The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1871-08-19
RELIGION.
An Grafton delivered by C. j. Thomp-
son, at the Annual commencement
of the Louisiana State University,
at Baton Rouge, June 27, 1871.

az Baton Rouge JUNE ZIs fo1ls
Man, from his very nature, is a
religious being. From the time that
he nationally and inquiringly looks
upon the face of nature, he begins to
imbibe the true spirit and primitive
principles of religion. Each pleas
ing landscape, each gloomy forest,
each lofty mountain, each swelling
biIlow of a storm-rocked sea i'm
presses him with an idea Of the ex-
istence of a far more grand, sublime
and potent Being than he had ever
formed any previous conception OF.
He beholds himself surrounded with
multitudinous array of effects,
some of which, pleasing Or terrific
in their nature, engage his attention,
excite his admiration, and call into
requisition his rational faculties to
refer them to some cause. But the
human mind in it's imperfect state,
in it's erratic wanderings through the
sea of investigation, without a bea-
con star to guide it to it's true desti-
nation, forms erroneous conceptions
of the proper attributes of the Divln-
ity, and again lapses, as it were, into
a state but little if any better than
its primal condition. 'Tis then that
Imagination, ready to paint the illu-
sions which would seem credible,
but which are at the same time per
nicious to mans Meigious and social
obligations, springs up but to delude
him. 1t tinges every thing, however
fanciflll it may be, with all aspect OF
reality, and tradition coming to its
assistance helps to perpetnate the
false dogmas of it's creation. Twas
thus the beautiful and poetic myth
illogical systems of ancient Greece
and Rome sprang' into existence.
Every grove, mountain, and river
teemed with it's peculiar divinities ;
every marvellous act was attributed
/ to the agency of some false and pet
ty deity. This innate idea of the
main principles of religion, which we
arrive at through the phenomena of
our natural surroundings, is termed
Natural Religion. Thissystem, with
out the aid of an external revelation,
is insufficient to subserve the pur-
poses of mans moral and social rela-
tions. This is proved by the testi7
mofsy of the authentic history of
mankind in ages past, which shows
that religion false in its most i'm
portant principles and obligations,
invariably takes possession of the un-
aided human mind. Existence was
given us by an all-kind and loving
God, and the very fact of this kind
ness and love for us, at once con-
demns the vile and inhuman sacri-
fees at an idolatrous Shrine, Tono
code of morals, where the welfare of
man is taken into consideration, can
the abominable and revolving scenes
of the Aztec rites be accommodated.
There, daily, hundreds Of heeatombs
we're offered UP at the altar of an i'm
placable and incensed deity; and,
what is still more disgusting than
all the other customs Of the sacrifice,
after having subserved their pur-
poses before the image of their
bloodrthirsty god, they furnished an
elegant repast to the perverted ap-
petites of their fellows. Not only
was this the case among the rude
and Ignorant Aztecs, but even the
refined Grecians and the luxurious
and powerful Romans resorted to
customs almost as cruel and heart
rending as the more modern Afexi-
cans. So, from these facts, we see
that man, without the aid Of exter-
nal revelation, is incapable of fram-
ing system Of religion adequate to
enhance his welfare and promote his
happiness, in q moral and social
sense. But in order that man might
obtain more distinct idea Of the
proper attributes of the Creator,
and that he might more fully com
prehend how to discharge his obliga-
tions to Him, the kind providence Of
an omnipetent and omniseient God
has furnished him with a rect rev.
elation. This not only presents to
us clear conception Of the Divine
Nature, and our duties towards Him,
but it also Immediately addresses
itself to our rational faculty. Con
sidered as a collection of revealed
truths, nothing is better calculated
to expand the understanding and
give a wider scope to the other fac
ulties. Religion presents to our con-
sideration the most stupendous facts,
the grandest and sublimest themes
for meditation. The creation Of the
world, the special providence Of God,
the immortality of the soul, death,
and the final Judgment are some of
the subjects Of our religious rettec-
tions. What sources of thought,
however grand, can be compared
with these? What class of subjects
takes such hold upon the moral
and thinking faculties, and raises
them SO high? What so much en-
mobiles mans nature as the unselfish
sacrifices inculeated by revealed
truth, and the total and contented
resignation to- the inscrutable and
inevitable DEGREES Of q just God ?
To say that religion has tendency
to produce mental imbecility and a
narrowness of thought, would be a
libel against the lives Of Newton,
M;Itan. Bunyan. and thousand