The Washington bee., 1886-10-09
THE PHILOSOPHY OF SIN.

THE PHILOSOPHY OF SIN.
PROF. ALEX. S. RICHARDSON'S. EXC Ell
LENT PAPER BEFORE THE 2D BAP
TIsT LITERARY ASSOCIATION. "A
DISTINGUISHED AUDIENCE PRES
ENT, &C.
The literary association recently
organized in the eastern section of
the city by Prof. w. B. johns IN,
held it's first public exercises IN
last Thursday evening in the I'd
Baptist church. The church was
largely crowded with the b st ele-
ment OF that section of the city
and many others elsewhere. The
program as prepared by the COM
m ttee was carried out with but
one or two exceptions. Miss j.
Minor aud Madame Drew were
unable to obtain their music in
time SO the chairman of the pro
gram committee, Mr.. MaXtielI
substituted other music. Tue
president, w. Calvin Chase, open
ed the exercises in few brief re-
marks, follow d with prayer By
Rev. J Harvey Anderson, and
the resd'ng OF tte minues of the
last meeting by the secretary NJ s.
Lizzie Mason. Tue president
then appointed the folio wing eX.
ecutive committee: A. St. A
Smith, Austin FickIiu, Q. +. Bun
dy, II. Price Williams, III. B.
Flaner. Prof w. B. johnson,
Misses L 0. Cooper, and Jennie
Minor. The essayist OF the even
ing,
| PROF. A. S. RICHARDSON
was introduced and discussed the
! philosophy of sin. Prof. Rich>
ardson said that he would review
the popular idea of the origin of
sin in the world; to give reasons
to show that the idea of a per
sonaI devil or of demonoIogy is
not supported by the teaching of
Mo.es or OF Christ, aud that the
conduct of man is not influenced
by such an extraneous spirit, but
"a mere relic of barbarism. The
violation of Divine law as re-
veaIed by Moses and of human
law founded thereon is the
definition of sin. And finally to
support the proposition that MANS
animal excesses is the result of
'he weakness OF his moral con
stltution and will power; giving
the animal propensities dominion
over man. And this the phil.
osophy of sin. The professor then
gave an ulustratien of the g ,rden
of Eden This Ire sail forms tie
basis of common idea as TO tho
origin of sin; thai this orig nal sin
has been entailed upon the ntire
human family, being b,rn in sin
and that the S tme tempter W hich
| beguiled Eve continues 10 beguiIe
mankind, Influencing his conduct,
enticing ot' Otherwise compelling
him to disobey the law of his
Maker. lie gave several beauti-
tul Illustrations and compari -ons
to substantiate his argument. At
times he became logical and elo-
ouent. The paper for diction and
rhetoric surpassed any that has
been read for sometime. At the
conclusion of its reading it was
open tor discussion. Rev J. II.
Anderson took the ground that
sin existed before it got into the
world. While he admitted that
the paper for lis grammatical con.
struction &C., Were good he disa-
greed TO au extent with the ar.
gumellt advanced by Prof. Rich
ardsOn. Mr.. Geo. Ill. Richardson
supported the paper in his usual
eloquent style. Mr. A. st. A,
Smith, as usual, threw the audi
ence jn'o IL erriment by his keen
and logical argument. Mr.. Smith
admitted that he was in deep Wa
ter and if some one could tell him
why he sinned &c he would like
for them to do SO. Col. Geo. NJ
Arnold said he thought the coloreo
| pc ,ple had too much faith already
He wauten to see some OF then
handle the pIow, the pick and the
like. He also said that he haG
no knowledge OF personal Coo
and 1t there is one, which he