Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1855-09-09


Jour.
Mans REsPoSsIBHITY FOR BzLTCg.-The follow
Jog letter. on "Mans Responsibility for his Belief,
is from the correspondence of DR.. Chalmers, recent
ly published;
My dear Madam,-Lord Byron's assertion that
'man is not responsible for his belief assertion
repeated by Mr.. Brougham and several others,
seems to have proceeded from the Imagination that
belief is in no case voluntarily. Now it is very
true that we are only responsible for what Is vol
untary; and it is also true, that cannot believe
without evidence. But then it is a very possible
thing that doctrine may possess the most abun-
,ant evidence and yet the evidence be not attended
to. Grant that belief is not voluntary sct--it is
quite enough for the refutati0n OF Mr.. Brougham's
principle If attention be a voluntary act One al
ends TO subject because he SO chooses, he does
not attend because he so chooses 1t is the fact Of
the attention being given or withheld which forms
the thing that is to be morally reckOned WITH. And
ii the attention has been withheld when it ought to
have been given, for this we are the subjects Of
rightul condemnation.
alt is enough to make uubelief a thing of choice,
and 4 thing Of affection. that we have power over
the direction of our noticing and investigating fac
u'ties You are not to blame ii you have not found
some valuable article that you have lest in an
apartment of the thickest darkness; bat you to
blame if you might have openei the shutters, or
lighted 4 candle, so to have admitted enough ol
light fer the discovery. Neither are you TO blame
if you do not find the hidden treasure of the Cos
pei, provided it is placed beyond the reach of all
cur strenuousness and of every expedient that can
be used for its discovery; but you 10 blame if
you have nos gone in quest of it, or if you have
wilfully and dererminedly shut yolr eyes against
it, or if you have not stirred up those powers Of
your mind over which the mind has u voluntary
control to the iDqu.riug afer it. The DiscerDer
of the heart will see where the lurking deficiency
lies and make it manifest in the darkness that they
loved the darkness--of a who have not come to
Christ, that they were not willing 10 come
christianity lays no unreasonable service on
men, and far less than service which were most IN
reasonable of all, the homage Of your belief with
out affirming such evidence as, II attended 10 VI
constraiu the belief Our religion has its proofs.
and it also has its probabilities. It's proofs can
only be got at by patient AID lsbo.ious inquiry and
when gotten. they carry the belle. along with them.
Its probabilities again NAV, some Of thea, be seen
at frs; sight, and though enough TO compel orr
belief yet they form sufficient cain upon our at
tention. They form that sort cf p'ecogu'icn which
entities Christianity at least to full and fir trial;
AMI if not worthy all st once Of place iU cur
creed it is worthy Of a full hearing. Now al!
want is that that hearing shall be given. that the
evidences of Christianity shall be studied tha, the
Bible shall be read with patience and prayer, and
moral earnesness AMI on the pr nciple that be who
seeketh fndeth, have no apprehension OF such
course not terminating in full AMI stesdfast con-
viction that the Bible is an authentic message f ON
heaven 70 earth, and contains in it the record OF
Gods will for mans salvation.
am, dear madam, yours truly,
THOMAS CHALMERS"