The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-07-24
ODIUM THEOLOGIUM.
Gods Law Makes The Wish as Grim
inaI rs The Commission OF
The Crime.

To the Editor: If DR.. Kingsbury
will turn to page 1873 of Bledsoe's The
odicy, and read down to the italicised
lines on page 1874, he will find the
odium theologicum of all religious
controversy. And then turn to the
Sermon on the Mount as recorded by
Matthew, chapter 5, verse %, and he
will find Christ'S answer to the whole
of Bledsoe'S argument.
The desire to eat the apple, accord
ing to the Savior's teaching, is as
criminal as the eating of 1t, and II
the desire is necessitated, the eating
of it is neceSSitated.
Human law does not recognize crime
until the act is committed, but God S
law makes the wish equally criminal
with the act. BledsOe sums up thus:
"'rhe mind clearly perceives, by due
reflection, and at all times sees dimly,
at least, that an act or Volition is diff
ferent in its nature from a passive inn
preston or a produced effect; and
hence it knows and feels that it is eX-
empt from the power and efficacy OF n
producing cause in it's VolitionS ThlS
fact of our consciousness it is rot in
the power of SOphiStry wholly TO con-
Ceal nor in the power of human ma
ture to evade. Hence we carry about
with us the irresistible conviction that
we are free; that our wills are not alb
Solutely subject to the dominion of
causes over which we have no control.
Hence we see and know that we are
Self-actiVe."
Argument seems to be conclusive
With all minds, SO long as cause and
effect are applied to the brute, the
vegetable and the material creation;
but the moment you touch man and
set to certain point in his makeup,
h.att Ilnf3 Il
raised. Right here is the commence
ment of strife, war and bloodshed.
Right here most of the miserieS of
life begin and right here man lays
aside his reason. This is the point
where egotheiSm usurpS the power of
God. This is where man begins to love
himself and hate his neighbor. This is
the altar at which the Pharsee offers
his sacrifice, and thanks himself that
he is not as other men, This is what
makes the Catholic hate the Protest
ant, and this is what split protestant
ism into a thousand sects Right here
is the origin of evil. Man clothes
himself with the ''foolishness of God
and says, look at me; behold, l am
cause: / am free!'
Abrogate the law of cause and effect
as applied to motive, Will, thought ana
act and egotheism becomes the true
of life-the Natural and
Revealed religion of man. If thought
originate de novo in the brain of man,
if motive and will have no cause back
of mind itself, then the acts OF man
from the second link in the chain, and
give us a polytheism which nationally
accounts for the Giscordered state of
human society. Upon this idea men
act while protesting to believe in God,
but they change the truth of God into
a lie, and worship and serve the crea-
ture rather than the Creator. Upon
this idea man has made a hell for his
and a heaven for himself
Upon this idea war is declared and
blood is shed. This false and sinful
notion takes all the responsibility from
me and places it upon you. 1t makes
us blame the boy for being rude and
and makes us hate the