NO. 8.
HKTiTQIOK AGAINST INFIPKMTY.
m
lion, is aimed nt. While ho would utterly
demolish our religion, he would not frame
another. Why should ho? The infidel
does not go beyond mutter, force, ind law,
and to venerate these, ho perceives, would
be degrading. He does not recognize an
intelligent spiritual being. There is ,thcn,
no higher intelligence than man; there
arc more potent forces, but they are not
combined with intelligence. ITow it is
possible for n man to advocate such views
as, " Whatever of necessity exists knows
no Creator," and, " When a law is once in
operation it cannot be controlled," and
similar onus, is beyond my comprehension.
For we can readily see that necessity is
only rohuivc, certain conditions being
supposed. Let us illustrate It would be
unnecessary to surround the globe with
atmosphere, were there no life upon it to
bo sustained. Carbon, moreover, would
not be a necessary constituent of uir,
were it not for the vegetable kingdom.
Now according to this theory, oxygen
mid nitronon have no creator because they
exist of necessity, and the existence of
plants and animals only make them in
dispensable. Hence, taking this tenet in
connection with our last derived conclu.
sion, wo see Hint the conditions, causing
their necessity, must have had a creator.
Now if we acknowledge an active in
tell'.gence as the creator of these laws, we
cannot doubt that he can alter them at
any time and for any purpose. It would
be absurd to conceive of the frauicr as
being unablo to all'ect any alteration.
Whether this has ever occured or not is
another question, and wo now come to
consider the authority to which the Script
ures are entitled. It is but fair to admit
that they are entitled to at least the same
respect and belief as any hook of like
antiquity. If I have satisfactory evidence
that a certain event took place, it is mere
obstinacy to rojeel this evidence. And
by satisfactory evidence must ho under,
stood the testimony of a sufllcient num
ber of witnesses, competent to discrimi
mite between truth and falsity. If then
this testimony can bo established, any
moral obligation which the nature of it
imposes must bo discharged. Now let
us examine the Scriptures in this light.
As to the number of persons alleging
their genuineness nnd authenticity, tlicro
is no question ; but were they qualified to
decide in tills matter It is true that at
first the Christian religion propagated it
solf especially among the uneducated and
the lowly. But was not all the learning
ami wisdom of the day confined to the
Pharisees and to the doctors of the law, '
and did they not do their utmost to sup
press this creed? And yet, did it not
spread liko fire, subduing nation after na
tion? Moreover, was not the coming of
Christ heralded? Prophecy, indeed, is a
stumbling block to the infidel, especially
as it bears upon Christ and his mission.
Whatever may bo the explanation, the
fact remains that events havo been fore
told, whether by supernatural agency or
not.
I believe that inspiration had its source
largely in tlio discerning faculty of the
person supprscd to bo inspired. But
testimony on this ground, oven, is worthy
of acceptance. Somo occurrences, how
ever, are recorded which no common
shrewdness could have originated. The
prediction of Christ's coming is ono of
these. This prediction was evidently in.
tended to gain for him tho recognition
which ho deserved. And when ho actual
ly performed thoso deeds which had boon
foretold; when ho healed tho sick and
raised tho dead, scoffers and doubters were
silenced. Ho did not work upon tho
credulity of tho ignorant or the faith of
the simple; but his deeds were performed
in the presence of many witnesses; his
fame went over the whole land, and many
zealous lovers of tho truth, wo doubt not,
examined his works.
A few words in regard to the propaga.
gation of his doctrines. His principles,
in imbuing the minds of mankind, had
to overcome many passions and much
self-Iovc. No reward was offered except