The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-10-03
RELIGION AND FATALISM,

ANSWER TO THE LETTER oF'' LIBERALFrIs.
To THE EDITOR THE HERALD
propose to reply, through the Sunday HERALD to
an article published about two weeks SINCE by 'Liber
ats" on sFatalism " 1t is there asserted that
faaisc doctrine is the direct result Of religious teach
ngs which facts demonstrate not to be the case but
the direct result Of reasoning-a power which religion
lists do not recognize in connection with Christianity,
as faith alone is the foundation of their Christian hope.
From my standpoint of reasoning it will be readily
that the doctrine of fatasm is far superior to what
sLberalts" ungenerously calls the erroneous magma
ton of man. AS reasoning faculty exists through
the same author by which man exists and for
the sole purpose of guiding him to conclusions
I feel that am bound to apply this mighty agent in
such important conclusion that of the destiny of
man. though the bgot may reject my conclusions
believe that is generally admitted by what is termed
Christian churches and their adherents that the
ton of all things from beginning to everlasting incud
ing conditions for all actions, not only spiritual but
doubtless meaning physical and intellectual, was and
will be according to the forcknowledge of Cod in
which they necessarily admit the Generalization Of all
things, and thus the Encouragement for perlectng
what foreknown as God could only ioreknow what
would to pass, and nothing could pass
cept through the Almighty prearranged plans thereby
substantlating Denomination ''fatalsm;"
quently all acts, though they may be apparently
wrong, are in accordance with the all wise design.
Thus, as all acts must produce more or less
good either directly indirectly, they not absolute
wrongs but variable degrees OF goodness Though il
is extremely absurd to suppose that alwise power
could create with design Of making him eter-
nally happy, with conditions compelling everlasting
misery it is this absurdity Of position that assumed
Christianity attempts to force upon what they
term an all-wise mercful Being though there
is odious to fully express the
nfernay Of such act, but happily for human
| ity there is such existing conditions, but
antipoda as eternal happiness and misery. In reply
to the subject of free moral agency, will admit that
as far as mundane life and the happiness OF man is
concerned he virtually to all intents and pur-
pose OF humanity, but comparatively, ike common
business agents, he Is limited to certain rules
| in compliance with the unknown plans of the
great everything Designer, the propelling power
| of all animate and inanimate things. While
| Iibcrasp states that emergence makes the man he
attempts detract from its power by claiming that all
the attributes and characteristics OF mans being
brought play, whereby he has power to reject
accept the opportunity according to his inclina-
tom seeming realize that all the attributes and
characteristics of necessarily such incline
him in compliance with the prearranged plans of
God. With the same kind of perception he asserts
that should man rest secure the belief of destiny,
making effort, the greatest minds would sumber in
obscurity; just though destiny could allow oil mac
tivty when the all wise plan compels action As all his
remaining anti-iatalistc positions require the
ply, WILL in conclusion, state that could he but realize
the fact that in all the acts and omissions Of acts Of
that God created all the conditions THAI influence such
acts and omissions in direct compliance with the plan of
generalization, he possibly would abandon his indie
| pendent man power position. d. l. ID.