The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-07-23

OaELl.
Klux and the Mormons Is an insult t6every Protes.
tant clergyman. By such an assertion you nave
hospitality or this country. Every door OF an
American family ought to be closed against you;
NEW YORK, July 20, 1871 OSCAR HUGO.
Tho Gospel Scheme of Salvati0B.
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
nave been much interested In the perusal OF tile
leading articles In Sundays HERALD or the 10th
instant. especially the one headed "Is Man Immor-
tar' In which you have done me the honor to make
frequent reference to few remarks OF mine in .
letter to the HERALD, published on the I'd instant
and in reply to which permit to say, In the first
place. that for many years thought on the subject
as you think. l accepted the popular mode OF
Scripture Interpretation, taking for granted that
professional Bible students and public teachers
ought to know best But at length was induced to
make personal investigation of the entire source
OF religious behef and soon found to my astonlsh.
ment that the "0ne-half had never been told me-"
and that very much OF what had been told me was
mot according to sound doctrine" The more
investigated the more was convinced OF the doc
tr1nal errors OF popular theology; and this tact
induced me to investigate carefully and. as hope,
thoroughly portion OF the sacred writings In
systematic way. And I may here remark that no
desultory mode Of searching the Scriptures, II
continued for life, will enable any one to
arrive ut clear knowledge Of the gospel
scheme OF salvation. Nothing but the most
systematic study OF the sacred oracles viii disclose
the plan OF redemption. Suon mode OF research
VIII soon reveal the fact that religion Is a
holy science, ana that IL must be studied as
science to be fully cOmprehended. long course Of
private investigation has demonstrated that the doc
trine OF mans natural Immortality Is not once as
serted and that 1t is thousand times denied. All
the assertions Of all the clergy in ChrisJendom Will
never convince me TO the contrary. 1t would be as
impossible Tor to believe in the ''s0ul's tmmOr
taliry," after my own Investigations on the subject
as 1t would be for you to believe me If told you that
two and Two are six. II you desired to be OF my
opinion on the point you could not. Just so with
me on the doctrine OF the immortality OF the SOUL
While was ignorant Of the Scriptures believed IT.
now know better l cannot.
am, sir, totally unacqusinted with the "Free Re-
ligl0n Association" mentioned In your interesting
article. and have made no attempt to apologize"
for any religious creed but my own. A blind, unin
telligent belief is no BELIEF and is 'Bure to err"
Popular belief is taken for granted and no one really
knows whether any or 1t Is true or false, and many
Of them don't they spared the trouble Of
searching the Scriptures for themselves. Many OF
what may term the "wOrking class Of the human
race IN all countries are daily SO much exhausted
III bO0y and mind, In labOrlng for 'the bread
that persheth, that they nave neither time, lncl
natlon nor mental power to investigate for them.
selves. The mental moral and religious nature OF
the class, so far as they are individually responsible
Tor the cultivation OF either Is by the wealthy class
and the priesthood entirely ignored Whatever reli-
giOus knowledge they may nave must be supplied,
IOr pecuniary consideration by the licensed clergy
who give them Whatever they choose, and make 1t
sin t0 question the commences OF the article sup
pied. This system goes on through life, and the
great mass never really know any more about the
gospel plan Of redemption than HOttentOts.
am pleased to see you confess 1--WE admit there
is no such declaration In words las the sous I'm.
always leaps at the annunciaIlon Of any great and
important biblical fact "but" you add. when
facts are stated which presuppose the immortality
OF the soul We cannot see waat additional force q
verbal declaration would give Them" On this point
permit me, sir, to ask QuestiOn:-lf God, through
declare, 'ln 30 many words" In any portion Of the
holy scriptures, that man has within hlm an imm0r-
and can exist independent OF It, upon what founda.
ton, upon what authority are 'Tacts stated which
presuppose the declaration OF such doctrner'
The Bible contains the only revelation OF God to
man; and II God has not revealed "in 80 many
wOrds'' In any part OF II such doctrine, where IS
the testimony that such declaration as the souls
Immortality has ever been mades II God has no
where revealed II In so many words, who else had
should be silent and leave the human race in doubt
on such an important subject Is incomprehenslble.
continuation to .facts stated which presuppose the
truth OF declaration which God has never made to
man." IS most extraordinary. VINO can believe IL?
Every word OF the sacred MSS was penned by Jews.
TO what other nation mas God ever revealed plan
for their redemption? From what other nation OF
the Adamlc race have We received single doctrine
claiming God for Its authorY And II the only revela
llOn we nave contains no declaration or the SOUPS
Immortality, where could 1t have come from but as
have before asserted, from heather sOurces2 1t
ana Rome against which Paul found It necessary to
warn the churches OF his day. 1t originated In
heather reasoning unaided oy the light OF divine
revelation Those who know tne doctrine Is lalse
also see that its propagation has been one or the
greatest curses OF the CHRISTIAN dispensation And
this fact Will become visible TO all when the ven Is
taken away from the face Of all nations" and the
truth appears In native beauty before the astOnished
gaze OF ueuded world.
You say III it tine doctrine OF the souls immor.
tallty) can be successfully denied, very much Of
what mankind now believes and has for ages be-
lieved must be cast aside as worse than useiess-as
positively mischlevOus;" and, may add. some OF It
positively blaspnem0us The statement Is as true
King DAVID in one OF his psalms declares that
when man dies lin that very day MS thoughts
whn man Mous n aeaa AND ms
clever anat0ni,L to say what there Is OF MIN left
alive. The spiritual mysttncation OF religion for
trade purposes mas almost banshed apostolic teach
ing ana practice from the face or the earth. We're
the doctrine Of the souls immortality true should
ike silken cordn through the whole OF the Scrip
lures; whereas all men, even those who advocate It,
are compelled 60 CONFESS mes, tnss y not 10 6e Lo%nd
Its advocates must feel this to be very inconve-
nient well as very stubborn fact But they leave
the Bible and take refuge In Plato. IL Is, therefore,
seifevident that 1t Is one OF the "traditlOns and
dOgmas OF men," TO be avoided like q pestilence.
II God has not revealed such doctrine where else
Is It's source ? Till this question Is satisfactorily
answered Its apoiogists are merely begging the
question: by asking us to believe IT..
The faith OF true Christian Is based upon what Is
true, not upon what may appear to some expedlent
to teach, whether or not Is believed by those who
teach It, A great deal too much Of such worldly
mOsive and policy for Thousand years has prevailed
In the church, and II Is time purer system was In
augurated II We are ever to arrive at correct
knowledge OF Gospel truth
am fully persuaded that you, sir, are sincerely
DESTROYS that Truth only should prevail, and that
none more than yourself would rejoice 10 publish 1t
to the world ] comprehend 18th. situation" l.
myself, was not convinced in q day or . year, and
confess myself to-day only babe III biblical lore