The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-12-16

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We are all in that deplorable condition Of
mind where We have just knowledge enough
TO doubt the first chapter Of Genesis, ana
not faith sufficient to believe In Tue sermon
on the mount. Before long we shall become
so scientific and well-informed that when
person dies there will be no funeral SER
vices. Some one will read comforting pas
sages from the transactions of the American
Scientifc Association, and the mourners
will 90 about With small hammers in their
hands, chipping the rocks and assuaging their
anguish BY proving the antiquity OF crea-
ton. Front seats at the scientific lectures
will |; be reserved for the widow and the
fatherless, and instead Of looking up to
heaven for our consolation, we shall bore
down few feet deeper into the earth for our
interesting facts. We have traded of all
simple religious faiths for few meagre sci.
entific facts, but there may come that day
when we think Of bestowiDg our patronage
on some undertaker-that we shall wish t0
trade back again, and In something OF
hurry. A slight smell of canphor in sick
room has often proved efficacious in with
drawing thought from questions of mere In
tellectuai or scientific criticism, and txi5g
them upon the true condition of the indi.
vfduai soul. Darwin's greatest work Is the
last book we should want to read the last
evening we spent on this earth.
It is BY no means certain that we are placed
in this world to begin grand hunt after
what Ia called the truth, nor is 1t clear that
our present happiness entirely depends upon
having every thing proved to us. .ai
Our mission here is not SO much to keep
pace with the facts of science as With the
duties Of life, and the most ignorant laborer
who is patient and accomplishing in bis lot
Is far greater man than the gentleman of
culture who Is restless and snappish in his
daily walks Of life. The knowledge of the
truth often operates to discourage virtuous
endeayors. We knew good man who said
that he always lost money as long as he kept
q set Of books, and not until he had Destroy
ed them did he find heart to so on and give
notes, trusting With chjldlike faith that his
assets would somehow or other pay them.
It is evident that we have now about all the
scientific truth that is good for us, and we
ought to add TO our scanty stock OF faith, or
else our brains will resemble the fat man
who travelled with Barnum's show, While
eur poor souls will form striking likeness
to the living skeleton that used TO exhibit
himself In that tent back Of the old Manu-.
facturers Hotel. We recently saw man
who believed that the whale swallowed
J0Dah, and we were glad to see him, and to
cling to this rare specimen of all faith and
no Intelligence. He was q much happier
looking man than any one of the advanced
thinkers Of the age that we ever have had
the pleasure Of seeing. s. -
- -Macauiay says that George Fox, although
he. possessed an intellect too much disorder.
ed Tor liberty and not sufficiently disordered
for Bealam,i was still able to convert men OF
ability like Barclay and Penn, simply be-
cause Fox believed what he did believe. To
close quarters the man who really believes 10
anything Is more than match for the man
who eatertaIns an intelligent doubt on; all
; subjects. Shut Moody aud Sankey into o
room With Francis E. Abbot and John Weiss
for q week, and at the end Of that time you
would find Abbot and Weiss on their knees
reading that excellent little tract called
}ssWhat shall do to be saved ?n with tears
streaming down their cheeks, and all because
Moody and Sankey are just ignorant enough
to believe in something, while Abbot and
Weiss are 90 precious Knowing that they are
not sure that they know anything. In spirit
uai matters we want uaan ut the helm who
has entire Conscience in himself, if he really
does not know half as much as we do. WAat
] the world has gained Ia ene direction 10 the
last nifty years it has lost ia another. II we
Sonld retain the faithof cur fathers with sns
present worldly comforts how happy eye
should be. -lsG s.'s.f. h ssG2 ~
We live ia better heuses, we walk ON bet.
ter sidewalks. and we drink better water
than did our ancestors, but We have no.
their reuegenoe for things Aaefed, nor theis
belief Ia things eternal.
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