The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1874-09-23
MORE ABOUT RELIGIOUS CON-
TROvERSlES. 7,- g.

Rev. III. Is. Thhyer, d. ~ s"ysi NV er
open controversies between those who b
love the revealed religion Of Christ and an
those who hate II; between those who be- Tn
lieve 10 revelation and those who deny ~ ,b
can do no good" Al frs, glance ! WAS O,
nearly msled into the idea that he had Il
reference to tho in6iols hating the re- s
vesled religion Of Christ but on re.read- q
Ing, l Jaw that he meant soms class oil h
church people, for OF course unbelisvep 4
cannot hate u thing tha, lin their opinion) =
does not exist.
again, he says "Chris.ians bold them-
selves ready at all times to give reason
FOR the belief that 10 in them" IL they
do, why do they no, give ~ That is
precisely what unbsl.evars a,t, yet naysr
-stg
| Rev. II. Is. Thayer, ID. d., says again,
1--WE thus affirm, not because the friends
Of Christianty are incompetent, or un-
equal to the task of coping with the enc
mics of tho cross Of Christ. Such an
idea 10 childish in the extreme" Now,
since do not understand at all who the
3 men, IL would be to anyone to declare
: himself the enemy of any instrument of |
a | torture (especislly the one il 10 said that
:, Christ suffered on) I would like to know
if such people rea ly exist as are here
y spoken of. A friend suggests tina, refer
C enue 10 made to the ihfdeis, but although
10 | do not know them to hate the cross any
h more than Christian people, l will agree
Z. to that explanation simply tc keep from
h. poszing about 1t.
II IT, therefore, it ia childish to aus
ID poet friends Of Christianity unable to
10 cope with unbeievers, the course of many
ID clergy men in evading ,his duty is having
Ut D. wonderful effect in swelling tho iis, of
tb.t juven,le party. Thousands OF poo
PIE, otherwise IN the prime Of life, are be
'n coming dotards in tbis respect; and are
ny driven to that condition by that class OF
ne clergy who arc frat TO declare their abii-
VI i.y to demoish ,nfdulity, but who never
no do it. Did such persona use the same tai
or emit 10 Staying inhdeh,y that they exhibit
IN in the unparalleled sklll with which they
s,d leave it alone, the world would be con
vas verted in a very short timo. The Rev
u,s II b. Thsyer, ID D., Gays something abou
er q 'senseless hue aud cry that answers i
an some in place Of argument" think tn
'ea reverend gentleman, ID ID has not mad
s. it very plain Whist hue and cry he refer
i'm. to. Evidently, it does not concern tn
h.d inaiels, for every one knows they insit
Oh, on argument all the time so / will lcav
:, tho hue and cry subject to those VIII
nth raise
coll That those who are desIrous of religion
$ At debate do no. hear more tiIan enc in lift
red or one hundred of the learned sermons
Into our pulpits, Is not their fault. They d
her not ask for blind faith they ask for fact
red, If the Inconsistencies OF the bible AT
ues- spoken Of at all from the pulpit, they ar
hrs usually proven false by some other inco
''Hi' si.tencyi and If tho unbelievsr will n
itai, accept such evidence, no Is told tn
liant no do not believe shall
""' uatnneui anu "is. ...- >,,, g, IL
der promise, is left to his reflections. Kev.
B. Thsyer, d. d., objects seriously
in several grounds to religion. discussion
II at He objects TO the expense (sermons in /
der pulpit are expensive); TO the cheat a.
san- sxcitoment of public debate land y
arge members arc Invariably added to church
tend lin the excitement Of rev vsls," and 8
estrs dom left to cool of J; to the false rum,
uap- regarding the argument of the opponeI
IS in yet minister in tho pulpit is just
king liable to be falsely reported)i that gu
this debates do not make one hair white
Mari black land what difference is it if they
4 be not); that Christianity has been elu
amer, dated over and over again why 60 owe
stage every Sabbath, then)7 that a thouss
to a discussions cannot prove inldelity tr
May or Christianity false; (if five hund'
lack coula prove Christianity true, We would
ntire need the other Ave for heresy would
AZ n killed y that it ia n positive Injury, "
ment' TOT and he finally winds up with
AZ clinchihg quotation that "As man
n the lievss, col. he" Now any one belisvi
emit. that, of course has no ,,imul,nt to II,
seats any opinion or advice upon oshers, for
would be useless. Strong. however,
49, this startling Obi ction to discussion IL
'borc, 1"'' 'A0 "a'"' ~ rH"s'o' '''H :"
yes Wv" W. 1Np'
and sometimes ho isn't. 1t depends soI
'A'' thing on The poilcAi pulse or the M
'iehds courage OF said man or on the Alta
f. ment Of that human necessity, bread 4
nrtin, butter. 1t is singular to mo why religi
their subjects should be the only ones con,
Az, cred unfit, or unsuitable for the public
L. investigate when the public is nsiIs
individually responsible to God for
y understan Ing Of thsn Whats tn" n
co" ter with Chrstianlty that II cannot b
the same examination that other subj
VIII dor
elk r.
All state, school, political and IL
,tsnd. questions are publicly presented to
n and people from eli points of view. N" n
Is hooied down hecsusa at his poiti
&C convictions, or prosecuted tor his b.
on either side of public inter cate. Eve
- thing worthy Of discussion Is debated q
o.dor reasoned, from the government of
country, to ths government OF our ia