Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1867-07-21
SUNDAY READING.
RELIGIOUS BOCTRINE.


C.-There was at least liberation
among the Pagans. JULIAN, when be
abandoned Christianity and returned tC
Paganism, tolerated the former. The
Bishop of Alexandria helped mardel
Z HYPATIA for preaching PRganism- The
ancients sometimes punished impiety to-
wards the Gods, but rarely the specula-
tive opinions OF philosophy. SENECA
does not hint that any particular opinion
as to the Deity is detestable or impiOus,
/ when he recounts the different ideas.
/ " guiSgliis fOTmdt0r UHiUerSi tatit Size
! lie Deus est poEenS OnlniltnI !, size IlcOr-
! pOrdlis Ratio, ingeHtilsnl OpeTttHJ Artl-
| fer; sire DiUi7Us Spiritlts per OBtRid
| marina dc HliniBlG CggltnH inteIUiOne
| difils sire Fdtlm est IBlBluta6ilis cGtS
/ suTlfsttHl inter Sc cOherentittH series"
[ And whether the Philosopher believed
that the Former of the Universe was a
I GOD, Supreme over all the others; or the
/ Incorporeal Reason; or q Divine Soul diff
fused through all things, the least as well
as the greatest; or Fate, and the immu-
table series Of things cOhering with each
other; it was not imagined that he
might not equally be a good and
virtuous man, nor was he Derse-
cuted for his belief Even the persecu-
tions of the Christians under the Empe
rors were occasional, and, compared with
their subsequent prosecutions of each
other, unimpOrtant. Christ would have
been welcomed in the Pantheon, as
MITHRAs was, if his followers would
have worshipped, also, the Gods Of
Rome and the deified Emperors. But
the Romans, who had never troubled the
Hebrews for worshipping HahOvah, re-
garded Christianity as an attempt to
overthrow all the gods, and substitute in
their stead crucified Jew. From their
point of view, it was no doubt deemed
a very impudent attempt. ttwas much
as if few wandering natives of Arabia
or Persia were to come here, and en-
deavour to persuade US that one Of them
selves, who had been crucifed as an
Impostor, was divine Teacher, and had
risen from the dead. When 1 read the
brief sermons of the Apostles recorded in
the Acts, l do not find in them the
causes of or persuasions to, conversion.
Neither do l see these in the doctrines Of
PAUL.
PIN what, then?
C.-The gods of Psgsnism had so null
tiplied that their worship had become
entirely absurd. No where was there
any sincere faith in them. Every
where, the Philosophers and Sages be-
lieved in a Superior Power above them
all. SENECA groups together the pre-
vailing opinions. The philosophers had
become vain and empty bebblings the
condition of morals everywhere was
frightful: all the civilized portion Of the
world was looking for Redeemer. The
Roman CoDquests had poured upon the
Western mind the metaphysical and
-. fhra1
doctrine of PLATO, as revived at AleXan
dria. readily accommodated itself to
Christianity and it was not difficult to
admit the claim of the Apostles, that
Christ was the Creative LOg0s, in the
reality of which the Oriental and Occi-
dentalphilOsopbies alike believed. inn
sgine that the great secret of the primi-
tive power of Christianity lay in its
morality, which commended it to the
upright and virtuOus every where. 1t
was a moral reform il was the Gospel
of Love: the Gospel of the poor, the de-
graded. the low, and the oppressed.
Little belief in the Jewish writings seems
to have been insisted on small knowl-
edge of them to have been required.
rhe quotations from them are generally
unfortunate, being sometimes incorrect,
and almost always tortured and peryert-
ed. It was an age IN WHICH tne common
people read nothing. But IL was the
Gospel of Love supplanting the Gospel
of Terror and pure morality waging
uneompromising war with the vices of q
decaying Empire.
PIT also taught that there was but
one GoD. The Apostles seem not TO
have urged a belief in the Trinity, as
now understood. The spread Of Moslem-
ism, also, was due to the truth il con-
tanned, not to its errors; 10 the doctrine
Of one GOD, and Of the immortality Of
the soul, to be rewarded hereafter, or
punished, according to It's deeds and TO
It's really excellent and sound morality.
Men are not content, nor ever we're, 10
rest in the blind darkness Of those who,
as JUvENAL says:
Niiilo creduJsf ga,tlldi9a rectore moaeTi,
Naftsrd s0lue5lfe rices e fitcis e qSlai," -
10 believe that the Universe Is governed