El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1897-04-17

sions, temptations and infirmities as
ourselves. And their writings show
them to have been men of vigorous
understandings.
If, then, their testimony was not
true there was no possible motive for
this fabrication.
1t would also have been irreconcila-
BILE with the fact that they were good
men. But it is impossible to read
their writings and not feel that we are
conversing with men eminently holy,
and of tender consciences, with men
acting under an abiding sense Of the
presence and omnlscience OF God, and
of their accountability to him, living
in his fear and walking in his ways.
Now, though, in a single instance, a
good man may fall when under strong
temptations, yet he is not found persist
ing for years in deliberate falseho0d,
asserted with the most solemn appeals
to God, without the slightest tempta-
tion or motive, and against all the OPP
posing interests which reign in the
human breast.
If, on the contrary, they are suppos-
ed to have been bad men, ii is incred-
ible that such men should have chosen
this form of imposture, enjoining as It
does, unfeigued repentance, the utter
forsaking and adherence of all false
hood and of every other sin, the prac-
tice of daily self-deuial, establishment
and self-sacrifice, the crucifxion of the
flesh with all its earthly appetites and
desires, Indifference to the hOnors and
hearty contempt of the vanities of the
world; and intoxicating perfect purity
of heart and life and Intercourse of the
soul with heaven.
1t is incred bile that bad men should
invent falseboods to promote the reli1-
ion of the God of truth. The suppose
tiOn is suicidal.
l41s
of retribution, a heaven and hell
hereafter, they took the most certain
course, if false witnesses, to secure the
latter for their portion. And If, still
being bad men, they did not believe IN
future punishment, how came they to
invent falsehoods, the direct and GER
tain tendency of which was to destroy
and happiness and to insure their mis-
cry in this life? From these absurdities
there is no escape but in the perfect
conviction and admission that they
were good men, testifying to that which
they bad carefully observed and con-
sidered and well knew to be true.
After witness is dead and his moral
character is forgotten. we can ascertain
it only by close inspection of the mar
rative. comparing its details with each
other and with contemporary accounts
and collateral facts. This test is much
more accurate than may at first be
supposed. Every event which actually
transpires has its appropriate relstion
and place in the most complicated of
circumstances of which the affairs of
men consist: it owes its origin to the
events which have preceded it, is in
timately connected with all others
which occur at the same time and
place, and often with those Of remote
regions, and in its turn gives birth to
mum berless others which succeed. In
all this almost inconceivable contex-
ture and seeming discord there is per-
feet harmony; and while the fact,
which really happened, tallfes exactly
with every other cOntemporaneOus in
cident relates to it in the remOtest
degree, it is not possible for the wit of
man to invent story which, if closely
compared with the actual occurrences
Of the same time and same place, may
not be shown to the false.
Hence it is that false witness will
not willingly detail any circumstances
n which his testimony will be open to
nor multiply them where
here is danger of his being detected
oy comparison of them with other
accounts equally circumstantiaL He
will rather deal in general statements
md broad assertions, and if he finds It
necessary for his purpose to employ
James and particular circumstances in
lis story he will endeavor to invent
UGH as shall be out of the reach of all
pposing proof; and he will be the most
Onward and minute in details where he
nows that any danger of contradiction
5 least to be apprehended. Therefore,
is that variety and minuteness of
etail are usually regarded as certain
ests of sincerity if the story in the
related, is of q nature
apable of easy REPUTATION if it were
alse.
II should be remembered that very
title of the literature of their times
nd country has come down to us, and
nat the collateral sources aud meA ms
f corroborating and explaining their
'ritings are proportionally limited.
he contemporary writings and works
art which have reached us have in
ariably been found to confirm their
ccounts to reconcile what was appar-
nt!y contradictory and supply what
semed defective or imperfect. We
ught therefore to conclude that if we
ad more of the same light all other