, 1875-07-25


..;.,;.u .tc i.
caprleionsness, ve9gesnee, psttauss, Ges 4ons
con,en and a oay 70 il state Of
moral darkness. Ihe caislSatnon o. sucn w.
Lief tends only to degrade and nolo nae6 n1a'-
KIND.
3. The doctrine or miracles - uoet1Iuo
whose direct enect IL TO qu1et al1 aesne tee g..
entlfo inquiry. When anything very "onuo15oA
occurs, it ia much easier to account ZOE II oy ue-
clAt1ng it miracle than to lnvee1leate tne na@
ural causes thereof. Hence, comets "e1e .ao
flaming scimeters Of Jehovah, hghtnloes tne
thunderbolts OF the Alml8hF7, earthquakes ~
vibrations from the footsteps Or De!sJ, tue
pestilence the rlsltatlon OF an onenoeo f1o'i"
dence
4 The doctrine OF rewards anu punlsnmeo1s
after this life, which teaches tho aternause OF
80 exalted and beatific happiness. OF so a"1u1
and intense misery, and each to be eVet1ast1ne'
is destructive OF an effort On the part Of men TO
amellorate the conditions of this Temporary HE
Men are naturally led to believe by tnla
dogma that . main business OF thus
lie ought TO- be to prepare Tor thAt
life 10 come. Why should we waste our precious
tune In seeking discoveries IN knowledge which
w1il perhaps make earthly life pleasanter 10 our
follows. and thus run tho r1sk OF not being
prepared tor the Life OF bliss beyond the grave:
8. Ihe dogma OF the Atonemcns, which teaches
thnt eventual happ1hess Is not the reward or re-
suit Of virtue. but the mysterious effect
Of the lmmolatlon OF sinless being,
sacrificed IN horrible manner, thousands
Of years ago, to piacate our Creator,
who, indeed, IN tact, this being Was,
IN very truth, ls directly adapted to make men
Indifferent as to virtue, and careless as to the
moral code. Believing that faith in Christ's
atonement will instantly wipe away from their
record al sin, far effect OF sin is concerned,
why should men restrain their passions, repress
selhshness. OF cultivate the loftier graces? i
that thaEf1aA rAuntAF
man should loTe truth for truths sake. md that
virtue ever beara her own reward, ia foe to the
progress Of the race- Character, and character
alone, wins Heaven; ind character Is not pro-
duction Of faith. but OF works.
G. The dogma OF tho Deity Of Jesus is another
stumbling block in the path of man. It IL
chDging to the hero-Worship that has chaEasrer'
lied the infancy Of the race, among all nations.
Directly Denounced by Christ Himself, IL IL
dogma INJURIOUS to man. Il "haslng more gods
than one is injurious. Not only does 1t give
an undue power and lnftnence to the clergy Who
claim to represent Him, but 1t disspates the
power OF Jesus example Of se!f-forget
1nlness and 1osalty TO V'rtuo al'd truth.
The example OF God who could not s'n IL not
very encouraging example Tor weak, ert1p5
humanity to try and im.tate.
Besides the m1ueuee OF the d1etent Coo
| trines. there Is also to De consiuered the M
mense amount OF treH sure that has been ana IL
diverted from its legitimate USE, the increasing
~A@0
science and dif1us1nG 'ot knowledge, and squAn.
dered on churches nj ,nastenes: and the support
OF Vast pf1eathood " nose only business seems II
be to look after the p >st mortem interests Of hu
| man1ty, and get their own LIVING therefor. see
| what immense suma have, IN Europe, IN pas
| centuries, been - !" rung from the nara nahds
OF Peasants, ano TAKEN from me conels o.
Princes, to enrich an magni1y the cnafcn; sup
pose one-half OF tn at had been apphed 70 M
cause Of science. to lmelloraton OF physical life
In
| house building, to lnbor-saVlng lnventlona
| to schools OF practical Learning
not this century I'm d Europe aud America In s
much further adva need stage OF civilization
than they now az Even nor, and IN this
land you can to-day easier raise 8, l,000, QUO fol
Bome ecclesiastical interest than you can 9l0 00l
for scientific ente rprise. have no question
| that you could git more women from the
churches OF Chjca go to deTote their time tt
equip missionary TO preach Christianity to the
leathen Of Central Africa than would be willing
| to do the same to secure and support frat
| class Professor CT the Natural Sciences IN tht
University or High School OF our city
But it may be claimed that, IN spite OF these
| features OF Christianity. 1t also contains mora
precepts and doctrines toas more tnan onse
It does embrace much moral doctrine of tn
highest nature bqs the morality 10 not neV
with Christianity. The en- Testament contain
| no new truths in morals "LoEo your nelghoo
| as Yourself forG'~, your enemies. re
strain your passions, etc, "ero proclaimed
thousand yea1s before Jesus, says Sir joh1
Mackintosh-.
| ST. Paul himsef bears testimony TO thls TACT
| when be states ths, the heather who had neve.
heard Of Christ Will be adJudged by these 1a"E
which arc Written N tnelr hearts.
No, the different CIVILIZATIONS or the world az
the religions they came IN contact With.
1uey az 41o tat Sa'ain tte4 p.esa.
meas VI .ae aa .ass ean +ha-, -
sVbars ;naae;nation and poetical fancy inrudee
upon reason, as in the Orient, ctvlliza-
ton makes little advance. With less lmasslna-
two people, nke .nose o. Lu1op isason ~ moae p
acose Anu sste .~aa1th 1h;ni, ara rsn;div 800