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diff --git a/28678.txt b/28678.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..fe83a7d --- /dev/null +++ b/28678.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1807 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Christian Foundation, Or, Scientific +and Religious Journal, Volume I, No. 12, December, 1880, by Various + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Christian Foundation, Or, Scientific and Religious Journal, Volume I, No. 12, December, 1880 + +Author: Various + +Editor: Aaron Walker + +Release Date: May 3, 2009 [EBook #28678] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CHRISTIAN FOUNDATION, DECEMBER 1880 *** + + + + +Produced by Bryan Ness, Greg Bergquist and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This +book was produced from scanned images of public domain +material from the Google Print project.) + + + + + + + +Scientific and Religious Journal. + +VOL. I. DECEMBER, 1880. NO. 12. + + + + +IS THE SINNER A MORAL AGENT IN HIS CONVERSION? + + +There are a great many questions asked upon the subject of conversion, +and as many answers given as there are theories of religion, and many +persons listening to men's theories upon this subject are left in doubt +and darkness in reference to what is and is not conversion. You ask the +Mormons, who fully believe their theory of conversion, and they will +refer you to their own experience and the experience of the loyal, +self-sacrificing devotees of their faith. Ask the Roman Catholic and he +will give you an answer corresponding with his theory of religion. All +Protestant parties give you their experience, and refer you to their +loyal and self-sacrificing brethren for the truthfulness of their +theories of conversion. In the midst of this conflict and medley of +contradictions what are we to do? Shall we accept their experience as +the infallible rule by which to determine the right from the wrong in +matters pertaining to our present and eternal salvation? A strange rule, +in view of the great contrariety of opinions and our liability to be +misled. It would justify Mother Eve, she being deceived. But "she was +found in the transgression." We may be deceived and found in +transgression. This strange rule would justify Saul; for he verily +thought he ought to do many things contrary to Jesus, which things he +did, and did them in all good conscience towards God and man, yet he was +a blasphemer and injurious. The Master, in view of our liability to be +deceived, gave us a rule of conduct in reference to our communications +in these words: "Let your communications be yea, yea, and nay, nay." It +requires heroism and manhood, which is the highest degree of moral +courage, to say nay where questions of personal interest are involved. + +The rule in reference to God's word is different, being based upon his +immutability and perfections. He is not deceived, not misled, not +mistaken. Paul says in reference to the word of God, which was preached +by himself, Sylvanus and Timotheus: "Our word toward you was not yea and +nay, but in him was yea, for all the promises of God in Christ are yea, +and in him amen unto the glory of God by us." 2 Cor. 1, 18-20. "Let God +be true though every man be a liar," was in the times of the Apostles +and first Christians a rule which they had no hesitancy in affirming. A +moral agent is one who, with a knowledge of the right and wrong, +exercises the power of action. In conversion it is the exercise of the +power that begins conversion. If the sinner has not this power, then he +is not a moral agent in his conversion. All the differences among men +upon the subject of conversion grew out of their different notions of +God and of men. It is a matter of the greatest consequence to have +correct notions of God and of self. As conversion relates to both, wrong +notions of one will create wrong notions of the other. Those who have +been taught to debase themselves under the pretext of giving glory to +God, consider meanness and wrong as natural and inherent imperfections +of their being, and attributable to Father Adam and Mother Eve, and +neglect to exercise the powers at their command. Being taught that they +are unable to do anything to help themselves, they are left to throw the +work all back upon God or give it up in despair. If they throw it back +upon God, and regard themselves as passive recipients of the work of +conversion, then they must wrestle with God, for there is no use in +wrestling with the powerless one. + +With this view of the subject the world's condition is incomprehensible, +and in direct conflict with the revealed character of God. We would +naturally suppose when we read that "God is not willing that any should +perish, but that all should come to repentance," that none would be +allowed to perish on account of any neglect upon the divine side. But +thousands do die in their sins. Do you say it is because of their great +wickedness? In what does wickedness consist? Is it the neglect of that +which is not in their power? Does not the system that God interposes in +the conversion of the sinner rest upon the idea that the sinner is +helpless in respect to his conversion? It certainly does. Then why +should the sinner he blamed? This view of the sinner's moral condition +necessitates a view of God utterly at variance with his character, viz: +that he is _now_ and _then_ on the giving hand, that he consents to pour +out his Spirit occasionally, and does this only where the good people +wrestle with him and give him no rest day nor night. One would think +that "he who spared not his own son, but gave him up for us all," would +send that Almighty Spirit everywhere, and at once bring about the +millennial glory. What is the trouble? "_God is love!_" "Tell them, as I +live, saith the Lord God, I have _no pleasure_ in the death of him who +dieth, but rather that he would repent and live." This theory of the +sinner's helplessness is the foundation of the entire system of mystical +conversion through mystical operations of the Spirit of God. And as for +plain and easy conditions of pardon and peace that we know all sinners +can comply with, this system of mystical conversion sets them all +_aside_. So you see that difficulties are multiplying on our hands, and +unless we can start off upon another foot, we must be lost in the +mystical and incomprehensible. As reformers, our greatest work is to +clear away mystical and false notions of men in reference to themselves +and their God; to make men sensible of their dignity and responsibility, +as beings endowed with God-like attributes. + +We have succeeded, in most communities, in killing the _tap-root_ of the +mystical tree of conversion--_i.e._, the tenet of total hereditary +depravity, but the tree still stands erect, and men claim that a +wonderful outpouring of the Spirit of God has, in many days and nights, +resulted in 100 or 200 or 300 conversions. But what is conversion? It is +lexically defined "_to turn upon, to turn towards_." In a moral sense, +"_to turn upon or to, to convert unto, to convert from error, to turn to +the service and worship of the true God_." "And all who dwelt at Lydda +and Saron saw him and _turned_ to the Lord." Acts ix, 35. The word +_turned_, in the above text, is a translation of the Greek term that is +nine times rendered _convert_ in its forms and thirty-eight times _turn_ +in its forms. They, the people of Lydda and Saron, _turned, converted to +the Lord_. Did they do it? Then they were active and not passive. It was +an act of their own. "Repent and turn yourselves."--Eze. xviii, 30. Here +the Lord commanded sinners to _convert themselves_. "Cast away from you +all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed, and make you a +new heart and a new spirit; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?" +Eze. xviii, 31. "If the wicked will turn, convert, from all his sins +that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is +lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die." Eze. xviii, +31. Here we discover that the burden of conversion and the entire +responsibility of an unconverted state is thrown upon the sinner. + +The Apostles taught men to convert themselves. See Acts xiv, 15. "We +also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you, that ye +should turn, _convert_, from these vanities to the living God." Paul +says, "He showed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem and +throughout all the coasts of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they +should turn, _convert_, to God, and do works meet for, worthy of, +repentance." Acts xxvi, 20. Speaking of the unbelieving Jews he said, +"But their minds were blinded; for until this day remaineth the same +vail untaken away in the reading of the Old Testament, which vail is +done away in Christ. But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the +vail is upon their heart. Nevertheless, when it shall _turn_, _convert_, +to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away." 2d Corinthians, iii, 14-16. +Here we find that the heart must do its own _turning_, _converting_. +_Poor Jews!_ Could they help themselves? Yes, it all depended upon their +own actions. The INFINITE ONE did as much for them as for any others. +They closed their eyes and stopped their ears, lest at _any time_ they +should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand +with their hearts, and be converted and healed. Why did the Master not +say, "And I should _convert_ and heal them?" _Ans._ Conversion is a +commandment of God, and sinners must obey it or perish. + +The above quotation is made from Isaiah vi, 10, where it reads: "Lest +they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and +understand with their hearts, and _convert_, and I should heal them." +Paul, speaking of the disciples in Macedonia and Achaia, says: "They +themselves show of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and +how ye turned, _converted_, to God from idols to serve the living and +true God." 1 Thess., i, 8, 9. "Repent ye therefore and be converted," is +passive in our translation, but imperative active in the original. In +the Geneva text it reads: "_Amend_ your lives and turn. So conversion is +a commandment of God. If there is anything necessary to conversion that +is not in the power of the sinner, why should he be commanded to +convert? If the trouble is in his corruption, through inborn depravity, +why are _some converted_ and _others not_? If there is anything in +conversion that is not in the power of the sinner, then he must of +necessity be saved without it, or remain unavoidably in sin--_doomed to +misery_." + +Webster defines the term _convert_ "to change from one state to another, +as to convert a barren waste into a fruitful field; to convert a +wilderness into a garden; to convert rude savages into civilized men; to +change or turn from one party or sect to another--as to convert Pagans +to Christianity, to turn from a bad life to a good one, to change the +heart and moral character from enmity to God and from vicious habits to +the love of God and to a holy life." Hence the ancient commandment: +"Make you a new heart and a new spirit, for why will you die." Eze. +xviii, 32. "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and +with all thy mind, and with all thy strength." Is this out of your +power? Then who is to blame? Does the blessed Father command you to do +what you can not? Are you thus lost without remedy? Does the Lord mock +you with commandments that you can not obey? The importance of +conversion is in the fact that it is the turning point or dividing line +between those who serve God and those who serve him not. + +I. The Lord commands sinners to convert. + +II. The Lord's commandments are duties that sinners owe to God. + +Therefore, conversion is a duty that the sinner owes to God. It is the +sinner's duty; then he must perform it. We have seen that the Lord +commands it, and that sinners did perform it. Do you say it is a work +begun upon them and accomplished by them? Then sinners must be passive +in the beginning of this work, and the beginning is most essential, for +unless the thing is begun it will never be accomplished. Is this +beginning the work of God wrought upon the sinner by a special operation +of the Holy Spirit? If this be so it follows that the entire Christian +life is of necessity, and not of choice, for the root always bears the +tree, and not the tree the root. If the cause is the unconditioned power +of God, the effects growing out of that cause are the fruits of +necessity; and so the Christian is a necessitated creature, and entitled +to neither praise or reward, for it was not he that did it, _but God_. +And in this case the sinner is not a moral agent, for in moral agency +the sinner, with a knowledge of the right and the wrong, begins the work +_himself_ and does it himself. This does not exclude the instrumentality +of Christ, the Apostles, prophets and Christians, who, by the words of +the Holy Spirit, have placed before sinners all the knowledge necessary +to give them correct ideas of duty, and also the motives to be accepted. +An agent is one who has power to begin action, and moral agency in +conversion is the exercise of that power, with a knowledge of the right +and the wrong, and so it comes to pass that conversion to God always +makes a Christian, provided, however, that the man, knowing what to turn +from and what to turn to, honestly turned from the wrong to the right, +which is the same as to say that he was a moral agent in his conversion. +A man may _turn_ without a knowledge of the right and the wrong, but it +is turning _round_ and _round_ and remaining in the same place, _i.e._ +in ignorance of God's will, and so remaining in disobedience. Such may +be and often is. + +In all such cases the person has been the creature of passion, wrought +upon by excitement, and left in ignorance of duty in disobedience to the +gospel of Christ. A good rule by which to determine when such is the +case, and it is the Master's rule, is the unwillingness of the person to +do the commandments of God, and to receive for instruction upon the +subject of duty, his word, an unteachable disposition, which not only +refuses to obey when the commandments are presented, but absolutely +persists in opposing them. A man in this condition is worse than +ignorant, his heart is irreconciled to the government of God, and he may +turn around and around and die in sin and transgression. Do you object +that God controls in conversion, and, therefore, the man is illuminated +in a mysterious manner, and necessitated aright--that he is a +necessitated moral agent? Necessitated moral agency and free slavery are +identical. There is no such thing as necessitated moral agency. What I +am compelled to do is not mine, but his who compelled me. All that we +call moral or immoral, virtuous or vicious, praiseworthy or blameworthy, +in our conduct, depends wholly upon the will. It begins in us and is +done by us. It is ours and we will answer for it. No man is to be blamed +or praised for that which he neither had power to do or avoid. This, in +harmony with the words _agent_ and _action_, is saying no more than that +a man is to be praised or blamed for actions done by himself and not by +another. It is the gospel rule, "that every man shall receive according +to that which he bath done; that every man shall give account of +_himself_ to God." + +If the sinner is to blame for remaining in an unconverted state, then of +necessity conversion is his own voluntary act; a duty imperatively +enjoined upon him, in the performance of which he needs to be guided by +the knowledge of the right and the wrong, as much as in any other duty. +On the other hand, if it is a work wrought upon the man by a special +effort of the Holy Spirit, then the man is free from all responsibility +in the premises, for he will answer only for his _own work_. + +"Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of +life." Prov. iv, 23. "He taught me also, and said unto me: Let thine +heart retain my words; keep my commandments and live." Prov. iv, 4. +"Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way." +Prov. xxiii, 19. + + "Man, with naught in charge, could betray no trust, + And if he fell, would fall because he must. + If love reward him, or vengeance strike, + His recompense in both would be unjust _alike_." + +If the sinner is passive in his conversion he can claim no reward, for +it is the act of another. All action is the work of an agent, of a being +who acts. And every being who acts is the beginner of the motion which +constitutes the action. The bullet that kills the man, the explosion +that makes it fly, the sparkles from the cap which produce the +explosion, are not agents, all being equally passive; nor is it the +finger operating upon the trigger that begins the motion; that also is a +passive instrument; it is the mind giving to the finger direction and +energy which is the mover in this business, and as such, is, properly +speaking, the agent. But if we were super-naturally informed that the +mind thus exerted was made to do so by the mysterious and irresistible +impulse of a superior being, we should instantly declare _that being_ +the agent, and the mind irresistibly influenced only a passive +instrument, and no more to blame than the gunpowder. Now, if the sinner +is passive he is no more to blame or praise than the passive instruments +employed by the murderer. And if he is not passive, but active, then the +thing is begun and done by himself _as the real agent_. Action implies +motion, and where there is no power to begin motion there can not be +action, _but rest_. If the sinner has power to begin that action called +conversion, then he is a moral agent in his conversion, provided that he +begins it with a knowledge of the right and the wrong in their relations +to the subject, for action without knowledge of duty is not conversion +to the service of God. In this case the moral element is wanting, the +man acts blindly from impulse or passion; which is no more than saying +that men must know what to _convert from_, and what to _convert to_, +before they can act intelligently as rational moral agents. As such, the +thing of first importance is to teach men the will of God upon the +subject of conversion, that they may know what to do. Anciently men were +told what to do. And the gospel of Christ tells men the same story yet. +If the sinner is the agent in his conversion then he should give himself +no rest until he learns his duty and does it. But if he is not, then he +might just as well rest contented, for the passive stone that has no +power to change its place _must rest_. To say that the sinner has the +power to change is giving up the question. And when this is once given +up all good people will go to work upon sinners to teach them their +duty, and persuade them to turn, convert, to God. And the Lord will no +longer be regarded by sensible skeptics as a very changeable being. + +The ancient Christians did not wrestle with God in the work of saving +sinners. He was always willing that men should be saved, and is yet +willing. If we were to wrestle with him in solemn prayer all our days he +would not be more willing than he is at this moment. + +Why is it that _all men_ are not _saved_? Ans.--The Lord commands men to +convert, turn and live. Turn from what? Ans.--From the will of the flesh +and from the will of man. To what? Ans.--To the gospel of Christ. And +they refuse to do it. To say the sinner has not the power is to relieve +him, forever, of all responsibility for his continuance in an +unconverted state, and throw it, forever, upon God. To say the sinner +has not the power, and in the next breath tell him that he has, is a +square contradiction and a self-evident falsehood, only equaled by the +statement that a thing is a round square, or that ice is red hot. Let +whatever fall that may, it is true that a thing can not _be_, _exist_, +and _not_ be, not _exist_, at the same time. The sinner is either +passive or active in his conversion. He can not be both. If he has not +the power to begin and _convert_, it follows that all who have died in +sin were fated to ruin without remedy. Philosophers have said, "that the +will is determined by motives, purposes, intentions, or reasons." +Granting this to be true, we _can not_ admit that the will is +_necessarily_ determined by motives and purposes; for it is the +self-determining power of the mind that gives a motive, or reason, that +weight and influence whereby our course is determined. In other words, +it depends on ourselves whether we will act from one motive or another. + +Action from motive always begins in ourselves. And if conversion is the +result of motive power, it begins in ourselves and by ourselves. Let a +man be tempted to steal, his motive is the love of money. But _if he_ +refrains from the deed, his motive is a regard for duty. If he suffers +himself to be governed by the first, he is a thief and deserves +punishment, but if he allows himself to be governed by the second, he +has done well. The laws of every country suppose that men have it in +their power to give to either motive that regard which will determine +their conduct. The divine laws allow the same, placing motives high as +heaven before sinners for their acceptance, and warning them with +restraining threats deep as hell. And if sinners will not receive these +threats and act accordingly, they are without excuse. The scriptures +allow that men convert from God. How is this? Have men power to cross +the chasm backwards, and are not able, at the same time to cross it in a +forward movement? Strange logic, this! It is the same old philosophy +that sinners have the power to go to hell, but none to get to heaven; +that they are free, like the slave, to do the tyrant's bidding; that +they are free like the water that stands in the pool; that they are +mechanically free, are simply active when wrought upon, the same as any +machinery. If this be so, why is it that so many are left in an +unconverted state? Is it because the good Spirit prefers the existence +of iniquity and crime? If the Lord brings about the salvation of some, +through a mighty outpouring of his Spirit, then we shall never +comprehend his ways. Why is it that he does not give us one general +outpouring, one grand revival all over our country, and bring about the +long prayed for millennial day? Answer.--Conversion is a commandment of +God. It must be obeyed or the country lie, in direct opposition to the +will of God, in sin. His will is expressed in the words, "Let the wicked +forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him +return, _reconvert_, unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and +to our God, for he will abundantly pardon." + +"To Israel he saith, all the day long have I stretched forth my hands +unto a gainsaying and disobedient people." Ro. x, 21. "The Lord strove +with them by his Spirit in the prophets, and bore with them many years, +yet they would not hear." Nehe. ix, 30. "They made their hearts as an +adamant stone lest they should hear the law, and the words which the +Lord of hosts hath sent in his spirit by the former prophets." Zech. +vii, 12. Jesus wept over them when he stood upon Mount Olivet and +expressed the greatness of his great heart in these words: "How often +would I have gathered thy children together as a hen doth gather her +brood under her wings, and ye would not." Lu. xiii, 34. Their failure +was not because the Spirit did not strive with them as it did with +others who were saved. "God is no respecter of persons." Neither was it +on account of inborn depravity. For if any were corrupted in their moral +nature by Adam's sin, all were corrupted alike. So that each one would +be in this respect equally hard to overcome. But why bring up inborn +corruption and helplessness? Is not the Spirit of God able for any task +which is in its own line of work? Jesus gave the true solution of the +question. He said: "Their hearts have waxed gross, and their ears are +dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest at _any time_ +they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and +understand with their hearts and be converted, and I should heal them." +The words "at any time" deserve particular attention, for the Lord's +time is _all the time_. He is unchangeable. "He is not willing that any +should perish, but that all should come to repentance." 2 Pet. iii, 9. + +Many people talk and act as though the Lord was the most changeable +being in the universe. They seem to think that the unchangeableness of +the Lord is in the idea that he is everlastingly changing. Let us +imagine a perfect circle with a stone permanently fixed in the center +and a man walking within, and every move he makes from side to side +affecting his relations to the center. So it is with God and the +children of men. He is immutable. He is the center of the circle. In the +right hand side of this circle are the innocent and the obedient, in the +enjoyment of all its riches, peace, pardon and all spiritual blessings. +These blessings were provided for all men, and presented in the gospel +of peace; and in the left side of this circle are all the threatenings +of God and all the wickedness and miseries of men. The wicked at the +left are able to _convert_ around to the right. In doing this they leave +their sins and miseries and come around where all the blessings of the +great salvation have always been, are, and will be until time is no +more. In all the work of human redemption there is no place for change +in God. The center has never changed. Man _alone_ changes. God has not +bestowed _special_ pardoning grace. Such phraseology is unknown in the +gospel. "His grace was given us in Jesus Christ before the world began." +2 Tim. i, 9. All that we or any others have to do is to live on the +Christ side of this circle--the right hand. If we are sinners it is our +duty to convert around to the right into new relations containing all +that is grand, glorious and desirable. The sinner, led by the motives of +the gospel, changes sides; leaving the kingdom of darkness upon the +left, and crossing the line drawn through the center of the circle, he +passes into the kingdom of light. It seems strange that intelligent men +and women should be constantly throwing mystery around a matter that is +so plain and simple. But we are aware that, by long dwelling on an idea, +and from the excited and abnormal sensitiveness of the mind, we +sometimes lose ourselves to truth amidst our own creations, which become +in the imagination stern realities, producing a species of monomania or +religious insanity. + +Long dwelling upon the idea that conversion is a special work of God +destroys all disposition _to convert_, and causes men to be at ease in +disobedience. We will to do those things, and those only, which we +believe to be in our power. We are not so destitute of common sense as +to undertake that which we know to be out of our power. I never attempt +to fly, or raise a weight that I know to be far above my strength. So it +is in the question of conversion. If I believe it to be a work that is +beyond my power, there will be a corresponding indifference upon my +part. As long as men are made to believe that God must convert them by a +special interposition of his Spirit, so long their minds will be +directed, beyond the plain duties of the gospel, to the realm of the +mysterious and incomprehensible. In ancient times, when men were plainly +told to convert--_turn_--to God and do works worthy of repentance, when +the mists and mysticles of the schoolmen and dogmatists of all sects and +parties had not, as yet, beclouded the minds of men, nor corrupted the +simplicity of the Gospel, thousands were converted in a day. +Christianity overran the inhabited earth in the space of a few years. +Judaism and Paganism trembled and crumbled before its mighty power. But +now the religious world is contending with sin and crime, under the +great disadvantages of a perverted mind and a Gospel beclouded with the +smoke of Babylon, and the result is that three-score souls brought into +the church is a great success for the labors of weeks, and even months. +Why should this be so? It need not be. It would not be but for the wrong +teaching consequent upon creeds. It is said, "That many of the +Corinthians hearing, believed and were baptized." Their minds were clear +upon the great subjects of human duty and the goodness, love and mercy +of God. They had no long sessions, in which they were wrestling with God +as though he was insensitive and indifferent upon the subject of the +sinner's salvation. + +They were told the story of God's love, and made acquainted with the +great fact that all things were ready for their reception; "that Christ +had finished the work which the Father had given him to do," and that it +only remained for them to believe and obey the Gospel and all would be +well. They were commanded _to convert_ to the service of God. This work +was not given into the hands of Christ to perform. It is the sinner's +own work. Christ will not believe for you. He will not repent for you. +He will not convert for you. Conversion is the overt action of the will +carried out in "breaking off from sins by righteousness." It begins in +the heart, but it does not end there. Murder begins in the heart, but +its consummation is the action of the will carried out. The man first +yielded to the temptation by saying, in his heart, I will. The next +thing in the order was carrying out the will in the deed. Nothing short +of the deed done would have met the statement in the heart, _I will_. So +it is in conversion. The man first says in his heart, _I will_, I will +forsake my former course of life and be a Christian, I will obey God, I +will do his will. And nothing short of doing the will of God as it is +addressed to him in the Gospel will carry out the action of the will, +and meet the demands of the statement, _I will_. "Whosoever will let him +come and take the water of life freely." So the "tree is known by its +fruits." "He that saith I know him, acknowledge him, and keepeth not his +commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him." 1 Jno. ii, 4. + +As regards the instrumentalities employed in persuading men, I have only +to say, that men were always free as moral agents, to convert--_turn_, +under the weakest instrumentality, or refuse under the most powerful. +The Lord himself "strove with the ancient Jews by his Spirit in his +prophets, and they would not hear but resisted the Spirit." Stephen, +after he had made one grand effort to instruct his hearers, said, "Ye +stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist +the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did so do ye." Acts vii, 51. Was the +condition of those fellows unavoidable? If it was, they were not to +blame. But there was nothing in their condition that was not in their +power. If there was, why should we find these words in their law, +"circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiff-necked." +Deut. x, 16. The Lord has made the salvation of all men possible, +otherwise those remaining in an unconverted state, and dying in their +sins, are unavoidably lost. And who is to blame? The Father "so loved +the world that he gave his only begotten son to die for every man. He +sent him to be the Savior of the world. The Gospel is the ministration +of the Spirit. The Apostles preached it with the Holy Spirit sent down +from heaven. They received grace and Apostleship, for the obedience of +faith among all nations, for Christ's name." Rom. i, 5. A great and +grand law governed them. In obeying it they did all that they ever did +for the world or for the church. There were just three duties prescribed +in that law. The first is in the word "teach," or, the _better +rendering_, disciple. The second is in the word "baptizing;" and the +third is in the phrase "teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I +have commanded you." The whole is beautifully rendered thus, "Going +therefore, disciple all nations, baptizing them into the name of the +Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." And the whole is rested +upon a declaration of kingly authority, viz: "All power in heaven and +upon earth is given into my hands," going _therefore_,--you see the +connection. + +Go to the Acts of the Apostles and read for yourselves and see how they +turned men to God. Paul says, "That he showed first to them of Damascus, +and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judea, and then to +the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn, convert, to God, and do +works meet for repentance." Some disobeyed under the preaching and +teaching of the Apostles. Some under the teachings of Christ. And many +"rejected the council of God against themselves in not being baptized of +John's baptism." Jesus said, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the +gospel to every creature; he that believeth and is baptized shall be +saved, and he that believeth not shall be damned." Paul was preaching at +Corinth; many of the Corinthians hearing, believed, and were baptized, +and Jesus appeared unto him in a vision by night, and said, "Speak +boldly and hold not thy peace, and I will let no man set on thee to hurt +thee." + +Christ gave the commission and Paul was carrying it out. The Savior's +visit to Corinth, in vision, was to encourage Paul to go on. Would all +the preachers in this country encourage such a work by speaking well of +it? Would they say, Go on? If I was preaching in a great city under the +same circumstances that surrounded Paul in Corinth, and the days of +miracles were not past, I might rationally conclude that Jesus would +encourage me in the same manner. Be that as it may, one thing is +doubtless true, viz., the same work is the Lord's work yet, and his +visit to Corinth to encourage Paul is a great source of encouragement to +us. The primitive Christians were all baptized believers; all converted +to the service of God; none of them on probation, but all in the +fellowship. All were "sanctified unto obedience," all had "purified +their souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit." Many reverse the +order thus: "Get your souls purified and then obey the truth." But +Christ has become the "Author of eternal salvation unto all those who +obey him." Heb. v, 9. Jesus said, "Except a man be born of water and of +the Spirit, he can not enter into the kingdom of God." Whatever this +language may mean _it_ is accomplished when the sinner is begotten in +Christ Jesus through the gospel and baptized into Christ. + +Paul said of the Corinthians: "In Christ Jesus have I begotten you +through the Gospel." And they, "Hearing, believed and were baptized." +And James said: "Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth." +Consequently, the entire meaning is in the power of all sinners who have +access to the Gospel of Christ. Otherwise, the sinner is unavoidably +lost for his unavoidable unbelief. But we are told in John's Record, i, +12, "That as many as received him to them gave he power to become the +sons of God, even to them that believe on his name." So the power of the +sinner to become a son of God depends upon his belief on the name of the +Son of God, and if he can not believe it is no fault of his. _Poor +fellow!_ Is he thus doomed? If he can believe on the name of Christ he +is able to reach the relation of a son. For the divine law grants the +privilege, liberty or power to as many as believe on the name of Christ. +The primitive Christians were the "children of God by faith in Jesus +Christ, for as many as were baptized into Christ put on Christ." Gal. +iii, 26, 27. John said: "Little children, let no man deceive you: he +that doth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous." 1 John +iii, 7. "If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that +doth righteousness is born of him." 1 John ii, 29. The great appeal to +man as a moral agent is in these words: "Know ye not that to whom ye +_yield yourselves_ servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye +obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness." +Rom. vi, 16. Do you not know this? Do you not know that you will +receive, in the great day, according to that which you have done, +whether it be good or bad? Then why not obey the Gospel and enjoy its +promises? + + + + +OUR INDEBTEDNESS TO REVELATION--No. VI. + +BY P.T. RUSSELL. + + +THE NATURE OF MAN NECESSITATED REVELATION. + +The above proposition rests upon and is in harmony with all the +relations existing between natural wants and supplies, being itself a +supply. Does the power of vision make light a necessity? Yes; without it +the eye would be useless. Could man create his own light? It has taken +ages upon ages to invent the limited artificial light which we now have. +Man is endowed with the powers of locomotion. Could he create an earth +to move upon? Could he create the air for breathing? Were these and all +such matters necessities? And was man entirely unable to provide for his +own natural wants? The faculties with which man is endowed call for +these supplies, and they are necessities on account of the existence of +these faculties. Think of a being, if you can, with the powers of vision +in the entire absence of light, with no air to breathe nor earth to move +upon. Do you say such would be a grand failure? So it would. But the +Creator has not given powers to man for which he has no use, having +nothing to meet their demands. The existence of a faculty or power leads +logically to the conclusion which all candid, intelligent people have +reached, viz: that the Creator has made a supply for the use of every +faculty, or power which was designed and provided. Do you ask, what of +all this? I answer, man has the power to become religious, but he had no +more power to invent a supply for this faculty than he had to create +light for the eye or air to breathe. So the necessity for this must be +met with a supply from the Creator as well as all other natural demands +or powers. + +Now, as we have a desire for the knowledge that we are approved of God, +and as religion consists in this knowledge, and in the knowledge of our +relations, dependence and obligations to God; and, as we have but one +means of obtaining this knowledge, and that is the means of his will +concerning us, then by knowing through that will that our actions are +such as he desires and approves, the one question remains to be +answered, How can man obtain the knowledge of the will of another +concerning himself? Ans.--Only by a revelation of the will of the one to +the other. I know not the will of the reader of this essay concerning +myself. My style of writing may not please him, but if he would tell me +just how he wishes me to write, then, by following his directions, I +should obtain the knowledge of his approbation as a necessary result +experienced in my own mental nature. This is plain, but no more plain +than God's revelation to man and its results experienced in conscious +knowledge. + + +AN IMPORTANT THOUGHT. + +In order to man's highest happiness, all his powers must be so called +into activity by education that each faculty may act with energy, but at +the same time in exact harmony with all of its kindred powers. There +must be no clash, no jar nor friction. No one power must be highly +exercised and cultivated at the expense of the rest, but each must be +brought out by its own appropriate food. Material food is for the +body--it can not feed upon thought, nor mind upon bread. "Man should not +live upon bread alone." This is an axiomatic truth endorsed by man's +two-fold nature. If you feed and exercise the body only you may acquire +the strength of an Ajax, but your countenance will be as stolid and your +eye as dull as the Hottentot's. Such a fellow would be of almost no use +whatever. Add to the education of the body the cultivation of the +intellect only; now the prospect is fearful, for the intellect always +works for its master, and in this case, the man being without moral and +religious training, the master Will be his animal desires. Can you +imagine the depth of infamy and pollution that is possible in this case? +The entire motive power that moves his intellect is carnal, sensual and +devilish. He now needs the sanction of a higher authority. The man is +but half educated. There are two groups of faculties in his nature that +are lying dormant. His moral and religious powers have not as yet been +brought into action--they have had no food nor exercise, and without +this there can be no development. These, as well as the intellect and +the body, must have their own appropriate food, which must be in kind +with their nature. Moral truth is for the moral powers. This directs us +in our moral relations and obligations to our fellows with whom we may +be associated. Religious truth is for our religious faculties. Now add +to all this the sanction of the authority of God, which is like the +balance-wheel in a watch, regulating and controlling every movement. +Man, thus educated, is prepared to act in harmony with his entire +nature. He can now reach a position of moral, religious, social and +intellectual grandeur worthy of his nature. + +Reader, is all of this demanded by the elements of our nature? Then a +revelation of God to man of the knowledge of his being, wisdom, +goodness, power, authority and law was and is a necessity, without which +man must have remained in part uneducated, not perfectly developed. + +Is the development of man's religious nature necessary in order to a +full, perfect and harmonious growth? Yes. There neither is, nor can be, +a harmonious growth while any one power is dwarfed by starvation. +Without the knowledge of God man's religious powers must remain dwarfed, +and these can not be fed without a revelation. Are these powers so many +empty buckets, never filled and never to be filled? No. Hence my +conclusion, that man's nature made revelation a necessity, rests upon +the bed-rock of truth. Let him who feels able try to shake my position. + + +REVELATION PROBABLE. + +Our series of essays are such that this requires no argument here. There +are certain analogies that we may, nevertheless, speak of, which will +not _down_ at the bidding of David's fool. The facts stand thus: a +supply for each and every one of our other faculties, sufficient in +quantity for all their necessities, is placed within our reach for their +use. Now let us look at the analogy. I have food to eat, good water to +drink, light for the eye, air to breathe, and a good earth to walk upon +and space in which to move, beauties of nature to admire, its music to +listen to with rapture, and things with their combinations to perceive +and think of. + +Now, Mr. Skeptic, you know that man has religious faculties, otherwise +he could never become religious, no more than he could see without eyes +and hear without ears. Now, what say you? Did the author of all things +make a mistake here by conferring upon us a power that would be of no +use? Is this the reason of your rejection of religion? Do you say it is +of no use? Or do you say that the Great Creator and wise and merciful +Provider forgot to give a supply just here? Come! You boast of reason. +Give us your _reason_. Will you? To one or the other of these +conclusions you are irresistibly driven. No other retreat is open. Take +either, and, if true, the harmony of the universe is destroyed. Take +either, and your folly is so plain that it needs no words of mine to +point it out. This is the true conclusion; all analogy points directly +and clearly to the probability and fact of a revelation. + + +A REVELATION OF THAT WHICH WAS NECESSARY? + +To answer this question we must keep in mind the nature of man's +religious powers, and from this deduce the nature of the supply that is +called for. Would the simple idea of the existence of a first cause, or +creator of all things, be sufficient? This idea, by itself, could not +quicken reverence and adoration and a desire to worship, and without +these there is no religion. Would a knowledge, by revelation, of the +power, intelligence, wisdom and goodness of God be sufficient in the +absence of anything more? No. What more? Would it not be enough, in +addition to what you have named, to have a knowledge of our relation to +and dependence upon him for all we enjoy? No; we must have one thing +more shown to us or the whole will be imperfect and unworthy of God as +its author. Religion can not be without something to do, and that +something must be done upon or by the authority of its author. Add this +to all the other items and the system is complete, meeting perfectly the +necessities of man's nature. + + +THE NECESSARY ORDER OF REVELATION. + +The proper arrangement of the various parts of any communication +designed to convey knowledge from one to others, is an important factor +in this subject of _revelation_. Remember "the clear is the true." This +is the case in all methodic arrangements; to this rule there are no +exceptions. The fundamental truth must first be developed. A child must +first be instructed in the rudiments of numbers in order to learn the +science of mathematics, otherwise no sensible progress can be made. +Intricate problems in Euclid are not to be presented to beginners for +solution. So, in religion, the primary thought of the existence of God +is the first great truth made known. Second, we are taught that he +possesses power, wisdom and goodness. This instruction must also be +adapted to the capacity of those who are to be taught. We know that the +very young mind needs more simple instruction than the adult. As, of +necessity, there was a first man, and a time when that first man began +to be, so, of necessity, in the beginning of the life of that man, +however perfectly developed his body might have been, his mind was +infantile--destitute of the first principles of an education. + +Object lessons were called for. Here they come in hills and dales, dry +lands and running waters, in trees and vines, in shrubs and grass, +flowers and fruits, beasts, birds and winged insects and creeping +things, and higher up in the sun with his brilliant light, and in the +moon with her paler rays, and in all her attending, sparkling stars. +Here are the objects for man's first lesson. Just now the wise man of +this world, a skeptic, asks the question, Could not the first man, with +all these objects before him, learn by the use of reason the fact that +all these objects originated from a creator? And if he could he +certainly needed no revelation, for, reasoning from nature up to +nature's God, he might then, from the order, beauty and harmony of all, +reach the idea of his character, and from this deduce a knowledge of his +will, and if so a revelation was not necessary. This seems to me very +clear, and you often say "the clear is the true." This is my reason for +rejecting the idea that a revelation was ever made. + +Will you, Mr. Christian, grapple with this? I would with pleasure if +there was anything in it to grapple with, but you will see nothing real +in your premises, for objects teach nothing without an instructor. There +lies a brick, pick it up and examine its surface closely; do you, from +it, reach the idea of its maker? No. Yet I know it must have been made, +for I have seen other bricks made, and this resembles them. Very well. +Did you ever see worlds made, and, if so, does our earth resemble them? +But when you saw those bricks made were there not several men engaged in +their manufacture, as well as horses? There is no analogy in your +premises; you beg the question entirely; you take the whole foundation +for granted; your argument is "as clear as mud." + +Had you seen others made by only one maker, then and only then could you +by analogy have reached even the idea that ours was made also. Also, the +makers of those bricks may have been of the most base and malignant +disposition, for you can learn nothing of their disposition from the +bricks; they only testify of the skill of their makers--this is all. Do +you not see that you give me nothing to grapple with? The truth is this, +nature gives you no sufficient foundation for religion. Revelation must +of necessity furnish us with that. Without revelation no one can learn +of the existence and character of God. The knowledge of his existence, +power and wisdom might excite reverence, but this alone could not bring +man's religious powers into activity. To this must be added the +knowledge of his goodness and kindness towards, and his love of, those +who are required to worship him. And in addition to all this, there must +be a revelation of the divine will concerning human action, for the term +_worship_ indicates submission and obedience; without this, very +important elements would be wanting, and the system show great +imperfection and want of wisdom--as man could not learn his relation nor +obligation to that great Creator and Preserver of all. But give in +addition the knowledge of man's relation to and dependence upon God, +with a knowledge of his will in the form of law or commands, with +promises of good annexed, resting upon the condition of obedience. Such +a system of revelation would be perfect, fitted to the necessities of +human nature. And you, Mr. Skeptic, have agreed with me, that the nature +of man was true and right. Now, when we find a perfectly straight edge, +and then find another edge that fits it, we know that the last is also +perfectly straight, for straight and crooked edges do not match. Having +already found the kind of a revelation that human nature made necessary, +in my next I shall show that such a revelation is contained in the +Bible. Then as human nature is true, and as the Bible's revelation is +exactly fitted to it, the inevitable conclusion will follow that the +Bible does contain a revelation from God to man. + + + + +WHERE SHALL WE TAKE INFIDELS TO GET THEM OUT OF UNBELIEF? + + +Goethe says it is a law of the demons that they must get out at the same +place where they sneaked in. This is a very suggestive expression. If a +mathematician makes a mistake in the solution of a problem his only +chance to get out of the difficulty lies just at the point where the +mistake was made. He must remain in perplexity until he finds the +mistake and corrects it. This law holds good in all our intellectual +operations. Many men are professedly in unbelief. How shall we get them +out? This is an important question and needs to be well studied by all +Christian ministers. If we can find out just how they got in, then it +will be easy to get the honest ones out. But it is well to remember that +many professed infidels are _only skeptics_ in heart. They are +unbelievers at will. The most effectual remedy for such unbelief, as yet +known, is an attack of cramp colic, or some other fearful affliction. +Under such circumstances they always surrender. There is not much chance +for Gospel means as long as a man's unbelief is simply a profession. His +disease is not one of the head, but of the heart; yet our law holds good +here. The man himself may repent; may make to himself a new heart and a +new spirit. This is his way out. If a man gets into unbelief through a +misunderstanding of Bible facts he will never get out short of a better +understanding of those same facts. + +If he gets in through the impression that science and the Bible are in +conflict, there is no way to get him out short of a removal of the +impression. Hence the importance of ministers being scientists. Many +unbelievers claim that the Bible and science conflict, who have never +investigated them, and know comparatively nothing of either. This class, +too, is in the majority. They are men who ape certain leaders, being +under their influence. Many of them love to have us know that they know +something about such men as Strauss, notwithstanding their ignorance of +_even the man_. To have such a mind do their thinking is the highest of +their ambition. There is a good deal of heart disease about these +fellows. They really glory in the names of such men as Strauss. He was +so far away that they never learned the fact that "he was divorced from +his wife, the former actress, Agnese Schebest, and spent his days going +about from place to place. His pseudo-theology or mythology ended in a +theatrical comedy, and the comedy in a tragedy." "In 1839 this famous +Dr. Strauss--who resolved the gospel history of salvation into an +incoherent and self-contradictory mythological poem, and denied the +existence of a personal God and the immortality of the soul--was duly +elected professor of Christian dogmatics and ethics in the University of +Zurich, by the party then in power, which consisted mostly of demagogues +and frivolous infidels." + +But the free Swiss would not submit, so the people of the Canton of +Zurich rose in their republican majesty and marched to the city under +the lead of an energetic pastor, and with the weapons which they hastily +collected scared the Strauss clique away; they very courageously took to +their heels; then the people of the Canton of Zurich placed the +government into the hands of conservative, trustworthy Christian men, +and quietly retired to their mountain homes without shedding a drop of +blood. The new government elected Mr. Lange in the place claimed, but +never occupied, by Strauss; but Mr. Strauss claimed half the salary, and +it is said that he enjoyed it, up to 1857 at least. + +How much influence could such a man in our own country exert over the +American mind? For these facts touching the life of Strauss, see +"Germany; Its Universities, Theology and Religion," by Phillip Schaff, +pages 101, 386. The reader may rely upon the quotations given above. I +have taken them with the book referred to open before me. + +Infidels who investigate the Bible honestly, with reference to an +understanding of its contents, are unknown to us. The master spirits in +unbelief give abundant evidence of their ignorance of the scriptures of +the Bible. Not one in a thousand ever investigated the scriptures of the +Bible with pure and honest motives. Many have never investigated it at +all. To read a chapter here and there for the sole purpose of finding +fault and getting up a difficulty, is not investigation. An honest +investigation requires a very different course. All the evidence must be +brought into the court and presented in such a manner as to be +understood, just as it was given, otherwise the court is not qualified +to decide righteously in the case. That all such men as Col. Ingersoll +have failed to thus investigate the Bible is evident from the fact that +they, to be like him, must be infidels in all their history. It is +published to the world that the Colonel was born an infidel. He has been +hacking away at religion and the Bible ever since he was a small boy. So +his infidelity is not the result of an intelligent investigation of +either science or religion. I will not undertake to say what the +Colonel's trouble is, but if he was born an infidel it is possible, +according to our law, that he will die an unbeliever. + +Many infidels, governed by a spirit of fanaticism, undoubtedly, have +labored with as much earnestness as if the world's salvation depended +upon their efforts, without the least hope of bettering its condition, +for the false philosophy of materialism which they advocate gives to a +man nothing to live for except his own animal nature. This philosophy +says all is well as long as you dodge the sharp corners of the laws of +your country. If the materialist can avoid paying fines, along with all +other penalties of the laws of his country, what need he care for one +course of life in preference to another? Do you say he has a conscience? +Well, it may be that it is not seared so that he is past feeling. Very +few men, I know, ever reach such a depraved condition. And this is +doubtless the greatest reason why all infidels, as a general rule, get +into mental distress during great bodily afflictions. Many of them are +converted by disease of the body, for two reasons: first, they were +unbelievers at will, just because it suited their desires, and, second, +because they are in possession of a religious nature or conscience. But +men who are converted by disease of the body are liable to go back to +the old wallow as soon as prosperity and health crown them again. + +Many men are driven to irreligion through its abuses. I have often +thought it a misfortune that we Americans are under the necessity of +meeting the infidel literature of the old world, for the simple reason +that it is evolved out of the circumstances peculiar to state churches. +In America our religion is heroic; that is, it rests upon the merits of +its own evidence, and is supported by the voluntary contributions of the +people. But in Europe, where the mass of our infidel literature comes +from, Christianity is not free and independent, but entangled with the +affairs of state, and supported by the secular arm. The result is that +difficulties are continually arising out of the unholy alliance which +are disgusting to the independent scientific mind. The natural result is +to drive such persons into irreligion. Where men are educated in both +science and religion, and have not been all their lives called upon to +look upon religion in a secular light, tangled up in the interests of +politics and law, there should be no fears on account of any literature +that infidels may pass around. The misfortune that I speak of is not +with such men, but with the uneducated in religion and science, who are +more than anxious to find an excuse for irreligion. Christianity fears +nothing in the light. + + * * * * * + +The desires that have only a bodily end and aim, that are unconnected +with the high, holy, and noble purposes of a pure, true, and good life, +are false desires, and should be cast off. + + + + +COUNCILS--No. II. + +UNITY OF THE ROMAN CHURCH. + + +In our October article on Councils we closed with the council that was +assembled by Mrs. Irene in the year 787. The Franks, having heard that a +council at Constantinople had ordained the adoration of images, +assembled, in the year 794, by order of Charles, son of Pepin, +afterwards named Charlemagne, a very numerous council. In this council +the second council of Nice is spoken of as an impertinent and arrogant +synod held in Greece for the promotion of the worship of pictures. This +council, held at Frankfort, was composed of three hundred clergymen from +England, Italy, France and Germany. Aventin, Hinemar and Regina say the +Frankfortians rescinded the decisions of the false Grecian synod in +favor of image worship. + +In 842 a grand council was held at Constantinople, convened by the +Empress Theodora. Here the worship of images was solemnly established. +The Greeks still have a feast in honor of this council called +"_Orthodoxia_." Theodora did not preside at this council. + +"In 861 a council was held at Constantinople consisting of three hundred +and eighteen bishops, assembled by the Emperor Michael. St. Ignatius, +patriarch of Constantinople, was deposed and Photius elected. + +"In 866 another council was held at Constantinople, in which Pope +Nicholas III. was deposed for contumacy and excommunicated. + +"In 869 was another council at Constantinople; in this Photius, in turn, +was deposed and excommunicated and St. Ignatius restored. + +"In 879 another council was held in Constantinople, in which Photius, +already restored, was acknowledged as true patriarch by the legates of +Pope John VIII., who declares all those to be Judases who say that the +Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son. + +"In 1122-3 a council was held at Rome, in the church of St. John of +Lateran, by Pope Calixtus II. This was the first general council +assembled by the popes. The emperors of the west had now scarcely any +authority, and the emperors of the east, pressed by the Mahometans and +by the crusaders, held none but little wretched councils. In this +council the bishops complained heavily of the monks. 'They possess,' +said they, 'the churches, the lands, the castles, the tithes, the +offerings of the living and the dead; they have only to take from us the +ring and the crosier.' _The monks remained in possession._" + +"In 1139 was another council of Lateran, by Pope Innocent II. It is said +a thousand bishops were present. Here the ecclesiastical tithes are +declared to be of _divine right_, and all laymen possessing any of them +are excommunicated. + +"In 1215 was the last general council of Lateran, by Pope Innocent III. +Four hundred and twelve bishops and eight hundred abbots were here. This +was in the time of the Crusades, and the popes have established a Latin +patriarch at Jerusalem and one at Constantinople. These patriarchs +attend this council. This council declares, among other things, that 'no +one can be saved out of the Catholic church.' The word +transubstantiation was not known until after this council. It forbade +the establishment of new religious orders; but, since that time, no less +than eighty have been instituted. It was in this council that Raimond, +Count of Toulouse, was stripped of all his lands. + +"In 1245 a council assembled at the city of Lyons. Innocent IV. brings +thither the Emperor of Constantinople, John Puleologus, and makes him +sit beside him. He deposes the Emperor Frederick as a felon, and gives +the cardinals a red but, as a sign of hostility to Frederick, and the +source of thirty years of civil war. + +"In 1274 another council is held at the city of Lyons. Five hundred +bishops are present, seventy great and a thousand lesser abbots. The +Greek emperor, Michael Paleologus, that he may have the protection of +the Pope, sends his Greek patriarch, Theophanes, to unite, in his name, +with the Latin church; but the Greek church disowns these bishops. + +"In 1311 Pope Clement V. assembled a general council in the small town +of Vienne, in Dauphiny, in which he abolishes the order of the Templars. +It is here ordained that the Begares, Beguins and Beguines shall be +burned. These were a species of heretics '_to whom was imputed all that +had formerly been imputed to the primitive Christians_.'" So says +Voltaire. He does not, like the pitiful blaspheming infidels of to-day, +try to heap all this corruption of the dark ages upon primitive +Christianity. No! The hull of Voltaire's soul was too great for such a +deed. + +"In 1414 the great council of Constance was assembled by an emperor who +resumes his rights, viz: by Sigismund. Here Pope John XXIII., convicted +of numerous crimes, is deposed, and John Huss and Jerome of Sprague +convicted of _obstinacy and burned_. + +"In 1431 a council was held at Basle, where they in vain depose Pope +Eugene IV., who is too clever for the council. This was a stormy +council, and it is said that Eugene regretted in _his_ old age that he +ever left his monastery. + +"In 1438 a council assembled at Ferrara, transferred to Florence, where +the excommunicated pope excommunicates the council, and declares it +guilty of high treason. Here a feigned union is made with the Greek +church, crushed by the Turkish synods held sword in hand. + +"Pope Julius II. would have had his council of Lateran in 1512 pass for +an ecumenical council. In it that pope solemnly excommunicated Louis +XII., King of France, laid France under an interdict, summoned the whole +Parliament of Provence to appear before him, and excommunicated all the +philosophers because most of them had taken part with Louis XII. Yet +this council was not like that of Ephesus, called the council of +robbers. + +"In 1537 the council of Trent was first assembled at Mantua, by Paul +III., afterwards at Trent, in 1543, and terminated in Dec., 1561, under +Pius VI." See vol. Phil. Dic. + +"Pope Pius IX. convened a council in 1869, which in July, 1870, decreed +the _personal infallability of the Pope_ in matters of faith and morals, +to be a dogma of the church." + +Reader, if you will digest this little piece of history, you will +doubtless discover good reasons for asserting the right of private +judgment and the liberty of conscience. _Truth stands true to her god; +men alone vascillate._ + + + + +FREE-THOUGHT IN GERMANY, FRANCE AND RUSSIA, OR RUSSIAN NIHILISM. + +BY FITZ CUNLIFFE OWEN. LIBRARY MAG. VOL. 3. + + +Rationalism and radicalism exist to a certain extent in every country of +Europe. But the Social Democrats of Germany and Austria and the +Communists of France and Spain turn with horror from Russian +revolutionists, who consider the programme of the Paris commune of 1871 +condemnably weak, and Felix Pyat, Cluseret and their companions as +little better than conservatives. The Social Democrats and even the +Communists of the rest of Europe have in view aims which, no matter how +fantastic, are always of a sufficiently defined nature. They look +forward to an entirely democratic form of government, and hope for a +recognization of the social world, under which all capital and property +would be held either by the State or Commune for the equal benefit of +everybody. They are levellers, but they are not destroyers. Take the +right of property from the citizens of a government and the greatest +motive to industry and prosperity is gone. + +The revolutionary party in Russia has no definite aims of either +reorganization or improvement. In its sight everything as it now exists +is rotten, and before anything new and good can be created all existing +institutions must be utterly destroyed. Religion, the state, the family, +laws, property, morality, are all equally odious, and must be rooted out +and abolished. It is because "nothing," as it exists at present, finds +favor in their eyes that they have been called "Nihilists." They +maintain that no one should be bound by laws or even moral obligations +of any kind, but that every body should be allowed to do exactly as he +pleases. They desire to break up the actual social organization into +mere individualism, with entire independence for each separate person. +Their object is anarchy in the very truest sense of the word. They are +only modest enough to decline the attempt to create a new order of +things in the place of what they propose to destroy. That they intend to +leave for a better and more enlightened generation. The following, from +a Nihilist paper, Narodnia Volya (The Will of the People), which is +published at St. Petersburg by means of secret presses, will set them +forth in their true inwardness: + +"The Russian press is bent almost double by the imperial government. +Notwithstanding its disagreeable position it does its utmost to curry +favor of its oppressors. Whenever thefts, murders, or incendiarisms take +place in Russia the press invariably attributes them to the Nihilists. +There is an old proverb which says, 'Slander, slander; some result will +always be obtained.' Judging from the tone of the press some result has +been obtained. According to its statements the Nihilists are little +better than wild beasts. We do not venture to assert that there are no +bad men in our ranks, but are yours entirely free from them? The number +of bad persons among the Nihilists is so very small that we need hardly +enumerate them. Since 1862 over 17,000 persons have been exiled to +Siberia for political offenses. + +"You accuse us of adopting means of action which are unjustifiable in +every way. But what can we do? We are reduced to silence. We only adopt +questionable means of action very rarely, and then only in self-defense; +whereas you use them daily. + +"The money obtained from private individuals by means of theft and +blackmail has not been levied by order of the 'committee,' but by +certain unscrupulous Nihilists acting on their own behalf. However, we +are all the more ready to admit that such things have been done when we +remember that only five such cases are known to have taken place. + +"Do not accuse us of being murderers, because of our attempts to take +the life of His Most Sacred Majesty? Why, we would most gladly +accomplish his destruction, and he has only escaped until now in +consequence of the many cowards in our ranks! It has been stated that +Solowjew's attempt in April last has disturbed the rest and peace of +mind of many harmless and respectable citizens. Some of the Liberal +papers even go so far as to say that it will have the effect of +producing a reaction in favor of the government. Why, what idle and +stupid talk! These good newspaper proprietors, who love their ease and +their books, must have been asleep not to have perceived that the +reaction began sixteen years ago, not in favor of the government, but +against it. + +"We are quite persuaded that if Solowjew's attempt had succeeded, +everybody would talk in a different manner, even the slaves and asses +who surrounded the throne would have rejoiced. + +"Do not be surprised at these political assassinations, but rather be +astonished that they are not more frequent. Unfortunately for our cause, +the Nihilists are too humanitarian, and hence are incapable of carrying +out many necessary measures. Perhaps in time they will acquire the +aptitude necessary in critical moments; perhaps it will be your conduct +which will effect this change in them. Then in that case the +responsibility of terrorism and assassination will rest with you, and +not with us." + + * * * * * + +How many amusing and ridiculous scenes should we witness if each pair of +men that secretly laugh at each other were to do it openly! + + + + +AXIOMS LYING AT THE FOUNDATION OF ALL PHILOSOPHY AND RELIGION. + + +Out of nothing, nothing comes. Into nothing, nothing goes. These are +foundation axioms underlying the entire system of Christian theology. +The first looks backward, and the second looks forward. The first +correllates with the saying, "So things which are seen were not made of +things which do appear." The converse of this is the following: Things +which are seen were made of unseen things; that is, the visible universe +is the manifestation of the invisible. The real universe is the +invisible. There is nothing that can not be thrown into the invisible. +Even the diamond has been thrown into solution, and all solutions may be +thrown into the invisible by heat. The question, What is matter? has +puzzled the best minds of earth, and puzzled all, both infidels and +Christians, as much as any other question. The visible, organic universe +was created, but it was created out of the invisible. The invisible is +eternal. There is an eternal world, and that is the invisible and real +universe, without which the visible would not be, for of nothing, +nothing comes. All matter is to be referred to antecedent +substance--that which lies under and causes it to be. Substance, +strictly speaking, lies in the invisible. Matter, properly speaking, is +an effect, which is the visible manifestation of an unseen substance, +and this is eternal. + +God created the universe by means of eternal substance. He is the king +eternal. The time never was when he was the king of nothing. It is said +of Leibnitz that he thought inert matter insufficient to explain the +phenomena of body, and had recourse to the entelechies of Aristotle, or +the _substantial forms_ of scholastic philosophy, conceiving of them as +primitive forces, constituting the substance of matter, atoms of +substance, but not of matter _imperishable_, but subject to +transformation. This view of the atomic theory is two-fold: First, the +atomic invisible, as the very term _atom_ indicates, for it is from "ha +temno," which means _not cut_--literally _indivisible_. You can't cut an +atom chemically or otherwise, unless you are working upon that which is +an atom in the loose and more modern sense of the term. You may reduce +matter chemically to the invisible or underlying substance, but beyond +this you can not cut? Can you run it into nothing? No. Into nothing +nothing goes. Physicists are indebted to the oldest philosophers, who +lived prior to Democrites, for the use of the term atom. Those oldest +philosophers used the term to indicate something that was not matter, +viz: immaterial substance. The term in its primary sense is applicable +nowhere else. + +The invisible world of substance is undoubtedly eternal. But those men +who try to make this fact an argument against the existence of God are +guilty of the most stupid nonsense and impudence, for, having allowed +eternity not only to substance, but to _material_ substance, they have +no right in logic to deny eternity to life and mind; because it is as +easy, and as rational, to conceive of the eternity of one thing known to +exist as of another. But the idea that the visible world is eternal is +in direct conflict with the facts of science, which establish beyond +contradiction the mutable nature of all organized bodies. Aristotle, +though a believer in the existence of God, did affirm the world's +eternity, and therefore held that there never was any first male or +female in the history of any animals whatsoever, but affirmed, on the +contrary that one begat another infinitely, without any beginning. This +thought was so repugnant to common sense that Aristotle himself seemed +to be skeptical about it, admitting it to be a disputable thing. After +affirming his notion he added, "If the world had a beginning, and if men +were once earth-born, then must they have been, in all probability, +either generated as worms, out of putrefaction, or else out of eggs." +But the question comes up for an answer, From whence came the eggs? + +Old Epicurus, after Aristotle, fancied that the first men and animals +were formed in certain wombs or bags growing out of the earth, by a +fortuitous concourse of dead atoms. Here we have the last _home stretch_ +of all physicists in their efforts to get rid of the Christian idea of +creation; beyond it no modern infidel has traveled in his speculations, +nor ever will. + +But if men were formed from eggs growing out of the earth, or from bags, +or from wombs created by a fortuitous concourse of dead atoms, by +chance, why, the motion of atoms being as brisk and vigorous as ever, +should we not expect the same thing to occur occasionally throughout all +the ages? + +Anaximander, however, concluded that men, because they require longer +time than other animals to be hatched up, were at first generated in the +bellies of fishes, and there nourished till they were able to defend and +shift for themselves, and were then disgorged and cast upon dry land. So +we are driven to the conclusion that there is nothing in the world too +absurd for those men, both ancient and modern, to swallow down in their +efforts to get rid of the notion of an intelligent creation by the hand +of an intelligent creator. + + + + +ESTOPPELS; OR, FOSSILIZATION. + + +In our religion we find no law requiring uniformity of thought. Think +the same things. Be of the same opinion. These and like statements are +no part of our religion. Faith and opinion are not the same. All +Christians have one faith, "the faith of Christ." "Be of the same mind +and of the same judgment." "Speak the same things." These are to be +taken in their proper relations. The made up judgment is the result of +faith in the judgment of Christ. "I judge nothing by myself; he that +judgeth me is the Lord." The one great mind enjoined is the result of +thought upon the one great subject of the life of Christ, which is given +as the light of men. These imperatives are summed up in the beautiful +expression, "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus." +Uniformity of thoughts or opinions is a very different thing. A man +would be considered worse than a knave who would throw chains around the +human intellect, so as to put an end to progress in thought; it would be +the stagnation of all in which we are most interested. Christians are +not to be charged with any such wickedness, for they are using all their +powers to produce thought; money and talent are freely bestowed in many +ways to get men to think, and then decide, not in reference to opinions +but facts; not in reference to things which are matters of opinion only, +but of the living object of faith, Christ and Christian duty. There is +no system of things in which investigation, liberty of thought and +action, upon all matters of interest to our humanity, both as respects +this world and the world to come, is more encouraged and insisted upon. +Wicked and unholy thoughts only are prohibited. + +Who would paint every flower of the same hue? Who would trim all the +trees of the forest into one and the same shape? Or, who is so foolish +as to want all faces cast into one mould? Who would chain human thought +or mould the opinions of men so that they should not only be one in +Christ, the greatest living fact in history, but one in every other +being known in the world's history--one in opinions? The freeist thing +in the universe is thought. The liberties of thought are charter +liberties from the King of Kings. The spirit of man is free in its +normal state. You can not chain it in slavery against its will. No. It +knows no servitude but the voluntary. But, then, its wanderings are +many. In the field of search after beauty, rectitude and truth, many +minds may come into collision. But greater evils would result from +chaining them all to one spot, and thus ending progress in many things +of interest lying in the realm of thought. Of all the varieties known +among men those of thought are the most sublime and useful. + +This variety causes the investigation of every interest; it brings every +truth and every error to the surface. + +Men have made many attempts to check the onward march of intellect. But +every attempt in that direction is marked by some great dread. Men are +not anxious to put on the brakes unless they are in fear of being +wrecked. Nothing is more dangerous in any government than perfect +indifference to public interests. Men in places of public trust always +need watching. Irresponsible power, it is said, would corrupt an +archangel, and is, doubtless, unknown among the inhabitants of the +better land. Among men there is great liability. Every political +candidate has his accusations, his promises, and scheme, with which he +confronts his rival and agitates the minds of the people. So we have +been saved from that stagnation of thought which has retarded progress +among other nations. Many men, seeking office, have been wise enough to +see the danger to their interests of an expose of corruption. So they +have been perfectly willing that mechanics, artisans and farmers should +investigate and expose to public view all the questions of interest +belonging to our government, but good Christians, "and especially +preachers, entering the field of political investigation, at once +forfeit their right to the crown of life.(?)" + +But just how it is that lawyers, doctors and politicians will all reach +heaven in spite of political action, and preachers will sink to +perdition on account of the same, is a problem among problems that has +never yet been satisfactorily solved. Are we to conclude that such men +as Generals Hancock and Garfield, along with a great many more, had, and +have, no religion to be disturbed? Or is there a double portion of +sacrifice, the sacrifice of principle and liberty, demanded at the hands +of ministers of the Gospel of Christ? How is this? We are anxious to +know. Are the politicians of the country the voluntary scapegoats of the +nation, who risk their own salvation for political toil, which, from its +character, would, according to a very common opinion, kill out the +religion of all the saints in America? Surely we ought to feel grateful +to the political sinners who so willingly take all the risk of being +shut out of Paradise that they may have the exclusive right of +controlling the offices of the government. They seem to say to us +Christians, Hear us, ye hard-thinking toilers and aspirants to the +realms of bliss while we proclaim to you the perils of our position; we +warn you against the crime of accustoming yourselves to the +investigation of the political and civil interests of the day, and let +not your devout meditations be disturbed by secular pursuits. Read your +Bibles and other pious books; attend to all your prayer meetings and all +your philanthropic societies. + +What is the object of all this pious policy? Is it to keep the national +mind as far as possible in a state of political stagnation, or, +otherwise, to ostracise politically the preachers of the land with +reference to party success? How is this? Are the preachers of the United +States a dangerous element in our land? If they are, then the fewer we +have of them the better we are off. Do any but infidels take that view +of the subject? It correllates with infidelity, but not with +Christianity. + + + + +TO KEEP A ROOM PURE. + + +To keep a room purified it is only necessary to keep a pitcher or some +other vessel full of water in it. The water will absorb all the respired +gases. The colder the water is the greater is its capacity to hold the +gases. At ordinary temperature a pail of water will absorb a pint of +carbonic acid gas and several pints of ammonia. The capacity is nearly +doubled by reducing the water to the temperature of ice. Water kept +awhile in a room is unfit for use. The pump should always be emptied +before catching water for use. Impure water is more injurious than +impure air. + + * * * * * + +Man, being essentially active, must find in activity his joy, as well as +his beauty and glory, and labor, like everything else that is good, is +its own reward. + + + + +INTERESTING FACTS. + + +Glass windows were used for lights in 1180. + +Chimneys first put up to houses in 1236. + +Tallow candles for lights in 1290. + +Spectacles invented by an Italian in 1240. + +Paper made from linen in 1302. + +Woolen cloth made in England in 1341. + +Art of printing from movable types in 1440. + +The first book printed with movable types in 1450. + +Watches first made in Germany in 1447. + +Telescopes invented by Porta and Janson in 1590. + +Tea first brought from China to Europe in 1501. + +Circulation of blood discovered by Hervey in 1610. + +Newspaper first established in 1629. + +Pendulum clocks first invented in 1639. + +Barometer invented by Torricelli in 1535. + +Steam engine invented in 1649. + +Bread made with yeast in 1650. + +Cotton planted in the United States in 1759. + +Fire engine invented in 1685. + +Telegraph invented by Morse in 1832. + + * * * * * + +CURE FOR A FELON.--"Take common salt, dry it in the oven, then pound it +fine and mix it with turpentine, equal parts. Put it on a rag and wrap +it around the finger, and as soon as it gets dry put on some more, and +in twenty-four hours the felon will be as dead as a door nail."--_Old +Mr. Mix._ + + +Transcriber's Note + +The punctuation and spelling from the original text have been faithfully +preserved. Only obvious typographical errors have been corrected. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Christian Foundation, Or, +Scientific and Religious Journal, Volume I, No. 12, December, 1880, by Various + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CHRISTIAN FOUNDATION, DECEMBER 1880 *** + +***** This file should be named 28678.txt or 28678.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/8/6/7/28678/ + +Produced by Bryan Ness, Greg Bergquist and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This +book was produced from scanned images of public domain +material from the Google Print project.) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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