The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1890-01-15
THEN AND NOW.


Modern Jnfdelity Hardly More Than an
Echo Of Ancient Paganism--A Bright
Contrast.
Two thousand years behind the times.
Such is modern infidelity Not only has
it not advanced a single new argument
in the last fifteen hundred years, but it's
views Of life and eternity are but echoes
of the sad walls of those who blindly
CROPPED for the truth two thousand years
ago, before life and Immortality were
brought to light in Jesus Christ.
In 1879 Colonel Robert Ingersoll de-
livered an grafton at his brothers grave,
in place of any religious services, from
which ,he following is an extract:
''Yet, after all, it may be best, just in the
happiest, sunniest hour OF all the voyage, while
eager winds are kissing every sail, to dash
against the unseen rock, and in an instant hear
the pillows roar q sunken ship For whether
In mid-sea or among the breakers Of the farther
shore, wreck must mark at last the end Of
each and all, And every life, no matter il its
every hour is rich with love and every moment
jeweled with a joy, will, at it's close, become q
tragedy as sad, and Deep and dark, as can be
woven of the warp and wool Of mystery and
death. Life is narrow vale be-
tween the cold and barren peaks Of two eter-
mites. We strive in vain to look beyond the
heights. We CRY alsud. and the only answer is
the echo Of our waing cry"
These are the hopeless though bril-
liant words OF one who more than any
other single Individual, is entitled to
the claim of representing modern unbe-
lief. This is the best it has to offer, af-
ter eighteen hundred years in which to
improve upon Christianity. Yet no one
can read the utterances of heathens
even before Christ without being struck
by their similarity to the above. Modern
infidelity is hardly more than an echo
of ancient paganism, in whatever as
pect it is viewed. Here are a few ex-
tracts in point from some of the most
noted writers of'antiquity outside of the
Scriptures:
1.-THE hour of departure has arrived, and we
go our ways-I to die and you to live
Which is better God only knows. "-Socrates
Apol. A.
I'VE, in like manner as candlel are lighted,
and again extingushed, Seneca. Eoist. L1V,
Pale Death, with impartial foot knocks at
the novels of the poor and the palaces of the
forbids us to commence any thing far-reaching.
Presently night will Cypress thee and the
ghosts celebrate in fable and the cheerless
home of Pluto.-Horace: L. I: Car. 4: 1917.
1--WE are all pushed in the. same direction,
later or more quickly the forthcoming lot Of all
is shaken in the urn, embarking us in Charon' s
boat for eternal exile. Horace: L. II: Car. 8
1898 ii
Specimen inscription on heather
tombs: E..
ITO eternal sleep" I'VE all, whom Death
has laid low. are decaying bones and ashes
nothing else!' Il was naught, and am naught
thou who readest this, eat, drink, make merry
come! "-Quoted in Uhlhorn p. 20.
Less gloomy and hopeless quotations
might be given, but these are hardly
more than fair samples They show the
utter uncertainty as to the future IL
which the brightest minds are newt
ably left aside from the light of the Re
vealer who came to 'bring life and i'm
mortality to light
Note now the bright contrast between
the foregoing and few of the utter
ances of His Word on the same topics:
my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth
my flesh also shall rest in hope, "-Ps. 10. o.
He will swallow up death in victory; and tn,
Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces
lisa 25; s.
''For the Lord himself shall descend from
Heaven with shout with the voice of tn,
archangel, and with the trump of God; and tn
dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which
are alive and remain shall be caught up to
gether with them in the clouds, to meet tn
Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be wit
&ba ord
with these words."-I Thess, 4, 16, Is.
The moan of the slave whipped to hi
dungeon and the exulting hosannah o
an angel are hardly more diverse tina,
the utterances above. The one is Dor
of gloomy, uncertain fear which fever
ishly shrouds itself in wailing denials
the other is the result of certain fait
and knowledge, and is hope ''sure an
steadfast, reaching unto that beyon
the clouds" Here alone is peace
strength, joyous confidence in view G
the future. 1t is worth worlds to an
soul.-Rev. J. D. Nutting, in Fortnight
ly Advance.
My Heavenly Father is my "othe
partner" in my business. consult wit
Him. 1t is remarkable how am relieve
from the worry and anxiety so commo
to business men. Frequently when
desire to think over a matter" it
really to consult with Him, after whic
nv way is clear. And unto Him rel
der one-tenth. ! often think this ordt
should be reversed and | take the tent
VIM. A. Lay.
To live little at a time and kee