The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-04-23
"a Little Serm0n.o

To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
Will you allow me- in compliance with the sugges-
ton OF the Connecticut minister referred to last
weekly to preach q little sermon, with the HERALD
Tor text. The HERALD has, think, fourfold as.
pecr: first, and chiefly, as newspaper; secondly
as an INDICATOR; thirdly a censor critic, ana
lastly, as an educator, AS a newspaper 1t is super
huous 10 praise 1t; paper so universally read for
news needs no commentator. Az an indicator-a
faithful, watchful indicator OF public opinion, of
coming events.n changing circumstances and con-
sequent change Of bases OF oreratoDs-t is certainly
most excellent. This II Is able to be, as 1t IS
utterly fearless and free, being bound by no
party politics. Az censor or critic it's
independence IS perfect and characteristic. A man
or measure which may be useful at one period,
and Is, consequently, upheld, II they are no longer
the expectations entertained OF him, the HERALD
has not nesitated TO do Its best to overthrow the
it has been equally independent. AS an educator
~ mas been decidedly moral, conservative and con-
been the of votv or irnness tne Its
mas been the undercurrent OF intelligent morality,
and sometimes still higher sentiment, as was so
well expressed by the Catholic Christian" In the
HERALD OF last Sunday or Monday. Beyond all this
the HERALD now stands form as the religious ex-
pOnent of the times, and besides the general INTEL
ligence on such matters gives us the most remark
able sermons preached weekly IN the country.
But In the presence OF these noted sermons my
"llttle sermon" must end q. ii. II.
Three Reasons for Not Accepting the Bible ms
Special Revelation from God TO MIN.
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
Fqrst-It must be conceded that one man or one
woman Is Just as much the offspring child OF Cod
by nature, as another, and that If one needed q
special revelation all needed special revelation.
And to give special revelation to mere fraction
of the human race, leaving the great mass OF man.
kind to 90 to destruction would be the very climax
OF injustice. The New Testament mas been in the
world from fifteen to sixteen hundred years. during
which time not more than one IN hundred thou
sand have possessed it. AS TO the Old Testament
there were but very lew copies In The world previous
TO the commencement Of the Christian era $50
called).
Seconded written revelation TO be interpreted re-
quires an artificial compIishment-namely, the art
OF reading. That hardly one in as many hundred
thousand have possessed within the last thirty cen
tures
Tntd-It is self-evident that God Of infinite wis
dom and justice would, II man had needed special
revelation, have one not dependent upon parch-
ment pens ink and artificial accomplishments, that
only the wealthy and favored have possessed but 1t
would oe as plain as tae sun light as free as the air
interpretations and mistransations, not requiring
six or eight huge volumes OF commentaries to
utter darkness. Instead OF being given to q small
and obscure nation IN little corner OF the earth and
ns wUua nave been given to all
Instead OF that huge and ponderOus volume
Astounding in contradictions, and from which all
manner OF doctrines can be proved and disprOved,
ana to make clear requires from f20O to f500 year;
instead OF this, few short ana simple precepts
only would be needed tOteach man his duties.
First-To accept the Bible a special revelation
from God to man, we must believe that God is
partial and UNJUST unworthy the love and conf
dence OF man. and can only be looked upon as an
infinite monster OF cruelty and injustice.
SecOnd-That sad want OF wisdom would ne
manifest IN providing means to an end; that is. in
giving man special revelation In such manner
that not one In thousand would ever hear OF, ana
not one In fifty thousand could ever read II they
possessed 1t.
Tnird-We should have to believe that God gave
man special revelation, not only Astounding In con-
tradictiOns. but In such ambiguous and lnden-
mite manner that 1t leads its adnerents slaugh-
tering each other until millions Of human lives had
been sacrificed. JUNlUS.