, 1876-08-26
9 he 4lutthrm star.
SATURDAY, AUGUST ,.ls16.
Friendly Response 10 rhiio.
FOR the NORTHERN STAR,

our nature What do You mean by re-
lie on An eminent author has stated
that. superstition is religion out OF
fashion: aud religion is superstition in
fash 50 to my mind religion and
supns ''Iion IS II constituent element OF
on nature, 50 is ignoran e, for they are
always found together and have so tar
had greater controlling influence over
mankind than
all other things put together" hut both
disappear in proportion as mankind BE-
come enlightened, which proves that
they are not constituent elements of his
nature hut only unfortunate environ
men;s of the individypis and may he ma
tions, for constituent element in men
becomes proportionately stronger rs
men become enlightened.
You say "no man or people can i've
without religion A. far AS my own
personal experience goes, can most en-
phatically say that have lived entirely
without it for the last thirty years; and
have been much happier without it than
/ WINS with it before that time; | aban-
doned religion entirely and adopted nat.
ural morality in itS stead. You say, that
find fault with Mr.. T., for dwelling on
christian" morality. There is no such
thing ms christian morality. said
brother r., might as well talk about
christian mathematics, christian geome.
try or christian chemistry, as christian
morality for there are no such things; :;
they all belong to nature-to science {:
morality is " constituent element OF our
nature" and is no more Christ's morality
thnn it is F. H. Ms or Philo's; it is a
science and rests on no dogma and
brother r, in his sermon was very care
ful to keep the dogmas all in the back
ground and out ot sight
For the editicatiou of Phio I will
bring out one of the christian dogmas
The miraculous conception Of Jesus in
which the Ghost called Holy well
Philo, for the sake of decency will
omit the rest Of the story. Next the
vicarious atonement of Jesus who sui
fered instead of man the penalty of
eternal damnation and torment ST. that
man might 20 free. ! could name more
hut think those two obscene and bru.
talizing enough for one dose. You ask
"where are the trophies of reason and
common sense outside Of the gospel 2'
] would ask, where are The trophies OF
the gospel When did the "dark ages"
.commence9 At the dawn of christianity
and continued Tor abont fifteen centuries,
and only began TO be d'ssipated by the
light of science about the commences
nent OF the sixteenth century. And
what we're the trophies of the gospel
during those long centuries of its su.
pr, mucy2 Were they the massacres, the
stake burnings, the witch hanglngs, the
racks and thunIhscrews, prison, aud
inquisitions tor heretics Did not the
people of those long and dark centuries
chave plenty OF knowledge of the old
Jew God Did they not carry out the
spirit Of their Code think the world
in its wisdom will igpoTe such II God as
that ~ d ought to do il. That is the
very God that has descended to us
through the gospel from Judaism. What
does PhiIo know of God to day Philo
may be capable of very lefty concep-
tions; but it seems to me that he shows
more OF arrogance than good sense it he
thinks himself capable OF either pcrceiv'
ing or concciving what God is. lie Gays
" the hrathen philosophers failed to
know God, or hiwe any just views OF his
character; of their ,oWn origin OF future
destiny.' Has Philo found that all out
Ii 90 he is wise above y hat is written Of
God for that declares no man BY search
ing can find opt God--that he is incom-
p.chensiDle and past finding out. As to
the origin OF man-does Philo know
that God made the first man out of dust,
and then the woman out of one Of the
mans rihs' AS to the destiny of man
does he know that the greater part will
10 to an eternal hell of Torment, and the
.laIance to \ bearse Of eirrual happiness?