Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-02-16

on receipt OF prlce-zOc., VI ~. 80 -
HUMPHREYS MEDICINE COMPANi'
Ill and ils William street, New YORK
Neander, Goethe, Fichte, ard hecHS.
Q2ev. DR.. uoge. in Central Presbyterian
Those who lead studious lives. mahlNs
books rather than men their companions
and who have little association with the
world, are little aware OF the gross ign0-
rance Of the very fundamental prihcipleS
OF ethics which characterize many VINO
live under the full light Of the divine
revelation Of truth and duty. The hte-
nature OF the day, so far as many OF
the popular writers OF fiction in our aay
are concerned, is permeated with theories
destructive to the sanctity or marriage
TO the rights OF property. 10 the SUI
premacy OF constitutional law, to the
principles whose necessity time has test
cd. and which were once regarded as un-
assallable as the axlCms Of mathematics
There are men who are ambitious OF the
title Of advanced thinkers whose adyanc-
ed thought Is the advance of the repudia-
ton of principles which have hitherto
been regarded as fixed and unassaAao.e'
en- advance which loves TO startlss the
WNIl1 Nv a u+Illdl VI hAldN 10 81
by q bold and irreverent denial OF be-
llefs which were once supposed to De too
sacred to be approached but with reVe-
rental awe; an advance which suosu-
tutes unverlfed hypothesis for demon
strated and established fact.
a late issue OF this paper coitaili "a
the Affirmation OF Neander. t1chte. ana
Goethe-men OF vastly dissimilar opinions
on ethical subjects-yet in entire agree,
ment as TO The controlling ihnuehSe "
the inciinations Of men on their o sllels,
There Is an intimate connection between
q perverted moral nature. often rsVeallhs
itself IN a vicious life, and an erroneous
creed. Even those who admit tEat we arc
responsible for our conduct, ONsFloohi"s
the fact that the stream must paIlahy %
the character OF the fountain, ueny tude
there can be any moral character IN our
beliefs, inasmuch as they are Involuntary,
and since we must believe what Is prOSee
TO be true, and cannot believe "hht
cOntradlcta our ideas OF what ought 10 De
true our convictions are simply matters
of necessity, and therefore, where therS
is no room for choice. there can De 10
responsibility for belief or unbelet;
The deVOut Neander, the speculative
Goethe, The free-thinking Fichte, express
ei the same thought, almost In tho SANE
LANGUAGE, that "the heart creates the
creed" They were too dlsc'rnhg az IL
they had too much knowledge or tne
honesty and moral earnestness were es-
sential to right perceptions or truth, ana
conversely that debased lie was the
antecedent TO a darkened understanding.
They knew too much OF human mature
not TO admit the disturbing influence OF
evil passions md degrading habits on
the very capacity Of making correct dis
tinctions between right and wrong.
To these distinguish thinkers We may
add the testimony 81 'iher equally eml-
ueut in the fayorif- OF his inyesti-
cations. Says Lecky a his History or
Morals" In the ascer,alnmeut OF truth
there must be a moral preparedness. Men
frequently fail to receive the truth De-
cause of their insincerity and the impurity
OF their lives. Error frequently springs
from the partial or complete absence OF
that mental disposition which Is implied
In a real love Of truth. IL would be diiil-
whose genuine convictions are due 70 the
unbiased convictions OF their interests
and passions. Every moral conviction
brings with 10 an intellectual bias. which
exercises a great and controlling influence
even upon the most earnest inquiry. Ihe
materials with which the intellect
builds are often derived from the heart
and moral disease Is not unfrequently
the root OF errOLeous judgment" This Is
81 exact accordance with The statement
If 1 regard inqulty in my heart, the
Lord Will lot hear me" and IL Is equally
true that II we regard inlquity In our
HtdTl We VIII not near the LDEl.
Or. Chalmers gives Us an interesting
and convincing Illustration. He says, Az
CUISINE, AT the commencement or MS
Christianity, who for years has CROPPED
after the truth in darkness and deepest
spiritual distress, seeking peace with God
and finding none, and making thousand
fruitless efforts TO force The barrier, had
long been the b)ndsman TO one OK those
degrading lusts which war against the
soul, a tFrant appetite which not only
gnEl4VpI hnf daTkenal him AS long Il
the passion retained its mystery, his UNI
Outstanding remained overloaded, and
not till after a weary struggle did he
break loose from the imprisonment which
confined him. No sooner was he cmanci-
pated from the thraldOm OF a forbidden
pleasure than his whole faculties were
set at liberty. When the chains OF a
nost degrading bondage fell from his
person. then the scales fell from hi.
eyes. The most illustrious champion of
orthodoxy In the performance OF the
thing necessary to be done had n clear
perception Of the thing necessary to be
believed"
one OF the most interesting Incidents
I'm the life OF Lord Byron was the receu-
ton OF a letter received from a clergy
man, enclosing PRAYER found among
the papers OF his deceased wife. that the
genius Of the poet might be cOnsecrated
TO the service Of God. Byron, In his
reply, said: "All the fame which ever
cheated humanity into its highest esti-
nation or rs own Importance would never
weigh against the pure and pious interest
which virtuous being took In my well
fare. would not exchange the prayer OF
the deceased against the united glory or
Homer, Caesar, and Napoleon. Do me the
Justice 20 believe that while l follow the
worse things see the better things. But
q mans creed does not depend upon him
self. Who can say, / believe this, that
or the other, and. least OF all, tha9 which
he cannot comprehend Why could he
not comprehend? His life was the answer
to the question. IL was, only a dim. In
tellectual perception which enabled him
TO ''see the better things" IL was the
moral obliquity which caused him to FOL
low the worse things" lie says. "A
mans creed does not depend on hlmself;
who can say, / will believe this. that
or the other?" This was his defence for
his unbelief An immoral life was the
cause o. his inability; the indulgence OF
evil passions so clouded his spiritual in
right. though he said he I'D. while he
voluntarily pursued the wrong.
There are men who were once ike trim,
we'll ballaSted ships, coming out OF port
with sails filled with fayoring winds; who
because OF indulgences which shatter the
physical frame and enfeeble the moral ma
ture. tecome like crippled barks. which
founder heavily along. leaking and labor
Ing with doubtful hope OF ever reaching
the harbor One OF the ferrih'a eno@'- ~
an immoral life is that II dms the eye
OF conscience SO that II can no longer
see the guiding-star. so distOrts the rea-
son that IL can no longer make a safe
reckoning: so wrenches the VIII thar IL
no longer serves as reliable rudder 10
guide the vessel amidst the shoals and
reefs which make navigation perilous.
II "a only to the upright that light
arises In the darkness: only the path or
the just that shineth more and more unto
the perfect day. The secret OF the Lord Is
communicated only 10 those who fear
Him. III Is only where the eye Is single
tol. q. f,,If ~ 1fot nnI