The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1857-12-19
Mans Responsibility for his Belief

The lurking, specious, soul-deStroying
error, ''No matter what a man believes, if
he is only sincere" is ably exposed by DR..
Chalmers in letter to e elc friend.
"Lord Byron's assegt;54 ss@an is not
responsible for his belief seems to have
proceeded from the imagination that belief
is in no case voluntary. Now, tis very true
that we are only responsible for what is
voluntary; and it is also true, that we can
not believe without evidence. But then it
is a very possible thing that doctrine may
possess the most abundant evidence, and
yet not be believed, just because we choose
to shut our eyes against it; and our unbe-
lief in this case is owing, not to the want of
evidence, but to the evidence not being at
tended to. Grant that belief is not volun-
tary act-it is quite enough for the refuta-
ton of Lord Byron's principle, if attention
be voluntary act. One attends to a sub
ject because he chooses or he does not at
tend 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 if the attention has
been withheld when it ought to have been
given, for this we are the subjects of a right
full condemnation.
at is enough to make unbelief thing of
choice, and thing of affection, that we have
power over the direction of our noticing and
investigating faculties. You are not to
blame if you have not found some valuable
article that you have lost in an apartment
of the thickest darkness; but you are to
blame if you might have opened the shut
tiers, or lighted candle, SO as to have ad-
mitted enough of light for the discovery.
Neither are you to blame if you find not the
hidden treasure of the gospel, provided that
it is placed beyond the reach of all your
strenuousness, and of every eXpedient that
can be used for its discovery; but you are
to blame if you have not gone in quest of
it, or if you have wilfully and determinedly
shut your eyes against it, or if you have
not stirred up those powers of your mind
over which the mind has avoluntary control,
to the inquiring after it. The Discerner of
the heart will see where the lurking previous
ly lies, and make it manifest of all who re-
main in darkness, that they loved the dark
ness-of all who have not come to Christ,
that they were not willing to come.
"Christianity lays no unreasonable ser
vice on men-and far less, that service
which were most unreasonable of all, the
homage of your belief, without affirming
such evidence as, II attended to, will constrain
the belief. Our religion has its proofs, and
it also has its probabilities. Its proofs can
only be gotten at by patient and labOrious
inquiry and when they are so gotten at,
they carry the belief along with them. Its
probabilities, again, may some of them be
seen at first sight; and though not enough
to compel our belief, yet they form a sufi-
cient claim upon our attention. They form
that sort of recognition which entities Chris
tianity at least to fair and full trial anC
if not worthy all at once of place in oul
creed, it is worthy of further hearing
Now, all | want is, that that hearing shal
be given; that the evidences of Christiani
ty shall be studied that the Bible shall bt
read with patience and prayer, and mora
earnestness and on the principle that ht
who seeketh fndeth, | have no apprehen
sion of such course not terminating in {
full and steadfast conviction that the Bible
is an authentic messenger from heaven t.
earth, and contains in it the record of Cod
will for mans salvation"
Waora too ont +o desno;r of do;no. o.oo,