Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-02-07
An unIucky Mixture.
observations of a Philosophical Friend
of Ours)

observations of a Philosophical Friend
Of Ours)
1t is recorded in the early history OF
our race. that the sons Of God saw the
daughters Of men that they were fair'
and made marriages with them, ana
raised families more remarkable for
strength than virtue and good behavior.
There were giants In those days.
Uncongenial marriages are unlucky af-
fairs. and bring unhappy and monstrous
results and products.
In the primitive times, when devotion
TO Christian truth and character meant
the hazard of everything that man
had. including his life, the church was
pretty well separated from the world"
and kept distinct. There could be no
agreement between him that believed
and an infdel, between Christ and
Belial; the antagonism was too great.
But the days of persecution have passed,
and good fellowship has come to be the
fashion. To be positive is to be unso-
cable, and TO be popular is the rule.
Peace and prosperity have ever been
known to breed towards; and fealty to
the common crowd means moral weak
ness. We are feeling this everywhere.
Demagogy perverts and dilutes states
manship; it lowers the tone Of society.
It enfeebles individual faith and virtue,
and makes the very teachers of truth
caterers to unnatural and disloyal crav-
.ngs. The sons of God have again made
marriages with the daughters of men,
&c "
Of Christ still exists and grows; but
the city is low and in low place. the
true followers Of the lowly Saviour
avoid observation as he did; and prefer
that their aims and devotions shall be
in secret: and their growth and adj
vance is sure and irresistible But the
hybred progeny fill the air and the pub
lie eve, and fiaunt their banners, display
their hneries in all high places. And
as hybrids they show their double
parentage Their loyalty to the faith
makes them wear the name and out
ward show Of Christianity; their
loyalty 10 the devil makes them the
treacherous and deadly foes Of Scripture
truth and essential manhood. They
make war on Scripture truth by faint
praises, by vicious interpretations. and
by false suggestions and explanations.
They dilute and adulterate graces until
their is no flavor or grace in them. They
weaken the bonds of duty till it has no
binding power. They obliterate ancient
landmarks, and mix the colors of good
and evil till there seems no difference
between them. They confound the true
and false. and mix good. bad, and in
different I'm one common mass. And so
tho offspring of the unnatural marriage
of the church and world go on their
way. They are adapted TO supply the
trade. They are latitudinarians and
liberals, and Broad-Church men, higher
critics. advanced thinkers. philosophers,
and Socialists; and show the hundred
heads of the one body Of human pride
and irreligion and essential vice. They
have forsaken the foundation of living
waters. and what wisdom is in them?
History is repeating itself; and this
monstrous progeny of a secularized
church is producing prodigies Of intel
lect and originality. and sacrilegious
daring, and dazzling sensation that
makes them pass for wonders, and
amaze the idle crowd. There are giants
in our days. There are powers in the
air, rulers Of the darkness Of this world,
and spiritual wickedness in high places,
ecclesiastical as well as civil, against
which the pure word Of God must con-
tend. and over which it will triumph.