Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1864-09-07

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question of mere curiosity,.yon had rcjec- /
ted, or adopted, any hypothesis without |
examination. How, then, can you be JUS.
titled in neglect Of this inquiry 1t has
every thing to rouse generous curios-
ity, to excite deep interest, to occupy
capacious intellect. '.. "
No man who thinks, can fail to observe,
much in the scene Of things around him,
to produce uncertainty and disquietude:
Upon the stage of life, men appear and
disappear, with little apparent reason for
their coming or departure, beyond the con-
tinuance Of species, for whose .continu-
ance no sufficient motive seems to exist.
We find ourselves fastening on, like 9th
ers who have preceded us, full OF hopes,
eager with desires Of distinction and hap
piness. and with an ever-increasing ratio
OF rapidity, rushing through the journey
of lite. Meantime, we are surround
ed by world containing almost indie
finite subjects for speculation and in
quiry; within, we are conscious Of pow
ers to explore it-of a desire of knowl-
edge, to prompt the research and we see
in it the occupation for many ages OF all
our capacities. Yet our existence here is
so short, and even that short period is So
distracted by the, necessary demands o.
our animal nature, that the whole seea:s
incongruous-seems designed to disappoln:
this natural desire for knowledge, and t.
render fruitless those vast powers OF at
tainment. What, then, is this death, III
which our Share in this great univers
seems so soon to terminate does it indee,'
annul our powers, and send them i'll this
very infancy of their existence into ami.
hilation or doesit only transfer us to 9th.
er scenes, where, in. some other modftica-
ton, these powers are to exist, and tint
employment Ifso, where and how! Il
these inquiries, when truly made, the hear
is not only interested, but anxious. A con
sciousness Of ill-descrt will arise upon our
thoughts, and we tremble to commit our
selves to Him, who, we feel, has Il power
which none can controls rightfu! ALL
thority which none can call in question:
Upon what principle, we ask, will he exert
his power2 what are his character and dis
positiona Can we trace his works2 Has
He made any disclosure OF them for our in
formations These inquiries of an anxious
being, the Christian religion assumes to
solve. She announces herself as mes
senger from Heaven-she declares that
you are immortal, and offers to you intor
nation of the means by which that immor-
i tally may be rendered virtuous and happy.
She promises, upon the authority OF Heav-
| en-, to remove your fears most reasonably
excited by a just sense of delinquency to
:" confirm and siren CITIZEN you in all good
ness, and to. bring you to everlasting life"
Sanctioned as her pretensions are, they
surely deserve investigation. He. who
should refuse to examine the grounds on
which the Newtonian system Of the uni
verse depends, and persist in the belief
that the earth is, stationary plain, and
the sun daily traveller over its surface,
would justly Be considered irrational and
absurd; yet he who rejects Christianity
without inquiry, is mailman, compared
with whom the other may be considered
discreet and sober. Tie former rejects
indeed Il theory of the universe, establish
ed to all intelligent inquirers upon sure
demonstration : but it is to him Of little
importance his virtue and happiness, here
and hereafter, may be efectually secured
without the discovery or belief OF this sys-
tenn. The latter, having every thing at
hazard, madly resolves to take no step fol
securing it ; and when the truth or false.
hood Of this religion involves such tremen.
dous consequences that all other truths
sink into insignicance, he devotes his
whole attention to the latter, and declines
an exertion to satisfy himself of that or
which his all may absolutely depend
One thing is clear, the man who adopts
this conduct has little claim to the charac
ter Of philosopher.
If, then, this inquiry has moi already beer
: made, with the zeal and diligence which
its importance demands, let it now be com
menced, and daily prosecuted to its termina
ton: for no who has not settled this ques
ton for himself, is not prepared either tc
live or die. Be not deceived by any no
ton that your present existence being in
definite, the inquiry may be safely post
poned. If you were certain oflife "a Ger
tainty which cannot be obtained) the post
ponement would little correspond with the
dictates of wisdom. 1t is evident, tina
those things which are most important
should be first attended to-besides. in
, this case, the present is of all seasons til,
most desirable for prosecuting such an in
quiry. When you shall be immersed il
; business, or devoted to pleasure, neithe
the opportunity nor desire will often reeur
, and but still more rarely, both together
and 1T should be remembered, that it is al
inquiry for which time, and tn, ught, ant
. leisure are necessary and how shall thes,
be commanded amidst the hustle of activ
!. life! Act, then, with your wonted intelli
gence, and now commence, and vigorously
pursue this most interesting investigation
= 1t IS noble one; it has already occupie,
! the powers, and expanded the understan
i dings OF those who, in moral and physica
science, are your teachers and the teacher
: OF the world, and with whom, it is no dis