The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-12-13
A New Religinn.

The attacks upon tho Christian religion,
in these days, arc Of many kinds Among
Its assailants arc those who try to inVali-
date the authenticity, vcracity, or accepted
meaning of tho Scriptures on which Chris
tanity is founded. There are its scientific
assailants. who attempt to show that the
teachings and language Of the Scriptures
are Inconsistent with the demonstrations Of
astronomy or geology or archaeology, or
some other branch Of assured knowledge:
and that consequently these teachings must
be untrue. IL has assailants, who labor 10
prove that its records are often at variance
with historical facts established by the def
nite methods OF modern investigation, and
founded upon evidence that does not admit
Of contradiction. II has sentimental assall-
ants moral assailants, and humorous as
sailants like BOB ISGERsoLL. Among those
OF its assailants who would like TO be- heard
by the readers of The Sun, is the author of
the following letter, a lawyer OF this city:
To rnH EpfroR or THr suN-Sp You ask "Can the
sAehcrs OF public morals explain the reason, ans PEE
teribc the remedy tho prevalence petty crimes
well A. arser ones In this and In other countries"
The reason IL obvious. The main reason lies in the
doetrnes and teachings ot the Christian religion What
has the Christian religion 10 show Tor its two thousand
Governments
o The carthf world OF hyrocnies and pous frauds.
and millions upon millions Of crimes 50 ghastly and Ter.
hblo that the mind shudders 10 contemplate
hom. What crime has been committed
IN the name Of the Christian religion. and by ~, chi,i
promoters aud saints The most dahoc 81 crimes of ti-
any aAc have been pcrpcracd by ed The Church
nor 10 these into the Church or their
ermos hey are OF the church tyne 81 a umes-notmcu
dthe world IN appearance butmcn whose ,aucumonous
east Of counicnancc atonce stamps them These men are
The fathers crime the men who by their hypocruca
nj uf M
men into committing petty crimes than all the world out
ade Of the Church From the homes o churchmen come
the children who disregard the roas counscs OF their pa
nis. and not rs general Thin. from the homes Of TIE
Of the world. who DO not live double lives; that
f. the lives ~ hynocrcs How many eminent divincs
have been TIED tor sciuciinn murder dung the past
year. The columns OF the papers arc borne down with
the weight OF numbers Thsis no idle ialk These
facts that cannot be coniralcici Even me. with a
her butchcrcs for 7a wears under the religion o
the AusHfs. could not display han the crime that
nouusles under the Christian rclision.
Religion. taught. makes men cruel. false and
hypocriucal. Il does not make them strong and true
The remedy i change OF our religion iuiu.e a
little reason into religion 50 that It may not be
entirely moss OF wrong. vice. ignorance crime. AMI
hypccrisy Have religion that rcasonn- men can &C.
tpeet and that will MI the world with It's attractive
fruts give men reasonable religion, religion that
will not make hypocrtes OF them CHANGE.
This assailant of the modern Christian
Church does not, it will be observed, tell Us
what sort OF religion lie would invent as
the successor of Christianity; lie does not
say what kind Of doctrines he would set up.
what ceremonies he would have, what code
OF morals he would establish, or how he
would apply and enforce among men his
new moral system. He wants change
OF religion" but what would he change II
to? He wants a reasonable religion; but
how Gun the supernatural be brought within
-. l.
10 say that the Christianity Of to-day is hut
q" mass Of wrong, vice, ignorance. crime,
and hypocrisy" It is entirely untrue as
applied to the doctrines Of CHRIST which
are purity itself and charity itself
II the writer will get up religion con-
tanning higher truths and more perfect
morals than are found in the Scriptures, We
will not fail to give it proper consideration.