The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1884-07-16
For the Farmer and Mechanic.
InfdelS Desponding.
BY REV. CHARLES F. DEEMS, D D.

The men who are laboring to destroy
Christianity do not grow happy. There
is a certain exhiiaration while their bright
but injurious books bring them copy
right, and while crowds of men are found
willing, tor reasons which bring no credit
to their minds or their hearts, to pay a
dollar each and contribute also their APP
plause to preacher OF blasphemy; but
as life wears on, and as there comes to
such men revelation of the probable eff
tects Of their teaching on the future SO
ciety, they grow very respondent
NJ. Renan is reported to have said
"We are living Oh the perfume of an
empty vase. Our children will have to
live on the shadow of shadow. Their
children, fear, will have TO live on some
thing less.
II would be almost cruelty to ask this
brilliant writer who they are that emp
tied the vase, and who they are that have
spent their strength In taking the sub
stance out Of all human life, SO that moth
ing shadows should be left. But should
he be spared that keen question unless
he frankly repent and employ the re-
mainder of his life in laboring to neutra-
lie the poison he has SO insidiously in
iected into society, and which now
injects him and produces deadly despon-
dency?
We have, however, comfort for him
and for all of his class. Their grand
children will live in an age of increasing
| Christian activity, in an age when Chris
tiani,y will be more stripped of ecclesi-
asticism tha now, and the mind of the
| Spirit of the " ord OF God will be better
| known, and there shall be an increase of
| OF that faith that rounds out reason COM
| plements the barrennesS OF this life to
come. They will have something better
than perfume and more substantial than
| shadows.
Now let all men pause and consider the
| pitifulness Of this case. \ few gifted
men have been employing their powers
IN accumulatiug au estate for posteritv,
and he best Of them thus make state
ments Of the assets of the estate; In
hand, 'the PEI fume of an empty vase,
'or the next generation, the shadow OF
shadow TOR the third generation,
something less No wonder NJ. Renan
IS desp, nuent. The more his descend
ants believe as he does the less they will
! have.
/ liz Id a tOI NllllOlu, VI VI
his dying bed, uttered some inexpressi-
bly, mournful thoughts, which are strik-
ingly similar to the testimony Of NJ.
ReDan. Prof Clifford said:
1T cannot be doubted that the theistic
belief is a comfort and a solace to those
who hold it, aud that the loss of it is a
very painful loss. Ii cannot be doubted
;,t least by many of us 10 this generation
who either profess it now or have received
i in our chi dhood, and have parted
from it since with such searching trouble
as only cradle-faiths can cause. We
have seen the spring sun shine out of al
empty heaven to light up soulles5 eartf
we have felt with utter loneliness that
the great Companion is dead. =
The laborers on the Christian side have
10 such gloom. We may die. but The
Gospel will live. The more our descend
ants receive and believe and live thi,
Gospel we preach, the happier they be
We grow cheerful as time goes on and a
our departure is at hand Men may llv,
and men may die, but Christianity goe
on fores er.