The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1864-10-15
THE TOWNSHIP LIBRARY.
The Natural History OF Enthusiam.
The Natural History of Fanatics n.


It's unfortunate that work. 50 well calculated to in
strurt MANKIND should lie these are, the
rot1nd LatinicaI dicou Of johnson, instead Of the
simple and luci style Of Addison Truths buried up
in altJoquent phraseoozy, arr not likely 70 impress
the mini Of the reader profit The authors dicton
Is better adapted epl=meral defamation, than
70 the sober concerns Of mans religious conduct.
The term Enthusiasm be 70 represent that act
Of the Imagination BY which any subject Is INFESTED
with exaggerated co'orin-s and properties. When
Enthusiasm Is inf-nled BY hatred, It gives rise 10
Fanat5cism or religion corrupted BY tie magu pas
slons Faulticism shows itself in four forms, which
the author calls The Seourge self infection pen
ances The Brand, or persecution the Banner, De-
voiiau cou1bned with martial ardor; and the symbol,
or raneor9us zeal fer a creed.
In tlast t.ys sections Of bis volume Of Fauaticsm
h. successfully shows shat the religion Of the Bible
tnsitber Of the old Testament Is not fanatca
Tpe baastsl advance Of civilization lie does net
slider To be permanent: and think. have by
means outgrawn propensity to indulge vindictlTe
passions In ,fis yiev he Is decidedly variance
ssth Caunpte Buckle. and o;h-rs school, who
according to tie fancd provisions of science,
possibility for more aul prosecutions vet wars
AMI prosecutions prevad ts EARTH while these
vet speak AMI mock te.r pretended sagactg to
/ l..-.trstt. Ia FIXTURE.
I Ia a note page I52. Faaa-lc.s-a BE gives the Qua
Icrs cr-fl newer having prosecuted. But Ps=e
49, Eutfp-iaHu after app uul their general intel.i
gene. ausb- mann aud christian Lanevoeace, lie
,l- rather roughly ai.l them. for their "errors,"
tt.-.r "essly" r.,.-a., and ...eIy AMI impiety."-
---u- tsat ,ru.t la-i ie borne sr such roots.
T-. author deal e.ata ia. &. aap Catholics vita d,
still So -,a-.4, hand &I. II sins ritv AMI without
v.ssaca. To- M the ct.au- Divine Influence,
.4l Fsru-a,4r Providence Eat:.usit"'. arr the
mo- 4tsract:vs if not tsc most IN .tsr-tiEa.
Ia hi. copieu-ness os WORT, he sometimes Involves
an o5-olet. obsoesceu term, rf,ast, AMI ssi1-
tre, and AMI then be seems to assume contra
i.et7~v Positions
satisfactory anal ISIS If those volumes cannot be
given in a short essay like this The reader mAy take
the following rand IN selections. specimen Of the
writers -tve he wishes to tell that i: is unProfta-
bic to confounI things and this he does by saving
To waive the cxrrcise of Discrimination, can, under,
no imaginable circumstances. be advantageous to any
rnaa" He believes vita others, that the chris
tian religion Is Il documentary religion With this and
few ike exceptions. have no hesitation in recon-
n,udug these volumes to tn notice Of TIE reader
The books though anonymous, understood ito have
been written by Isaac Taylor, tae author Of other
valuable books. a.
Aids to Faith, Theological! Essays by
several Writers-Being a Reply to Essays
and Reviews. Edited by Mr. Thompson,
1868.
The recent onslaught the authenticity of the
Bible has caused many in the religious world to trcm-
bl, for the ,qtences AMI the clergy have mus
tered all their force, to orv their strong hold and to
repel the attack. The book with the fore named title
affords fair specimen of their theological tactics
Nine d. D's. b. D's and \. Ms, have contributed
their share to the work As to the Aid they hav
furnished to any ones faith, can say nothing cal
only speak for myself. The compiler and editor make
the humiliatng admission that there are those who's
aith NAV have been shaken by recent assaults.
But whv is their faith shaken Have they bull
upon sand, that the WINS and waves of inielit1
AMI skeptiscsm can dash it to the ground? Thest
aids" would lead M to this conclusion and insteae
of helping me- they lend 'aii AMI comfort to the enc
nv" cannot doubt this white the proposed And
acknowledge that the Bible IS the only OF sal
walton Of Col to man. aad hold the prePosteroa
position that christianity is historical religion, an
that M man who does not believe in historic Chris
Is entitled to the nam, of Christian.
would not willingly wound the feelings OF an
sincere seeker after Truth let him he jew, Moham
don. or Pagan But love consistency. If the Bi5l
- b.. the only nlss~ar, of COL to man, why reject
= teachings: and substitute fan les and specui
tons insteal? The Bible tells us Of Light. that e
Y Gghtens every man that comes into the world The
. Is rock that all The gates Of hell, cannot preva
> against, WAY not build on this. instead Of on ny
FERROUS anil in,omarehsu,iols doEmas Here t
e most powerful Of all arZum comes to our all t
al te.tiupnv of scripture and the testimony derlv
from t, .tsq, ai5o,a~rr and in the mouth of t.
- or three uitn ssss every word shall be est'b'S1e
Ever sane man knows what Is right AMI what
urore, 70. him. Thara the clar-v may stand viii
i" firm foot despite al e iniel and wisdom Of eve
l. a-e.
it Let on clerical rsals ceasr contend for the
ls ceSsitv Of historical knowledge Of Christ and pie