Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1899-09-07

worth all other books put together is the
Bible." Benjamin Rush, the leading physi.
ologist and anatomist OF his day, the great
medical scientist-.what did he say2 "Ths
ity." Isaac Newton. the leading phiioso-
pher OF his time-what did he say?
That man surrendering to this delu-
sion OF Christian religion. crying
out "The sublimest philosophy oD
earth is the philosophy Of the Gospel"
whose name every scientist the world over
uncovers his head, David Brewster saving.
"Oh, this religion has been great light to
me, very great light all my daysi" Presi-
acknowledging that he prayed whom he
said, II invoke the Lord God, in whom
am glad to believe" David Livin gstone,
able to conquer the lion, able to conquer
the panther, able to conquer the savage,
yet conquered by this deluslon, this halluci-
nation, this great swindle OF the ages, SO
when they find him dead they find him on
his knees. William e. Gladstone, the
strongest intellect In England, unable to
resist this chimera, this fallacy, this de-
lusion OF the Christian religion, went TO
the house OF God every Sabbath and often.
prayers to the people. II those mighty In
tellects are overborne by this deIusion,
what chance Is there for you and for me?
Besides that, have noticed that first
rate infldels cannot be depended on for
steadfastness In the proclamation Of their
sentiments. Goethe. leading skeptic,
was so wrought upon by this Christianity
that In weak moment he cried out, my
belief in the Bible has saved me In my lit
erary and moral life." Rousseau, one OF
the most eloquent champions OF inf1delity.
spending his whole life warning against
Christianity, cries out, "The majesty OF
the Scriptures amazes me-" Altemont.
the notorious iel, one would think he
would have been safe against the delusion
OF the Christian religion. Oh, no! After
In his last hours he cried out, "Oh, Thou
blasphemed but most indulgeht Lord God,
hell itself is a refuge II 1t hide me from Thy
frown!' Voltaire, the most talented infideI
the world ever saw, writing $50 publicn-
tions, and the most OF them spiteful against
libertine Of the century-one would have
thought he could have been depended
upon for steadfastness in the advocacy Of
infdelity and In the war against this terri
BILE chimera, this delusion of the Gospel.
But no; in his last hour he asks for
give him the sacrament of the Lord
Jesus Christ. Why, you cannot de-
pend upon these first rate infidels; you
cannot depend upon their power to resist
this great celusion of Christianity. Thomas
Paine, the god of modern skeptics, -
ton with great nthusiasm-Thomas Paine,
the paragon Of Bible haters-Thomas
Paine, about whom his brother inlldel,
William Carver, wrote in letter which I
have at my house, saying that he drank q
quart OF rum day and was too mean and
too dishonest to pay for it--Thomas Paine,
the adored OF modern in1ldelity
Paine, who stole another mans wife in :,
England and brought her to this country
Thomas Paine, who was SO squalid and
80 loathsome and 80 drunken and so prof.
ligate and 80 beastly in his habits, some-
times picked out Of the ditch, sometimes
too filthy to be picked out-Thomas Paine,
one who would have thought that he
could have been depended on for stead
fastness against this great delusion.
But no. In his dying hour he begs the
Lord Jesus Christ for mercy. Powerful
delusion, all conquering delusion, earth
quaking delusion of the Christian religion.
Yea, 1t goes on. It Is SO impertinent, and
It is so oyerbearing. this chimera OF the
Gospel, that, having conquered the great
picture galleries OF the world, the old mas
ters and the young masters, 1t Is not salts
fed until 1t has conquered the music OF the
world. Look over the programme Of any
magnificent musical festival and see what
ere the great performances and learn that
the greatest Of all the subjects are religious
subjects.
Deluded lawyers-.Lord Cairns, the high
visor of the throne, spending his vacation
in preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ to
the poor people of Scotland. Frederick T.
Frelinghuysen, of New Jersey, once Secre-
tary OF State, an old-fashioned Evangelical
Christian, an elder in the Reformed
Henry Wilson, the Vice-President OF the
United States, diving deluded Methodist
or Congregationalst. Earl Of Kintore dy-
ing deluded Presbyterian.
Yes, this delusion Of the Christian re-
ligion shows itself in tho fact that it goes
bad enough to cheat man when he Is veil
and when he is prosperous, but this re-
ligion comes to man when he is sick and
says: "You will be we'll again after awhile.
You are going into land where there are
no coughs, and no pleurisies, and no con-
courage and bear up" Yea. this awful
chimera of the Gospel comes to the poor,
and 1t says to them, "You nre ON your
way to vast estates and to dividends al
ways declarable." This delusion of Chris
tianity comes tc the bereft, and it talks Of
tion of all sorrow. And then, to show that
this delusion will stop ut absolutely moth
ing, It goes to tho dying bed and fills the
man with anticipations. How much better
1t would be to have him die without any
more hope than swine and rats and snakes!
more lett of him. He will never know any
thing again. Shovel him underl The soul
is only superior part of the body, and
when the body disintegrates the soul dis
integrates. Annihilation, vacancy, ever
lasting blank, obliteration. Why not pres
ent all that beautiful doctrine to the dying
instead of coming with this hoax. this
swindle Of the Christian religion, and fill
ing the dying man with anticipations OF
another life until some IN the last hour
have ciapped their hands, and some have
shouted, and some have sung, and some
have been 80 overwrought with jov that
they could only look ecstaticp Palace
gates opening, they thought-diamond
coronets flashing, hands beck koning, or
chestras sounding. Little children dying
actually believing they saw their departed
parents, 30 that although the little chill
dren had been so weak and feeble and sick
for weeks they could not turn on their dy-
Ing pillow at the Inst, in a paroxysm OF !
rapture uncontrolable they sprang to their
feet and shouted, "Mother, catch me; I
am coming"
And'to show the immensity OF this delu-
sion, this awful swindle of the Gospel OF |
Ta., IL .sak krI