National Republican., 1874-05-18

Mr., President my words are ended; their In
tent has bees 20 call attention 70 facts which 1
hope Christian Intelligence will be brought to
bear to remedy.
PRor JELrus H. sKELYK, D. D., OF MAss,
was next introduced, and said that while he con-
CURED IN the remarks Just made relative to the
importance Of reading the Bible, he also believed
thaneger before. This is patent upon the statis-
tics, as shown by this and other societies which
are engaged in the dstrIbation Of tho Bible.
We hear great deal about science standing
over against the Bible as n scheme for moral ele-
vstion. Commerce and intercourse with heatlren
nations; but is not this installer Commerce
cannot civiize, nor does the intercourse OF IN
christian nations with one another. Historic facts
bear evidence TO the sad failure OF all such edorts
Does the extension OF railroads civilise and
make men honest, and increase integrity? Does
education do this work, with its network Of in
tellectual agencies? II you offer these TO the
savage, they are repugnant to him and bo dis
ou may carry education to the furthest degree,
and never purify men, Athens Of old Is his
toric illustration Of this. This is a mistake and
any man entertaining these opinions can be con-
vnced of It with little research even In times as
modern as the French revolution, when unsn and
women OF rank and culture and intellect spent
their days in reyelrics which discount those of
darker ages. Civilization does not furnish the
impulse to purity Is it not so in our own national
history? Did not the cultured men Of the South,
educated TO the highest culture at the national
expense. foster and engender the wrong of the
war? We should not seek for virtue In simple In
No man does his duty from cIearness of
knowledge Of it, but love for 1t alone Is the
ance that Il will DO done Instruction in duty Is
powerless compared with the voice In the mans
soul that has been calling to duty ever since he
had reason. Look aI the case OF Socrates,
men what virtue was. The record does not show
that there was ever q conversion to virtue under
his teaching. Something other than knowledge
is necessary to ylrtue Religious instruction must
be introduced, and mans aptitude for religion,
searching after God, which forms the one common
root Of all religions, must be awakened; Man
expression by mans efforts. What has this natu-
raj religion done to heal mans moral disease? 1t
has mi nde man stolcal at times with despair, but
it has been only to stihe his past Efforts
There Is another form of religion. which begins
with God and ends With man, and not as that
before referred to beginning with man.
The Bible differs immeasurably from all other
forms q religion, in that It teaches man to draw
nigh unto God, because God has first drawn nigh
unto man IL is not sufficient simply to proclaim
God. Experience of eighteen hundred years
shows thIs- All that we possess of peace and
ginal Inheritance, but comes alone from the new
life planted n the breast OF man since the coming
of Christ. Every student of history knows this.
fusion of the spirit of the new life OF Christ The
ancients knew only of Individual freedom. But IL
is IN the light Of the Christianity which Christ
introduced which makes man demand liberty rs
his conscious right. Liberty for class, liberty
for few is emblematized by . goddess Of liberty;
but, sir,
THE CROSS OF CHRIST
is the only emblem OF real liberty without distinc
ion OF man. The agency OF the Bible is doing thls
let It shine until its Light shall irFLdate the whole
world.
DIR. IRWIN II. ToRRENcE,
of the Philadelphia Bible house, was then intro
duced and said: The nine;e snth century Will ever
be memorable Tor Its monumental charities.
Among these is the British and Foreign Bible
Society and tho American Bible Society, two
grand pillars, ono resting on the land from which
we had our national being, the other resting on
the soil of young and entcrprisng America, and a
bow Of promise spanning the two, beneath which
lives a common brotherhood.
The work Of these societies has been star.llngly
grand. Not O foot OF ground can now be found
from which the Bible is excluded by legislation.
The last spot was central Italy; but Victor En-
manuel thundeSed down the temporal power, and
in went the Bible.
The speaker then referred to deathbed talk
with Thaddeus Stevens on the subject Of religion,
when he asked him that should he die what
should he say of his faith in the Bible. THE
Bible" said the old Commoner, stake that away
and there is nothing Ieft." The Bible Society or
Pennsylvania have determined on q centennial
year next year. The world Is before this society,
and the opportunity Is unprecedented In the his-
tory Of the world. -Tl
The dozology was then sung and the benedc-
tion pronounced by Dr., Hodge, Of Princeton Col
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