, 1879-05-10

ctc. bnt from among tho hest md most en-
Jlghtcne'l people at the present day these ideas,
disappeared. ''''' ''''''0''
~ belief In spirits OF oycry conceivable kind
oas been uno Of the distinctive manifestations
u ivhornnce throughout tic history Of tho
ttso clement to deny that tic chiet institutions
ntN ,tsa9es OF civilization are to lnrGe extent.
Simply notifications a,l.l improvements Of say-
at,e o'cs Inherited from our only partially clvll-
tzs'l proeonltors; mud IT, i ca'!ally useless for
theln TO deny flint tlesc institutions contain, MS
essential principles, IDEAS md usngcs that arc
sarnEe anil brutal III their nature mil noxtous
in tllcr effects; and It Is not nrobab}o tlIat tho
remnants Of superstition nhtl brutality will ccato
utterly cxtrratetl frosn the social organization.
The general belief III spiritual e1stenccs has
gradually Grcn narrowed III n1f directions with
thu atlvnncc Of cnlturc md refinement, uni It Is
not atsustl to conjecture TINT utter time, when
uhont Nnturc,-whtn they know more Ut phys.
les null rsyrhOlo1y,-thnt MI belief In spiritual
existence will gradually disappear.
lave Just said that tic belief In spiritual cx-
lstrnees decreases as men beenilo c1ore cntight-
cncd. There IL ouG very lnrCG apparent cSecp-
ton to this rulc. 1t ts 10 be f0uI tn The Chris.
ttan Church. 1,nt tho exveption Is nppnsrMt
omy; l. y true test the '"s1e1shipi Is A. p1ss,
principles laid down by Christ for tue guidance
Of h,,llan conduct arc year by wear oi,tnin.nY d
stronger foothold in society. But It Is onlf all
apparent exception, for t1ln rcasou that among
every legitimate sense IT thu word,-ooth i,osn-
bcrs nnh uon-mctnhcrs Of tile Church, there is n
doubt titt grows ycar by ycar mud gensrat!oilby by
generation concerning tho inspiration md dsvin-
numerical strength: The membership II. to
very lnrEc cxtent.. recruited frOm ar,ung
the ranks OF thosu who nrr not Of
the best ,peouIo Aud lar1c numbers ii thu
TonnR and itnrrcsstble are annualIy cnrollets;
nta sucf, VI these as orc Of reading Or thinking
habits arc extremely liable, utter tho expiration
VI fcw years, to bcun doubling the inspiration
u the Scriptures. Of course certain propur-
ttnN seYcr their connection With the Institution
that n other tlays they 1rri,ups luyca to fanti-
c!sm; but tho larger number Ut tr tlary secret
tlottutcrs. fearing to rGnn.lnce whnt bas u.ce
i'een regarded MS the voice of tic 1ntlntc God.
BY forcu of habit nnl by tho stern application Dt
the VIII continue 10 adherc to form Of crcgd
tlelr ideal bears Iut little pNrt.
Ol course tllcsu statements will 10 tsccinsed
false by many. We'll. no matter; l cnHllot prore
tilem,--onlv ttmo can t|o that. Concerning tho
by Christ, let Us fol!ow oHc Of His own apllOr-
iAuiB: "l.et u render nltfo cTsnr tho things
That be Cpsar's.h LIT It's render all honor to
tho mai, 80 nohlc III nsnny respects, who IVES
martyr TO slc cauBc Of sncfal reform.
lat lis hunur Him to whom muct, honor Is duo.
Let those who calsnot Regard Hin rs MI 1nIlu!to
taoh fold ve!t gently over the clun to tho
TINT He was thr author Of the purcst anti tic hest
religion the world las crer known,-a religion
t!lat atas1s above all Others, even as the sky "a
aboyc the filthy rubDfs!l-hcap. But let us not
forget TINT thu.u rules for ,t,r Rut,nce Ok nlnl
arc general principles illnt bear no necessary
connection whatever With tle doctrines of III
sn,rn,!on, immortality, or divinity. They aro
the crystnllzattons Of human experience mud OF
human wsdp1n. They are cllangclcss IN the!r
nature and trauscendentnl In their character;
nfN!, rs q matter Of course, being such, their
aaopt!on IN sacIety ts, independently Of religion,
Il matter Of knowledge ntnl refinement.
1t Is doubtless immensely agreeable to the
ctottsm an! to the vanity 1T lnun to suppose
that he has within hlth IN Immortal soul md
enough ol ti,e tloa TO enable bin tor!se superior
TO :e conditions that surround him. 1t Is flattcr
liz to ts vanity. but that Rrgues nothing either
for or aratnst the truth vi tlle doctrine. So far
Us !, ,nyaelt. an concerned, should like to
know lint The soul uf man can nsYer erase to
! exist. should like I'd know that tie doctrine