The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1874-12-17
A sERM0N FOR THE SEASON.

~ Is Il MELANCHOLY IaCt, SSyS A'iuatNc NC
5tael. THAT while the human laceis continual /
ly advancin:, By the acquisition Of intellect, It
is doomed to move perpetually IN I'll. sams cr- !
c O; error fro "a the it1u.aca 81 the pas ;ons- .
Alison INTRODUCES his criticism upon the char
acter and tlincs of the greatest OF French Ora !
tors, Aiiralcal. with this expression from tlr
author Of corinne. The sentiment is az true
now Is years ago when it was set in words,
and rs true i'll Republican America as it was ia |
Revolutionary France, in the aristocratc at
mosp.,ere of England, the despotism OF tlls-
sia AID ia: GerRaaic Pfincipalities. Science
marc'las along with giant strides, Yet morality
and religions fervour stand sentinel at the same
post. AMI wrangle over the same dogMas as
WHEEL Luther d,nonnce Tetzel's inlulgences
as ''no letters OF credit on Heaven, bat flash
notes OH the Bank of Hamburg" and faced
his accusers of the Ronish Church at Worms
or when Sir Thomas Moore had his head chop
ped of with protestant axe, rather than re-
nouncc his faith in s'thc church, ct the iVati-
can. Railroads and teleglaphs, steamships and
submarine cables, and the Thousand and one
discoveries in philosophy, have developed and
commerce, promoting
industrial agencies in I'll the mechanic arts. and
agricultural and mineral clpSeitias-yet there
has been no new centripita1 force brought to
light which CAN prevent the passions and appe-
titles ofhuman nature from shooting off from the
line OF rational co.,trel. The idea of de Stael is
the same, in fact. as that of Macaulv in his crit
icism Of Rankcs' history.of the Popes, and is
but al endorsement of and testimony to the
Biblical theory Of universal depravity. |
. So far as experience goes, there is il continu.
al growth i'll Intellectual civilization, but in re-
Ngion no advance beyond the acceptance of
Christ's mediation, and in morals, none beyond
the preccpts OF ssloye thy neighbour as taught
in the New Testament.
1t is proper, especially in this year 1874, that
we should reflect upon this fact of human his
tory Sc en1phatcally asserted by the greatest of
woman writer's, and the most distinguished es-
English literature with his pen. The philoso-
ply OF the mind. from a materialistic stand
point, and the philosophy of the soul, with its
emotions, its impulses, its innate cravings fora
| solace, which nowhere is vouehsaled us in this
world, stand confronting each other with an
| earnestuess never before witnessed, except,
perhaps, ia the days of Hume and Voltaire.
Tyndall, accomplished, versatile, learned in all
the departments Of physical science, each day,
by tongue or pen, throws out upon the world
his theories of creation, atomic force. etc.
which il embraced must drive man directly
into the whirlpool of gloomy skepticism; and
! the Christian church itself, while defiant, yet
courteous to the daring assailant, has as yet, if
we except McCosh, presented no advocate in
tellectuaHy capable Of discussing and exposing
the sophistries or the errors which so deeply af-
feet all that man is Or should hope to be.
The truth is, Religion is not purely a gu. s.
ton OF dialcctics. We may not prove the inn
mortality of the soul like we can a geometri-
cal theorcm; yet we can tell, without the aid
of Bishop Butler, whose efforts amounted to
moral demonstration, that if man is forlned
4 for purpose, that purpose eanuot be limited
by the lines OF this life, and that if the aspira
tions which the mind or the soul (which ever
you choose to denominate the source) are con-
tinllally evolving, arc to be satisfied, that it is
not in this world, but in another entirely diff
ferent state of being. Man is failure with.
out immortality, and to adopt any philosophy
that has this as a premise or conclusion, is
] more than the meekest OF the race is disposed
to concrae.
! We understand fully orr 1nadeqnacy to dis
4 euss so obstruse and mysterious a question as
I why or how Or where the origin of man, or his
l5Htilnate destiny, yet we know this, as every
man who can read, and most men who cannot,
and ever heard the teachings of the Scriptures
knows, that within the lids of TIE Bible, of
all religions the wo-ll affords, is contained the
only true lessons of morality and law bsfitting
oar condition here and the only hope of happi-
ness when ''lifes fitful fever is o'er.'' and we
who live to-day are forgotten by those who
take our places on the morrow.
1t is net, then, to .he mental disquisitions OF
| Cousin, or Hamilton, or the conjcctures of
| Tyndall, or the fancies of Votaire that we
should go, OR with which we should dabble, for
information or hope, but to the Bible and its
| teachings. 1t alone meets all the demands of
this and a future life, and it alone is sufficient
for the yearnillg and comprehension of the
highest and lowest of mankind. Everywhere
and under all circumstances, this is so.
The foregoing, written hastily, erutlely, and,
perhaps, in q degree inaeeurately, suggests to
us some very pertinent questions and salutary
adnonitions, in this-are the churches, the
Christian churches, which are formed by hu-
man wisdom to protect, preserve, and disse1n-
mate Bible truths, fair excmplars of the doc
trnes taught in the Bible? In words, teach
ing by sermon and lecture, we thin8 so. In
individual illustration, we think not. The hu-
mility and the simplicity Of Christ and his Dis
ciples-his sacrifices and their devotion, are
such as to attract the sympathies Of the poor
est aud meanest of mankind. The manner
and style Of Che present day are such as to pro-
duce just envy aud contempt. If charity is
taught as the highest Christian virtue, why is
SO much lawisked Epen the characterization Of
church edifices, while breathing men and wo-
men, living right under their shadows, are al
lowed to die of starvation? We allude to the
cities of our country and not the rural districts.
If too, the carpenters apron and the fisher
mans habit were not unfit for Christ and his
Apostles, in their pilgrimage Of devotion and
love, why are all the frppcfies and Inquiries OF
fashion donneef and adopted by those who go.
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