Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1857-09-30

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nation imagined they sprang from the
earth they inhabited, another from crick- !
cts and grasshoppers, a third from mush- I
rooms, and a fourth from dragons teeth,
and many other such absurdities, we feel to
say of the Bible, as Cicero did of the twelve
tables, "Tbis little book is of more value
than all the Libraries of speculative philos-
ophers." The Bible only gives us an +
Agent competent to the creation of the
world. Without the light of revelation,
what would we know of the history of the
raccst-hc science of ethnology? The tenth
chapter Of Genesis contains all the informa-
ton we have touching the fathers of the
nations, and by its disclosures, meagre
though they be, men of learning have been
able to trace the history Of man, and to
classify the many families that now inhabit
the earth. To be brief, what is a summary
of the facts of moment in mans history,
which the Bible reveals !? The creation
the deluge-the tower of Babel-the con-
fusion of tongues, and consequent disper-
sion of mankind-the call of Abraham
the history of the Jews-the four great
empires of prophecy, the Medo-P Persian,
Assyrian, Greek and Roman-the prophe-
cies touching Jesus Christ, his coming and
crucifxion-the establishment of the Ro-
mish hierarchy i'm short, a complete
compend of the worlds history, past, pre-
sent and future.
All these events, too, are described in a
style of unrivalled excellence. Herodotus,
the father of profaue history, was distin-
guished for his unaffected aud childlike
simplicity. Thucydides, for the spirit of
his narratives, and the graphic power with
which he painted a picture, and Sallust for
his elevated and smoothly flowing style
Of modern historians, Rollin, Robertson,
Hume, Gibbon, Bancroft and Prescott, are
writers of varied and striking excellences.
Still Moses as far exceeds in point of style,
as he preceded them in the order of time
he is unapproached and unapproachable IN
the simple elegance and rugged grandeur
of his diction Longinus has quoted the
expression, "Let there be light and there
was light" as an example of sublimity
but is it moro so than the very opening
note of the sacred Scriptures +? ''In th'
beginning God created the heavens AM
the earth" Is it not rather in keeping
with the wonderful dramatic power of tn
whole description !? How like a drama
says another, aud where the interest deep
=, ems towards the conclusion, does it, STE
| by step, awaken and increase our attention
|, and curiosity. First, the formless dee
arises-naught is seen but the underline,
| and heaving waters-naught is heard bu
! the broodings of the eternal Spirit. Their
: light flashes forth, like some element a.
r ready existing in all things, though veile(
so instantaneous is its appearance. The
!. the armament arises, dividing the wate
a from the waters. Then, heaving up fro
its overhanging seas, the dry land show
q It's dark and earthly substance, to bear tt
4 feet of man. Then the waters, under IL
n genial warmth of the sun, begin to tee
. with life, and the earth to produce it's hu;
q offspring, and to send up its stately al
q fruit-bearing trees, to feed the appetite al
a relieve the solitude of man. And the
4 the preparation for his coming being cor
! plete, he appears. The stage having be-
+ swept and garnished, and lighted up, Il
!, great actor steps forward. "And on Il
= sixth day God said, let us make man in
own image" How magnificent these pl
! parations! how fine the gradations, al
6 how grand the conclusion Man, the j
- age and representative of his Creator, is i
- monarch of the realm of creation.
% We might notice the varied beauties
= many of the sacred historians, especially {
- inimitable directness and simplicity ofLul
the beloved physician; but | may not daily
a the way to pluck the flowers that hang
h f~estoons around every book of Scriptu
Is The second part of the subject demau
our attention, and | proceed to rema
- that the Bible is as prominent in goue1
he mental philosophy as in history.
la Plato once said, that all laws were of
Use vine origin. Modify the remark, and
he firm that all good laws are of divine orig
es- and l endorse the declaration. Sur
cry many of the laws of the ancient world W
IN not from heaven. In one country we e
Pc theft allowed, and even commended, if .
on petrated with address. In another, Dir;
of and rapine honored, if conducted with
nto trepldity. Again, we see every feeling
humanity outraged by parents, sexposi
5 in their children to perish for deformity
ire body, or weakness of mind. And VIC
loly still, We see false religions leading their
|, of taries to heap the affairs of their idols "
ZEN human victims, and parents even sacri6c
rvs their children to horrid deities and VIII
nav they shrieked amidst the flames, their
ION. ing cries were drowned by the clango
cymbals, and the fierce yells of ~fanatisn
All these denominations, 100, we find autI
mn lied by custom and sanctioned by law
9 of Were such laws of celestial origin, we a
WE Rather of internal, than divine pater
ovs. were they. But there were some G
the principles Of government among the