The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1876-03-26
NHW PUBLICATIONS.

of such o work as this, because IL sreSle 40
clear and comprehensive manner, OF sulse0o
bat little known to the general reader, and noS
we'll understood even by the best instruoteo'
from the simple fact that heretofore the DOCKS
on this subject have been more learned and
voluminous than instructive and entertaining |
Tho work under consideration, is free from
these objections; the writer, though learned
and profound, has given us book requiring
no deep thoughtfrom the reader.
The author n possessed Of many advanta' |
ages. He has the great works Of Wilkerson
and Max Muller, the writings Of ChampollioD,
Burnouf, and many others. And as he ac'
knowledges, 'Tormerly, scarcely was any
thing understood by the word Gentilsm, but
what came to MS from Greece and Rome, now |
the whole Gentle world, chiefly Hindostan,
Egypt, etc.. may be included" "Many things
which were dimly seen fifty years ego, are now |
clear and palpable."
Undoubtedly the author had we'll studied
and was well fitted for the task he undertook.
The plan is simple, and at the same time COM
prehensive, his ideas novel, his reasoning
concise and convincing, substantiated by
strong proofs taken from th best sources
not the best sources, however, to those
who reject historical fact, soon as 1T is
clearly miraculous - such men as prefer
| their own theories, built upon any facts
however unreliable, which seems to sus-
tain them. Our author, in q foot note,
cites this instance "At the base OF huge
statue in Egypt, piece of pottery was found
SO feet below the surface Of the earth Slr
John Lubbock forthwith concludes that man
existed in Egypt 10000 years ago." Such lame
and impotent conclusions are reached by those
who claim to be purely scientific, that is, whose
science has no connection whatever with the
} supernatural because, they say, whatever 1s
dependent on the supern atural is unscientido.
From the tone of some men, it seems that no
one eScept an atheist be SoieRtif0 mas, that
none but such has ever invented or discovered
anything important. 1t is the same to-day with
these ''self-styled philosophers" as it was in
the days of Voltsire they take all tho learn
, ing to themselves and it matters not how
| irrational their theories,-the origin OF man
, by Darwin, for instance-or, how repugnant to
! truth the evidence on which their theories
, may rest, yet their many followers, hoping
also to be considered philosophers" agect to
. believe and adopt whatever their purely scien-
tifc men may advance, duped into the belief
} that o religious and a scientific man is an ano-
) maly, but philosopher and sceptio Is one
!. and the same thing.
, Though the book now under consideration
was written by a religious, surely no
unbiased mind can deny that it is both scien-
: tifc and philosophical, spd that as such IL
y promises to rank among the standard works.
r Certainly if any one could take pleasure IN
contem plating the abject origin of man, or
studying his development from the monkey
(though as our author says, no fossils remain
to show this development,) because that theo-
II ry was prepared by philosopher, he will
= take greater pleasure, greater interest, and
o even q greater pride. Gf not too skepticsl,) in
% reading the conclusive proofs of mans high
d noble, and divine origin, which completely
,. oYerthrows the unscienti6c, because irrational
t. theory Of Darwin.
10 The author of Gentilism makes no attempt
10 to establish his points by attacking the theo
p ries of any "system monger." He adopts the
r, fairest conclusive method =; the evidences OF
4 which he reasons are the incontestable facts o.
ID authentic history. He promises nothing h'
10 does not perform. In his own Language "on'
10 of the great purports Of this work Is to estab
d. lish solidly the fact that man appeared hrs
y in state of civilization, possessed OF noble
d. ideas as to his own origin, the Creator ont
10 Supreme God ruling the universe, etc; II
P prove historically that he invented mono o
81 the great and religious and moral truths, b.
's' any process of evolution; but that these cam
PC to him from heaven"
- The proofs are conclusive, and no fai
=. minded man can object to the evidence. Th
-. author very justly says, How can we prov
do that God has spoken to man, except first, b
- the unanimous consent of mankind on that sui
~ ject, secondly, by the doctrine itself commun
-, Gated to man primitively, and evidentl
~ AZ worthy of q God" What other evidence ca
~ we possibly have that God has spoken to ma
but history, and the traditions of all ancier
nations, and if it be not admitted that God r.
~ vealed to man a number of truths, the unive
~ salty of these traditions is truly inexplicable
~ 1t is shown from the histories of the Jew
49, the Hindoos, the Persians, the Egyptians, th