New-York daily tribune., 1859-02-15


do believe it to be nconpsIsby the best OF DOCKS.
Daily should il be studied aud commenced on In every
school. Daily should its pages be pondered ID 'ne
closet. Every morning anc every evening snSuIu sr ss
precious e,sors be repeated n the assembled family
Tie puIest ard subnest orahy is that OF the Boe.
Abubdsnt proof is there in many OF ITS pages thst
they vho spohs recorded the great WORDS haa
drunk deeper Of divine inspiration "a An any o'ner neo.
II is because they had, ,ha. We always derive rom
this bIessed book a deeper sense Of bolness and
c.epsr sense of weketness than from any other
What words so tire onr hatred of op preston
,me which prophets spoke When, too, 40 We 80
much appreciate coCdress while our hearts are
mefipg over some Of the lip and HE utter anees OF
jesus
Nevertheless there are portions OF the Bible which
are worth very ht.le; and which, were they found
else where, no one would deem worth much. More
over ii We are checked at the snpposton that there
sre mistakes and untrlt5s in it, ii is only because OF
cur fslse and superstitious education. We must
pass upon the Bible just freely as upon any other
book: and rothipg in that is repusnsnt to our rea-
son must be allowed 70 come into our faith. We are
Iot TO r.. ct whatever in is above our present con-
preber sion. That would be most unreasonable But,
wbatev.ris clearly counter to resson we owe TO rea-
son, to ourselves, and TO GOD 70 ,slee' ILL., a1r IN,
u ere is one in which God is represented as oeng
partia-ss beipg guilty. IL may be- OF tue monstrous
paItiaity OF lovrg one unborn child and nating
aIotheI-we must not for the sake OF SAVING tue re-
pu;siion and authority Of the book, acquieSce 10
representation that outTsges all Just conceptions
Of God. To save these conceptions Is Infinitely more
important than 10 save the book. If, too, We hod thst
Paul. II co not say that We dol, represents woman as
inferior 20 man, as having lower and less r1gnts
th Cd map We must lot, TO save Paul, sanction his
wrorg sgsiit soman. Justice must be accorded 10
her claims at whatever expense 10 his speculsoons.
i am not, in these remarks, denying aught OF the
value OF the Bbe Incompatible is that value, IL tor
10 other reason than that contains the life OF Christ
But may be asked how, since am not conhien ne that
the Bible is all true, can DO colhient that II gives
the true life Of Christ1 My answer ls, that such
life could not be fabricated. Ii must have been sub
stantialy what the Bible represents it to be. Sdch
reality tTsnseends all the possibilities OF fiction. IL
cannot be the cons &c Of the Imagination. IL cannot
be picture without original. Besides, had been
within the lmpass of a good mans ability to invent
such life, bis goodness would have prevented his
palu ing It the world as reality. l scarcely need
add that any approach TO tuch hts lies wholly with.
out the Isrge Of bad mans conceptions and can mud
place among mis- possible Inventions. And what II
u W. re admitted that such lie could be written at
this day by Charles Dickens or Mrs Stowe, or other
persons of their fertile genius, nevertheless 1t must
lot be forgotten that it would be written by the light
OF the scua LIE Of jesus aId would therefore oe sub
stantislly but copy.
Unspeaksbly happy fact is il that men outgrow-
ing the religions which have afflicted and debased
them. An ignorant age very naturally submits TO a
religion of authority; but an intelligent age, which de-
mauds ard realizes progress in every other dlrectoo
will OF be content ~ have the dead past continue 10
furnish the religion Of the living present. Signs are
rapidly multiplying that the time has come TOR every
nan to religion not to adopt it from his
Ieighbor, his priest his church, but To construct II
for himself. In the province Of reason, when per-
vaded by Divine Influences and especially in the life
OF Jesus who the perfect impersOnation OF rea-
son, because He was filled with those Illuminating,
holy and tweet Influences which can alone preserve
the freest and fullest exercise of reason-tbere are
abur liant materials for such construction. Indeed as
in effect have already said, what man has TO DO
to answer the calls Of the true religion is to keep all
his sppettes passions, and Interests IN suoecton 10
his reason | ADMIT tn It he cannot do this without
hep-the help Of that same spirit which dwelt IN
JesusaDd which, by the way, is as free TO us as 1t
v as 10 Him. IL word. all be has to do Is TO keep
his reason in the ascendant. Then he will be like God
For to obey is to obey God. To obey 1t is TO
bring ourselves into harmony with Him, and to make
ourselves partakers of His character. To disobey 1t
is to prefer the character of rebels and atheists.
The religious, including even that called Christianity
but which is not Christianity, have proved themselves
ase by their failure to the great crimes ana
abomiI Iations. War, slavery, drunkenness and the
various oppres ssions of woman still abound. Give,
however, reason its full play-true reason, mean,
and rot the mixture Of passion and prejudice, which
they who have staed the voice Of reason, are wont
to confound with it-and these crimes and abonina-
tors would fact disappear. That they still making
hell ON earth is chiefly because religions Of authority
put in pleas for them, and justify or apologize for
them in the of their sacred books and churches
Exalt reason no xever, to the place Of religion, or
rather religion to the place of reasoD and these crimes
ard abomin stioDs will depart Bot trey will remain,
ana be rife just long as there is religious authority
to keep them in couDtenauce just as long as men
suffer others decide religious questions for then tO
be the keepers of their conscience and the moders
their mnds. So long rum-drinkers aud shareholders
have religion distinct from reason, they Will run 10
il for permission TO continue TO drink rum ana 10 DO
saveholJers; ard they will not fail to get IT. But
once cut them of from their doctInal or conventional
religion, and throw item back upon their reason, and
they will find it difficult 10 remain rurndrinkers ana
save holders. The South is full OF the common re-
lgiop and hence the impossbiity Of peacefully dis.
lodging her slavery. IL is trns that the religion OF
France was not essentially different from tnat OF
OR own country. Bot SO slender was its hold ON the
public mind, that it could not prevent the reason OF
France from abofsbiDg Slavery. The abolition OF
French Slavery largely owing to French nhdehty
Had that nation been more religious and less RATIONAL
ber slavery would have continued to this day.
Il WAS the policy of Jesus to cut off the Jews from
their spurious religion, and throw them back upon
their OniictiOns, and upon themselves. " And why,
says he TO them, even OF yourselves !uase yenoi
what is rightly The like policy should be parsued
by the modern reformer. IL is az Indispensable nov
il was then 10 get into the place OF the cur
rent religion.
Oor likeness to God The religion which has this
God honoriDg ard man eDDobiDg avn Is to De our re-.
bgion. Never does mans dignity appear 40 groat
as when seen in the light Of his capacity for re.en-
bling bis Maker. 1t 10 in this light that he Is the
temple OF God,' ard Is never TO DO denied by ram,
tobseco, nor any sensus!ity. And who, viewing nan
in this gkt san be guilty Of degrading him In thoogns
word or deedi Who, having drunk in toe spirit OF
this tue religion ard therefore, opened bis eyes upon
the grandeur Of man, can put upon MS BROTHER
limbs the chains Of slavery, or consent TO see hm
supk TO the guilty to which war sinks lts hre-
Iipgs Or VINO, having under the Influences Of tins
true religion, felt how great msD, can look with pa.
tience on his bondage TO political or ecclesiastcal
party?
This religion then, which recognizes mans capacity
naA ,ah ir.u rafa ne IL
ties growing cut OF that capac,y-this is toe only re-
hgion which rid the world Of the crimes that crowd