The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-08-13
Can Christianity Justly Claim "a Have
OriGinaicd Modern Civilizations

uOOeF0 NlNhnz0tlOns
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
You doing great work in permitting The
champions OF the various Christian beliefs that
peset MS 10 eat Off the heads of each others
in your universal columns This, although not
essentially radical on your part, Is preeminently
adroit; for were you to call upon those gentlemen
Tor evidence In the first place, OF the divine origin
OF the absolute basis Of their faith as whole all
discussion would be at an end, as science, phlloso-
ply, history, antiquarian research and actual obser-
Walton have placed 1t beyond any reasonable doubt
that both the Old Testament and the New are
mainly a collection of unauthentcated writings
the iragmentary offspring OF remote and super
stitious ages without any distinct paternity Or at
times. very clearly defined object.
This latter proposition, which is supported by
De Wetle and brilliant concourse or scholars and
critics the most impartial ana profound, must be
met fairly and refuted In the face OF open day, or
the whole superstructure OF Christianity totters 10
It's fall. In dealing win II we must cut ourselves
adrift from our grandmothers and Baron Num-
chausen, and treat 1t from an eminence outside Its
circumference. Let it be demonstrated at what
precise period. where and by whom those books
were written, and let their claims TO inallibilfty be
clearly proven. Nor this alllet then, inquire
on what logical grounds accept the testimony Of
the Jews in the case OF Moses, Isaiah and Others
and reject 1t IN that OF Christ Here are points the
most vital: while under no circumstances shall we
entrapped into allowing one portion OF the book
TO authenticate another; but, acting on the sugges
ton Of John-'.If bear witness OF myself my wit
ness Is not true"-demand independent, outside EVIL
dence OF the divine origin OF the whole.
To my mind there Is no proposition more unten-
able than that which presumes God TO Interfere
spasmodically with the work OF creation Tor the
purpose OF building lighthouses for dis favOrite
plants. There Is no Roman Catholic sunlight, no
Presbyterian rain or Methodist seedtime and har
vest. Why, then, embarrass q broad and noble
conception OF the Almighty with petty theories IN
other reatiOnsy SPECIAL revelation is impossible
upon any just or equitable principle. God Is no
of the Jews even. He should have given as many
special revelations there were Individual dyOsin-
cracles among that people; for to give laws that
might COMFORT with the natural instincts OF one
man. and be rearlully antagOnlstC to those OF
another would not be 10 insure primary OBJECT OF
all law-unlfOrmlty OF Obedlence; while TO select
any people an object OF special favor above all
others Is so obviously at variance with the princ-
Piles OF common justice that all the special pleading
OF 1.-the cloth" cannot f0ist 1t upon any logical or
| comprehensive mind.
| Who now attribute the trlumphs OF science and
civilization III the East, for example, to the influence
| OF Christianity or the ChurchesS For upwards OF
| fifteen hundred years the Churches have fought
| science and merely human learning TO the 0bstruc-
ton OF human progress and what has been the re-
sulty Christianity with an inferior civilization aG
| its back, made I'VE gigantic efforts to establish
Itself the East, but worsted; and II to day 1t
| made an additional attempt With the light OF the
| eleventh or twelfth century on 1t only, 1t would
share the same fate. No, no; the gospels that are
| railway. the steamship aud the telegraph; and we
all know how the primary sparks OF these struggled
| into existence. Consequently we must not permit
the Churches, now that they are found out, to play
| the part OF FalsJaf in Henry the Fourth. and ex
claim, while tickling Science in the RIBS, ''by the
| Lord knew We as well as he that made ye," but
assign to them the place they ought to occupy and
In reality do occupy, in the scale OF material pro-
| gress and intellectual lie. LOGOS.