopes TO fer All that is in Heaven
is a44inst them, aud ull that is zoo d and true
end sroi < upon earth i. against them
They fight alaiGst the li.l, OF the While |
word; they fight against the ~ironepst feel /
ings Of every interrupted human being: |
they war against the rghts, the joys, and the |
hofes Of the wLo.e intelligent creation. And
es soon will they blot out the sun and III
stars, a. exlingnish the Ii ght Of The Gospel. !
or tear from tie hearts OF men their belief
II God, and their hopes OF blessed i'm. |
mortality. Dyes, the Gospel will ,riumph
again; end the Efforts Of its enemies. instead !
Of checking its pro ,ress. shall only make il |
roll on the taste and win 10 itself new
flme and glory"