True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1856-12-03
The Enc mics Of the Bibls.

The Bible Just now is asssiled bys
most remarkable multiplicity aud diver
sity Of enemies: antitheism--denying God:
atheism-doubting God !; deism--dreaii-
ing of God; pantheism--generalising
God; polytheism--analyzing God; are
all with nearly equal inveteracy, still IS
ever opposed to the true revelation Of
God. '--t '" 4,f laH
But beside these ancient and gigantic
hostillties, iunumeraple inferior and yet
arrogant and artful agencies Of in6delity
are constantly at work around US, insid.
eously sapping the foundation Of our
highest and noblest hopes. In all art
science, literature, and philosophy, the in.
fluenccs alluded to are painfully obvious
to every pious and vigilant observer. =
The people, however, and especially
Christian people do not seem TO be aware
of the extent and evil Of the facts in the
case. The poison enters their homesin
beautiful and attractive forms, and effects
deadly result before its presence is sus.
pected. Parents wonder at the skepticism
of their sons, especially and yet minis.
ter 10 it themselves by the very means
which they employ for their instruction
and improvement. In many instances
alas for them-even when the cause Of
the corruption was made manifest 10
them, they underrate its force and decline
to remove it. An author has high rep.
utation, simply as a writer, or as an ora.
tor and writer both, and so secures
admission, attention, admiration and even
notwithstanding, in word, house.
hold power for harm; devil in the guise
of an angel of light; an in6dsl, it may
be. with the name Of Christian--impair.
ing faith encouraging impurity, and pre-.
venting salvation. Many door which
is closed against debasing novels, yet
opens with a welcome to infde art, in6del
science, infdel history, inidel philosophy,
infdel poetry, and other forms Of decep-
ton, all taking their places in schools.
parlors and Libraries, as appropriate aud
trustworthy authorities.
But these secondary agencies are nos
all. A third class has made it's appear.
ance. Countless fantastic dwarfs Of un-
belief spring into temporary existence,
playing strange pranks of rueful mischisf.
and turning inevitably the laughter excl.
led by their first grotesque exhibitions
into tears of final sorrow, or the vain ex-
ecrations of outraged and indignant
virtue. Mormonism, Mesmelism and,
Spiritualism, and other delusions and
denominations, are prominent here. Nov
and then distinguished name occurs in
connection with them! not indeed dis
tinguished by Christian intelligence. zeal
and good works. but by some kind Of
secular professional skill or position.--
But generally speaking, these dupes are
found among those over whom every
enlightened and sympathetic deciple Of
the Redeemer is constrained to mourn the
most--the ignorant, the shallow the vain,
the Idle, the poor, the oppressed, the
friendless, the bereaved, the unthopght
Of, the uncared for, the neglected masses.
whom all ordinary means Of grace fail 10
reach, The Bible the Bible, contains
their whole hope land YET they are led
by the false influences daily perverting ,
them to discredit, reject, and even revile
and dcnounce the Bible. s., ~, +.
And is there no refuge! When the
enemy comes in like a flood, shall not
the spirit Of the Lord lift up standard
against him /! Shall there never yensue
a holy and happy rest in pure and saving
truth Surely better time must come;
and it may be that it is near at hand. In
immediate connection with the passage
just cited, it is predicted that the Redeeun-
er shall come to Zion, and unto them that
turn from transgression in Jacob, saith /
the Lord: My spirit that is upon thee, \
and my words which ! have put 10 thy,
mouth, shall not depart out Of thy mouth.
nor out Of thy seed, nor out Of the mouth
of thy seeds seed, saith the Lord. from
henceforth and forever. "-We make no
-preteniions to disernment in regard to
prophetic Periods But in the midst Of
all enchanimenis and agitations, we grate-
fully rejoice in the assurance, that if the !,
world will thus suffer itself to be led into 1
captivity, the Lord still has covenant
people, faithful to his truth, and hopeful
with good reason and in good time, Of
entire and eternal redemption, Christaih ,
Chronicle. a as.s n