Smyrna times., 1857-06-10
IN FID e LIT Y.

Generation after generation, men OF great
learning have arisen mbued with unmltlgated
hatred of the doctrines of Christianity, and
have taxed their utmost energies to subvert and
crush it, and divest humanity of the only in
spring hope that buoys up its drown-trodden
spirit. No sooner defeated on one ground, than
with equal energy they would rally in another
quarter, and thus, there has been continually
raging fierce and bitter warfare between the
myrmidons of the Evil One and the humble
disciples of the Great Nazarene. The Natural
Sciences, enc after another, have been brought
forward in the great controversy, to prove the
Bible untrue but, in every instance, it has
been the means of enlarging and developing
4hose sciences to the benefit of mankind, as
well as proving their entire harmony with the
revealed will of God. Infidelity has been beaten
back and driven from one stronghold TO another
until it nas been compelled to deceptvel' seek
the garb of Christianity, in the various iSms Of
the day. Many able defenders have seized held
of their bold assertions, scattered them like
chatf before the wind, aud produced the pure
grain devoid of the mildew, the rust and the
blight OF such is the character of the work
now before us, entitled, The BIBLE Defended
AGAINST THE OBJECTIONS OF INFIDELITY,-be-
ing an examination of Scientific, Historical.
Chronological, and other Scripture Difficulties" !"
by the Rev. WM. II. BRIsBANE. The book,
from It's Size,-l70 pages, duodecimo, o,-cannot
enter upon lengthy refutation of all the futile
objections to Christianity, but the learned
author, from his familiarity with the Ancient
and Modern Languages, has delvGd immediately
to the very root Of the subject, and has in an
original manner, and with few words, exposed,
aud 10 use vulgar but trite expression) utterly
knocked the props - from under his udversa-
rirs. We could have desired more lengthy
production of the arguments pro and con , but
we suppose when the fallacles were met md
the hollow pretensions laid bare, the object OF
the author had been accomplished. The writer
sets out with the assertion that Christianity is
suited to our moral conditions, and that it is
necessary 10 suit the inward cravings for a
Aigher good than earth can give: the spirit of
Infdeltty robs man of the higher qualities which
SO ennsbe and endow his nature, and places
him on footing with the brute creation. In
proving that the exigencies of mans moral
condition call for revelation from God, the
author uses the following.argumehts:
l. Nan is n religious being. We mean by
this that he has been created with religious in
stncts. In every phase of his existence, from
the lowest barbarIsm to the highest degree oi
civilization, lie wOrships something and con-
stantly maniests an instructive longing for i'm
mortality. This truth is SO obvious that It needs
proof If he instituted these various forms
OF worship without Divine direction, it was Ger.
tainly in obedience to the conscious necessities
OF his nature and proves the existence of his
religious instIncts.*
ii. Nothing uithin man or Without him, shOr
cfa revelation, can satisfy the demands Of tht'
instinct. 1t is here that nfdes join Issue with
Christianity. The necessity of some degree 0
religious sentiment is conceded, but the neces
sity Of the Bible is denied. The old English
infidel writers claimed that the mind could dis
cover all necessary religious truth from its owl
resources, without supernatural aid. But thu
is not so. Take the fact OF Gods existence
how can man in his original state as he spen
taneously grew up. or was created, discover thi
fact! The very idea of God is foreign to him
and how is it to be communicated to his mind
Can he deduce it from the existence OF natUra
things! He has first to form an idea ofsPiritua
existence; but everything he sees or feels
material, how then Is tn idea to be formed !
But the ability TO reason on such subjects sup
poses an educated mind, education suppose
civilization, civilization supposes some know
ledge of Uod. That condition in which ma
originally was, accord ng TO the theory OF int
deity, precludes all reasoning on such abstra'
points He was mere animal and incapab
of reasoning ou tsde the sphere of his physics
necessities. If he is educated it must be
civilized society, but we know of no ciVilizatio
without a religious basis Thus we reach III
conclusion that a revelation was necessary
thc very beginning OF mans history.
We would like to follow this subject farthe
jn the beautiful deductions which are laid dow
with such irFe'i'taR Re iOrce' but our space w
not permit.
The Blble-accOunt of Gods character al
dealings with men, may naturally be expect
~ include many things beyond our understan
ing, whichP prove, rather than dispsoye, its su pc
human origin, and are prcsamptve evidence
it's truth. In the difficulties Of harmonizir
the various readings, it must be taken into co
sideration that they are Of extreme antiqu
and refer TO persons, places, &c, many of viii
are forgotten; also, that these books have
come to US az they were written; their origil
languages are not generally understood, and
~
sThe existence among all nations of p.ofe
cd revelations of Gods will and character
evidence Of the necessity of revelation.
these sacred books were the inventions OF IN
ah~v u~ra iuyented hecause they sere fell