National Republican., 1883-10-15

TO the decadence of roligi us belief or morality
which the sciontist seemed to exhibit in his
averments that Christianity is going by the
board, and that agnosticism or religious
know nothingism is rapidly coming to the
front and assuming the leadership. Nor
did he share the wonder as to what
would become of morality in this
event, OF if there would be any.
If / should hear some one say that trade was
decreasing and dying out. and then should
look around and sec every indication OF busi-
ness activity, the streets and wharyes crowded
with loaded teams, fleets of ships loaded with
merchandise arriving and departing new
| buildings for trading purposes constantly be-
ing erected, stores at q premium, and every
| token of magnificent movement in all kinds
of merchandise, j should say that tho
| croaker / had heard was mistaken.
So when / hear that Christianity is dying
out, look around to verify the assertion by
| facts. Instead of ruined churches, lack of in
| tercst, and impressions Of defeat and dis
| couragement. / find everywhere splendid
churches, built with alacrty and joy, and
the hand of the defenders of the faith fully
armed to meet any foe, filled with earnest
ness zeal and devotions With that great
apostle who wrote my text and in whose
footsteps l feebly strive to follow, VI am con-
hdont of this very thing, that lie which
hath begun q good work in you will perform
it until the day of Jesus Christ
The cry against Christianity comes not only
up from the rough and the vicious, but it is
tho hippant creed of crowds of college gradu-
ates, medical students, young lawyers, and
many women who have been denied beauty
and grace who are seeking notoriety by its
open avOwal.
II belief in God and supernatural religion
were done away with there would bo no sure
ground for morality to stand upon. AL
though there are many infdels who live pure
and virtuous lives, il must be remembered
that they live in a Christian land, breathe
Christian air, enjoy Christian protection and
are under Christian influences. He referred
to tho days of Greece and Rome and tho
middle ages and the time of Louis XIV, when
there WIS n dearth, of true religious belief and
morality was at tho lowest ebb. and drew
graphic pictures of the Godcssness of those
periods. DIR. Locke concluded as follows:
Social science has its uses. 1t needs cult
walton. God knows we need to understand
n million times better than we do the laws
which govern human life, but it is wretched
drivel to think that it can supplant the father
hood of God and the brotherhood of all men
in Christ. If God is not our father and there
is no account to be given Him,what principle
forbids the stronger races and those with SUI
perior fire arms from preying upon tho
weaker. Nothing but Christianity keeps
that even now in allegiance. and that
only imperfectly; hence Christianity has only
limited influence, but remove it altogether
and along our streets and over tho world
would rise the shout Of domigod populace,
crying Since there is no God ] will do as |
please, and | am the strongest and you must
go under! Why should / not rob any one l
please and could rob if there be no God and no
hereafter? Because it would be against tho
public good, the agnostic would say. Yes, but
who has right TO say what the public good
is? The majority might say it was for the
public good. l may not rob, nor swear, nor
commit adultery, because God has said so;
because morality has its source in the bosom
of God. and the rock on which it rests is
responsibility at tho end of life. Woe
to the weak woe to the helpless, woe
to the humble, woe to the retiring if ever
social science comes to be our god, and the
the Lord God Almighty is driven from the
throne of our hearts. Believe me, beloved,
with the Christian religion will go all that
you hold dear in your homes, in your society,
in your country, in your life, and then to
the modern question, "Is life worth living"
there can be no other reply than thunder
Gus no.
But repeat do not fear. Infdelity may
succeed in bringing us very low, but the
Lord God reigneth. He will still the crying
of the air, and the noise of the waves, and
the madness of the people, See to it that you
keep your faith in all this turmoil. Hope
may die and be buried among the flow
ers, but from its sweet dust a new hope may
arise and take the semblance of the old. Love
may die, but hearts can love again, and the
memories of the past are soft and sweet:
But when the shrine where we have earned up
Trust, pride devotion shivers at our feet,
When poison lurking in the loving cup
Turns into singing gall what was so sweet,
What solace bends above each bitter death,
What future comforts us for murdered faith?