Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1880-11-04

CONDUCTED BY
REV. ROBERT LATHAM.
WHERE DID HE GET THAT LAW?

WHERE DID HE GET THAT LAWS
An aged lawyer of great eminence and tai
ents, who, from early life, had imbibed infidel
principles, one day met Christian man, who
was also a lawyer, and an elder in Christian
church, and said to him: II wish, sir, to ex-
anime into the truth of the Christian religion.
What books would you advise me to read on
the evidences of Christianity ?"
The elder, surprised at the inquiry, replied,
ssThat is question, sir, which you ought to
have settled long ago. You ought not to have
put off subject of so great Importance to this
late period of life.''
ssIs it too late ?" said the inquirer 'Inev-
er knew much about it, but always supposed
that Christianity was rejected by the great ma
jority of learned men. I intend, however, to
examine the subject thoroughly myself. l
have upon me, as my physician says, a mortal
disease, under which 1 may live a year and
half, or two years. but not probably longer.
'The Bible," said the elder.
81 believe you don't understand me, " re-
sumed the unbeliever, surprised in his turn.
II wish to investigate the truth of the Bible"
II would advise you, sir, repeated the elder,
''to read the Bible; and l will give you my
reasons Most infdels are very ignorant of
the Scriptures. Now, to reason on any subject
with correctness we must understand what
it is about which we reason. In the next place,
| consider the internal eridence of the truth Of
the Sacred Scriptures stronger than the exter-
nal evidence"
"And where shall I begin my investiga-
tion ?" inquired the unbeliever. ''At the New
Testament?"
''No," replied the elder; "begin at the be-
ginning-at Genesis"
The infidel bought commentary, went
home, and sat down to the serious study of the
Scriptures. He applied all his strong and well
disciplined powers of mind to the Bible, to try
rigidly but impartially it's truth.
| AS he went on in his pursuit, he received oc-
casional calls from the elder. The infdel free
| his objections. He liked this passage; he
thought that touching and beautiful but he
could not credit third.
One evening the elder called, and found the
mbeliever walking the room with detected
look, his mind apparently absorbed in thought.
lie continued, not noticing that any one had
| come in, busily to trace and retrace his steps.
The elder at length spoke:
"You seem, sir, to be in brown study. Of
what are you thinking? ?"
''I have been reading" replied the infdel,
''the moral law"
ssWell, what do you think of it ?" asked the
elder.
II will tell you what used to think, - an
swered the infidel. 81 supposed that Moses
was the leader of horde of banditti that,
having strong mind, he acquired great intlu-
ence over superstitious people; and that on
Mount Sinai, he played off some sort of fire.
works to the amazement Of his ignorant fol-
lowers, who imagined, in their mingled fear
and superstition, that the exhibition was su-
pernatural.'
'sBut what do you think now ?" interposed
the elder.
81 have been looking" said the infdel, Gin
to the nature of that law. have been trying
to see whether l can add anything to it, or
take anything from it, so as to make it better.
Sir, cannot it is perfect. The first Com
mandment," continued he, "directs us to
make the Creator the object of our supreme
love and reverence. That is right. If he is
our Creator, Preserver, and Supreme Benefac-
tor, we ought to treat him, and none other, as
such. The second forbids idolatry. That GER
tainly is right. The third forbids profanity.
The fourth fixes time for religious worship
and if there is a Cod he ought surely to be
worshipped. 1t is suitable that there should
be an outward homage, significant of our in
ward regard. If God is worshipped, it is
proper that some time Should be set apart for
that purpose, when all may worship him har-
moniously and without interruption. One
day in seven is certainly not too much, and
do not know that it is too little. The fifth de-
| fines the peculiar duties arising from family
relations. Injuries to our neghbors are thus
classified by the moral law. They are divided
| into offences against life, chastity, property,
and character. And," said he, applying a
| legal idea with legal acuteness, 81 notice that
the greatest offence in each class is expressly
forbidden. Thus, the greatest injury to life is
murder; to chastity, adultery to property,
theft; character, perjury. Now, the greater
offence must include the less of the same kind.
Murder must include every injury to life ;
adultery every injury to purity; and so of the
rest And the moral code is closed and per-
fected by command forbidding every improp-
er desire in regard to our neighbors
81 have been thinking,' he proceeded,
''Where did Moses get that law? have read
history; the Egyptians and the adjacent ma
tiOns were idolaters; SO were the Greeks and
Romans and the Wisest and best Greeks and
Romans never gave code of morals like this.
Where did Moses get this law, which surpass-
es the wisdom and philosophy of the most en-
| lightened ages? He lived at period cOmpar-
which the learning and sagacity of all subse-
quent times can detect no flaw. Where did he
get it? He could not have scared so far
above his age as to have devised it himself. 1
am satisfied where he obtained it. 1t came
down from heaven. l am convinced OF the
truth of the Bible. "-Er.
DOCTRINAL RELIGION.-Mark what l say
If you want to do good in these times, you
must throw aside indecision, and take up a
distinct, sharply-cut, doctrinal religion. If
you believe little, those of whom you try to do
good will believe nothing. The victories Of
Christianity, wherever they have been won,
have been won by distinct doctrinal theology {;
| by telling men roundly of Christ's vicariOus
death and sacrifice by showing them Christ's
substitution Oh the cross, and his precious
blood by teaching them justification by faith,
and bidding them believe on crucified Sa-
viour; by preaching ruin by sin, redemp-
tion by Christ, regeneration by the Spirit; by
to look and live-tO believe repent and be con-
verted This this is the only teaching which
for over eighteen centuries, God has honored
with success, and is honoring at the present
day, both at home and abroad. Let the clever
advocates of ofundogmatic theology the preach
ers of the gospel of earnestness and sincerity,
and cold morality-let them, say, show us
at this day any English village, or parish,
or city, or town, or district, which has been
evangelical without a "dOgma," by theirprin-
ciples. They cannot do it, and they never will.
Christianity without distinct doctrine, is
powerless thing. 1t may be beautiful to some
minds, but is childless and barren. There is
no getting over facts The good that is done
in earth may be comparatively small; evil
may abound, and ignorant impatience may
murmur, and cry out that Christianity has
failed. But, depend on it, if we want to ''do
good'' and shake the world, we must fight with
the old Apostolic weapons, and stick to ''dog-
mas" No dogma, no fruits No positive,
evangelical doctrine no evangelization Can