The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1859-01-20
ICoMAluNICATEp.

COMMUNICATED
IHE ISrppL CLuB AND ruE Yousa NESs CHRISTIAN Asso-
AS several Of the papers Of the city have allu-
ded to the discussion in the Young Men Christian Asso-
citation Saturday evening last statement of
the points in controversy may perhaps with propriety be
given. 5000 futN A9 tf A@
The subject before the Bible class was The Teachings
OF N~tura Religion, aside from and prior to Revelation
II was observed that for 500 years. till Moses day
had written revelation, and that when the first
revelation given it opened with the statement " In
the beginning God created the heavensand the earth the
belief in God being taken for granted existing prior
to revelation The proofs from the works of God and
from human consciousness, adluced as to the
itence and character of Cod To the fallen condition Of
man. and TO the spiritual destiny that awaits him. 1t
shown that much Of the perfection of Gods char
acter and that :. hope of future life might be gain
ed without revelation 1t especially urged that the
attribute of mercy which is aaepoaion to prevent
the penalty of violated law from falling on those who
have broken any law is not in the natural world
yet in consciousness there is love of mercy which
prepares to hope for il in the spiritual, though do
not see its exercise in the natural world This, how
ever, is but hope nature reveals certain salvation
to the fallen spirit of man.
The objcctor, though somewhat dscursive in his adj
dress made three points of objection that the God
the Old Testament yindetive, not merci that the
Old Testament does not clearly reveal the souls mmor-
talty but Solomon says in the Book of Ecclcsastes il
cannot be decided whether is not the beast and
that the Jews who believed the Old Testament and
Christians who receive the New Testament are rather
than better FOR their belief In the conclusion of
his remarks the speaker stated that the true ndel
ceiyed nothing his belief unless it demonstrated
in reply the leader Of the class suggested that the
avowed leading principle Of the scepc not true in
fact that nothing but mathematical conclusions are sus
ceptble of demonstration and that the farmer the ar
SAN and his friend himself the objcotor in all the bust
of life Isl aud must be- led to act proc moral
evidence otherwise he would not act at all and that
the nfdcls religious principle is in conflict with his
compelled belief in every thing else 10 the first obec
ton il replied that it is true that God in the Old Tesla
mcnt in his earthly dealings with men, does show mercy
that this the very argument of the evenings theme
and that the infdes difficulty With his God the
God of nature, who does not show mercy while the
Christian believes the Old Testament TO be from God
because in this respect God is the being in
ture To the second objection IL anwered that Job
and other writer's plainly speak OF future life that
Paul. argument to the Hebrews Is this that the coad
of such Abraham, their hpag " as strangers and
pilgrims ON the earth, spoke louder than words, and
that by this living confession they sag TINT they seek
better country heavenly and finally that Solo
design 10 Ecccsiascs Is to present first what his
wisdom alone suggested, while the conclusion OF
the whole matter = ia that " fear God and keep His
commandments" because che viii bring every work
into Judgment To the third objection the suggestion