, 1881-07-17

There is, to be sure, change IN the parry
hostile to religiotl-not profound |
change" but A change entirely superhcal-.
which consists not in thought but merely n
The bad classes OF society always hated the
doctrine and discipline which reproached
their wickedness, and frightened them "
threats Of punishment II another Worla;
uiyine authority only by their actions; but |
now, under new leadership. their ,enmlty
against God breaks out into artieulate
.They assemble themselves together, they
hear with passionate admiration the bold
ll;rangue which ridicules and dctits the
Maker Of the universe; fiercely they rage
against the Highest, and loudly they la9gil,
alike at the Justice that condemns anu Tie
mercy that offers to pardon them. The ora
tor who relieves them BY assurances OF lnl-
punity, and tells them that no supreme all
thority has made any law 70 control tneni, Is
for his congenial labor; lie pockets their
money, and h,ltters himself that he is a great
power, profoundly moving "the wof1d OIL
thought"
There is another totally false notion OK
pressed in the opening paraErapli-n;am'tsly;
that !" they who know most Of Nature oel1eve
the least about theology" The truth IS ex,
actiy the other way. The more clearly one
effects" the more awful his reverence, be-
comes for the author Of the 'Ssnblimc anu na-
broken'' law which links them, together.
Not self-conceit and rebellious prlle but W
measureless distance between the Greater e! 'a
| and the creature, ills the mind OF him who
| looks will, rational spirit upon the works
| of the All-Wise One The heart OF Newton
sWhen consider Thy heavens, the work ot
Thy fingers, tue moon anu the stats mtaon r,o,!
Thou hast ordaiued; what is man that lnoH 1S"t
art mindful Of him, or tae son OF man tnaa t,'a
| Thou yisiteSt hm?" At the same time, the
lanentable fact must be Admitted that "a
| little learning is Il dangerous thing" to some
| persons Tile sciolist with mere sllattef-
| ing Of physical knowledge is apt to 1n1sta.k'e
lis own Importance, he gives out, llkeslmon1,
| Magnus, .' that himself is some great one
| His vanity becomes inflaned more and more,
until he begins to think he knows al things
plishments BY finding fault with the WORKS
nf creation and Providence; and this IS an
exercise in which lie cannot long continue
without learning to dls6e1eye IN ANY oeaaE nns.
Son, and not to the unpretendng sllnpleton'
that Solomon applied his soften-qnotea apnor-
ism: The fool hath said III his heart, There
is no God" These are what laul refers refers 70
as 81 vain babbiings and the opposition OF
science, falsely 50 called''; but they are per-
| fectly powerless to stop. or turn aslae tle
great current Of human thought on the SUB
ject Of Christian theology ld1 fs5iin a5Si1ae
t stream, SUppLlCu 4lNiA q N@"-'o
fountains. rolls on, and will roll on forever:
T1,iitur Ct labctnr IN 0hnnc UotubtttS
dccliH. ..
Mr.. 1ngersoll is not, as some have estl-
mated him. the most 1ornldaoie ents the t;t",s i".
Of Julian the Apost1te But lie stands az az
the head of living inide1S, :" by nie{lt s; ralsea
to that bad eminence." lis mental ofehm;, h;,.,
zation has TIE pecuaF ee,ici III i5axnation ] on and
no discretion. He rises sometimes INTO
region Of wild poetry, where he can coloi I'I
everything to suit himself. LIS motlo Wti'
expresses the character OF ms sh1a afsT1he'it. "a
Clouds; ; a tancy is as good as fact, and a 4
I Ijgh-soundng period is rather bette ti'an !:
LOGICAL demonstration. Ills inurdlnate sell,
confidence makes him at 9neG 1slnf[GaS itean be-
e fore he "took the stump" aEainst ChTls
E 1ianity, and at all times he has proved M
t capacity to 'split the ears Of the Rfonm1,u 1,et
lings" and make the unskililal 1,;gt;,,ah,, laHg.;
e Of ali MS productions. Its style is }lshel
II and better suited to the weight OF IN
3 theme Here the violence OF hls nelce IN III
:; place to an attempt at sopistry less shock a,cs
t iny if not more true; and his coarse JOKE
t nr.. either excluded altogether or eIse velle'
e in the decent Qbscurity OF general .erms TT
Such paper from suen ,n1v man nwortiv ~ iiI Of
Il the present is not wholly uH"ole'is ~
n | @M'N aho rcnc 1yhiP}1 yYA an
lie makes eGih h.', :n,, Tins an issll
fws1 aas as ap apon saef eWhc % as %pssder Woald sy
# we "pnt onrselsGs uuo. snn,sti;ng raiei Chri:
axsIf fsnfy tat IS sSa faise {at on wo
- without eslueuce Ai.. .a.,antinns. that its tiOt
t9 tqnes aest a2e 1s ts pcfieious tS at
~ are uh1easonaoTs ~ ~ ami Assert ~, the 60,
cruel +hat afy s ynctries nl rn are iyiney revealed
II trary, that lts u9t1 feat ;nnon,nstahfy nroyec
- its fundemchtat aatts frae fron' aI1 tnint
If its morallty peltecy atro most bpnefjcfaI una
~ error, anu lI' lnnnesSi S ,n ali i,i,l;vi,'ua]
- society III general, ala upu, a. ~ acr
whG foW aScsRt sa i aH Ills es be deterneds Sot
a. ,vhut We call divine revelation, for that wou
be begging the qncsih,o shoes r ot =; ~ iEey to
Ct taste, or temper lot tss: ,,ducf;y4 R r.asnnir
~ ~ false as true; put ~ ~, +ta v.In. - to
70 from evidence ot wiine ,e tnse n ruies Of iog
e measured ;rcordlng !" '.t ,nVse o nxnryxi,e
which enlgftehea t1n' rio 1H, e ~ tne srarc,, +
14St aSRtee %s t t" Ssss 'S OILY e raio
40 love OF justice: anu id. nes.nne of f,1tci
hood. which 1aa'lnGr a. If other i,