The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1871-01-06
For the Conservative.
Seek We The Better Way

Like all men OF MS Oellel we nave
ever read after, his opposition is of
that kind that depends for its success
on picking flaws in Christianity. He
does not attempt to portray and build
up a better religion, but, rather, at
tempts to destroy that which is receiv-
ed"
Well, sir, such a course would seem
almost imperatiyely necessary, under
existing circumstances. If a man wish
es to build a new house where the old
one stands, and work into the new
structure a considerable amount of the
old material, he must first tear down
the old establishment, at least in =
measure, and clear away the rubbish
before he can lay deep and firm the
rev foundation.
And, again Christians, like all 9TH
er r~eligionists, have seemed to believe,
and have constantly taught, that theirs
was the perfect system, upon which there
could be no improvement and, hence,
the necessity of picking flaws or, in
] other words, of convincing the Judg-
lments ofmen that it is but a man made
. institution, and full of the egotism,
! bigotry, superstition and ignorance of
the age in which it was invented.
This being accomplished, and a de.
mand for something better produced,
men begin to inquire: is there now ex-
listing a system of Religion character
lied by the philosophy, reason, com
mon sense, and scientific attainments
OF the times? We say, certainly, gen.
tlemen, there isl And believing that
that enquiry now exists, Mr.. Editor, Il
mongst, at Leaf, some of your more in
telligent readers, we will now proceed
to set forth a few of the more promi-
nent tenets of said Religion, for which
we claim great superiority over any
other form of Religion now existing, or
that ever did exist amongst men; and
yet, We ask no man to accept aught
that is not fairly proven. Hence, the
very first tenet Isl the untrammeled
right of private judgment with regard
10 all dogmas in Religion, as upon all
other subjects.
Reason, that faculty of mind which
pre-eminently distinguishes man from
the brute, and which enables him to
distinguish truth from ialsehood, and
good from evil, and which enables him
to deduce differences from facts and
from propositions, has been practical
bly,. as far as possible, ignored in the
Christian Church, up to the present
hour; and this fact is the ignis fatuus
which has led its unreasoning votaries
through the quagmires of Ignorance,
superstition, contention, and strife,
through all the ages of its existence.
Next, we claim that the Earth, with
all its products, are progressive and
progressing, from a condition o fNebu-
lous matter, or Firemist, up through
the animal and vegetable kingdom to
man, the cLimaE of the formative pow
ers in Nature. Hence, we reject as ut
terly fictitious and absurd the story of
the Garden of Eden and Fall of Man"
and the consequent Course of the
Earth" which is devoid of the shadow
of evidence, outside of the story itself,
and like fictions. And, then, as a log
ical sequence, we reject that other sto-
nv, founded upon the former fiction, of
Immaculate Conception and Vicar
inus Atonement," and would teach
men that there is no possibility of for
gireness of sins, or wrongs committed
against your fellow-man, except by the
party agrieTed, fither in this stadium
of existence or in the next, though it
might take many ages, such as this life,
of contriton and shame and toll TO af-
feet the atonement TO individuals, fam
lilies, OF nations, for the wrongs done
them in this life. Then, let no one
pursue a course of injustice, vice, or
crime, under the alluring supposition
that at the eleventh hour he will
cancel the whole account by a mere
act of faith IN the goodness of somebo-
dy else, or by sorrow and repentance
for a brief hour, forsooth, Then he can
no longer enjoy the sweets of crime,
and then be ushered into Heaven,
there to enjoy an immunity from sor-
row and a bliss of enjoyment, which
his every sense of justice tells him he
never deserved.
No no y Rest assured that no such
base injustice shall characterize any of
the perfect plans Of the God of Nature:
but every man shall receive exactly
what he d~eSerres, and if he has wronged
his neighbor of aught, he shall repay
ii unto the uttermost farthing."
There have been many Christs. MAJ
ny "Saviors of the World" but their
lives, examples, and teachings have a
lone benefited mankind-but never
their death. blood, or sufferings.
The Devil finds no plea in our Phi
losophy. Our Infinite God fl's all
space, and crowds him out pervades
all things, and infuses them with His
goodness, which must work their ulti-
mate publication and redemption and
ft them for endless joy.
Oh ! how every generous heart must
thrill with pleasure at the contempla-
ton of this beautiful Philosophy, in
comparison with that terrible and re-
voting pit of endless woe" beyond
the influence of the goodness of their
Great Jehovah p
Death, with us, is only the sunny
gate through which the weary traveller
is ushered into the Summer Land to
greet the loved ones gone before"
and to gaze upon the reyer ending
charms of its magnificent beauty. Hear
our poets sentiment
{ Like flowers transplanted, they are grow
ing ~fairer.
Tu that bright land which knows no wars
or strife,
The sleep, which We call Death, is but the
waking
To pure immortal everlasting life"
Now hear the wall of despair from
the shadows of darkness ere this glor-
ious light had dawned
"And am 1 born to die, to lay this body
down,
And must my trembling Split ~
CEto a world unknown
A land of deepest gloom, dnpierced by
human thought
The dreary regions of the dead, where all
things are forgot" ]
Can any one compare the sentiment
oftbese two writers and still inquire,
what good can result to humanity
from the triumph of our doctrines p
They seem to lose sight entirely of the
deathless condition of the soul, while
gazing upon the mere shell which con-
tanned it, the garment which it wore
while we look upon the change as q
mere incident in an immortal life
Realizing, that while the friends here
are sorrowing over their loss of the
companionship of a loved one, the
friends there are rejoicing over a re-
union, which shall never end, but
will be made still more iorous
We too ioin THAR 1lo1anol