, 1881-04-12
PULPIT AND sKEpT1OIsM.

rArEn READ ny Dr. HATFIELD TO TIE
METHODIST MINISTER'S.
An interesting paper on "Tho Pulpit and Pop
,,,ar skopttciam" was read bcforo tho meeting
Of Methodist ministers yesterday m0rnlng by
tho 1tcv. Dr.. 1Intfod. He said TINT the wtdo
pFovalonco OF akcpticlsm was MI unaeniablo
faet,--it was hydra heulcd institution, and tho
offspring Of tho 4ovl!. Ono impurtnnt form Of
skoptiosm was atholsn1, tho doctrine which
taught tho nun.extstcnce ut supron,o being.
md which mado much Of power and force.
Atheism was taught In tho school, &noulcatcd by
tho press. by philosophers md aclentlsts. md
was spreading to m extent which might we'll
oxcsta serious npprehonsions. Lectures favor
Ing atheism draw crowded audiences right hero
In Chicago, and ladies and gentlemen applanded
their blasphumous tonohttgs+ Next In tho order
Of popular skopttotam came Delsra, doctrine
which admitted tho presence OF Supreme DC.
Ing, but which denied tilvlno revelations.
Doissn attempted to overthrow tho Gospel.
and, therefore, Christianity, tho hlasphernics of
9aSsalss %ou sss sseaas as'ass sas Bible
Of fictitious writings. Tho spcakcr know q =
given ss hsr sd daughter tho works d TON Paine 70
read as al, Offset 10 her 1}lble Instructions. To
TSo a. cse sseas s6o With
distant respect but eliminating tho sullent nol1ta
which wcre tho groundwork ot modern ChEia-
tlRntY. Liberals n was moro harmful than tue
other two groBser forms Of .skopticEsm. Tho 80.
callcd advanced thinkers Of tho ago who would
thus inoulcat0 diluted Christianity or diluted
skeptfciam would 10 found to havO az littl0 re.
Rnr3i for honor or honesty a. for Paul, Wossoy,
throwing chrIsttrnity IN tho. minds OF some. md
In plnnRlng othor minds into disbursement
and Doubt II these theological refornors were
to succeed as they would like to. tler0 would ho
brought nbout such a condition of Affairs ~
prcsAEed tho fnll of Rome. Hkepttctam not only
tended to dptnoraEzo the Church but EoolRty
as Me ss %ont d hspd u = hsna S,,,ss wi,s
who abandoned wite and family, and took n
through tickot to He'll With eo1no vil0 woman.
tho murderer and nll OF that class could not
have mitch fear ct God.-woEH Hkeptics. The
recent Seymour -CrAm tragedy was 4 powerful
illustration OF tho aepravay Of society as
wcro tho innunerablo self murders. Thoro
was popular tendency. too. to mako heroes ; ct
la.ton ot tho pulpit to al1 ths was. Of oo.iFee,
| ministers to magnify tho evil Or to feel
that thoy woro constantly oallcd upon to
| preside In dofensn Of Christianity. Young
! ministers, particularly. should avoid any
atford TO overthrow tho obIeottons oafcrcd 70
ChrIstlan!ty BY scientists who had made It l!fa
and thu subicut. Renerally. Mon have boon
known to any that they wore converted to
| skopticlsm by reading wnrka In defense OF
Christianity, simply bccauBc tie dofonee sflowetl
to oesa advantage than tho attack. lnlldeltty miRh1
DO mora prevalent than 1t was at one tltnc, bur
Christianity was mare than kecplng pace With It
| was what tho world ncedod.
DR.. Hatflold.s papor was discussed BY tho Roy.
0rn. George. Miller, aud otherB. Next Monday
tho Isoy. n. n. Parkhurst will continue his dis
cusston on tho Froe Church Of Scotland.