Year: 1868

|
cite the odium of community, and bring in
| to contempt an individual or party, the cry
of inidelity is the most common and the
meanest. 1t is an appeal to superstition,
Phariseeism and hypocrisy. tits pfoffer-


ed indulgence to bigotry, hatred and cruel
ty. 1t is the justification of falsehood, SIAN
der, prescription and oppression. 1t is an
| appeal apparently in behalf of virtue, Chris
tianity and God. Therefore, on the one
hand, persons of reckless morality, regard
less OF the Gospel and blasphemous, are re-
joiced at an opportunity to appear the ad.
vocates of morality; and on the other, persons
pious but superstitious, devout but bigoted,
Jealous but ignorant, are excited to the high
est pitch Of indignation, and to the use of
the seyerest measures against the accused.
The sight Of water throws a mad.dog into
convulsions, so this cry of infidel works this
latter class to pitch of frenzy. The victim
is hunted down, dragged to the stake, cast
J to the wild beasts, racked in the inquisition,
stoned, nailed to the cross. This has been
the rallying cry of every persecution. The
martyrs Of all ages are great cloud of wit
nesses to the wickedness of this cry.


This was the charge against Socrates. This
was the accusation against Jesus Christ, the
son of God. This was the allegation against
Apostles, martyrs and reformers. In their
cases we see how unjust and wicked it was
But such is the inconsistency of human
nature that men who now deprecate, or say
they deprecate, this wickedness, raise the
same howl and against parties who differ
from them in opinion. They preach and de-
claim about the great, hell-deserving wick
edness of those who denounced Luther as an
infdel and Christ as blasphemer, and then
turn upon their own opponents with the
shout "infdel! infdelp They know full
well the potency Of this mad-dog cry. By
it they know will be kindled the fires of big
otry and hate. No thanks to them if there
by persecution and murder are not melted.
Human nature is what it has been; therefore
tltSc ItSultS art pOssluic.


Our object is to call the attention of our
friends to this matter and beg them not to
be alarmed Whenever you hear the cry of
Infdel" shouted by Democratic stump
orators, and echoed by Democratic presses,
let it be remembered that it is the resort of
those who are in the wrong; and SO surely
in the wrong that history, reason and con-
science fail to yield them support. They
cannot argue their opponents down, therefore
they must cry them down.


1t is the resort of men who are Desperate
They have turned every way to defeat their
opponents, but in vain. This is the only
resort left; it is the cry of madness There
is no reason, no argument, no persuasion in
| it. it is sheer madness. Let it be regarded
as the infuriated cry of disappointed, defeat
ed men.
Let our opponents take notice, we shall
proceed with our work of disseminating Re
publican principles to the end that they may
become the ruling political principles of the
| State and the nation. We believe them to
be correct and beneficent. We believe that
they are in accordance with Christianity;
that no line or precept of the word of God is
opposed to them.


We believe that we do God service by in-
culcating them; indeed, that we should not
! be Christians if we did not inculcate them

| Further, if we did not believe our political
and religious opinions to be endorsed by the
Bible, we should instantly abandon them.
Not endorsed by the Bible, the blessing of
God could not rest upon them-we could
have no faith, no hope in them. We intend
to build on Christian foundations or not


build at ALL


Christian institutions are dear to us, the
Sabbath, Sabbath school, preaching of the
Gospel, prayer and praise. Because we love


Christ and His cause we are Republicans, we


advocate the Church, and the Christian
school for every intelligent, moral creature,


according to the Divine Masters command,


"Go We into ALL the world and preach the


Gospel to eUe'y creature"


| LnfdeJ! when we defame Christian teach


ers, burn school houses, demolish churches,


and prescribe our felow-men for opinions


sake, then call us infidel and we will be


silent.