The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-02-26

Abstract Of Recent Lecture OF Dr. IL
Cafisch.

| pc,,o,op-J o. RELIGIOUS doctrines. dog
| mas. rites and ceremonials are only the
| outward expression Of an innate ea"aci-
| ty OF the human soul. when capacity 10
| termed the God-idea. Inc thhatehtss VI
| this God idea Is Amply proven w 10
unIversality. being present In even the
to,vest savnres. The most primitive form
| ~ yorshin was Phallicism, or sex wor-
abin which was common TO almost all
nrehistoric nations. This developed oy
various ways into tho many now existent
forms OF bellel. ..
The two main causes Of variance were
mentioned. as the special doc
trines laid down by prophets, 'ead"rs' re-
formers and other media of divine ana
snecIaI revelation. such as Coltucius,
9,,Sdha Moses. Jesus. Mohammed. etc.
AZ the discussion OF these would lead TO
the discussion OF individual creeds al q
shades of belief, q thing IL was desired
IN avoid. il was omitted. The other most
active cause OF variance In the eNlres-
sion of the God-idea was the sum ot IA
tional traits or tribal charactsristics'
prinitive man in his relation TO Deity
nos swaved more by his emotions and
sensations than by his reason or intel
Loot These feelings and fears were In
,hair turn Influenced by the environments
of the tribe the country In "hl'h TX
lived its resources and topography AS
God has adapted the dumb creatures
each for its particular sphere, so ne las
Gifted man with reason, that ne eOuld
adapt himself to any and all conditions
I'm which he may find himself. man or
a tribe. having by force OF circumstances
chosen q vocation. which, being me
means Of self-preseryation, became TO MIN
n thing most dear 1t was not strange,
then that in striving TO give outward
expression TO that which dtmly struggled
within his breast, he should DO 90 N the
terms OF that which was closest 10 MIN
Hence the hunter had god or me h"h''
the fisherman a god OF the sea- me war
rlor a god OF war. etc. These were u.e
rude beginnings. Aao 10 mes ,ne ,,,,toh
ous terrifying phenomena or nature WbISh
Zero believed TO be the outbursts OF the
arper or caDrice OF a god or goddess,
and Won have peopled the Olympuses or
all ancient nations.
Religion IS I'm great measure ihd"pt"u
N history for It's progress. The errors CT
man I'm regard to the physical world, his
IGNORANCE of the laws Of nature and the
forces Of the universe, have oeen IN very
great measure the cause of his religious
Ss,,tscornentions and suoerstitions The
correction OF the errors IN the realms OF
physical knowledge had its echo in the
science, IS deeply indebted to Calico.
| Harvey, Columbus. Franklin, Newton,
| Fulton, and all the great names on the
roll of the worlds discoveries and lnvan-
| tors; for as man learned that rain. hun
| der, earthquakes, eclipses, storms and
sunshine were not the manifestations Of
Individual gods or goddesses, he ceased
| to fashion new deities for these things
and discarded those he already had. As
| a sculpture before the unhewn block Of
marble stood man before the crude mass
Of his primitive religious conceptions. AS
! the sculptor begins to carve, and bit by
| bit. fragment by fragment chips away
and in due time brings out the true fig ire,
| chastely cut in the pure marble, so nan
| began TO cut away the errors, miscOn-
cepuons, the superstitions and falldcies
| that had shrOudcd the true figure OF a
pure. ideal God conception. His chsel is
Eeen-edged reason, driven home by the
sturdy blows Of science and correct
knowledge
This is the general effect OF history
upon religion. In single nations there
may be special conditions that may adj
vance or retard somewhat the gem
eral progress Stronger nations stretch
out a helping hand to weaker
ones. and help them along history's path
way. Missionaries are noble messengers
Of true religious knowledge; the opening
up of railroad telegraph and steam
ship lines. the accommodation Of
nations are eyangelists Of human broth
erhood; the fleets OF commerce bear
message divine on their broad pinions.
Oppositely, religion has played a most
varied part on the stage Of history. II
has painted a picture full Of blotches OF
light and shade. There is hardly a note
I'm the scale OF human passions that has
not answered 10 the touch Of religion.
sometimes wildly frenzied sometimes i'm
measurably soft and caressing II has
given the shadows Of the child-consuming
Moloch. the Juggernaut car, the devasta-
lions Of MOhammed, the crusades, the
inquisitiOn. and the numberless and end
less prosecutions that have not ceased
yet to-day.
on the other hand it has given to man
his sweetest sOlace his most enduring
hope his tenderest comfort his most
ecstatic Joys his grandest Visions his
highest heroism, and his most patient
martyrdoms. not 70 mention the splendors
Of the literature and art that have been
born under the inspiration of religious
ferVor. The light Of faith has led the
way for those plunged In the darkness OF
misery. sorrow and despair; il has shed
the radiance Of divinest pity. love. mercy
and gentleness. IL has made man climb
upwards toward an ever grander ideal;
Il has sublimed his aspirations; It has
made him strive for the divine glory
after which he was imaged. And man
Will. under God. continue TO climb till
he shall have reached that perfection
accorded TO mortals. till he shall have
attained that chaste and ideal conception
Of Deity. when with barriers broken down
and chasms crossed all creeds shall
unite TO recognize the common brother
hood OF man and the common father
~