Year: 1862

Is EnGdeIity the Offspring of Ignorance


Mr. GoEpoN Il was somewhat surprised on
reading your JOURNAL of last week to find that
my letter in regard to the camp meeting at
Miuersville had provoked arepy. lam not very
desirous of newspaper notoriety nor particularly
anxious to engage in war of words " upon
any subject Acting, however, on the principle
that womcu generally seem to acknowledge, l. e.
that the last word is everything in discussion
or quarrel, shall slightly notice some of Mr..
c. 5 assertions He starts of by assuming that
infdelity is the offspring of ignorance. This |
deny and dare him to The proof necessary to
maintain such position.


From whom, let me ask has science always met
with the most determined opposition? answer
from believers in The Bible-from the religious
the Christian world. Upon what grounds and
by whom was the system of Copernicus most Bit
tcrly opposed? by the advocates Of Christianity
and upon purely religious grounds. II was not
in accordance with the teachings of the Bible,
and as that with them, is above all science, all
philosophy, they denied its truth. This same
spirit Of intolerance led to the persecution of
Galileo Who is il that have most bitterly OPP
posed all geological researches, all scientific
theories Those who believe the scripture. Aud
the reason is very obvious. 1t is utterly impos-
sjble to reconcile the account of the creation of
this earth and all it contains given in The Bible,
with facts which geology clearly establishes.
Hence those who claim that the Bible is the true
test by which to try all the teachings of philoso-
ply and the conclusions of scientific men do
every thing in their power to retord the march of
science and to keep mankind ignorant Of the
true laws of Nature.


II inGdelity be the offspring Of ignorance it
seems to me that its opposite Christianity, should
be the offspring of wisdom, and that Christians
should not object to every branch Of study,
every scientific theory that is brought into notice
Such, however, is the fact. Aud what is more
unreasonable, still, after urging their objections
to any theory they dare not meet the theorist ON
his own grounds, but by an appeal to their
ncver-ranng authority, the Bible, cut short all
cont~ovcray.


Mr.. c. tells US that there is no harmony or
agreement in The theories of inddels This as-
sertion is, doubtless, correct, But would ask
him if there is the most perfect harmony or
agreement in the doctrines of the different Chris
tian denominations Iu this argument, sir, you
prove either too little or too much, If you OBJ
jcct to iuGde philosophy on this ground, may,
cattsa a,gtmead, admit its force, and use it
against Christianity. Again, you tell us that
while the inddel talks eloquently Of Nature and
Natures God be is surrounded by dark and in
cXpcabIe mysteries which he cannot explain.
Granted Bat is the inddel alone in this respect?
Allow nae to hint, in the miIdest manner possible,
Jhat there are many things which you, perhaps,
with all your wisdom and all your knowledge of
the Bible might find some difficulty in explain
ing. Can you tell me the source from which or
exactly the means by which a single blade of
grass derives its vitality? Can you account, sat
i5ractorily, for the burning Of a stick of wood
when thrown upon the fire? The most perfect
knowledge Of or The most implicit belief in
everything contained in the Bible, would not
render man capable Of doing either


1t is lamcntable fact that there are men
Christians, and even Ministers, SO deporably ig-
norant Of all science, all philosophy, all natural
truth, as to be entirely beyond the reach of all
rational argument Surrounded by an adaman-
tine wall Of ignorance, with a skull SO thick AS
to be impcryous to the attacks Of anything cX.
ccpt brckbat or q cub, they are entirely safr
and their position impregnable II Ignorance be
bliss, as some poet tell US, such men are happy
beyond comparison Pugilists and gymnas:s
tell US that any part Of the human frame will be
developed in proportion as it is exercised If
that is the case what a wonderful amount Of
listening some men must have done to so d.
yclop aud elongato their auricular organs.
JOSH MoFFwp.