Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1881-12-03
on RTESTOWN JEFFERSON COUNTY, W. VA. SATURDAY DEd


strangled the monsters that summoned it
into existence.
The French revolution was the outcFop-
ping Of popular passions engendered by
ages Of oppression, both by church and
state. But who is there that dares 10 de-
fcnd the crimes it committed when tie fren-
~ Of revenge governed the people and the
god Of reason was their only deity?
Our Pagan Prince, although lawyer Of
great ability, cuts adrift from philosophic
teaching and precedent; for back 70 pre-
historic ages DO not call to:u;nd any great
people without religion they recognized
its necessity BY is existence.
II may be said that this proves nothing.
But it does prove that tie testimony Of the
human family is registered in its favor;
does prove thst i; IS an elementary condi-
ton of human nature, and that established,
the friend Of good order must recognize IL
necessity Erery careful rea cg Of history
IS compelled 10 ad'ait that the church pre-
scnts sorry picture; tha; ;sincc the louD6a-
( ton Of christianity It has committed many
crimes: tha; it has more frequently sided
( with tie oprr,ssc- than wiki TIE Oppressed; 4;
that largely through what wss denounced
herotical By the church ha- liberty been cs-
tab,islel and intelligence d.auscd. But
the church IS not necessarily tie exposiior
/ of the religion; nor can the christian faith
be justly held responsible for its wrong-do-
ings
Voltaire fought for liberty when !: was
PROSTATE beneath tic iron heel Of bigoty,
and Is justly immorializci .or tie greatness
of his achievement.
inger,ol lives I'm az age whoa tie church
IS under control, and in a country every
wetchtowcr Of which is named by defenders
Of liberty
Assuming fcf argument that all lie says
be true, what good could conc from the
overthrow Of a harmless faith that soften.
the rurgeduc,s Of If. to untold Thousands
Of weary souls that smootbs to the believer
The pathway that divides time from eterni-
ty; that enables the mother with trusting
heart to surrender the LAMBS Of her Aock to
TIE fold Of tie God she worahips; that gov
erns many waywa'i spirit to obedience.
and makes good citizens of thousands who,
without its ministra'icns, would be pests to
society?
Let Us suppose there was no real Christ;
that mankind, onyironed by Pagan theories,
with only the rick and the powerful crown
cd With immorteles, had learned enough to
break the chains that bound them and defy
principle; that no real presence had pro-
claimed that all men were equal before
their creator that paganism, with its sla-
very in Rome and its hclotry in the most
chiyalrc States of Greece; 'hct Pagan
civilization wac still porrotuated, whore
would liberty, which he laud- so much have
found an abiding place? Docs he not real
;ze that tic philosophy of the period, or the
real presence Of Christ in either condition,
proclaiming the equality Of wen with their
creator, WAS the main-pring Of liberty ?
Does be deny that Christ either doiGed as
the necessity Of the age or in real presence,
was the first and The greatest Of all Demo
crats? By Democrat | do not mean the
blatant dcmagccuo who, in either OF the
parties in any country, wears the livery Of
heaven to serve the devil in, but ! do mean
that man or woman who, loving her kind,
believes in their equality, and that 70 Gle
yate their own condition they must elevate
and ennoble their race.
VIII the Royal Bob take a retrospective
yica aul fix up the world TO hi. own liking
since christian civilization first dawuei?
Would he have Pagani.m? If not, what
would he have? Let the nan Of the word
know.
Would he, # he could re5nrrect the ages,
however much they have been di.,9lored by
the crimes of tie church, aanihiiatc chris
tisn phiiosoplics?
Let lim, considering, as hecaa ably the
tedious process o.: Lunea achis9emcf, tell
US of better plan 70 elori'y human liberty
,han Christ taugh. ia his sermon on tie
Mount.
Lotus reason with the Royal Bob in re-
gard to the danger that would beet US ii
the churches, tic preachers and the chris
tan faith should perish, and all belief in
religion die out of the hrmsn hearth
Is he 40 bc.otton with prejudice or 40 in
iltcd with his own aJs'rac,ions, thai be
would fail to realize that the grea. moral
anchor Of mankind was lost; that without
II, inspirations a dreary and hopeless phi
losophy would smother al the nob.est emo
;ions; tLat mankind withou; religion means
,uljugation 70 tie passions; means society
conyulscd into heli-broih; means tie pill
ls,. Of state in ruiz, and tie dome.ticaltars
prostrato? TuE NAs OF THE WORLD.
At Grand Island the other dag, says Mr.
Nyc. q passenger found three fie. in his tea