, 1877-12-08

encc.
In every age, the clergy have claimed
To he the conscrvators OF the public NOR
ais, and the upheldur' Vt established IN.
suution.. They represent the progress
OF the past, dwell iondly ON its mca.o-
ries. The old is venerable, the ancient,
sacred. All the s,crcd languages of the
world always have been, and probably
always will be the dead languages. The
sacred books, that 10y efficient religious
systrms are believed to be divncly in.
spired, are written in Il language not
, tnmillarly spoken Iy the common class
Of their followers. 1t is this element of
the past which ndhcrcs so closely tocvc.
! ry priesthood, that makes them the con-
serva,ive element OF society; they never
loosing this character except when their
privileges are endangered, or they be
come propagnndists, and seek to spral
their faith where it was not received
before.
While claiming to be the guardians OF
the faith and morals Of community, it
becomes natural for them to feel that
they should decide how II community
should think, and what are the proper
channels OF thought.
1t is not long after their attention is
called Ia given subject, and they have
tormeda theory for it, and christencd
that theory as Il doctrine Ol theology,
that they begin to prescribe those who
do not accept snch theories or doctrine;
such prescription being more or less sc
were according To their power, or the
particular Importance attachee to that
special doctrine. That is, the otirnse is
less in their eyes to do what is intrinci-
cally wrong, than to disbrlicve their arti-
cles of lath or doctrines, that is their
theories in regard to this world or the
next.
Another feature ot the religions of the
world, where they differ from scientific
or other knowledge, is that they seek to
establish system Of doctrine, that will
be all sufficient for the wants Ofman in
this world as well as the hereafter; and
when established; that will be not only
unchangable, but eternal. That what is
thus established and has by them been
formulated into system of doctrine
must never be changed. That its doc,
trines are sacred, nnchangable, all suffi-
cient the sum, substance and essence of
the truth and wo! to the reckless scoff.
er who dare To impeach their verify.
Every age can tell how merclessly they
punish those who wish to reexamine what
they have settled, when unchecked po
litical poweris confded to their hands,
or when shorn of that how reckcssly
they will assail the character of those
who dare question their pretensions.
Each of the great historical religions
of the worli generallze some special fact,
or set Of principles that have been found
once to be of particular value, or have II
certain vitaiizing influence az given
time or for given nation or race.
The several sccts growing out OF each of
the leading systems of religious thought
represent so many stages of the growth
of the main doctrine, or different phases
of vital force manifested in the past.
When once formulated into creed, so
as to he established as an article of mith,
which it is a sin to dsbeicve; they too
frequently have become by the lapse Of
time, or changes in society, like the sa-
cred languages, dead, as far as any vital
izing influence they possess for the good
Of mankind.
1t being truth of science, that forms
OF life, once extinct, have never been
found at any subsequent epoch, to repro
duce themselves. 1T likewise is note
worthy that social principles, that have
called forth an intense religious feeling
in a certain direction, and for time
given life to special set Of doctrines,
that have eliminated in the formation
of system OF freligion, or a sect or given
creed; when once they have spent their
:, force, never reappear again. They nay
be formulated into system of religion,
and be veneratcd or even worshiped for
centuries, and the priests who assume to
teach its principles, may never so zeal
ously proclaim that they tread exactly
in the Footsteps OF their first great teach
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