Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1899-08-11

fortunes or mlsfOrtunes. The utter
ances were Of such a nature that you
could read them any way you wanted
to read them,
Myriads of "Dupes."
So the ancient auguries deceived the
people. The priests of those augures
by the fight of birds or by the intona-
ton of slain animals told the fortunes
or misfortunes Of individuals of ma
tions. The sibyls deceived the people
The sibylS were supposed to be inspir-
ed women who lived In caves and who
wrote the sibylline books afterward
purchased by Tarquin the Proud. So
late as the year 1929 man arose in
New York, pretending to be a divine
being. and played his part so we'll that
wealthy merchants became his dis
ciples and threw their fortunes into his
keeping. And SO in all ages there
have been necromancies. incantations.
witchcrafts, sOrceries, magical arts,
enchantments. diyinations and delu-
sions. The one Of the text was only q
specimen Of that which has been oc-
curing in all ages Of the world. None
Of these delusions accomplished any
good. They deceived. they pauperized
the people, they were as cruel as they
were absurd. They opened no hospl-
tails, they healed no wounds. they wip-
ed away no tears, they emancipated no
serfdom.
But there are those who say that all
these delusions combined are as moth
ing compared with the delusion now
abroad in the world-the delusion Of
the Christian religion. That delusion
has today 400,000,000 dupes. 1t pro-
poses to encircle the earth with its
girdle. That which has been called q
delusion has already overshadowed the
Appalachian range on this side Of the
sea. and it has overshadowed the Bal
kan and Caucasian ranges on the other
side of the sea. Ii has conquered Eng
land and the United States. This cham
pOn delusion. this hoax, this swindle
gone forth to conquer the Islands Of
the Pacific, and Melanesia and Micro
nesia and Malayan Polynesia have al
ready surrendered to the delusion. Yea.
it has conquered the Indian archipela-
90, and BOrneo and Sumatra and Gel
ebes and Java have fallen under its
wiles In the Fiji islands, where there
are 10000 people. 100000 have al
ready become the dupes Of this Chris
tian religion. and II things go on as
they are now going on and II the in
fuence Of this great hallucination OF
the ages cannot be stopped 1t will
swallow the globe. Supposing, then,
that Christianity Is the delusion OF the
centuries. as some have pronounced II,
| propose to show you what has been
accomplished by this chimera, this
fallacy, this hoax. this swindle OF the
ages.
And, In the first place, | remark that
this delusion Of the Christian religion
| has made wonderful transformations
Of human character. will go down the
aisle Of any church In Christendom
and will find on either side that aisle
those who were once prohlgate, pro-
fame, unclean Of speech and unclean OF
action. drunken and lost. But by the
power Of this deluslor Of the Christian
religion they have been completely
transformed. and now they are kind
and amiable aud loving and useful
| Everybody sees the change. Under ths
power OF this great halluclnation they
have quit their former associates, and
whereas they once found their chiei
delight among those who gambled an(
swore and raced horses. now they hnC
their chief Joy among those who 60 L
prayer meetings and churches, so com
pIete Is the deluslon. Yea, their owl
families have noticed 1.-THE wife hal
noticed It, the children have notices
II. The money that went for rum nov
goes for books and for clothes and 70
education. He Is a new man. All witt
know him say there has been won
dcrful change. What Is the cause o
This changer This great hallucinauol
II the Christian religion. There Is a
much difference between what he
now and what he opce was as betwee'
rose and n nettle. as between a doy
and a vulture. as between day an
night. Tremendous delusionl
Admiral Farragut.
Admiral Farragut. one of the mos
admired men Of the American nav,
! early became victim of this Christia
delusion, and, seated not long befor
his death at Long Branch, he was 81
ing some friends an account Of p
early life. He said: my father wei
down in behalf Of the United State
government to put an end to .Aaro
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