, 1874-03-28
WHY SHOULD R~ATIONALISM BE AD-
VERSE TO CHRISTIANITY?

We have been specially requested to give the
following a place in the Avis.
we hear 1t generally denied, that while man
lives upon this earth he can receive any revela-
ton from the other life. But the apostle Paul
says to the Corinthians: Eye hath not seen, nor
ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of
man, things which God hath prepared for
them that love him. But God hath reuealed
them to us By his spirit. Many sincere Christians
I'VE III n state OF Indifference, if not in torpor.
They are satisfied with the infallibility of the
Christian Theology, ana appear ignorant of
the repeIling doctrines that split the Protestant
Churches as SO many sects, and the consequent
contentious which exist between them, while thew
view any criticism thar is against these dogmatic
elements. us a denial Of divine truth. That
this is a wrong Vi W of the case ought to be plain,
when we lcok back to the protestant battle for
private hight Of Judgement which cmancipated
the thoughts from the metaphysical d~espotism
Of Theology.
This reaction of the critical Investigation
against errors of the Church, SO far from con
demning should be priced it has proved itself
as the cause of progress and liberty, and it re-
news It's great usefulness and infucn 9 universal
ly at this day by the progressive manifesta-
tions, OF which some Of the first writer's in the
Churches sp cak, as q mental activity Of our age
without n parallel in history, the human mind
being wider awake than ever before, the rational
inquiry upon all subjects, pursued with a greater
animation and quicker intelligence than in form
or ages.
The Seer of tie New Jerusalem, had already more
than a century ago declared, that these movements
would come, and laid open in his writings the
spiritual causes. which would produce these effects
upon the earth. He had announced, that the
Things foretold in the Revelation are at this day,
to be fulfilled, and from nil the signs noticed
since the commencement of this century. they may
be said literally, to have been fulfilled but the
more important are yet to como, rs prophe sled
Reyel. I7-I6 Chapter, of which we are not with
out witness this day, in their last struggles and
the lamentations as mentioned lS Chapter Rovela-
ton. Lett be known that the spiritual world is
the world of causes, the natural world Of effects.
Why the present Christian Church is opposed
to Rationalism and Scepticism, is owing to its lite
raj readiD@ and understanding of the Bible, for
this must professionally cause discordanco and
contradictions into their Creeds Doctrines and
Theology, which can not bear a rational investi-
CATION. For Scepticism is the cri teal spirit of
analvsis,-It is like the Surgeon probing with
his Instrument the sore to its depth, in order to
be able to heal it therefore, as the weapon of
he critical spirit is analysis, dissipating error
tand exposing tho false, it will discover, that the
prevailing literal Interpretation in many parts of
the Bible is urtenable, and that the dogmas
erected upon it are incredible.-We therefore
look for the new light as prophesied, shall be
fulfilled:
"And in those days the light of the moon
=" shall be as the light Of the Sun, and the
light Of the Sun shall be seyenfold,
as the light of seven days
O. C.o;. 1874