The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1881-04-22

day-thc Chinaman jostles us in the street,
and the centuries that look through his
dreamy eyes have lost all sense of wonder
ships that were freightcd from the heart
Of Africa lie in our harbor, and our market
places ere vocal with more tongues than be-
wildcred the builders at Babcl--a letter
slips around the earth in ninety days, aud
the messages of men fash along the bed of
the occan-wc tell the secrets Of the uni.
verse as Il woman tells her beads, and the
stars whirl sercncly through orbits that sci.
cncc has defined we even read of the in.
slant when the comet that plunged in dim
illmltablc distance, where even the separate
stars are lost in mist and vapor, shall whirl
again into the vision of man Il wandcrcr
that could not shake off the incXorabc su.
pcrvision of science, even in the chill and
measurcl6ss depths of the universe. FIT
time is this, for science to make its last and
supreme assault-to challenge the last and
supreme mystery, defy the last and supreme
force. And the church may girl itself for
the conflict. As the pope has said: sit is
no longer a rebel that threatens the church
1t is a bclligcrant - 1t is no longer Il shad-
ing of creed. H. is the upscttal Of all crceds
that is attempted
1t is impossible to conceive the misery
aud the blindness that will come iu the wake
of this spreading atheism. The ancicnts
witnessed the fall Of hundred crccds, but
still had a hundred left. The vast mystery
of life hung above them, but was lit with
religions that We're Sprinklcd as stars in its
depths. From host Of ccnscrs was their
air made rich with fragrance and warmed
from field Of aitars. No loss Wa, irrcpar.
able. But with Us it is different. De have
reached the end. Destroy our one belief
and we are left hopeless, helpless, blind
Our air will be odcrlcss, chill, colo:cSs- -
Huxley the leader of the positivists him
self conicsscs-I quote from memory
"Never, in the history Of man, has a calam
ity so terrific bcfalcn the race us this ad-
vancing dclusc, black with destruction, up.
roofing our most cherished hopes, engull:
ing our most precious creed, and burying
our highest life in mindless dcsolat,on."-
And yet MIR. Huxley urges on this dclugc
with furious energy. The aggrcssivcncss of
III" atheists is incXplcablc to me- Why
they should insist on destroying system
that is pure and cnnobling when they have
nothing to replace it with-why they should
shatcr a faith that colors life, only to leave
it colorlcss-why they should take away the
consolation that lifts men and women from
the despair of Der ,avcmcnt and dcsolation,
Or the light that guides the feet of strug-
Cling humanity, or the hope that robs even
the grave of its terror why they should do
all this, and then stand empty banded and
unrcsponsivc before the ycarning and sup
plicating people they have stripped of all
that is precious, is more than | can under.
stand. The best atheist, to my mind, that
ever knew, was one who sent his children
to Il convent for their education. 81 can,
not lift the blight of unbclicf from my own
mind" he said, but it shall never fall upon
the minds oc my children if can help it,
AS fer me- | would give all have on earth
Tor the old faith that wore So lightly aud
threw off 50 carclcssly."
The practical effects Of tn, growth of
atheism are too terrible t" contemplate. \
vessel ON an unknown sen that has lost its
ruddcr and is tossed i'll a storm-thats the
picture. 1t will not do for Mr. Iagcrsoll to
say that purely human code of right and
wrong can be established to which the pas,
sipns Of men can be anchored and from
which they can swing with safety. 1t
will not do for him to cite his own cor
rect lie, or the correct hives of the skcp>
teal scientists, or Of leading skcptics,
as proof that unbclief does not bring Ii.
ccnsc. These men are held to dcccncy by
pride Of position and by sense Of special
responsibility. 1t is the masses that atheism
will dcmorctiZc and dcbauch. 1t is the
thousands OF simple men and woman, who,
looScd of the one restraint that is absolute
and impcrious will that will drift upon the
currents of their passions. collidng every
where, and bringing confusion and ruin
The vastly greatest influence that religion
has exercised, as far as the world goes, has
been the conservative pressure that it has
put upon the bulk. Of people who are outside
OF the church. With the pressure barely felt
and still less acknowledged it has preserved
the integrity of society, kept the dangerous
instincts within bounds, rcprcSScd savagcry
and held the balance. Conscience has dom.
mated over men who never confessed,
even to themselves, its power, and the lin
religious memories Of childhood. breathing
mpcrccptibly over long wastes Of sin and
brutality, have dissolved clouds of passion
in the souls Of veterans. Atheism will not
work It's full effect on this class Of men even
after they have murdered conscience by with
holding the breath upon which it lives; It's
Ghost will Crepe through the chambers o!
their brain, mrnacing and Terrible and 20
the last
"crcrping on a broken wing
Through ccls of madness, haunts Of horror
and fpor -