National Republican., 1877-10-13


a plank in its platform, while Iowa refused
fatty to do 50. As n result, Ohio gives
Democratic majority of more than twenty
thousand, while Iowa gives n Republican
majority sufficiently decisive to show that
the Republicans Of that State are in hur-
mony with their platform.
In these results we lind food for rhcc-
ton. and it is to bc hoped the lesson taught
will he carefully studied by every man, Of
high or low degree, who claims allegiance To
the Republican cause. That party may he
damaged. hut it cannot be destroyed The
people will not permit that, for its princi-
pies sink deep into the Republican heart.
Skcptical schools OF Thought.
The skcptcal schools. or, mor popularity
CXprcS>cd schools OF modern thought have
of late been making strides US to occasion
great fear among Christian people Skcpti-
cism il insinuatiny its poison among us in
WAYS little thought Of The clergy have
cnde.N orcd by force ot arguments TO bring
truth 10 confront the gross errors that
skcpticiSm has brought to light. Skcpti-
cism has come forth in all kinds of forms
and shapes. Its chief purpose is to snrcr at
religion. having no other object in view.
Books, papers, pamphlets are iillcd and
thrown about pomiscuOu~ly for III" pur-
pose of bringing il before the people. To
get hold on Young minds and overthrow
the influence of religions instruction is II
leading aim and often Is secured and homes
made wr.tcled by the false teachings it
calls out. The religious press has worked
hard and faithfully to aid Christians in sup
pressing the rapid progress that skrptici~m
is making in this country. II would not
be amiSS to give briefly a little sketch on
the subject spoken oi. The skcptical
schools of thought arcs" in England and
passed thence to France, and then into Ger
many. The representatives of these schonlS
in England were MORGAN and TYNpNLL.
IIuIREs brilliant and learned. in
fused his systems of philosophy for
a time in the minds Of the scholars
aud became as popular as HUXLEY
and Mill are at this day. The school of
ord ROLIN''BRnKE and his dSSipHtcd COM
peers. irihing and light, suppantcd the
deeper thoughtiuncSS Of lioBTES. This
school was more popular aS it appealed di-
rcctly TO the les, thoughtful and was easier
to he understood by tn" masses To
FRANCIS ARoNEr was aScrihcd the kind
ling of France with infdrlity. BY long
, residence in England he became, bv reason
Of his social manners. II member OF the then
rrigning socirty OF philosophers. English
dciSm found him II willing follower. On
his return to France he set to work to give
prominence to his views, and found but lit.
tie difficulty in the way of getting ready
and willing followers. Not long after hin,
the schools OF RolS SSEAr D1IOIDOCH and
the Enryclopedi>ts--the latter rank and
hla~phCmou- owed their origin to the in'
frrtiuus NuITAIRE. RurssEAU p'lioI
. Bo,u was II ratioualist-t'od. Freedom and
Immortality constituted Holy Triad o
, his religion OF reason. lie cndcaN Urcd (,
, unite Il dcism with human feelings in sympa
thv in some respects TO christianity, in other
r mntagonistc to it. N0LTAIRE was the hcat
| and front Of the Encyclopedias. His Labor
were 10 bring their systems into u religion
= Itlltl ~ bNS' NNlNlHE NV
t French skeptrism merely touched the sur
= face Of the German mind--a deeper Curren
of ideas began to flow in the German philOsO
: phic> Beginning ut KATIE and ending will
/ IlEGEI, was II succession of phil0S0ph
/, world wide The succession was unhrOkcl
I each took up where the other left of
). ARISTOTLE lived and lubored alone. BAC0l
% in after centuries became his advocate
Is ~ ArO founded his doctrines on ground
; differing from the contemporary mind Il
Il Soc RATES. NEWTON had none to pcrpctll
n ate his principles. Not 30, however, wit
v X NUTE. who found in FICmTE one worth
o to whom he could surrender his wOrl
j. Frmr surrendered to 81 S'UEIiING. who i
: turn gave way 10 llEGEI. and there
e cndrd The term "a born lIrgr.ion" sign
+ ics man who in relation 10 religion
II alMays seeking, but never finding. III
e required wants Of the soul in worship. Dul
d ing the ,rNcnt"cnth and eighteenth rrntni,
u inquiries began to br pushed forward rs
II the truthtulncs> OF Christianity, its begin
n nny. possibility. reality and necessity Of
,c divine revelation. and the truth and authcr
d tirity of the gospels, the realities OF mir
d clcS and the confirmation of great proph'
y cies England, France and Germany enlis
= cd great thinkers, and the history of literi
turc shows that no such great efforts HAY
rc been made since. There were but tw
IS schools so to speak, in antsgonism Il
10 Christian and skcptical. Policy and Rr.
At LER immortalized Themselves by their de