, 1875-07-25

f1ed by the temperament OF the races that en-
brace then. They are the result OF euighten-
ment not its CAUSE
In no WAY could so unphilosophical an ides as
the oppoelte prevail, as it does among educated
men, except through the persistent emphasis OF
il By the clergy. to whose great interest it is
that it be generally accepted It is simply put
ting the cart before the horse. II is on ! par
with the argument Of the country parson, who
referred ~ proof of kind buperintending
great rivers to flow right to the wharyes Of great
cities.
The Hottentor worahips his fetish because he
is not enlightened enough TO need . higher
religion. The aons OF the Orient find in the
romantic faith Of the Koran, with all it's
imagery and personality, just the expression for
their voluptuous and poetical temperament.
When the Roman Empire adopted Christianity,
it had largely outgrown 1ts old Pagan religion,
with all It's beautiful but improbable mythology.
It was not, however, sufficiently enlightened to
be able to appreciate the simple faith Of Jesus.
So that faith WAS soon reinforced by ceremonies
and mystical doctrines to give it hold upon the
popular mind. In Luther's day large class in
Christianity, and the great Reformation revealed
almost 3 new faith,-that OF the Protestant
Church.
Search through history the world over, and
you will find that enlightenment must precede
change OF religion. not necessarily follow it.
Look at your fields Of missionary labor: and how
pa}try are the results. Nowhere has there been
an instance OF successful establishment of the
Christian religion among the heatben nations un-
til secular knowledge had developed condition
Of mind to which that religion ia adapted Some
Of these people may have adopted the forms and
ceremonies Of Christianity, but of tho spirit OF
religion itself they were, and are. aa ignorant as
babes. In many instances, as IN the Sandwich
Islands, the missionaries have succeeded in de-
atrov1ng the native religion, without implanting
anything but the forms aOd hypocrisles OF the
new faith, bringing only degradation and decima-
tlon to the simple islanders.
Ignorance compols superstition. It must have
it, and the religion of ignorant people must graf
ify that superstition. As people become more
enlightened the less there is Of superstition to
be fed, and purer, higher, religion is accept
able. The masses who swarm at the Catholic
altars need mythology OF saints and Hoiy Vl-
gin. gorgeous ceremonial, and thousand mir
aces. to fix their devotion and Satisfy their 6u-
perstitious zeal. ProtestantH can get along with
QUE delfed mortal and dozen miracles Of twen-
ty centuries ago. Some Christians oven seem to
get along quite religioualy. though dropping
from their faith everything saVoring OF the mir
acle. That there are thousands who cling to re-
1igion which they by education and Development
are fur above is very true, and only demon
strates the power Of traditions Of chlidhoods
teachings, of social restraint, and OF selfish in-
terest, to modify theinstincts and warp the rea-
son. As general thing, the more highly edu-
Gated individuals of nation, unless they belong
to the sacerdotal class, or find their support in
some way from the religious institutions, are
skaptica as to the prevailing religion, however
much they may profess to be its Votarles. Aa
men become matured by culture and Thought
they drop from the old creeds as riponed applea
from the still branches Of the orchard at the
harvest moon; not to be without religion, but to
adopt better. Back to the old forgotten re-
lgion Of Jesus many such go.-a rellg1on too
high aud too pure for those old Pagans who took
it iu charge and passed down to ua tls poor BUD
stitute labeled NTH it's name.
Thus We see that Christianity did not give us
our civilization, which is the product OF practical
knowledge gathered by able men and di1fusod
among the people. We shall now see that
Christianity has resisted the progress OF civlll-
zation, and still does so with tenacious struggle.
can prove TINT it does this first, by it's binding
mankind to tho past, and being intolerant OF any
opinions which conflict With certain writings OF
antiquity; aud, secondly, by the fact that most
human progress and Development, and that be-
lief in them tends 70 pa1Elyze human e1ert1oo
towards an aneloratlon Of human Ills =.
Reverence for the past is opposed to reason
He who accepts the former in place OF the latter
accepts practical sentiment in exchange for
Valuable fact He who quotes the thoughts Of
three Thousand years ago against the best
thoughts Of to-day simply puts the prattle and
eush of boyhood against tue wisdom OF the grow
ing man. Worship Of tho past paralyzes hope
edge or reach for discoveries If the past has
known all that is worth knowing Here, then, in
its reyel ence for antiquity Christianity plants
itself in tue path, an obstacle to Progress
to offer proof. Says great historical writer
Sup to the latter part os the sixteenth century
no man WAS secure in his person who expressed
doubts respecting the belief Of his contem-