The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1880-02-25

butcur weakness is at points where
we can be attacked from the sea--at
Boston, New York, Philadelphia,
Baltimore, Norfolk, Charleston, New
Orleans and.san Francisco. Atthese
points We are lamentably weak.
CAS-.
Letters or b. ID. F.. ON the Evil
dence Of Christianity.
LETTER /.
Editor Regisisr
About the year 1740, the maternal
grandfather Of the well-known Grace
Aguilar, Nj. Benjamin Dias Fernan-
dee, retired merchant in England,
wrote a series Of letters on the gospel
toa friend IN Jamaica. They were
not intended for publication, but
were privately preserved by his de-
scendants, and were only given to
the public in 1912, by the late Rev.
Lesser, of Germany. A revision of
the work will undoubtedly be of in
terest 70 yosas well as to the public,
Is the-q I.5n and subjects treated
inthese letters are Of Importance to
every inquiring mind. To prevent
mistakes and confusion which are
unavoidable, when terms are made
use of that have no well defined
meaning, or have no proper ideas
annexed to them, shall take care to
settle and fix the proper meaning of
the terms and Specifications. Neither
shall ! assert anything but such
truths as am convinced of, and for
which there is either a ''thus saith
the Lord" Or good literary authority.
He that holds an honestly acquired
opinion will not be offended if opin-
ions are expressed that may differ
from his own. The time is past
when the overawed Jew could but
suffer and die for his convictions; on
the contrary, he is expected to state
the reasons why during nineteen
centuries he has held fast to his own
opinion in spite Of all outside press
ure. Our first inquiry, therefore,
must be into the authority of the
New Testament; for no person can
have the least right over our under
standing or demand ourassent to any
proposition contrary to our convic-
ton; and we may be sure that we
can not offend, when we make in
quiries into the nature of the evil
dence produced for our conversion,
since it is the only method we have
to arrive at the knowledge of truth
in any matter. Besides in SO doing
we avoid being imposed upon as
much as possible, and act as reasons
BILE beings, according to the dignity
of our natures.
God himself" says the judicious
Mr.. Chandler, "who is the object Of
all religious worship, to whom we
owe the most absolute subsection,
and whose actions are all guided by
the discerned reason and fitness of
things, cannot, as 1 apprehend, con.
sistent with his own perfect wisdom,
require of his own creatures the i'm
plicit belief of, or actual assent to,
any proposition which they do not,
or cannot, either wholly or in part
understand; because it is requiring
of them real impossibility, no man
being able tostretch his faith beyond
his understanding" Therefore our
inquiry into the nature of any prop
osition is absolutely necessary; par
ticularly in matters offered for our
conversion. And it is very Just
observation of Mr.. Basnage, when he
says, "We must prove the divine au-
thority of the Gospel (to the jews
before We engage in the particulars
of other controversies" And I add,
till this is done, and the Jews admit
the divine authority of the New
Testament, nothing can be urged
from it or their conversion; for, in
controversies, neither party can, with
the least shadow of reason, make use
of any authority which is not admit
ted by the other. A Mohammedan
might as consistently urge the au-
thority Of the Koran for the convic-
ton of the Christian, as a Christian
make use Of Or urge anything from
the New Testament for the convic-