The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1858-11-10
MOSES AND THE sKEPTIcs.

MOSES AND THE SKEPTICs.
Modern inRdelity has concentrated its
strength chiefly in attacks upon the Mosaic
record It is true that all portions Of the
sacred Scriptures receive their share Of un-
| friendly criticism, but it is upon the devoted
head OF Moses that the full measure of skep-
tical wrath is poured.
Does wandering Frenchman discover an
astron0mica. picture on the wall Of an Egyp-
tain tomb? Great is the glee with which
the announcement is received, since it is
another shaft to shoot at the veracltv Of
Moses. His chronology is impugned, be-
cause it does not correspond to this remarka-
Bile combination Of planetary aspects, which
could not have occurred within the period
he assigns to the duration of the human race.
SO the whole tribe Of nlideIs rejoice over the
| final demolition OF the system Of the Jewish
law glyer. Hardly, however, have the
echoes Of their jubiation died away, when
another Frenchman, who has been quietly
studying the old monuments Of that dead
civilization. announces that the famous
/ Zodiac is no Zodiac at all, and that it can
cot be two thousand years old. Clearly that
shot has not demolished Moses.
Then the geologists take up the attack
which the astronomers have abandoned.
They NAV wonderful parade Of strata, and
speculate deeply upon immense cycles Of
change. Disagreelng among themselves,
\ they nevertheless are unanimous in condemn
/ ing Moses, and loud in their merriment over
the abused system that the old Jew propound-
ed. 10 the midst of this clamor, however,
Z fhat nlaar
prupOunding schemes OF reconciliation of tie
I testimony Of the rocks with the record Of the
4 Hebrew. They are met half way by the
/ phiiulOgist, who tells Us that We have been
mstranslating the Hebrew these several
centuries. 80, again, the ways recoils from
the strong Rock Of truth.
! The elhnolOgists now take up the con.
4 trnYersy. The barbarDgs crudilles Of Egyp.
7 tain art, devoid alike OF truth in color aud
correctness in outline, are called up to tes-
I tlty against the ethnology OF Moses, and SO
10 impugn his entire record. Forms upon
which nc naturalist could rely for the es-
I tabllshment Of a sImpe spleces Of animals,
are to oyerturn the history ofthe race. This
is weak Weapon, from which there is but
little to dread.
I Looked at in proper light, how wonder
4 full are these old books of Moses. Consider
I the circumstances Of the man. Brought up
j ia the mnst superstitious nation OF antiquity,
a nation whose idoatry was the grossest and
basest known to the ancient world, educated
4 By the priests of this beastly paganism, he
nevertheless appears as the first aud most en-
4 lighiencd philosopher ofal antiquity. How,
We would ask, Is this man, trained among the
wurshppers Of dogs, crocodiles and onions,
10 conceive any adequate ideas Of the divine
nature Aud vet what is the fact! lie
gives us the grantest idea Of one only and
\ true God, that the human mind has ever re.
ceitrd. lie abolishes polytheism, and ris-
ing above the realm oI sense, he forms a
pure spiritual conception Of divinity. Not
a taint Of earth clings 10 the lofty majesty Of
his ideal. Compare his conceptions with
those OF the most eminent philosophers Of
antiquity, and see their immense superiority.
80, too. with the ycxed question OF the
origin Of matter. The philosuphic questions
Of is eternity do not trouble him. lie clear.
\ u states beginning. and prop0unds the mar.
ielous doctrine Of its having been spoken
into existence out oi nothing. This was a
truth which the unaidcd ancient intellect
could never grasp. For thirty centuries,
since Moses, the human mind has been toll.
ing az tie same great question, and now at
last. in these latter DAYS, science has labori-
onsly reached the conclusion that there must
have been a beginning Of tie visible crea.
/ ton.
\ How are We to account for these two stu.
pendOus ideas, 1T so early an age, and COM
lng from such a source: How could man
50 trained. at sUrarly an are, take sudden
leap 80 infinitely beyond. not only his con.
tempOraries, but beyond 50 many succeeding
ages: We know that these are the very
deepest problems with which the human in
tcllect has ever undertaken to grapplc. and
that their study led the greatest sages Of
antiquity to the disheartening conclusion
that the task was too great for the human
faculties.
II to these lofty speculations We add the
sublime ethics ii this ancient law-giser, We
rise from the pcrusal Of lis works with a
sense Of awe at the astounding intellect OF
the man. snppo,ing him 70 be the sole author
Of this amazing system. After toiling among
the scattered remains Of primeSal Egyptian
writers aud old inscriptions. We come back
10 the writings Of Moses with the same feel.
ings with which we emerge from the dark
passages Of the pyramids into the full blaze
Of day. The light is too great for any vision
accustomed TO that darkness. and We feel
that IL is no human c0ntrvancc, but comes
direct from heaven. JUDGED, upon ans other