National Republican., 1881-10-22

tied in the Old Testament-that II is only dis
couraged" II seems to me that little legislation
that subject might have tended to Its discour-
agement" But where Is the legislation In the
moral code which Mr. Black assures us CONSISTS
Of certain immutable rules TO govern the conduct
Of all men at all times and at all places in their
private and personal relation with others" not one
word is found on the subject Of polygamy. There
is nothing "dscouraging " in the Ten Command
ments, nor in the records Of any conversation Je-
hovah is claimed to have had with Moses upon
Sinai. The life OF Abraham, the story OF Jacob
and Daban, the duty Of brother to be
the husband Of the widow Of his deceased
brother, the life OF David, taken In con-
noction with the practice Of one who
is claimed TO have been the wisest Of men-all
these things aro probably relied on TO show that
polygamy was at least discouraged" Certainly
Jehovah had time to instruct Moses rs 10 the In
fanny OF polygamy. He could have spared few
moments from q description Of the patterns OF
tongs and basins for subject so important ns this.
A few words in favor of the one wife and the one
husbnnd-in favor of the virtuous and loving
home-might have taken the place of instructions
rs TO cutting the garments Of priests and fashion
ing candlcscks and ouchcs Of gold. II he had
left out simply tho order that rams skins should
he dyed red, and in its place had said: "a man
shall have but one wife, and wife but one hus-
band" how much better IL would have been. For
the purpose Of defending the character
OF HIS ISFALLiBLE GOD
Mr.. Black is forced to defend religious intoler-
anCe, wars of determination, human slavery, and
almost polygamy. He admits that God established
slavery; that Io commanded Ills chosen people
TO buy the children of the heathens that hcathcn
fathers and mothers did right to sell their girls
aud boys; that God ordered thoJc to wagc wars
Of determination aud conquest; that II was right
to kill the old and young; that God forged mana.
cles for the human brain that lie commanded
husbands to murder their wives for suggesting the
worship Of the sun or moon, and that every cruel,
savage passage in the Old Testament was inspired
by lliu. Such is a policoman's" view Of God.
II JEHOVAH WAS IN FACT GOD,
lie knew the end from the beginning, lie knew
that Ills Bible would be n brenstwork behind
which tyranny and hypocrisy would couch; that
1t would be quoted by tyrants; that It would be
the defense Of robbers called kings and Of hypo-
critics called priests, He knew that he had taught
the Jewish people butlttle ofimportance He knew
that lie found them free and left them captivcs.
lie knew that lie had never fulfilled the promises
made to them. He knew that while other nations
| had advanced in art and science, His chosen peo-
pie were savage STILL He promised them the world
and gave them desert. lie promised them liberty,
and lie made them slaves. lie promised them
victory, and He gave them defeat. He said they
promised them universal empire, and gave them
exile. When one finishes the Old Testament, he is
compelled to say: Nothing can add to the misery
of Nation whose King is jehovah And here l
take occasion to thank Mr.. Black for having ad-
mittcd that Jehovah gave venocommandmentag no against
THE PRACTICE OF poLYGAMY,
that lie established slavery, wagcd wars Of ex-
termination, and prosecuted for opinions sake
even unto death. Most theologians endeavor to
putty patch, and paint the wretched record of in
| spircd crime but Mr.. Black has been bold enough
and honest enough to admit the truth. In this
| age of fact and demonstration 1t Is refreshing to
| find man who believes so thoroughly In the mon
strous and miraculous the impossible and i'm.
moral-who still clings lovingly to the legends oi
the bib and rattle-who through the bitter expert
ences of a wicked world has kept the credulity o
the cradle, and finds comfort and joy in thinking
about the Garden Of Eden, the subtle serpent the
flood, and Babel's tower, stopped by the jargon oi
a thousand tongues-who reads with happy eyes
the story of the burning birthstone storm that fell
upon the cities Of the plain, and smingly explains
the transformation Of the retrospective Mrs. Lot
who laughs at Egypts plaques and Pharaoh's
| whelmed and drowning hosts-eats mama with
THE WANDERING JEWS,
warns himself at the burning BUSH sees Korah.
company by the hungry earth devoured, claps
his wrinkled hands with glee above the heathens
butchered babes, and longingly looks back to thu
patriarchal days of concubines and slaves. How
touching when the learned and wise crawl back IL
cribs and ask to hear the rhymes and fables onc
again How charming in these hard and scientif
times to see old age nsuperstitons lap, with cage
lips upon her withered breast. Mr. Black contend.
after having answered my Indictment against tn
Old Testament by admitting the allegations TO bt
true that the rapidity with which Christianit
spread "proves the supernatural origin OF tn
Gospel or that II was propoEated by the direct ait
of the Divine Being Himself"
| LET US SEE.
In his efforts 10 show that the infalible Coz
established slavery in Judea he takes occasion
to say that "the doctrine that slavery is q Grim,
under all circumstances was first started by tn
adherens of political faction In this country les
than forty years ago." that they denounced Go,
and Christ for not agreeing with them !" but tha
"they did not constitute the civilized world no
were they, If the truth must be told, a very re
spectacle portion of It," Let II be remembers
that this was only forty years ago and yet, accord
ing to Mr.. Black, u few disreputable men change
the ideas of nearly fifty millionsof people, change
the Constitution of the United States. libcrate
q race from slavery clothed three millions Of pee
pie with political rights. took possession Of tn
Government, managed Its affairs for more tina
twenty years, and have compelled the admiratio
of the civilized world. Is IL Mr.. Blacks idea th6
I this happened by chance2 If not then, Qccordin
to him, there are but two ways to account for H.
either the rapidity with which Republicans,
spread proves Its supernatural ORIGIN or else /
propagation was provided for and carried on /
the direct aid Of the Divine Being Himself" b,
tween these two Mr. Black may make his choc
He will at once see that the rapid rise and sprel
/ of any doctrine does not even tend to show that
was divinely revealed.
THIS ARGUMENT is APPLICABLE
5 to oil religions. Mohammedans can use IL as We
S as Christians. Mohammed was q poor man,
5 driver OF camels. He was without education will
4 out influence, and without wealth, and yet in
few years lie consolidated thousands OF tribes, al
# millions of men confess that there is zone Go
1t and Mohammed is his prophet" His success W
Il n thousand times greater during his life than tn
n of Christ, He was not crucined; he was a co
% queTor. "0f all men, he exercised the greatest /
o fuence upon the human race" Never in I
II worlds history did religion spread with I
rapidity Of his. II burst like storm over
fairest portions OF the globe. II Mr.. Black is rig
Is in his position that rapdty is secured only by
i direct aid Of the Divine Being, then Mohamm
10 was most certainly the prophet of God. As TO WI
N OF exermination and slavery, Mohammed agre
o with Mr.. Black. and upon polygamy with J
4, hovnh. As TO religious toleration, he was gr,
|. enough TO say that "men holding TO any form
Of faith might be saved provided they were virt
,e GUS" In this he was far in advance both Of
ir hovnh and Mr.. Black. Again, It Is urged that "t
ID acceptance Of Christianity by large portion OF
ir generation contemporary with
lc ITS FOUNDER AND HIS APOSTLES
H. was, under the circumstances, an adjudicati
Il as solemn and authoritative as mortal ntelligeI
,e could pronounce" II this is true then the O
ceptance Of Buddhism by large portion OF I
generation contemporary with It's founder was
A. adjudication as solemn and authoritative as m,
I'd tai intelligence could pronounce" The sa
rn | could he said of Mnhnmmednnism and In fnnL