The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-12-28

The prominent advocates of inf
delity-those who teach or have
taught the doctrine of scepticism to
the people-are, and always have
been, men powerful and skilful in
debate, brilliant in writing and learn
ed in history and tradition. Were
they not 50 they would be laughed
at instead of listened to. Their at
tacis upon Christianity are strategic,
bold and diversified. They under
mine in one place. storm in another,
deny the power they exert, for or
thodoxy;can best confront hetprodoXy
by bringing it up to the mark and
compelling an honest controversy.
Now, we imagine that the point
which should be put to the foes OF
Christianity is that they are con
strncting but half Of case when they
attempt to upset the religious system
of the present by demolishing that OF
the past. 1t is rather strainipg Il
conclusion for them to argue that the
Christianity of the nineteenth cen
fury is all wrong because the Hebrew
patriarchs We're not informed Of
modern science. If the gentleman
who inculcate unbelief desire to en-,
gage in an honorable struggle, they
should speak Of the things of to-day,
and not Of the bygone years. 1t is
very noticeable that they entirely
leave out of their calculations the
influence for good which is in our
time eXerted by Christian orgdniZa-
tons. We should like to hear their
| answer to the question whether they
believed that the world would be
bettered if they could aunihilate
Christianity at blow and utterly
destry its motives, machinery and
effects. And should they reply in
the affirmative it would be still more
interesting to ascertain the grounds
of their opinions, and by what pro-
cesses they would again restore order
out Of anarchy. These points, than
which there are none more important
in determining the problem, they
dodge around or thoroughly slight.
! If Col. Ingersoll, for instance, were
to devote his attention to demon
straiting how much easier it is to
destroy than to build up, and the
folly of the system that would putt
down cody ediIice to leave on its
sight nothing but debris and waste
! he would demOlish his own structure
of doubt. The value of churches,
pastors and congregations to the wei
fare of humanity is a solid truth. II
does not belong to the domain Of
speculation, but to that of imdi-pu.
table fact. ItstandSas aharrier against
the waves Of sceptiCism, and the OPP.
position must tear it away before
carrying the mass Of men and
women over to Il c cold and drcary
shores of unhelief.
The church organization underlcs
the whole social system of the Chris.
tian nations. Does anybody deny
that it has materially aided their
progress and prosperity? Iutidel
lecturers are very fond Of proclaim
ing that if they had spoken a couple
of hundred years ago rs they do now
| they would have been burned at the
stake. Ii the fact proves anything
it proves that the enlightened and
intellectual Christianity of our time
has passed far Beyond the brutality
and fool;shness of an old era. Look
ed at from merely a moral stand
point, it can be laid down as rule
that an individual is safer inside of
any church now. a-days than outside
ofany. He will find better company
there and have more safeguards
! thrown around his life. Some few
may possess such a Robustness of
morals that they can face the invita-.
tons to laxity of conduct which in
fidelity holds out, but the majority
of people are not 50 for! unately con
stituted. BY being protesting Chris
tians, and assOciating with those
naturally thrown INTO connection
with them, they at least have their
thoughts turned TO higher aims than
any which the skeptic> provide for
/ them BdHO. american.
General Garfield has made very