The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-11-05

GoliWIn Smith In the November Atlantic.
A collapse Of religious belief, Of the
most complete and tremendous kind, Il
apparently now at hand. At the time Of
the Reformation the question was, after
OIL, only about the form Of Christianity
and even the skeptics Of the last century,
while they rejected Christ, remained firm
theistsi not only SO, but they mechanical.
y retained the main principles Of Chris.
tan morality, as We see very plainly In
Rouseau's "VirAire Savoyard" and Vol.
taire's letters on the QuaEers. Very diff.
erent Is the crisis at which we have now
arrived. No one who has watched the
progress Of discussion and the indications
Of opinion in literature and in social in
tercourse can doubt that, in the minds
Of those whose views are likely TO
beCome-and In an age when all thought
Is rapidly popularized soon to become
the views OF society at large, belief in
Christianity as revealed aud supernat-
uIal religion has given way. Science and
criticism combined have DESTROYED the
faith OF free inquiries in the Mosaic cos.
mogony, in the inspiration OF the Bible.
and the genuineness Of many books in Il,
Ia large portions OF the history OF the
Old Testament, and in the history OF he
New Testament 20 far as 1t Is miraculous
or lnsepaFa6ly connected with miracles.
The mortal blow has been given by criti.
cism in disproving or rendering uncertain
the authenticity OF the historical books Of
the New Testament.
Notsupernatural religion alone, but the
existence OF q Deity itself, has for many
minds, and those the minds OF good, able
and highly instructed men, ceased to be
an Objec; Of distinct belief, il it has not
become an object OF distinct disbelief
The emancipated and emboldened lips Of
science have met the theist's argument OF
design with the apparent evidences OF the
absence Of design, waste and miscarriage
in the heavens and the earth, seemingly
purposeless havoc and extinction oil races;
while philosophy has breathed doubt up.
on the logical validity of the reasonines
which satisfied the apologists OF former
days. The argument Of beneticepce is en-.
countered by the perplexing array OF the
cruelties-Otten apparently gratuitous
cruesties-ot nature. Above all, Crea.
1iuh 10 sWPPOseu W nave Deen sup.
planted by evolution, which, in spite
OF partial objections, lingering doubts,
and the imperiections sure to be
found in any newborn theory, is to all
appearances destined soon to be the creed
Of the world. With the belief in a deity
perishes that OF the Immortality OF the
soul, which, apart from animistic super.
stitions and special fancies about the 9TH
er world, is belief Of the connection OF
the human soul with the eternal. Moth.
ing apparently is left but the secular con.
sequences Of conduct, human law, which |
the strong may make or unmake, and
reputation, which success, even criminal
success, may to great extent command.
That which prevails as agnosticIsm among
philosophers and the highly educated,
prevails US secularism among mechanics,
and in that form is likely soon to breed
mutinous questionings about the present
social order among those who get the
poorer share, and who can no longer be
appeased by promises Of compensation In
another world.