The New York herald., 1873-10-12

quence should be that many take up the Bible and
nv for consolation TO Catholicism, winch is re-
ligiously the entire reverse OF dryness and hard
ness Lo0KER-ON.
Bouncing the Evangelical Alliance-A
Freethinker's Views.
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
should never have believed that the greatest
Christian preachers and theoogians, chosen by
Professionalism from every nation on the earth to
represent true Christianity, had no better argu-
ments to defend their absurd doctrines than TO in
suit human reason and to assume as well and
thoroughly demonstrated truth what in6dels. and
l among them, have thousand times shown 10 be
the greatest and most shocking absurdity ever pro-
pagated among mankind. They harp always on
the same string; they say and write that their
doctrine must be true, because it Is stated in the
Bible that it is the only truth and because Christ is
the only reconciliation OF all the difficulties and OF
all the miseries which surround the problem OF
human Lie. 1t is quite evident from their manner
OF speaking and writing that they have largely and
earnestly drunk in their youth at the fountain OF
superstition and old, deep-rooted prejudices
They are, therefore, the grown up creatures OF the
enthusiasm OF their earlier lief, implanted In
their minds when they could not discriminate be-
tween truth and error With the unfolding OF their
mental faculties, the errors, they had first uncon-
sciously imbibed. have been strengthened and oe-
yeoped in the inexplicable balderdash they are
uttering. Let us weigh the defence of Christianity
put orth by Professor Leathes Professor Christeb,
DR.. McCosh and Dr. Noah Porter. l had a higher
opinion OF their mental powers, and l sincerely
confess that am ashamed OF myself for having
thought so favorably OF them. Let Mr.. Editor, the
many thousand readers or your first class news
paper Judge between the observations here
suh n M nj no me
toned theologlans-
The imagination, the learning, the power Of
description shown by DR.. McCosh are great indeed;
but unfortunately. they are not able to bring in
conviction and persuasion. The evils OF which he
complains are inseparable from human nature,
and have been increased by the religious beliefs Of
the world and especially by christianity, which, by
forbdding many things that are an imperious
want Of the human nature has compelled men to do
what is against the laws of nature, and hence are
all the evils and misfortunes Of mankind; for
sound mind in q sound body has never been known
to be unhappy and miserable
1t is astonishing how Professor Leathes and Pro-
fessor Christieb SHIFT of from the fundamental
question. Does the latter think it just that all men
should make use or a reverent criticism OF the
Bible And is 1t philosophical to quote and adopt
in the nineteenth century the words Of Luther:-
"H you lind strife increasing let she criticism
aloneg" And with what right does he arraign pnioS
ophers for not living according TO the precepts OF
q doctrine In which they do not believe History
abounds with testimonials OF respect which philos
opners have paid 70 good Protestanss and Cath
ollcs for having conlormed their life to wnat they
believed their sacred duty 70 obey blndy, although
the same philosophers have at the same time
sharply criticised the nari 0wmindedness and SUI
perstitions Of Protestants and Catholics. To Pro-
fessor ChriStieb, who feels the duty OF accept
ing. without prooI some truths as funda-
to say even word against philoso-
piers He is an intellectual slave, and had he been
an enthusiastic follower OF Buddha or Ma6omet.
But true philosopher has always been and will
always be an independent thinker in every country
and at Whatever epoch OF the world. And the true
philosopher is the more right in his conduct, be-
cause the believers IN every established religion,
boast of reasoning 1t out without perceiving that
they revolve round circle and contradict them
selves en II rengon mas been r. revealed It was be-
How, then, can the reason OF the believers demon
strate It II 1t be superior to human knowledge
as much as God Is higher ana quite different
being than man, how can the human mind Under
stand an explain it The philosopher on the con-
trary NEEDLES not with what IS to his reason
nothing but ga1matas and idle dreams Of priests
and old hysteric women, because he clearly sees
that he cannot demonstrate God. or explain what
God Is, and If he could do that, his reason would be
as superior to God as he who understands thngi is,
and must be superior, to the thing understood, 1t
Is Tor this that he establishes the evident truth that
man has only discoursive and intuitive power,
and tells everybody IN plain and Ineligible
language that the Supreme Being, whatever He
may be, must Judge man according TO the light
which every man has in himself-whch is really
light since 1t has enabled .man to find out many
mystery OF nature and to invent many arts and
sciences-and not according to the SO called divine
light which to his understanding Is worse than
darkness, because 1t Is heap Of contradictions
and childish fables.
AS to Professor Leathes say that it Is not only
astonishing, but even beyond every credjbility
together mysterious, he intrenches himself in q
iact-the dispersion OF the Jew-as the greatest
proof OF the divinity OF Christianity. Now n his
statement could prove anything 1T would be the
divinity OF Judaism but never OF Christianity The
New Testament has repeated the so-called prophe-
cies OF the Old Testament, but has not been the
originator OF them. And 1t is here / think the
proper place to observe that If the Jew, who had
been trained Tor more than 600 years in order to
receive Christianity not only rejected It, but have
been are and Will always be, its greatest enemies
and adversaries, how can 1t be fairly pretended
tnat the thinkers OF the nineteenth century accept
bindly Christianity as a divine regionf What!
The Jew did not believe In Christ although in the
Gospels II Is stated that Christ performed his great
est miracles in the presence oil all the people, and
sometimes In the presence OF 5000 persons, and
that after He rose from the dead He was seen OF
above 500 individuals, and DIR. McC0sh has the
boldness to say that the only reconciliation OF the
apparent () Contradictions OF the Bible and OF all
the misfortunes OF humanity is to be found in Him
son. Was Dr. McCosh present at the performance
OF this miracei Those who were near
them, although they were people brought up
in the school or every kind oil the most extraordl
nary miracles, anu we men OI tne most engnt-
ened century are urged to believe tnem under pen-
atty OF everlasting damnation, while we denied
even single strong, rational proof which could
lead US to believe them. Let those VINO have re-
ceved, as they SAY the gift OF lath, be more con-
sistent with themselves, and either give up any
Interior attempt to persuade men to believe Just as
they do without Offering them any sound and irre-
futable argument which can find the way TO their
hearts and minds, or assail with their prayers
the throne Of God to grant them, tor His own honor
and glory, such power OF reasoning and such force
OF conviction as to enable them to bring 70 Christ's
feet all men and women too DO not Christians
profess that God ls their heavenly Father and
Christ their most intimate friend nay, their most
tender and dearest brotherY DO they not process
also that Christ has promised them that whatever
they ask God in his name II shall be granted themS
Now we see among men That a son, bosom friend,
. brother obtain by their entreates everything
they ask which is in the power OF him whom they
call father, friend, brother 70 give; and
cannot 300, 200 OF Christians obtain from
God, their heavenly Father, and from Christ,
their Redeemer, dearest friend and brother-the
conversion OF the other ten hundred million OF pa
gans and inndels or 1T least that OF Ernest Renan
and OF myself But that will never be, because
Renan who ID so universally known ana so highly