National Republican., 1881-06-22
CHRISTIANITY.
The SO 1TiGhtIest Structure from Another
Standpoint

John II. P. Guild sends the following
There is war in the air; it is not tempest in a
teapot, but campaign in q fog bank. Spare
me room, and 1 viii take a hand in the fight
Christianity is the mightiest structure that ever
was built upon nothing; it was spun by love-
cracked poets and woven by stark-mad Scholiasts
afterward foisted into prominence by military
power, and is now held together only by monetary
bolts. Those meditating minds of impractical
mould which has been common to Asiatie eoun-
tries, wanting in better employment, sought OBJ
ject of worship rather than to pursue useful labor
To them the marvellous and unknown, the imag-
mary and unintelligible was Of the utmost con-
cern, while common affairs and daily events were
of no import; therefore instead of investigating
nature and inventing machinery, they engaged in
DEFINING THE UNKNowABLE
and manufacturing divinities. The heavens and
hclls had all their eyes, while earth and seas were
unexplored the devils and deities received all
their care. while men and women were only toe
cheap sacrifices for the jealous anger and insatiate
ambition OF these brain created tyrants. The gods
of all nations and religions have the same genesis
and whether they be incarnate ghosts or apotheo-
sized brutes, human or inhuman, they simply rep
resent the disposition of the selfish and strong to
dominate the coniding and weak In the name
OF their religion most people treasure up whatever
they esteem hence the heterogeneous mass of fact
and fancy, benevolence and atrocity. which are
displayed in every famed sanctuary. Each temple
which succeeds temple takes its selections from
The rubbish of the past rcgilds and new names
them only as fgureheads to the revised system OF
protity according to the genius of the age In the
present great onslaught
AGAINST so-CALLED CHRISTIANITY,
the revolt of rational, honest infidels-infidel to
falSehood because of fidelity to reality-is not
any and pI N Christianity
but against its baseless assumptions and its debas-
ing and oppressive tendencies Phe Christian
scheme rests for authority the saying attributed
to one who as Prince of the Creator, is delegated
power ON earth, and who, when leaving this His
temporary abode, bequeathed His right and might
to sundTy representatives who now, as pretended
watchmen and guardians of the Lords estate, and
in telephone communication with their Master.
pretend to dictate to everybody what shall and
what shall not be done. 1t is by showing that the
gvers of these title deeds to lands and minds to
be only shapes which shadows were thatwe, who
recognize the equality of man and the rightful in
hcrtance of each child to all of earth, air, and
water required for his comfort and opportunity for
the full development of his native faculties try TO
loosen the cburchly chains that bind mankind,
through fear, to Jolly and poverty
THE GREATER THE CHURCH
the less religion il has The more blind worship
Of tang gibe or intangible shrines the less there is
of enlightened principle. The personalizing of
real power and intelligence, whether rclcgated TO
man or beast. TO a stone ghost, depriveS all
other things which should receive our regard and
attention of that notice and effort which is con-
centrated upon them Thus, in the salvation of
his gods man daunS his fellows Principles are
before all things Things are only as they are ac-
cOTdns 10 principle II is because of the relations
of numbers that things can be counted it is be-
cause Of mathematical equity that affairs can be
morally adudgcd it is because of forces that there
forms; ii is because of Intelligence that there
is orderly development Therefore, instead of q
God 10 make creation, there needs rather
CREATION TO MAKE GOD:
or rather the existence of matter and force is eS-
seutial to any conception ofperSonality. We want
not then, supernatural religion TO order man
what TO do and what 10 believe; we must have
done with faith the inscrutable in order to have
knowledge Of the ponderable; we must abolish al
egiance 10 the prctentous in order 10 be loyal TO
fundamental Whatever of religion is true and
useful we will keep-keep it and use it, as we can
prove it true and turn IL TO use We can own its
poetry poetry. understand its fables allegOry,
and. divestng lis philosophy from its superstition.
join il with demonstrated science and make an
emancipated culture. whose Christs are inspira-
tons, whose Bible is the universe and whose God
is wisdom. justice, and benevolence.