New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-06-07

INV future misery, yet 1 find in the thought
| mortal poison, which difuseth itself into
| every period of my life, rendering society
tiresome, nourishment insipid, pleasure dis.
gustfal, and life itself cruel bitter. l
| cease to wonder that the fear of hell hath
| made some mad and others melancholy
1t is not strange, then, that the records
! of insane asylums have shown 80 large a
| number bereft of reason by religious causes.
The wonder, rather, Is that any man can
smile, or tolerate glad impulse, or reason
retain its throne. Were all men consistent
believers, and capable Of realizing the hor-
rOrs of such beliefs, the race would sink into
hopeless madness. Unbelief and mental
shallowness alone save the world from this
gulf of blank despair.
Our faith, on the other hand, is in har.
mony with every pure and innocent joy. 1t
is in unison with all that is brightest and
most happy in human experience; and over
all the dark phases of our existence it
pour the light of hope.
4. And finally, for we have no more
space, if it be true we need it that we may
give honest consolation to all earth's
mourners. BLESSED are they that
mourn" said the divine teacher" for
they shall be comforted." Not many
pass away, as she who went last week
full of grace and ripe in Christian faith.
BY far the greater number-so the common
church creeds teach or imply-go hope
lessly out into the solemn mysteries of the
other world. The clergymen even in Chris
tian lands must often stand beside the
coffin of him who has given no sign, and
over whose future Ito his church taught
mind) stretches infinitely worse than end
less night. Can he in such cases honestly
comfort the mournersa Ought he not i'm
partially and fearlessly to administer the
doctrines of his creed, if he believes them,
and warn his hearers not to follow the lost
soul into the abyss of everburning flames!
JUNCTION where the departed was little
known, friendless and unloved. But can
he declare the whole counsel of God as he
understands and breaches it on SUNDAYS;
can he speak plainly such thoughts
as his creed teaches him where the
mourners are people of influence, parish.
toner's and almost broken heartfelt He
dare not do it ]! The whole community
would be shocked and moved to resentfll
indignation. Yet, why should he not do it,
if his is the truth and he believes it And
why should society be indignant o, my
friends these cruel thoughts of Gods in
finite vindictive wrath can not live in the
of grief from the stricken hearts of those
we love come flooding US through sympa-
thy, all partial and woe-burdened plans of
salvation are washed away. Minds are
alive then with thoughts, springing from
suffering affection, and lips speak truer
things from God than creeds ever knew.
Then, whatever the professed belief of the
preacher, he is either dumb, or utters
thoughts that are in chord with our great
truth alone. He may powerfully and eIo-
quently pronounce his doctrines from the
pulpit; but, standing among the mourners,
he must let the tears of despair drop unre-
strained upon the face of the dead, or Dor
row something from neie hbor's cor
demned faith. While we on the CONTRARY
ia the consistent use of our own, leave none
to weep DER hopeless graves
Therefore, God shaving made know
unto us the mystery of his will (Ephesians
u, l0), according to his good pleasure,
which he hath purposed in himself, that, in
The dispensation of the fulness OF time, he
night gather together in one all beings in
jhrist both which are in heaven and which
re on earth, even in him." we preach it.
hat the intellect and heart of the world
nay have it's help. And we trust that the
ew reasons which we have chosen from
mong the many will be found sufficient
nswer to the questions Of the ohjector.