Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-09-20

Once or twice in a century a man, or
a group of men, solemnly informs the
world that Christianity is just about to
expire. Such persons generally lay claim
to the distinction of having wrought the
overthrow of the religion of Christ, and
that boast Of their lives becomes the
shame of their history after they have
died
Voltaire, for example, boosted that
while 1t required twelve men to preach
Christianity up In the first century, he
would prove that one man could write
it down, and that he would be the man
to do 1t. He was scarcely in his grave
before the printing press, on which at
Ferney his virulent attacks upon revealed
religion were printed, was used at Gen
eva for printing the Bible.
Hume also prophesied the early extir-
patton of Christianity, predicting that by
the beginning of the nineteenth century
his philosophy would triumph over the
superstition" He died in 1776, and the
opening Of the nineteenth century, TWEEN
ty-five years after his death, was char
acterized by the most wonderful develop
ment and expansion of Christianity since
the days of the Apostles. II was about
InSn Indl the great blDle oOCleJleS ana
the great Missionary Societies, which
have achieved so much in all lands dur
ing the last one hundred years, were
organized The nineteenth century re-
corded the most marvellous victories of
Christianity since the resurrection Of
Christ. Meantime the philosophy Of
Hume has become by-word among even
sceptical philosophers.
But now comes another band, under the
lead of Prof Ernest HaeckeI. proposing
the overthrow of Christianity, and pro-
claiming i'm advance it's early fall. A
dispatch from London tells us that a
worldwide war upon revealed religion is
about TO begin. A convention was held
in the latter part of August to launch
this anti-Christian movement. 1t is Civ
EN- out that a literature in furtheranc e
of the movement is to be created which
can be sold at a very low price, and that
In all its departments this anti-religious
propaganda is to be carried forward on a
scale never before attempted
These gentlemen are preparing to take
their places Of shame alongside Voltaire
and Hume and many more like them in
all the centuries. They can not destroy
Christianity, but they are moving to-
wards their own dishonor. The religious
principle in men can not die, and moth
ing has ever so enthralled and invigorat-
ed that principle as the religion of Jesus
Christ. 1t is here we find the reason
for the perpetuity Of Christianity and the
deathlessness of the Bible.
Matthew Arnold once said, ITO the
Bible men will return; and why? Be
cause they can not do without It, Be
cause happiness is our beings end and
aim, and happiness belongs to righteous
ness, and Righteousness is revealed In
the Bible. For this simple reason, men
will return to the Bible, just as a man
who tried to give up food. thinking It
was a vain thing. and he could do with
out ii, would return to food; a man
who tried to give up sleep, thinking it
was vain thing. and he could do with
out it, would return to sleep" This
philosopher of light and sweetness"
can scarcely be classed with the pro-
foundest thinkers, but he hit upon truth
in the words quoted The world will
return to Christianity because mankind
can not help it: the religious nature
cries for food and nothing better than
Christianity has ever been found to sat-
isfy that hunger of the soul. Even If
our holy religion were open to more
reasonable objection than the criticism
of all its foes. mankind will cling to it
until something better is found.
Herein is the fault and utter failure
of every sort of scepticism II is mega
tive, and not positive; it seeks to pull
down but it can not build up IT is de-
structive rather than constructive. Nor
does it appear that the case could be
otherwise. What sceptic, however intel
lectual and learned can conceive a bet
ter religion than Christianity? All it's
truths are final. There can be no higher
thought than the Father-hoOd Of God.
nor wider thought than the brotherhood
of man. nor deeper thought than holt
ness of heart. nor brighter hope than
the resurrection of the body and the
life everlasting after death" These are
some of the fundamental truths OF
Christianity, and on their face 1t is evil
dent that they are such as the world can
never outgrow whatever the progress of
the future may be. Christ no after
age shall e'er outgrow."
The futile folly of men who seek to
overthrow Christianity is as manifest as
their motive is past understanding.
What good end do they hope to serve
by such efforts? Wherein would the
world he better, brighter, or happier If