The Van Buren press., 1897-08-28
ARP ON INFIDELS.
He Reads What They Write In
New York Papers,
His Feelings Are Shocked, and
He Talks of the Mysteries
OF Nature, and Says lie
Is Satisfied.

OF Nature, and Says lie
Is Satisfied.
These modern agnosties, skepties,
atheists and infdels are having lively
time in the New York papers. The col
umns are open to them, and it keeps our
Christian and God-fearing people busy
III replying to their assaults upon the
Bible and Christianity. No two of
them seem to have the same faith or to
be fighting under the same general,
but they are all engaged in storming the
citadel, some on one side and some on
another and with different weapons If
warfare. They are pull-downers in
stead of build-uppers. One set assaults
the miracles, and seem to have special
spite at Jonah and the whale. Another
set denounces Jephtha for sacrificing
his daughter, and denounees God for
permitting it. They are equally indig-
nant against David for having Josiah
slain, and against Samuel for ordering
Saul to slay the women and children
and cattle of the Amalekites. They de-
clare that all these stories are fakes or,
If true, that God is brute for allowing
such outrages.
Some believe in the New Testament,
but not in the old, while others ridicule
the miraculous conception of the Vir-
gin Mary, and pronounce 1t a woman's
trick to hide her shame. Some write
from medical standpoint, and assert
that man is by no means perfect crea-
tion physically, but could be improved
on in many partieulars-for instance,
the calf of the leg should have been in
front and there should have been one
eve in the back of the head, and the ell
bow should have had back action, so
that man could scratch his back and
q woman button her dress or fasten her
skirt more conveniently. They declare
that a perfect man should be built to
run like horse, and swim like fish,
and fly like a bird. Shakespeare, they
say was only indulging in little tatfy
when he wrote what piece of work
is man. How Noble in season; how in
finite in faculties; in form and moving;
how express and admirable; in action
how like an angel in apprehension how
like godl"
Some of these writers talk about sa-
cred and divine things with the most
shocking contempt and intimate that
nobody but towards and lunatics be-
lieve in them. They would make Vol
taire and Tom Payne ashamed of them
selves. Now, if a man has doubts about
the miracles or the divinity of Christ
and is really seeking after the truth
and expresses himself in language that
shows respect for the faith of his fell
low men, it is all right, but we are too
helpless to be vain or conceited. III l
knew where | came from, or where l
was going, or what would be my fu-
ture state, or if l could prolong my
existence or could foresee the calami-
ties of life and prevent them, ! could
afford to strut around and play Sir
Oracle. But / feel my helplessness
more and more every day, and like a
child in trouble / want to go to my
father. Whether there be a God or not,
all the good people / have ever known
or read about believed there is, and it
| is disrespect to them to take His name
| in vain. Addison says that Sir Robert
| BOYLE, who was the greatest naturalist
that England ever produced, had the
most profound veneration for the SUI
preme Being and never mentioned the
name of God without a pause-a Wis
ible stop in his discourse. No well-bred
man is ever profane or speaks the
name of God irreverently. l cannot
understand how medical men who have
studied the anatomy of the human
body-this complex and wonderful ma
chine-should ever be skeptical about
Gods existence. If / knew how my
will, which is immaterial, controls my
muscles, which are material, and make
me extend my hand or my foot or close
my eyes and open my mouth, / might
boast of little knowledge; but as il
is, the raising of my arm or the writ
ing with this pen is q greater miracle
than Jonah living three days in q
whales belly. Every seed that ger
inmates and makes n flower is a miracle
to me. Sometimes / wonder If i haC
glass that would magnify a millior
times could | see the embryo oak in G
little acorn; could / see the orange
tree in the seed OF the fruit. All ma
ture is full of miracles. Winding VI
the canes in front of my veranda are
madeira vines that climb one way ant
hop vines that climb the other way
and Jasmine vines that climb both ways
Every plant has its own laws, ant
they are Interchangeable. just so will
the beasts and birds and insects, ant
almost envy them in their happy ig
norance of death and a future state
Hundreds of katydids are singing il
the grove while | write. The males
are making music for their unmusica
mates. They will sing on and be happy
for three months and die. The form
and structure of their little bodies il
miracle, for the utmost ingenuity o
man could not make one. The two
little drums that every cicada carrie'
for sounding boards and the tiny fret
on their wings that scrape each othei
with inconceivable rapidity makes {
musical note that can be heard hal
n mile on a still and quiet night. And
then their sense of hearing is so won
derfully acutel For what child hai
not tiptoed to the tree and touched
it ever so gently and closed the or