The New York herald., 1869-06-13

"Alarm OF Christians"
TO THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
The article under the above head in a recent num-
Der OF your paper calls forth the following rehec'
tons and prayer Of for and of many millions OF
firm believers In revelation that yearn after TRUTH
Is not singular for Christians to feel alarm at free
discussion OF the tenets OF any religious sect or de-
nomination including their owns How Is thiss In
any profession branch OF knowledge discussion is
invited to sft the chair from the grain, the trash
from the substance. Why oven more in religion
Some may c0nstrue this into q significant sign OF
weakness and incline to look unfavOrably at tenets
that cannot bear the light OF free discussion Philo-
sopners do not Decline rather invite It, Why should
those who consider their faith so infinitely more
profound! 1t is always considered not only weak
ness in governments to prohibit liberty of speech but
despotsm-an infringement on the. liberty OF the
population. Actions Of governments pure and cor
rect Will stand criticism; 30 Will all knowledge;
only the impure win shun publicity. True and
correct religious tenetS aave even less to
fear from exposure, on the cOntrary,all 10 gain;
their truth will be ever more brilliantly demonstrate
ed; BY nidng them from discussion under worth
less plea that they are no proper subjects for public
y 70 ALL they only lay themselves open to detrimen
ta suspicion and appear IN the light OF desDOtlsn.
God Is not being II mere words. Words for or
against this supposed essence cannot possibly effect
It, otherwise the constant denunciatOns OF Sects and
denominations against one another are unpardon-
able crimes now.
Jews, Mohammedans and others, ignorant OF the
superiority OF Christianity, choose to consider 1t
idOlatry, as In their opinion Christians aOt divine
honors to human beings, idOatry being sinful or
absurd In their sight, " hat more easy than to con-
vert these poor ignorant beings by proofs that God
selected this speck In the for the execution
OF thus inscrutabe design to create beings 10 Als
image, and in His Infinite mercy to sacrifice His own
Son descended IN human shape to redeem His unwor-
thy creatures from sin, incurred contrary to the Will
OF the Almighty? This doctrine, plain to the under
standing or every Christian requires only the same
convincing proofs unbeievers to secure their ap
pear from the face OF the globe. Religion is no
science; 1t Is knowledge, the understanding OF the
all-wse eternal God, who could not reveal himself
In thousand different contradictory ways. The
revelations OF the A-wise were and are lnGended
Ior all. 1t Is impossible that they were designed
to remain the property OF few, to coin money
within the reach OF everybodys understanding. II
different 1t viii be well to have II universally known
and understood, though II hardly seems compatible
with justice III God for all morality Is based in JUS
tce to others and One's self alike. All human Know
ledge has been obtained by tnat which reveals IT
self: It may be presumed that religious revelations
took the same course. All Knowledge has been i'm
proved and purned only by dlscussion so should rel
glouS knowledge be- Therefore We the untold MIL
hons, pray TO give US discussion on thus momentOus
question: and The great principles Oh liberty, OF free
dom in opposition to all deSpotism will be glo-
rlously vindicated the essence of what there was,
Is and will be established beyond q doubt and to
the understanding of all as Is meet and proper.
All conventions OF delegates for the purpose have
yet ended in bitter quarres and passionate lmputa
tons one on the other eacn stood on his assumed
WitDOut Respecting tldL vi tllc OtucT, well
aware OF its ASSUMPTION. safer more enicient
and general mode should be adopted. Pray open
your paper sundays 10 this discussion; your voice
viii be heard from pole to pole, for there is
no more circulated and more impartial
paper IN the country-ay, III the world
Allow everybody that complies with the express
condition OF refralning from all personal abuse
space not exceeding sixty lines (any excess charged
not 70 De employed IN attacks on adnerents 70 oner
question OF the essence OF the various creeds, sup
ported by proofs.
America has taken the initiative In political pro-
gress. Its social and religious progress should be
the direct results. She should be also the first to
shake on the trammels which despotism or any kind
f0rges to drag the mind into the mire Of intolerance
and ignorance but which knowledge dispels, like
pure breeze, the fog. Justice demands progress.
Let be Just and charitable to all II claim JUS
tice and charity In return for all Of lack per-
fectton, but long to approach It. II America proudly
takes the lead In freeing the mind, the world must
follow, while the leader earns immortal glory.
"Onward" be her watchw0rd, 'tO the enduring
light OF truth" and the NEW YORK HERALD the
apostle oil truth.