The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1874-02-18
Science and RELIGION.

II
ton in last -Sasurday's REGISTER
had go stirred up the ad-
herenb OF Christianity, and pro-
voked triple attempt to annihilste
me. or drive me in confusion from the
field. ---.---
Itwas not my purpose 10 provoke
q discussion Of the questions at
issue, through the columns of your pa.
per; in fac, explicitly stated my rea-
sops Tor writing Is I did. and they Ger
tainly could not have been construed
into meaning that I proposed 10 dis
cuss the questions, or to champion the
opposition. by any construction short
Of deliberate dietor,ion of the mean i.
ing Of language. But since to me the
gauntlet has been thrown down, and l
have been attacked personally Tor writ
lirg SO, 1 teel in duty and honor bouud
to make some reply. and will undertake
to do 90, With your permission.
first notice the communication Of
"Assiduously Avoided" on the
fret page. He states that "for
the benefit OF Watching and Wait
ing aud others in like situations,
as be ssys, with himself" be will cite
me to several works. Did say that
was in the same situation as the class
OF individuals that named, other Than
through my signature that was
"Wstchipg and Waiting?" Did l Say
that | was an ipfidel? Did / say that
! believed the doctrines OF the directors
to religion? How does he know but
that ! am as firm q believer in the
Divine origin oil man, as humble and
devout a subject OF the Kingdom OF
Christ Is be is?
Might not my object have been sole
| " TO call attention to what supposed
was a neglect of duty on the part Of
those who by their positions are calcu.
lated TO demand and obtain respect Tor
their statements? II be presunes to
impugn my honesty in making tie
statement that / did, may not also
condemn him for attempting TO make q
false impression
But then these questions are irrele-
want TO the subject. He attempts to
prove that the subject has been frequent
| ~ and fully trested upon in the works,
the names OF which be gives. Does
any reasonable mortal suppose that be
could obtain such list except through
the medium OF catalogue OF al the
works ever issued Oh the subject, both
in ancient and modern times? And
how many Of your readers ever heard.
o, ever could have heard OF the most Of
Them bad not "Aesiduously Avoided"
devoted himself 10 the task OF collect
ing their names? And how many Of
the works named have real bearing
on the subjects al Issue? Or the fifty
three works that be pames, not more
than FIVE have real value as answers to
the prevailing objections oithe dsy and
not more than three or four OF the re-
ceat works have been of enough im.
poriapce TO demand 8 sufficient share
OF public interest TO make them OF any
use. Many OF them are meritorious
works and have accomplished much
good IN their day. butthey have become
obsolete because scientific researcher
and discoveries have passed beyond the
range TO which they extended Take,
tor instance. Nelson on lpfdelity :"
.ba, use would it be to recommend the
reading OF it 10 one imbued with the
To eories which have originated and
been advanced within the last three or
tour years? And yet. perhaps, that very
work has been the means OF couvertlpe
many, before its reiut.t on had been lie
incon plete by the march OF progress.
"Assiduously Avoided" advances
another idea. he says that AS the
objections to Christianity do not emau-
ale from the pulpit, men should be
candid enough TO seek elsewhere Tor
their refutstiou." OF all astounding
propositions, this is certainly the most
astonishing that l ever ssw or beard
made. The author OF 1t certainly
deserves the thanks OF humanity for
orr in sting an idea that If applied to
ilaw, and universally adopted throug h.
GU, the world, will save vast amount
| OF trouble. presume if / were to call
. him q thief and liar it would not
trouble him in the least, for as be did
not say It OF bimself, il would not be
his duty to deny IL! II ministers and
. Cbris,iAns will not defend their doctrines
because they do not consider it to be
tn cir duty, they will never be defended
But on this score il 10 not necessary 10
cav more; "Assid uously Avoided must
certainly zee the absurdi;y OF his propo'
sition.
He p,esumes TO doubt the correct
ness o. nv statement, that large mum.
Der are in the situation named.
ONLY ask him to learn for himself by
personal conversation with bis &C
} ousin,apces, and il be is not astouisb'
|, , ed 1t the number he inds holding suct
: opinion, then l will be sstonished q
his failure.
But ! pass TO another correspondent
On the second page fpd communr
cation signed "Bsyard" he does no
I consider it necessary to NEEDLE will
, the objections OF science. BE ssys It Il
J not necessary 10 be learned IN orde'
to he q christian; that the gospel II
suited Tor and vas first sccs pied oy th'
!. illiterate. Granted; but then does b.
. mean that il is better to be illiterste II
! ord., TO be the better christian 7 Hi
whole letter implies that he does sucl
T . theory and such 40 answer Is scarce
, | " worth consideration in this period o
the nineteenth century. Men will lear
and the world will advance 10 spite o
all efforts to retard them and 1t, l re