, 1875-06-20

$4,000 CHALLENGE.
THE REFORMED E11scoPAL1ASs CALLED OK.
CHICAGO, June 1S.-To tie Reu. Niuion. Ii.
Po.eth,cas1: Tho w:iter Of this article listened
to your sermon in Christ Chureh SUNDAY list,
| and also found it spread before him in the ztmes
OF the next day. The thanks OF the public are
due to you for having boldly stepped out into
the lyceum Of the public newspaper, where your
beliefs and statements may be challenged aa to
their truth and soundness and tested =: the bar
Of public opinion.
You spoke Of the miraculous birth of John, by
| which it appears that you also are believer in
supernatural religion, religion not OF facts and
t1uths already established but, on the contrary,
religion Of unestab1ished aud constantly ehift-
| ing fancies and delusiona, uo1shiping gods
| which arc purely human criticisms, as will en-
dearor faithfully to show you. It appears from
the New Testament that an "Angel" appeared
| to zacharias and prophesied the birth Of John :;
| thss "angels" appeared to Mary and prophesied
the birth Of Jesus and. 1atez, that the aame OF
| other "acgets" appeared to the shep-
herds and (in tho current language OF
! etc. Now, claim that those stories arc
lot. true stories. In our day angels. faides
genii and such other lntanglbies, are shown to
be purely and only creations OF Ignorant im.si~
native, or disordered brains, and to hare no e1-
iktence in fact, either in this or any pas:
ago Of the worlds history. 1t ls also further
most plainly shown that beliefs concerning them
nave varied widely, aud ara constantly varying
according to the superstition OF intelligence OF
the people among whom such visionazy ideaa
have gained foothold. Even the Catholics,
With all their dogmatic statements have not
ventured to define the qualities and characterize
ics OF ''angels-"
The truth OF the miraculous birth of John and
nJ.I3 ~.
those stories. II not true, then Christ was the
Sou OF God only in the sense that all mankind
are the Sons OF God It also follows that His
mother WAS not virgin any moro Than His
grandmother. which latter truth ~ the Catholics
have boldly proclaimed in tue dogma OF ''Iha
immaculate Conception OF the Virgin Mary" It
still fu1tbe: folloHa that tia idea OF Christ'8
Atonement Is the work OF mans minds. and uu-
true, and, IN fact your whole system Of religion
falls to tie ground, and has fAlsehood. and not
truth, for itH foundation.
Now. for any l,hor you NAV be put to to show
.,i--:. tie stories in the New Testament coocarn-
ing the ,--- @n and Christ ara er1e, and
not the traditions ons Of i iegen-
sum OF $4,000. the proof you furnish to % laid
before aud accepted by com nletee made up Ut
Intelligent Clen- For Instance, ono astronomer,
one m1croscop:st. one geolog!st, one chemist.
une ci"i eng'neer: one principal in pubIio
tic.au, one traveller, and one o'ectricina chos-
en- from md other occupations that require the
constant dealing with facts and the throwing out
OF a! 1:zs52ss and celu+iona.
You say. - Take tic ideA Of Christ dying tor
the slus Of mali out OF the Churra, and our
religion becomes bc: an empty sha1n." hut,
suppose it ia clearly shown to yo1 that the dog
ma is human invention only, and that it rcsta
entirely upon tie ignorance and unHound edit
cation OF tho ueop1e who put their trust in it.
Will yo,1 sill continue to cling tois3 Il it Of
more importance tLat your particular form Of
religion should continue to exist than that tho
t1utn regarding it should prevasl2
Go with nas back through tho centuries for +
Temple IN Mexico. ArpsGd It is gathered
vast multitude to Wisnesst& religions ceremony
Up tbs s.eer sides Of tbs vast structure tolls
Procession. chanting religious anthems beating
drums. and CARVING bsnue1e inscribed With mot
,oes which a1e tia ceutral IDEAS of ahor fa:ta.
A ylcuu. ono OF Gods own children, is borne ia
the proceazion dressed for the cnmiug sacrifice.
He is thrust forward, and, notwithstanding his
strageles and apP.als f2T mer:y' = ana:iy bound
usual ,ncantatos, aud thoo, .e4zng Ills giitterins
knife. rIunges it into the SHRINKING breast aud
slds Of his .sh1iakinE victim: lusert,hg his
bloody hands, he tears out Inc heart
rnnR. TO the gaze Of the cowed and
multitude. Another victim ia brought
forward, and the scene Is again to be xep2a:@i-
We sprung forward and 6tay the arm OF the b.Got-
ID 4h1 beaoIeQ Pfle8t~ we lu1ploto hlm for
sweet charlty aake to desist from further such
aseleHs and orutallz:ng cereu,ouies,-for the
sake OF present aud future gonera:lohs aad for
!he sahe Of The pleading wife and Ilttlo children
II tue victim.
But he says to Us in reply: "Take array tho
dea that the sacrifice Of human beings is not
tor the religious good Of tbs mllsi-
:ude aud orr religion becomes but An empty
.haua-" Let It become 30, them" We cay.
1T il not true. It il human 1nven~
lou, and tbs people would te happiez
Ind better il they vszp not under the influence
II such bloody teAcninxs.", Wa put iato Ii:
bands tho microscope and telescote. and show
mn Gods wonderful creation. FROM the l,t~
ai:ely small to the 1nttitey great and the lo4ing
:a.e the Great Father has eaoun to tho r1os. ,r-
significant Of bis cteationa~ We open as mint
10 tie concopt.on OF Sous Of sha oeaus,{nl ani
HARMONIOUS laws WITH which God go7e7na d,a
universe. Instead OF the tyrsnt he Ioscoanes
,cho1ar md, tolling Patiently thereafter to dig
:over new truths. seaehea bus 7eop:e what 14a Las
earned from us. They arc d1sen.h;alled and
freed, and the ehains OF . CALLING religions des~
potism have dtopped from OF tusir minis, sn6