Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1879-12-11

As regards positive beliefs. Paine was
nearer TO the received standard than many
who join in the hue and cry against him.
On the first page OF his denounced work
he says: Il believe in one God and no
more; and hope for happiness beyond
This life. believe in the equality of man:
and believe that religious duties consist
in doing justice. loving mercy. and in en-
dcavoring to make our fclow-crea,ures
happy
There is no action or word i'm Paine's
lie or writings which impcachcs the sim
cerity Of this creed. But he further be-
lieved. what many liberal thinkers vet do
nor, THAT II is Necessary TO the happiness
OF man that he be mentally faithful TO him
self lnidelity does not consist in believ-
ing. or in disbelieving; it consists in pro-
tossing to believe what he does not be-
IIeve." The negative positions of the
Age OF Reason" are still exercising a
profo md influence on innuner,be minds.
despite the repeated announcement that
the book is dead and buried. 1t would be
difficult to find in any modern work more
forcible popular statements than those
found on nearly every page. admitting
that something has been revealed to a GER
tain person. it is a revelation TO the first
person only. and !learsay to every other
The trinity of gods was no Other than
reduction OF the former plurality. which |
was about twenty or thirty thousand: the
statute OF Mary succeeded the statute
OF Diana of Ephesus: the deification of
heroes changed into the canonzaion of
saints: The mytholosists had gods for
everything: the Christian psychologists
had saints for everything. the Church be-
came as crowded WIT. the one as the Pan
fhcOn had been with the other: and Rome
was the place of both" The morality
that he (Christ) preached and practiced
was OF the most benevolent kind: and
though similar systems of morality had
been preached by ConfIcins and by some
of the Greek philosophers many years be-
fore. by the Qnakers since. and bv many
good men in all ages. it has not been ex-
ceeded by any" The Christian MYTH
OlogiSts tell us that then Satan made war :
against the Almighty. who defeated him
and confined him afterwari in
II pit; 4 the fable of Jupiter and
the Giants was told many hundred years
before that of Satan.' They represent
him (Satan) as .avin" compelled the Al
mighty to the direct necessity Of either G
Silrrendeiing the whole OF the creation to /
the government and sovereignty of this C
Satan. or OF captivating tor its redemp- B
ton by coming down upon earth. and cx-
hibiting himself upon cross in the shape Il
OF man. They make the trans t
gressor triumph and the almighty fall" .
us the gloomy pride of man become SO t
that nothing can flatter it but
a sacrifice of the Creator?' .'Whcn we y
the immensely OF that Being v
who directs and governs The incomprehcn- Il
sible whole. of which the utmost ken of
human sight can discover but part, we
ought to feel shane at calling such paltry J.,
stories (e. g.. that Of Samson and Delilah. :,
he foxes, &c.) the Word of Cod "It .
the ChurcIl has set up religion of :,
'omp and Of revenue in pretended imita- "
ion OF person whose life was humility
nd pJ.crty.' '.The word of God is the u"
reatiOn we behold. which no VI
uman invention can counterfeit or alter, ~
The Creation speaketl an universal Ian W y.
'uage. d. Convay. IN FortniqhVv III
Ierie,r re