,,the ,,bible ,,of ,,bibles2 ,,or1 ,,twenty-,,seven ,,divine ,,revelations3 ,,containing ,a ,,description ,,of ,,twenty-,,seven ,,bibles1 ,,and ,,an ,,exposition ,,of ,,two ,,thousand ,,biblical ,,errors ,,in ,,science1 ,,history1 ,,morals1 ,,religion1 ,,and ,,general ,,events2 ,,also ,a ,,delineation ,,of ,,the ,,characters ,,of ,,the ,,principal ,,personages ,,of ,,the ,,christian ,,bible1 ,,and ,,an ,,examination ,,of ,,their ,,doctrines4 ,by ,kersey ,graves1 ,author ,of ,the ,world's ,sixteen ,crucified ,saviors1 ,the ,biography ,of ,satan4 ,fourth ,edition4 ,boston3 ,colby ,rich1 ,publishers1 ,no4 #i ,montgomery ,place4 #ahgi4 ,by ,lydia ,m4 ,graves1 ,assistant ,authoress4 ,,notes ,,and ,,explanations ,,for ,,the ,,third ,,edition4 #a4 ,on page #gc it is stated that no geologist or philosopher believes in either a creation or a creator4 ,it is admitted that some men1 called geologists1 may believe so2 but we hold that no man thoroughly versed in geology and philosophy can thus believe4 #b4 ,on page #ada1 contradiction #adf1 it should be stated in the first part that ,ahaziah's reign began in his thirty-second year1 instead of the eleventh year of ,joram4 ,the second part should state that he began in his forty-second year1 instead of the twelfth year of ,joram4 #c4 ,on page #adc1 contradiction #aha1 the anointment of ,christ is spoken of ,but the text refers to the feast of the passover4 #d4 ,on page #cae it is stated that the ,unitarians believe in a hell4 ,it should be understood1 however1 that they believe in a hell merely as a state or condition1 and not as a place4 #e4 ,on page #cfd it is stated that the weight of the tables of the law was fifty times as much as ,hilkiah could carry4 ,this1 of course1 would depend upon the quality and condition of the stone used and the manner of engraving the law1 if not1 what is assumed1 to constitute the law4 ,it is stated that some considered the ,pentateuch the law4 ,this1 however1 was only in a general sense4 ,they1 of course1 knew that the law as described in ,deuteronomy was the law proper1 or special law4 #f4 ,the charge of falsehood against ,christ1 on page #djc1 is not intended to imply that it is certain he designed telling a falsehood4 ,but1 as he stated he would not go up to the feast at ,jerusalem1 and yet did go1 it shows that he either intended to deceive1 or was ignorant of what he would do in the future2 and either defect would prove he was not an omniscient ,god4 #g4 ,on page #dad it is stated that a ,jew could not be a full ,roman citizen in the time of ,paul1 and that ,tarsus was not at that time a ,roman city4 ,but it may be stated also that authors differ on these points2 and we leave the matter for them or their critical readers to settle4 ,let it be noted that it is not claimed that ,paul1 while professing to be first a ,roman citizen1 and then a ,pharisee1 and then a disciple of ,jesus ,christ1 could not be all three at once2 but it indicates his policy of changing4 ,,the ,,personality ,,of ,,god4 ,as the denial of the personality of ,god1 as set forth in ,chapter1 has been warmly assailed by ,orthodox professors since the work was issued1 and as that dogma constitutes one of the principal pillars of the ,orthodox faith1 ,i propose to examine it a little further in the light of reason and science4 ,i will present other absurdities of the doctrine in the form of questions4 #a4 ,if ,god is an organized personality1 what should we assume to be his form1 size1 shape1 and color8 #b4 ,how large is his body8 #c4 ,does it occupy more than one planet8 #d4 ,if not1 how can he be present in other worlds8 #e4 ,what is his physical type--,malay1 ,mongolian1 ,anglo-,saxon1 or ,african8 #f4 ,what is his complexion--white1 black1 or tawny8 #g4 ,what is the color of his eyes and hair8 #h4 ,what are the dimensions of his body and the length of his arms and legs8 #i4 ,what is his position--lying1 sitting1 or standing8 #aj4 ,how is his time occupied8 #aa4 ,and as personality implies sex1 and one sex not only implies the other sex1 but creates a necessity lor the other sex1 we are driven to ask1 who is ,god's wife1 and where is she8 #ab4 ,are they both on the same planet8 #ac4 ,and have they ever been divorced8 ,or is he still a bachelor8 #ad4 ,and as sex also implies offspring1 we desire to ask1 how many children have they had8 #ae4 ,and whether they are all boys8 #af4 ,and1 as personality also implies parentage1 this brings up the question1 who was ,god's father1 grandfather1 etc4 #ag4 ,and as personality implies the susceptibility to anger1 and the ,bible-,god is often represented as getting angry1 and anger has been shown to be a species of insanity1 would not this imply and prove that heaven is ruled by an insane ,god--an omnipotent luuatic8 #ah4 ,and would not this virtually make heaven a lunatic asylum1 and consequently a very unsuitable and disagreeable place to live in8 ,as all these and many other absurdities are involved in the assumption of a personal ,god1 it is difficult to see how any reasonable being can swallow the doctrine4 ,,more ,,bibles4 ,as the notices of several bibles prepared for the first edition were left out from fear of making the book too large1 ,i have concluded to insert a brief notice of some of them here4 #a4 ,dhammapada1 or ,path of ,virtue4 ,this sacred book has constituted the moral and religious guide of several hundred millions of ,hindoos for many centuries4 ,it is probably the oldest record of the ,budhistic faith4 ,it is assumed to be a collection from the pitakas1 which are principally compilations from the discourses of the incarnate god ,gautama1 written out by his disciples4 ,it was pronounced genuine and canonical by a famous council which met in #bdf ,b4 ,c41 under the reign of ,king ,asoka4 ,max ,mller says1 ,its moral code1 taken by itself1 is one of the most perfect the world has ever known4 ,spence ,ilardy1 and' ,johnson1 both speak highly of the work4 ,it contains many wise1 beautiful1 and lofty moral precepts1 of which we will give a few specimens3--,haste to do good4 ,give to those who ask4 ,master thyself1 and then thou canst control and teach others4 ,select for friend8 the best of men4 ,be just1 speak truly1 act nobly1 etc4 #b4 ,tripitika4 ,this book is divided into three parts hence its name1 which means the three pitikas4 ,like the ,dhammanada1 it is a history of some of the gods1 and sets forth their lives and precepts4 ,it forbids the commission of sin1 and enjoins the practice of the highest virtues4 ,in no system1 says ,amherly1 is benevolence and charity more emphatically inculcated4 ,chastity is recommended1 and a life of spotless virtue in every respect enjoined4 ,the former work appears to be made up principally by selections from this4 #c4 ,other sacred books might be mentioned1 such as ,the ,paradise of ,fo1 ,confucius and his ,disciple1 ,catena of the ,chinese ,budhistic ,scriptures ,the ,baghavat ,gita1 ,the ,sanhita1 ,sudras 7appendages to the ,sunhita71 ,divine ,opherisms of ,kanada1 ,the ,uphanishads 7a commentary on the ,vedas71 ,saddharma ,pundosika 7another commentary71 ,worship and ,psalmody of the ,maharades1 etc4 ,some of these works are either other titles for those previously described1 or are additions1 appendages1 or commentaries4 ,and thus it will be observed the world is full of bibles and scriptures4 ,,the ,,leading ,,positions ,,of ,,this ,,work4 ,we maintain1 #ast1 ,that man's mental faculties are susceptible of a threefold division and classification1 as follows3 ,first1 the intellectual department2 second1 the moral and religious department2 third1 the animal department 7which includes also the social74 #b;d1 ,that all ,bibles and religions are an outgrowth from some or all of these faculties1 and hence of natural origin4 #c;d1 ,that all ,bibles and religions which originated prior to the dawn of civilization in the country which gave them birth 7i4e41 prior to the reign of moral and physical science7 are an emanation from the combined action and co-operation of man's moral1 religious1 and animal feelings and propensities4 #dth1 ,that the ,christian ,bible contains 7as shown in this work7 several thousand errors1--moral1 religious1 historical1 and scientific4 #eth1 ,that this fact is easily accounted for by observing that it originated at a period when the moral and religious feelings of the nation which produced it co-operated with the animal propensities instead of an enlightened intellect4 #fth1 ,that1 although such a ,bible and religion may have been adapted to the minds which originated them1 the higher class of minds of the present age demands a religion which shall call into exercise the intellect1 instead of the animal propensities4 #gth1 ,that1 as all the ,bibles and religions of the past are more of an emanation from the animal propensities than the intellect1 they are consequently not suited to this age1 and are for this reason being rapidly abandoned4 #hth1 ,that true religion consists in the true exercise of the moral and religious faculties4 #ith1 ,as the ,christian ,bible is shown in this work to inculcate bad morals1 and to sanction1 apparently1 every species of crime prevalent in society in the age in which it was written1 the language of remonstrance is frequently employed against placing such a book in the hands of the heathen1 or the children of ,christian countries2 and more especially against making the ,bible the fountain of our laws and the supreme rule of our conduct1 and acknowledging allegiance to its ,god in the ,constitution of the ,united ,states1 as recommended by the ,american ,christian ,alliance4 ,such measures1 this work shows by a thousand facts1 would be a deplorable check to the moral and intellectual progress of the world4 #ajth1 ,if any clergyman or ,christian professor shall take any exceptions to any position laid down in this work1 the author will discuss the matter with him in a friendly manner in the papers1 or through the post-office1 or before a public audience4 ,kersey ,graves4 ,richmond1 ,indiana ,,the ,,bible ,,of ,,bibles4 ,,chapter ,i4--,,the ,,signs ,,of ,,the ,,times4 ,we live in the most important age in the history of the world4 ,no age preceding it was marked with such signal events4 ,no other era in the history of civilization has been characterized by such agitation of human thought2 such a universal tendency to investigation2 such a general awakening upon all important subjects of human inquiry2 such a determination to grow in knowledge1 and cultivate the immortal intellect1 and mount to higher plains of development4 ,the world of mind is in commotion4 ,all civilized nations are agitated from center to circumference with the great questions of the age4 ,and what does all this prove8 ,why1 that man is a progressive being2 that the tendency of the human mind is onward and upward2 and that it will not always consent to be bound down in ignorance and superstition4 ,and1 thanks to the genius of the age1 it is the prophecy of the glorious reformation and regeneration of society1--an index of a happier era in the history of the human race4 ,old institutions are crumbling1 and tumbling to the ground4 ,the iron bands of creeds and dogmas1 with which the people have been so long bound down1 are bursting asunder1 and permitting them to walk upright1 and do their own thinking4 ,in every department of science1 in every arena of human thought and every theater of human action1 we see a progressive spirit1 we behold a disposition to lay aside the traditions and superstitions of the past1 and grasp the living facts of the age4 ,we everywhere see a disposition to abandon the defective institutions1 political and religious1 which were gotten up in the childhood of human experience1 and supplant them with those better adapted to the wants of the age4 ,in a word1 there is everywhere manifested a disposition and determination to unshackle the human body1 and set free the human mind1 and place it with its living aspirations on the road to the temple of ,truth4 ,an evidence of the truth of these statements the reader can gather by casting his eyes abroad1 or by reading the periodicals of the day4 ,at this very time nearly all the orthodox churches are in a state of commotion4 ,the growing light and intelligence of the age1 penetrating their dark creeds and dogmas1 are producing a sort of moral effervescence4 ,the question of hell is now the agitating theme of the churches4 ,posterity will ridicule us1 and class us with the unenlightened heathen1 for discussing a question so far behind the times1 and one so childish and so absurd in this intelligent and enlightened age4 ,to condescend to discuss such a question now must be ,well enough for scientific and intelligent minds4 ,and other important religious events mark the age4 ,when the ,roman-,catholic ,church1 through its ,ecumenical ,council1 dragged the ,pope from his lofty throne of usurped power1 and robbed him of his attribute of infallibility1 it proclaimed the downfall of the ,pope and the death-knell of the ,church4 ,already thousands of his subjects refuse longer to bow down and kiss the big toe of his sacred majesty4 ,his scepter has departed1 his spiritual power is gone1 his temporal power is waning4 ,and the same spirit of agitation is operating as a leaven in the ,protestant churches also4 ,all the orthodox churches are declining and growing weaker by their members falling off4 ,the ,methodist ,church has recently lost more than two hundred of its preachers2 and the ,baptist ,church1 according to the statement of a recent number of ,the ,christian ,era1 has lost twenty-two thousand of its members within a period of five years4 ,the agitation in the churches is driving thousands from their ranks1 while many who remain are becoming more liberal-minded4 ,the orthodox ,quaker ,church has1 in many localities1 run clear off the track4 ,it has abandoned its old time-honored peculiarities in dress and language1 once deemed by them sacred1 and essential to true godliness4 ,the use of thee and thou is laid aside by many of its members2 and even leading members have given up the shad-bellied coat1 and the round-crowned hat with a brim broad enough to cover a multitude of sins4 ,they no longer wait for the ,holy ,ghost to move them to preach2 but1 as a member once remarked1 they go it on their own hook1 like the ,methodists1 hit or miss4 ,music1 once regarded by many of them as an emanation from an emissary of the ,devil1 is now admitted into many of their churches4 ,thus it will be seen they are making some progress4 ,the light without is benefiting them more than the light within4 ,all the orthodox systems committed a fatal error at the outset in assuming that their religions were derived directly from ,god1 and consequently must be perfect and unalterable1 and a finality in moral and religious progress4 ,such an assumption will cause the downfall1 sooner or later1 of any religious body which persists in propagating the error4 ,religious institutions1 like all other institutions1 are subject to the laws of growth and decay4 ,hence1 if their doctrines and creeds are not improved occasionally to make them conform to the growing light and intelligence of the age and the principles of science1 they will fall behind the times1 cease to answer the moral and religious wants of the age1 and become a stumbling-block in the path of progress4 ,common sense would teach us that the doctrines preached by the churches two hundred years ago must be as much out of place now as the wooden shoes and bearskin coats worn by the early disciples would be for us4 ,their spiritual food is by no means adapted to our moral and religious wants4 ,we are under no more moral and religious obligation whatever to preach the doctrines of original sin1 the fall of man1 endless punishment1 infant damnation1 c41 because our religious forefathers believed in these doctrines1 than we are morally bound to eat beetles1 locusts1 and grasshoppers1 because our ,jewish ancestors feasted on there nasty vermin1 as we learn by reading ,lev4 xi4 ,why is it that in modern times there has arisen great complaint in all the orthodox churches about the rapid inroads of infidelity into their ranks8 ,it is simply because1 that while the people are beginning to assume the liberty to do their own thinking1 the churches refuse to recognize the great principle of universal progress as applicable to their religion1 which would and should keep their doctrines and precepts improved up to the times4 ,instead of adopting this wise policy1 they try to compel their members to be content with the old stale salt junk of bygone ages1 in the shape of dilapidated1 outgrown creeds and dogmas2 but it will not do4 ,it is as difficult to keep great minds tied down to unprogressive creeds as it would be to keep grown-up boys and girls in baby-jumpers4 ,enlightened nations are as capable of making their own religion as their own laws2 that is1 of making its tenets conform to the natural outgrowth of their religious feelings as they become more expanded and enlightened4 ,and it is a significant historical fact1 that great minds in all religious nations have wholly or partially outgrown and abandoned the current and popular religions of the country4 ,it is only moral cowards1 or the ignorant and uninformed1 who throw themselves into the lap of the ,church1 and depend upon the priest to pilot them to heaven4 ,moses1 ,jesus ,christ1 ,mahomet1 ,martin ,luther1 ,john ,wesley1 ,emanuel ,swedenborg1 ,george ,fox1 ,elias ,hicks1 and many other superior minds1 strove hard unconsciously to rise above the religion in which they were educated2 and all succeeded in making some improvement in its stereotyped doctrines or practices4 ,the implied assumption of the churches1 that their doctrines and precepts are too perfect to be improved and too sacred to be investigated1 and their ,bible too holy to be criticised1 is contradicted both by history and science2 and this false assumption has already driven many of the best minds of the age from their ranks4 ,theodore ,parker declared that all the men of great intellects had left the ,church in his time1 because1 instead of improving their religion to keep it up to the times they bolt their doors1 and hang curtains over their windows to keep out the light of the age4 ,there could not be one inch of progress made in any thing in a thousand years with the principle of non-progression in religion adopted by the churches2 for1 if it will apply to religion1 it will apply with still greater force to every thing else3 and hence it would long ago have put a dead lock upon all improvement1 had it not been counteracted by outside counter-influences4 ,it is because a large portion1 and the most enlightened portion1 of the community have assumed the liberty and moral independence to think and act for themselves1 that society has made any progress either in science1 morals1 or religion4 ,a religion which sedulously opposes its own improvement can do nothing essential toward improving any thing else1 unless forced into it by outside influences2 and it can not feel a proper degree of interest in those improvements essential to the progress of society4 ,on the contrary1 it must check the growth of every thing it touches with its palsied hands4 ,here we can see the reason that no church in any age of the world has inaugurated any great system of reform for the improvement of society1 but has made war on nearly every reform set on foot by that class of people which it has chosen to stigmatize as infidels4 ,such a religion will decline and die in the exact ratio of the enlightenment and progress of society4 ,,the ,,coming ,,revolution4 ,that there is a general state of unrest in the public mind1 at the present time1 on the subject of religion1 must be apparent to every observing person4 ,theological questions1 long since regarded as settled for ever1 are being overhauled and discussed with a freedom and general interest far transcending that known or practically realized at any previous period4 ,this is premonitive of a speedy religious revolution4 ,that it will come sooner or later is as certain as that seed-sowing is succeeded by harvest4 ,reforms no longer move with the snail's pace they did a century ago4 ,this is an age of steam and electricity2 and every thing has to move with velocity4 ,we cherish no unkindly feelings toward any church or people2 but we must rejoice that the strongholds of orthodoxy are being shaken1 and error exposed1 and that creeds are loosening their iron grasp upon the immortal mind ,old1 long-cherished dogmas1 myths1 and blinding superstitions are passing away1 to make room for something better4 ,yes1 the signs of the times indicate the dawning of a brighter day upon the world1--a day which shall be illuminated by the rays of reason and science4 ,and1 if this work shall contribute any thing toward speeding the dawning of that glorious era1 we shall feel amply rewarded for the labor and personal sacrifice required in its production4 ,,reason ,,will ,,soon ,,triumph4 ,the march of science and the rapid growth of the reasoning faculties peculiar to this progressive age are daily revealing the errors of our popular theology1 and exposing their demoralizing effects in repressing the growth and healthy action of the intellect1 and perverting the exercise of the moral faculties4 ,and this progressive change and improvement must be a source of great rejoicing to every true-hearted philanthropist1 and furnishes a strong incentive to labor with zeal in this field of reform4 ,it should be borne in mind1 that all the dogmas and doctrines of our current religious faith originated at a period before the sun of science had risen above the moral horizon1 and anterior to the birth of moral science1 and hence1 like other productions of that age1 are heavily laden with error4 ,but rejoice1 ,o ye lovers of and laborers for truth and science6 the dark clouds of our gloomy theology are rapidly receding before the sunlight of our modern civilization1 and will soon leave a clear and cloudless sky6 ,and all will rejoice in having learned and practically experienced the glorious truth1 that true religion is not incorporated in ,bibles1 or inscribed on the pages of any book1 and cannot be found therein1 but is a natural and spontaneous outgrowth of man's moral and religious nature1 and is the most beautiful flower of the soul4 ,,chapter ,,ii4--,,apology ,,and ,,explanation4 ,although books are constantly issuing from the press1 and the country kept literally flooded with new publications1 yet but few of them meet the real wants of the age1 and many of them are of no permanent practical benefit to the world4 ,such a work as is comprised in ,the ,bible of ,bibles is a desideratum4 ,it has been long and loudly called for4 ,it is a moral necessity1 and partially supplies one of the great moral wants of the times4 ,it is true1 hundreds of works have been published embracing criticisms on the ,bible1 and attempting to expose some of its numerous errors1 and portray some of its evil influences upon those who accept it as a moral guide4 ,yet it is believed that the present work embraces the first attempt to arrange together1 or make out any thing like a full list of1 the numerous errors of the ,holy ,book4 ,and yet it falls far short of accomplishing this end2 for1 although more than two thousand errors are brought to notice1 a critical research would bring to light several thousand more4 ,it will be observed by the reader1 that there has been a constant effort on the part of the author to abridge1 contract1 and compress the contents of the volume into the smallest compass possible to be attained compatible with perspicuity4 ,every chapter1 and almost every line1 discloses this policy4 ,in no other way than by the adoption of such an expedient could two thousand biblical errors have been brought to notice in a single volume4 ,the adoption of the most rigid rules of abbreviation and compression alone could have accomplished it2 and this policy has been carried out even in making citations from the ,bible4 ,such superfluous words and phrases have been dropped as could be spared without impairing the sense or real meaning of the text4 ,and yet1 with this unceasing effort to compress and abridge the work1 it falls so far short of portraying fully all the errors and evils which a critical investigation shows to be the legitimate outgrowth of our ,bible religion1 that the author contemplates following it with another work1 which may complete an exposition of nine thousand errors now known to be comprised in the ,holy ,book4 ,the title will probably be1 ,the ,bible in the ,light of ,history1 ,reason1 and ,science4 ,he intends also to rewrite and republish soon1 and probably enlarge1 his ,biography of ,satan1 so as to make it entirely a new work4 ,i4 ,,jehovah4 ,the author desires the reader to bear it specially in mind that his criticisms on the erroneous conceptions and representations of ,god1 as found in the ,christian ,bible1 appertains in all cases to that mere imaginary being known as the ,jewish ,jehovah1 and has no reference whatever to the ,god of the universe1 who must be presumed to be a very different being4 ,the ,god of ,moses1 who is represented as coming down from heaven1 and walking and talking1 eating and sleeping1 traveling on foot 7and barefoot1 so as to make it necessary for ,abraham to wash his feet72 and who is also represented as eating barley-cakes and veal with ,abraham 7,gen4 xviii472 wrestling all night with ,jacob1 and putting his thigh out of place2 trying to kill ,moses in a hotel1 but failing in the attempt2 and as getting vanquished in a battle with the ,canaanites2 and also as frequently getting mad1 cursing and swearing1 c41--such was the character of ,jehovah1 the ,god of the ,jews1--a mere figment of the imagination4 ,hence he is a just subject of criticism4 ,,ii4 ,,the ,,relationship ,,of ,,the ,,old ,,and ,,new ,,testaments4 ,some of the representatives of the ,christian faith1 when the shocking immoralities of the ,old ,testament are pointed out1 attempt to evade the responsibility by alleging that they do not live under the old dispensation1 but the new1 thereby intimating that they are not responsible for the errors of the former4 ,but the following considerations will show that such a defense is fallacious and entirely untenable4 #a4 ,it takes both the ,old and the ,new ,testaments to constitute the ,holy ,bible which they accept as a whole4 #b4 ,both are bound together1 and circulated by the million1 as possessing equal credibility and equal authority4 #c4 ,both are quoted alike by clergymen and ,christian writers4 #d4 ,the ,new ,testament is inseparably connected with the ,old4 #e4 ,the prophecies of the ,old form the basis of the ,new4 #f4 ,both are canonized together under the word holy4 #g4 ,nearly all the ,new-,testament writers1 including ,paul1 indorse the ,old ,testament1 and take no exception to any of its errors or any of its teachings4 ,for these reasons1 to accept one is to accept the other4 ,both stand or fall together4 ,note4--,christ modified some of ,moses's error1 but indorsed most of the ,old ,testament errors4 ,,chapter ,,iii4--,,why ,,this ,,work ,,was ,,written1 ,there are in this and other ,christian countries more than one hundred thousand clergymen who spend a portion of each recurring sabbath in presenting the claims1 and dilating upon the beauties and benefits 7some real and some imaginary71 of the religion of the ,christian ,bible4 ,they claim that it is the religion for this age1 and a religion that should be adopted by the whole human race2 but they present but one side of the picture1 and but one phase of the argument4 ,a witness before a jury is required to tell the truth1 and the whole truth2 but the priesthood dare not do this with respect to the errors and defects of their religion4 ,they would lose their congregations and their salaries also4 ,but few clergymen possess the moral courage to turn state's evidence against their pockets or their bread and butter4 ,it is a sad reflection that they are hired1 and required to conceal whatever errors may loom up before their moral vision in the investigation of the principles of their religion1 or the ,bible on which it is founded4 ,they are placed in the position of an attorney who is sworn to be true to his client at any sacrifice of truth and moral manhood4 ,whatever may be their moral convictions with respect to the sinfulness or evil consequences or demoralizing effects of continuing to preach the intellectually dwarfing and morally poisoning doctrines originated in1 and adapted only to1 the dark and undeveloped ages of the past1 when the race was under the dominion of the animal and blind propensities1 yet they must do it4 ,they must continue to preach these errors1 to sustain these evils1 and maintain their false positions1 or lose their salaries and their popular standing in society4 ,it is a very unfortunate position to be placed in2 but1 self-interest being the ruling principle of the age1 we cannot reasonably expect the clergy will do any thing toward enlightening the people on the errors and immoral influences of their religious doctrines1 or the substitution of a better system1 until human nature has advanced to a higher moral plane4 ,on the contrary1 we must expect they will continue to blind the people1 pervert the truth1 magnify every imaginable good quality of their religious system2 while1 on the other hand1 they will as sedulously attempt to hide every defect which either they or others may discover in their ,bible4 ,this state of things in the religious world imposes upon the moral reformer the solemn necessity of employing the most effectual lever1 and of adopting every available moral means1 to counteract this morally deleterious influence of the clergy1 and arrest the tide of evil which follows in their wake as the legitimate fruits of a course of conduct dictated by policy instead of principle4 ,,ii4 ,,the ,,moral ,,truths ,,of ,,the ,,bible4 ,some of our readers will doubtless be disposed to ask why we have not occupied a larger portion of this work in exhibiting the beauties and benefits of the religion and system of morals set forth in the ,bible4 ,the answer to the question is fully anticipated in the preceding remarks4 ,it is simply because fifty thousand tongues and pens are almost constantly employed in this work4 ,they do it and overdo it4 ,this renders it a work of supererogation on our part2 while1 on the other hand1 we find the errors and evils of the ,bible and its religion1 which they overlook or neglect to expose1 so very numerous1 that we can not exhibit them in a single volume1 unless we allow but a limited space to a repetition of what is done by them every week4 ,this is our reason for appearing to pursue a one-sided policy4 ,,iii4 ,,why ,,resort ,,to ,,ridicule8 ,we hope we shall not be misunderstood or condemned by any reader for appearing to indulge frequently in a spirit of levity in attempting to expose the logical and moral absurdities of the ,bible4 ,we have assumed this license more from an apprehended moral necessity than from a natural disposition4 ,ridicule is now generally acknowledged by moralists to be a most potent weapon for the demolition of error4 ,moral and religions absurdities1 according to ,cicero1 can be arrested and put down much sooner by holding them up to the light of ridicule1 than by any other means that can be employed4 ,let no one1 then1 oppose the use of such means simply because it may disturb a sensitive feeling in his own mind1 derived from a false education4 ,a critical investigation of religious history discloses the important fact1 that the conviction established in the popular mind that it is wrong to indulge in a feeling of levity when writing or discoursing on religious subjects is the work of the clergy4 ,having discovered that many of the narrations of their ,bible1 and likewise many of the tenets of their creeds1 are really ridiculous when examined in the light of science1 reason1 and sound sense1 in order to prevent these ridiculous features of their systems from being exposed1 they taught the people that ridicule is entirely out of place in matters of religion1 and that such feelings1 or language expressive of such feelings1 should be entirely suppressed4 ,and it is principally by the invention of this expedient1 and the establishment of this conviction in the public mind1 that the clergy have succeeded in keeping the ridiculous errors of their creeds concealed from age to age4 ,and to continue this policy longer is only to yield to their interests1 and prolong those evils still longer which have been perpetuated for centuries by the adoption of this expedient4 ,no other argument or apology is necessary than this as a justification of the limited extent to which the language of ridicule has been employed in this work4 ,it is an egregious error1 which is the offspring of an erroneous education and habit1 to suppose that ridicule is more out of place on religious subjects than on other subjects4 ,o4 ,s4 ,fowler has fully established this as a scientific fact on phrenological grounds4 ,we should be quite sorry to wound the feelings of any sensitive mind by any language made use of in this work1 and hope this explanation1 will prevent such results4 ,,the ,,principal ,,design ,,of ,,this ,,work4 ,as a critical examination of the ,christian ,bible discloses the fact that it contains several thousand moral and scientific errors1 and as experience proves the tendency of such errors is to corrupt the moral feelings and check the intellectual growth of all who read and believe the ,hoty ,book1 we have1 since arriving at this conviction1 considered it to be our duty not only to expose these errors1 but also to discourage the habitual reading of the ,bible with any other view than to learn its real character4 ,and more especially do we earnestly advise parents not to place the ,bible in the hands of their children till they arrive at an age when a more mature judgment can enable them to discriminate between its truths and its errors4 ,and we likewise entreat all moralists and philanthropists1 and all lovers of truth and virtue1 as they desire the moral growth and moral reformation of the world1 to exert their influence to stop the shipment of the ,christian ,bible to foreign lands to be circulated among the uncultured and credulous heathen4 ,here is disclosed one of our principal reasons for writing this work4 ,we wish to make it a voice of remonstrance against placing any of those morally defective books called ,bibles in the hands of the ignorant and impressible heathen1 or the children of ,christian countries1 until their minds become sufficiently fortified by age and experience to resist or withstand the demoralizing influence of their bad precepts and bad examples as exposed in this work4 ,,don',t ,,read ,,pernicious ,,books4 ,the ,quaker ,church 7of which the author was once a member7 have a clause in their discipline forbidding their members to read pernicious books1 which are defined by one of the founders of the ,church 7,william ,penn7 to be such books and publications as contain language which appears to sanction crime or wrong practices1 or teach bad morals4 ,and hundreds of cases cited in this work prove that the ,christian ,bible may be ranked with works of this character4 ,if the advice of the ,hindoo editor had been complied with many years ago1--to revise all ,bibles1 and leave out their bad precepts and examples1 and change their obscene language1--the ,christian ,bible might now be a very useful and instructive book4 ,but we are willing to leave it to the conscience of every honest reader1 who places truth and morality above ,bibles and creeds1 to decide1 after reading this work1 whether the ,bible1 with all its ennobling precepts1 does not contain too strong an admixture of bad morality to make it a safe or suitable book to be relied on as a guide in morals and religion4 ,according to ,archbishop ,tillotson1 ,bibles shape the morals and religion of the people in all religious countries1--they are derived from the examples and precepts of these ,holy ,books4 ,if this be true1 we most solemnly and seriously put the question to every ,bible reader1 ,what must be the effect upon the morals and religion of ,christian countries of such moral examples as ,abraham1 ,moses1 ,noah1 ,isaac1 ,jacob1 ,david1 ,solomon1 and nearly all the prophets1 with their long string of crimes1 as shown in this work8 ,let us not be guilty of the folly of suffering our inherited1 stereotyped predilections1 and exalted veneration for the ,holy ,book1 to rule our moral sense1 and control our judgment in this matter1 but muster the moral courage to look at the thing in its true light4 ,let us be independent moralists and philanthropists1 rather than slaves to ,bibles and creeds4 ,every book1 says a writer1 has a spirit which it breathes into the minds of its readers2 and1 if it contains bad morals or bad language1 the habitual reading of it will gradually reconcile the mind to those immoral lessons1 and finally cause them to be looked upon as ,god-given truths4 ,such is the omnipotent force of habit4 ,and we appeal to all ,bible readers to testify if this has not been their experience4 ,all ,christian professors1 when they first commenced reading the ,bible1 doubtless found many things in it which shocked their moral sense1 did violence to their reasoning faculties1 and mortified their love of decorum4 ,but a perseverance in reading it1 through the force of habit and education1 has finally reconciled their minds to those immoral lessons1 and blinded the judgment1 so that they are not now conscious of their real character and deleterious influence upon the mind4 ,,two ,,thousand ,,bible ,,errors4 ,one of the strongest and most solemn lessons of human experience1 and proofs of the blinding effect of a false religious education1 may be found in the fact that the two thousand ,bible errors brought to notice in this work have been overlooked from age to age by the great mass of ,bible readers4 ,so absolutely and deplorably blinded have they been in some cases1 as to lead them to conclude1 like ,dr4 ,cheever of ,new ,york1 that the ,bible does not contain the shadow of a shade of error from ,genesis to ,revelation4 ,such a perversion and stultification of the reasoning faculties was never excelled in any age or country4 ,st4 ,augustine furnishes another striking illustration of the total wreck of mind and moral principle which an obstinate determination to accept the ,bible with all its errors is capable of effecting4 ,having found a great many absurdities in the ,bible which he could not reconcile with reason and sense1 and hence discovering he must either give up his ,bible or his reason1 he chose the latter alternative1 and declared in his ,book of ,sermons 7p4 #cc71 ,i believe things in the ,bible because they are absurd4 ,i believe them because they are impossible 7as glaring an absurdity as ever issued from human lips74 ,such a desperate expedient to save his ,bible and creed from going overboard shows that they had demoralized his mind1 and made a complete wreck of his reason4 ,this is the writer who declared he found and preached to a nation of people who had but one eye1 and that situated in their foreheads1 and another nation who had no heads1 but eyes in their breasts4 ,it seems a pity that this single-eyed nation became extinct2 for ,christ declared1 ,if thine eye be single1 thy whole body shall be full of light4 ,such an embodiment of light might have done much to enlighten the world4 ,and this ,st4 ,augustine is the writer whom ,eusebius pronounces the great moral light of the ,christian ,church4 ,and ,st4 ,irenaeus furnishes another deplorable example of the prostration or perversion of the moral faculties by accepting the ,bible as a standard for morals when he justified the crime of incest by pointing to the example of righteous ,lot and his daughters4 ,the celebrated ,albert ,barnes was made a victim of great mental suffering for many years by his laborious but ineffectual attempts to reconcile the ,bible with the dictates of reason4 ,hear what he says about the matter4 ,we will present the case in his own language3 ,these difficulties 7of reconciling the teachings of the ,bible to reason7 are probably felt by every mind that ever reflects on the subject2 and they are unexplained1 unmitigated1 and unremoved4 ,i confess1 for one1 that ,i feel them1 and feel them more sensibly and powerfully the more ,i look at them1 and the longer ,i live4 ,i do not understand them1 and ,i make no advance toward understanding them4 ,i do not know that ,i have a ray of light upon this subject which ,i had not when the subject first flashed across my soul4 ,i have read what wise and good men have written upon the subject2 ,i have looked at their theories and explanations2 ,i have endeavored to weigh their arguments1--for my whole soul pants for light and relief on these questions3 but ,i get neither2 and1 in the anguish and distress of my soul1 ,i confess ,i get no light whatever4 ,i see not one ray to disclose to me the reason why sin came into the world1 why the earth is strewn with the dying and the dead1 and why man must suffer to all eternity4 ,i have never seen a particle of light thrown on these subjects that has given a moment's ease to my tortured mind4444 ,i trust that other men444 have not the anguish of spirit which ,i have4 ,but ,i confess1 when ,i look on a world of sinners and sufferers1 upon death-beds and graveyards1 and upon a world of woe filled with hosts to suffer for ever2 and when ,i see my friends1 my parents1 my family1 my people1 my fellow-citizens--when ,i look upon a whole race--all involved in this sin and danger2 and when ,i see the great mass of them wholly unconcerned2 and when ,i feel that ,god only can save them1 and yet he does not do it1--,i am struck dumb4 ,it is all dark--dark--dark to my soul2 and ,i cannot disguise it 7,practical ,sermons1 p4 #abd74 ,there1 reader1 you have the candid confession of an honest-minded1 orthodox1 and one of the ablest and most talented writers that ever wielded the pen in defense of the ,christian faith4 ,and if such a talented and logical mind could find no reason1 consistency1 or moral principle in the dogmas of orthodoxy1 we may readily ask1 ,who can8 ,thousands of other orthodox clergymen have doubtless been perplexed with the same difficulties1 but have not had the honesty to confess it4 ,those who do not now perceive them can find the reason by putting their hands on their own heads4 ,they will find their intellects or logical brains defective4 ,moral philosophers now find no difficulty in solving any of those problems which so much perplexed the mind of ,mr4 ,barnes4 ,they are all false and unfounded dogmas1 except the prevalence of death and disease in the world4 ,and these casualties are now known to be amongst the wisest and most useful dispensations of nature4 7,see chapter headed ,natural and ,moral ,evil47 ,and had ,mr4 ,barnes ascended to the plane of mental and moral science1 instead of remaining down in the dark1 orthodox1 theological cellar1 trying to squeeze truth out of old1 dead1 dried-up1 dusty1 theological dogmas1 he would have readily found the solution to all his problems1 and would have rejoiced in thus emerging into the glorious sunlight of truth4 ,,bibles ,,useful ,,in ,,their ,,place4 ,we do not question but that ,bibles served a useful purpose for those nations and tribes by whom and for whom they were written2 but as they only represent the imperfect moral and religious conceptions of that age1 and have always been sacredly guarded from improvement1 to make them the rule of action for any subsequent age would be to stop all moral and religious improvement4 ,it is strikingly evident that society can make no improvement while it follows a ,bible which is interdicted from improvement4 ,it must remain stationary1 with respect to religion and morals1 so far as it is tied to an unchangeable book4 ,bibles in this way become masters of human thought1 and shackles for the soul1 and thus inflict serious evils upon society by their tendency to stop all moral1 and religious progress4 ,three thousand or ten thousand years may elapse1 and no improvement can be made in the religion or morals of the people while the ,bible from which they emanate is prohibited from improvement4 ,thus ,bibles inflict a death-like torpor and stagnation upon the moral and intellectual progress of society so far as their precepts are lived up to2 that is1 so far as the assumption that there can be no improvement in the teachings of the ,bible is practically observed4 ,it is the source of a pleasing reflection1 however1 to know that most ,bible believers habitually violate their own principles by trampling this assumption under foot4 ,otherwise we would have remained eternally in a state of barbarism4 ,,chapter ,,iv4--,,the ,,beauties ,,and ,,benefits ,,of ,,bibles4 ,thebe is displayed in all ,bibles a devout recognition of moral principles1 and a strong manifestation of moral feeling4 ,the disciples of all ,bibles manifest an ardent aspiration for something higher1 something nobler1--a mental struggle to reach a higher plane4 ,this moral aspiration is displayed in almost every chapter2 and there are in all ,bibles veins of beautiful thought coursing through their pages4 ,all of them contain moral precepts which are in their nature elevating and ennobling1 and which1 if practically recognized1 would have done much to improve the morals and enhance the happiness of their disciples2 and all ,bibles are valuable as fragments of religious history1 and as indicating the state of religion and morals of the people who originated them4 ,their numerous outbursts of religious feeling indicate the depth of their devotion2 while their many noble moral aphorisms indicate an appreciation of1 and a desire for1 a higher moral life than they were able to practice because of the strength of their animal feelings4 ,this is especially true of the ,jews1 and also of the early ,christians4 ,they had a partial perception of a true moral life1 and a desire at times to practice it2 but that desire was counteracted and held in check by their still stronger animal natures and animal propensities4 ,a ,,higher ,,plane ,,of ,,development ,,has ,,been ,,attained4 ,there can be no question1 from the light derived from the twofold avenues of science and history1 but that the great principle of universal progress1 which is carrying every thing forward to a higher plane and state of perfection1 has elevated the most advanced nations of the present age beyond and above the religion and morals prevalent in the world when the ,jewish and ,christian ,bible was written1 which makes it very unsuitable for the present advanced state of society4 ,an investigation of the science of anthropology discloses the very significant and important fact1 that the religious feelings of the founders and early representatives of the ,jewish and ,christian religions were under the control of their animal natures1 which accounts for their frequent use of obscene language1 and their frequent indulgence in the practice of every species of crime with the full sanction of the principles of their religion4 ,and they cherished the conviction that those things had the divine sanction4 ,,look ,,at ,,the ,,difference4 ,the moral and religions feelings of the early ,jews and ,christians co-operated with their animal propensities2 and the latter held supreme sway over the former3 while the moral and religions feelings of the most advanced minds of the present day co-operate1 not with the animal1 but with the intellectual4 ,this makes a very important and very marked difference1 and makes the semi-animal religion of the past very unsuitable for the present age4 ,please note this point1 friendly reader4 ,,bible ,,writers ,,honest4 ,it may readily be conceded that the writers and compilers of all ,bibles were honest1 and that all the errors which those ,bibles embrace1 and the crimes which they sanction1 were honestly believed to be right1 and in accordance with the will of ,god4 ,for all sacred history teaches us1 as an important lesson of human nature1 that no errors are too gross1 no crimes too enormous1 no statements too false or absurd1 no contradictions too glaring1 and no stories too preposterous or too ridiculous1 to receive the fullest indorsement of the most honest and pious minds1 and to be even cherished by them as ,god-given or divinely revealed truths1 when such has been their teaching every day of their lives1 in connection with the habitual suppression of the voice of reason1 and the inherited conviction of their truth deeply implanted in the mind1 derived from a thou sand preceding generations4 ,a strong and unyielding cord of religious conviction thus grows in the human mind1 which no reason1 no philosophy1 and no science can ever sever or even shake4 ,it becomes a moral canker1 which no remedy can reach1 or arrest in its progress4 ,it seems to grow into the very heartstrings4 ,such is the strength of religious prejudice1 such the weak side of human nature4 ,three hundred millions of people believe in the ,hindoo religion1 one hundred millions in the ,chinese religion1 two hundred millions in the ,mahomedan religion1 and one hundred and fifty millions in the ,christian religion1--all for the same reasons1 because their parents so believed1 and taught them1 and their neighbors still believe it2 and surrounding influences have caused them to continue in their erroneous belief4 ,after the illuminating rays of the sun of science had to some extent dispelled the religious errors of our early education1 the case was so plain1 that we entered upon the work of trying to convince others1 with sanguine hopes of success4 ,but experience has established the conviction in our mind1 that if every text of the ,christian ,bible were a falsehood1 and every line of their creeds an absurdity1 there are many devout admirers of the book who could never be made to see it1 because they are ruled by their religious feelings1 and not by their reasoning faculties2 and hence they will live and die in their moral and religious errors4 ,but we rejoice in the omnipotent power of truth1 which will finally dispel all error from progressive minds4 ,,general ,,claims ,,of ,,bibles4 ,more than twenty sacred books have been found in varions countries1 which1 if not in all cases denominated ,bibles1 have at least been venerated and used as such1 and1 properly speaking1 are ,bibles4 ,hence we shall call them ,bibles4 ,the list in this chapter comprises nearly all which recent research has brought to light4 ,a brief synopsis of the character and contents of each will be presented1 so far as a comparative view with the ,christian ,bible seems to make it requisite4 ,all of these ,bibles possess some common characteristics3-- #a4 ,all of them were claimed to be inspired4 #b4 ,all were claimed to be an embodiment of wisdom and knowledge far transcending the ordinary attainments of man4 #c4 ,all were penned by inspired men1 who were shielded from the possibility of erring while writing them4 #d4 ,each ,bible is a finality in religious knowledge4 #e4 ,each one is an authority from which there is no appeal4 #f4 ,it is a sin to question or doubt the truth of any of them1 or to suggest the possibility of their containing errors4 #g4 ,some of them were written by ,god1 some by angels1 and others by inspired men4 #h4 ,each one points out the only safe and certain road to heaven4 #i4 ,he who is a disbeliever in any one of these holy books is an infidel4 #aj4 ,each one is to effect the salvation of the whole human race4 ,,chapter ,v4--,,twenty-,,seven ,,bibles ,,described4 ,,the ,,hindoo ,,bibles4 ,i4 ,,the ,,vedas4 ,the ,veda is considered to be the oldest sacred book of the ,hindoos1 and is evidently the oldest ,bible now extant4 ,there is a vast amount of evidence to prove that it was written long before the time of ,moses1 which establishes the fact that it borrowed nothing from the ,jews or ,jewish writings4 ,they purport to be the inspired utterances of very ancient and holy saints and prophets1 known as ,rishis1 who received them directly from the mouth of the great ,god ,brahma about nine thousand years ago1 after they had existed in his mind from all eternity4 ,these holy men1 by their devout piety and unreserved devotion to the cause of ,god and religion1 it was believed1 had attained to true holiness and heavenly sanctity4 ,the ,vedas treat of the attributes of ,god1 and his dealings with the human race2 his invisibility and spirituality2 his unchangeableness1 omniscience1 omnipotence1 and omnipresence2 the nature and binding force of his laws2 the doctrine of future rewards and punishments2 frequent and wonderful display of divine power1 called miracles1 c4 ,it contains1 likewise1 many noble1 lofty1 and beautiful moral precepts4 ,it also treats1 to some extent1 of astronomy1 medicines1 and government4 ,the ,may number of ,the ,new-,york ,tribune for #ahch contains a very interesting account of the recent translation of the ,vedas into the ,english language1 from which we will make a few extracts3 ,the whole of the ,veda is now being published for the first time by the ,east-,india ,company1 by which the reader will learn that most of the odious things which have been charged to it are false4 ,they are not found therein4 ,they are ,christian forgeries2 such as the burning of widows on the funeral pile of their husbands1 the marriage of children1 the doctrine of caste1 c4 ,none of these things are taught or countenanced by the ,vedas4 ,the man who believes in the ,vedas approximates to a ,christian4 7,mark this statement1 ,christian reader67 ,mr4 ,greeley further says3 ,the highest authority for the religion of the ,brahmins is the ,vedas4 ,the most elaborate arguments have been framed by its devout believers to establish its divine origin and absolute authority4 ,they constantly appeal to its authority1 and1 in controversy with ,mahomedan and ,christian missionaries 7,mahomedans have missionaries among them1 observe71 they invariably fall back on the ,vedas1--referring to it with great confidence in support of any thing they wish to establish as divine4 ,there is no doctrine of ,christianity which has not been anticipated by the ,vedas4 ,what is that you say1 ,mr4 ,greeley8 ,they have all the doctrines of ,christianity6 ,is that possible8 ,all the holy and inspired doctrines of ,jesus ,christ1 the great divine ,lawgiver and ,savior of the world1 found in an old heathen ,bible1 written more than two thousand years before a single line of the doctrines of ,christ was penned6 ,here is one of the most astounding announcements ever made to the world4 ,the reader1 perhaps1 will suppose that ,mr4 ,greeley was an infidel2 but here1 again1 is something most astonishing3 ,mr4 ,greeley was up to this time a sound member of a ,christian church1 and withal a truthful writer4 ,such an announcement ought to have startled the whole ,christian world1 and set them to investigating the matter4 ,but1 like the disciples of all the heathen religions1 they are immovably fixed in the errors of their faith1 and turn a deaf ear to all criticism1 and all honest inquiry relating to the truth of its claims4 ,such is the tenacity of their inherited convictions of being right1 their assumption of infallibility1 their aversion and opposition to investigation1 that1 if every line of their ,bible was a falsehood1 but few of them would find it out4 ,there are four works which come under the name of ,vedas1 known as the ,rig ,veda1 ,yojur ,veda1 ,sama ,veda1 and ,atharva ,veda4 ,each of these ,bibles is constituted of various books1 probably the work of different writers4 ,each ,veda is accompanied by psalms or hymns1 known as the ,sanhita1 and also by a sort of prose treatise or commentary1 called the ,brahmana1 which possesses a ritualistic or didactic character1--all of which were believed to be inspired4 ,never has the theory of inspiration1 says ,mr4 ,amberly1 been pushed to such extremes as in the case of the ,vedas4 ,they were believed by some to be the direct creation of ,brahma1 while the hymns which accompany them were claimed to be the inspired productions of holy men and prophets 7,rishis74 ,the ,vedas was the standard authority in all cases2 and any doctrine1 opinion1 or statement at variance with the ,vedas was to be rejected as false4 ,and as for a contradiction in the ,holy ,book1 says ,mr4 ,amberly1 the thought was not to be entertained for a moment as possible4 ,such a conclusion they ascribed to the reader's wrong interpretation of its language4 ,such was the extreme veneration in which the book was held1 that every text1 word1 and even syllable1 was counted4 ,a ,brahmin was not allowed to marry till after he had devoted several years to studying the ,holy ,book2 ,and1 to attain to complete holiness1 the disciple must commit the ,rig ,veda to memory1 or read it through on his bended knees4 ,the ,vedas represent ,god as being one and indivisible1 and merciful to sinners4 ,and ,brahmins and ,budhists1 when they pray for sinners or for their enemies1 manifest a spirit of kindness and forgiveness not equalled by ,christians4 ,the ,budhists had many churches and many priests1 who taught the people to lead virtuous lives1 and to avoid the commission of every species of crime1 including the use of intoxicating drinks4 ,and in no other system was ever benevolence and charity1 and also chastity1 more emphatically enjoined1 or more consistently practiced4 ,the ,vedas teach that every good act has its reward1 and every bad act its punishment4 ,its disciples are taught that many saviors 7,avators7 have appeared on earth at different periods to suffer and die for the people2 the last of which was ,salavahana1 cotemporary with ,christ4 ,god ,sakia is of great veneration amongst them1 and prayers are often addressed to him4 ,many tales are told of his goodness1 self-denial1 suffering1 and sacrifice for the people1 which leads to the conclusion that he was a pure1 holy1 and unselfish being4 ,he gave utterance to many noble and morally exalting precepts4 ,his principal precepts were comprised in six commandments3 #a4 ,not to kill any living creature4 #b4 ,not to steal4 #c4 ,not to commit unchastity4 #d4 ,not to lie4 #e4 ,not to drink intoxicating drinks4 #f4 ,not to lay up treasures upon earth4 ,these are a few of his leading precepts1 and which he himself practiced4 ,in the observance of the last precept1 he and his followers have excelled almost every ,christian on earth1 as their ,bible contains the same precept1 but none of them try to practice it4 ,hence the ,hindoos are in this respect much better ,christians than the ,christians themselves4 ,here it may be noted that the ,hindoos1 like the disciples of the ,christian faith1 have had various ecclesiastical councils to settle the canon of their ,bible or some controverted doctrinal questions4 ,one of the most noted of these councils was called under the reign of ,king ,asoka in the year #bdf ,b4,c4 ,it was constituted of seven hundred learned and accomplished priests4 ,but they could not stop the progress of infidelity1 as they essayed to do4 ,it continued to increase till another council was called under the reign of ,king ,kanishka1 and another revision of the sacred text took place4 ,but1 as in ,christian and ,mahomedan countries1 it tended rather to unsettle than to settle the popular faith4 ,nothing can arrest the intelligence and growth of progressive minds4 ,skepticism and infidelity will continue to increase whenever the mind is unfettered by priestcraft1 till the last credal institution is swept from the face of the earth1 and ceases to curse the human family4 ,,ii4 ,,the ,,institutes ,,of ,,menu4 ,the ,code of ,menu1 or ,institutes of ,menu1 constitutes another sacred book of the ,hindoos4 ,the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,allen says of it3 ,it is a code of religious and civil laws1 and makes a part of the ,hindoo ,scriptures4 ,it is in many respects similar to the ,vedas1 and is almost equal to it in age2 and1 like the ,vedas1 it is a standard of faith and a guide for moral action4 ,hindoos call it ,menu ,darma ,shastra1 the ordinances of ,god4 ,as these ordinances1 or divine laws1 says ,mr4 ,allen1 profess to be of divine origin1 kings have no authority to change them4 ,their duty was to administer their governments according to their teachings4 ,all classes of people were required to live up to them4 ,in these respects1 says ,mr4 ,allen 7p4 #cff71 they resemble the laws given by ,moses1 and contained in the ,old ,testament4 ,these ,institutes treat on the subject of creation1 the doctrine of future rewards and punishments1 and also define many of the duties of life4 ,,iii4 ,,ramayana4 ,with respect to age1 the ,ramayana is generally ranked next to the ,code of ,menu1 and is equally adored as a holy and inspired book1 and may be classed1 says ,mr4 ,allen1 with the ,hindoo ,scriptures4 ,it treats of the war in ,heaven1 in which the dragon1 or serpent-devil1 was cast to the earth4 ,to put an end to his ravages here1 the ,savior and incarnate ,god ,chrishna was sent down4 ,christ1 we are told1 came to destroy the devil and his works4 ,col4 ,sherman tells us1 in his ,recollections of an ,indian ,official1 that the people 7,hindoos7 assured us this ,bible was written1 if not by the hand of the ,deity himself1 at least by his inspiration2 and1 if asked if any absurdity that may be pointed out in the book be true1 they reply with great naivete1 ',is it not written in the ,holy ,book8 and how could it be there1 and not be true8'--exactly the same defense that is often set up for the ,christian ,bible by its educationally warped admirers4 ,it is believed the great ,hindoo prophet1 ,vyas1 wrote much of this ,bible1 or ,inspired ,poem1 as some call it4 ,,iv4 ,,the ,,mahabarat4 ,the origin of this sacred book is considered to be very nearly co-eval with that of the ,ramayana4 ,it has an appendix1 or epistle1 called the ,bagkavat ,gita4 which1 on account of its high tone of spirituality1 has attracted much attention in ,europe4 ,the ,hindoos believe the ,mahabrat is highly inspired1 and that every event noticed in it was recorded before it took place2 thus making it in the highest degree prophetic4 ,its author1 they claim1 says ,mr4 ,allen1 is no other than the incarnate ,god ,chrishna1 of whose life it treats4 ,that profound ,oriental scholar1 ,mr4 ,wilkins1 thinks this and the other sacred books of ,india are more than three thousand years old1 as is evidenced by sculptures in solid rocks4 ,v4 ,,the ,,purans1 ,,or ,,poranas4 ,some ,hindoo ,holy ,scriptures1 when arranged together in one book1 are known as the ,barta ,skastra1 of which the ,poranas constitute a part4 ,the last-named work treats of the creation of the world1 and its final destruction and future renovation1 the great day of judgment1 ,divine ,providence1 c42 also the ordinances and rules for worship1 c4 ,,vi4 ,,analogies ,,of ,,the ,,brahmin ,,and ,,jewish ,,religion4 ,brahminism and ,judaism are each old forms of religion4 ,each was superseded by a new and improved form of religion4 ,each has a story of creation4 ,jehovah and ,brahma both created the sun1 moon1 and stars 7so believed by millions74 #a4 ,the spirit of both moved upon the face of the waters4 #b4 ,the world is spoken in to existence by both ,jehovah and ,brahma4 #c4 ,the ,hindoos had an ,adimo and ,iva1 the ,hebrews an ,adam and ,eve4 #d4 ,in each case every thing is to produce after its kind4 #e4 ,man is in each case the last and crowning work of the whole creation4 #f4 ,both stories set man as a ruler over subordinate creation4 #g4 ,light in each case was spoken into existence4 #h4 ,jehovah and ,brahma each occupied six days in the work of creation4 #i4 ,there is a primitive paradise and state of moral purity in each story4 #aj4 ,a tree whose fruit produced immortality is noticed in each cosmogony4 #aa4 ,a serpent figures in each1 and outwits ,brahma and ,jehovah4 #ab4 ,man in each partakes of the fruit of the tree of knowledge4 #ac4 ,the doctrine of the fall is found in each account4 ,the means for man's restoration is provided in each case4 #ad4 ,each sacred legend has a story of a war in heaven4 #ae4 ,the soul is the breath of life1 or breath of ,god1 in each cosmogony4 #af4 ,labor is imposed as a curse in each case4 #ag4 ,a moral code of ten commandments is found in each system4 ,not to kill is a command in each decalogue4 ,stealing is interdicted in each decalogue4 ,adultery is condemned in each4 ,bearing false witness is forbidden by each4 #ah4 ,both ,brahmins and ,jews lost their ,holy ,law1 or ,laws of ,god4 ,one had a ,hilkiah1 and the other a ,bisheu1 to find the law4 #ai4 ,each had an established order of priesthood4 ,the priesthood was hereditary in each case3 a tribe or family furnished the priests in each case4 #bj4 ,both claimed to be ,god's pet and holy1 or peculiar1 people2 and both styled other nations barbarians or aliens4 #ba4 ,both holy nations were forbidden to marry with others2 and both were too holy to eat with barbarians4 #bb4 ,each had a ceremonial law prescribing numerous rites4 ,the church ceremonies were performed by priests in each4 #bc4 ,the priests were forbidden to eat meat in both cases4 #bd4 ,both ,jews and ,brahmins worshiped by bloody sacrifices4 ,both had their favorite sacred animals4 ,animal sacrifices were by each to arrest public calamities4 #be4 ,one interdicted beef1 and the other pork1 as food4 #bf4 ,both prescribed purification after touching dead bodies2 and each religion had a law of purification4 ,bathing was a mode of purification in each religion4 #bg4 ,each has its holy places1 times1 days1 cities1 mountains1 rivers1 c4 ,india1 as well as ,judea1 was considered a holy land4 #bh4 ,each had its holy ground4 ,both drew off their shoes on entering upon holy ground or holy places4 #bi4 ,both had their holy days1 and the same in most cases4 #cj4 ,mount ,mera was no less holy than ,mount ,sinai or ,mount ,horeb4 ,jordan was a sacred river in one case1 and ,ganges in the other4 ,jerusalem was a holy city with the ,jews1 and ,benares with the ,hindoos4 #ca4 ,holy fasts and feasts were a part of each religion4 ,both made u holy feast at full moon4 #cb4 ,each had its holy fires4 #cc4 ,both had their holy mysteries kept sacredly guarded4 #cd4 ,each prepared and kept holy water for ceremonial purposes4 #ce4 ,both anointed themselves with holy ointment4 #cf4 ,each claimed to have the only true and holy faith4 #cg4 ,holy temples were familiar terms to each4 ,their temples were constructed in a similar manner4 ,each had a sanctum sanctorum1 or holy of holies4 ,only the holy priest of both entered the interior sanctum4 #ch4 ,both had their drink-offerings 7called turpin by the ,hindoos74 #ci4 ,both sprinkled their door-posts with blood4 #dj4 ,one had a scape-goat1 and the other a scape-horse4 #da4 ,both taught that the sins of the father were visited upon the children4 #db4 ,religious pilgrimages were practiced by each4 #dc4 ,both acknowledge and teach one supreme ,god4 ,inferior deities1 or angels1 are believed in by each4 ,god's omniscience1 omnipotence1 and omnipresence are taught in both ,bibles4 #dd4 ,god is represented to be invisible by each4 ,and ,god is a spirit1 and infinitely wise and good1 is taught in each4 #de4 ,to love ,god supremely is recommended by each4 #df4 ,both taught that ,god was a ,god of power1 and assisted them in their battles4 #dg4 ,both taught that a knowledge of ,god is essential4 #dh4 ,silent meditation upon the ,lord is recommended by each4 #di4 ,god was to each a refuge in danger and trouble4 #ej4 ,the government of each was a theocracy1 ,god the executive4 #ea4 ,both religions were constituted largely of external rites4 ,in each the priest was the expounder of the holy books and laws4 ,patriarchs was one of the sacred orders of each system4 ,holy prophets figure conspicuously in each system4 ,both priests and people were in each case believed to be inspired4 #eb4 ,and each had its witnesses to prove the truth and fulfillment of its prophecies4 #ec4 ,both held their ,holy ,bibles as an inspired guide of right and wrong4 #ed4 ,one ,bible was from ,jehovah1 and the other from ,brahma4 #ee4 ,ezra was inspired to compile the ,jewish ,bible1 and ,vyas the ,brahmin4 #ef4 ,each religious order had a holy ark containing something sacred4 #eg4 ,a story of a deluge is found in the ,bible of each4 #eh4 ,the corruption or wickedness of society caused the flood in each case4 #ei4 ,the ,brahmins had their patriarch ,satyavrata1 answering to ,noah4 #fj4 ,each was forewarned of the flood4 #fa4 ,eight persons were saved in each case4 #fb4 ,in each story a large vessel is prepared4 ,animals were saved by pairs in each case4 ,a rainbow is spoken of in each flood story4 #fc4 ,for ,shem1 ,ham1 and ,japhet1 the ,hindoos have a ,sherma1 ,charma1 and ,jyapheta4 #fd4 ,charma was condemned to be a servant of servants1 like ,ham4 #fe4 ,human life was in each traditionally spun out to nearly a thousand years4 #ff4 ,one day a thousand years with ,god1 in each system4 #fg4 ,both have stories of persons ascending to heaven4 #fh4 ,budha was cast into the fiery furnace like the three holy children4 #fi4 ,musavod was a giant in strength like ,samson4 #gj4 ,rhambha was changed to a pillar of stone1 like ,lot's wife to salt4 #ga4 ,mahendra was carried through the air like ,habakkuk4 #gb4 ,a story of ,budha answers to that of ,darnel in the lions' den4 #gc4 ,idolatry is discouraged1 but occasionally practiced by each #gd4 ,witchcraft was believed in by each4 #ge4 ,here are presented eighty-eight striking analogies4 ,,vii4 ,,antiquity ,,of ,,india4 ,having presented a long list of analogies between the ,hindoo and ,jewish religions1 we will proceed to prove the prior existence of the ,hindoo system1 and leave the reader to deduce his own inferences4 ,in times coeval with the earliest authentic records1 says a writer1 the ,hindoos calculated eclipses1 and were venerated for their attainments in some of the arts and sciences4 ,according to the learned astronomer ,baily1 their calculations in astronomy extended back to the remote period of seventeen hundred years before ,moses2 and some of the ancient monuments and inscriptions of ,india bespeak for its religion a very remote antiquity4 ,some of our modern learned antiquarians have expressed the opinion that the ,sanscrit language of the ,brahmins is the oldest language that can be traced in the history of the human race4 ,they also state that this language was extant before the ,jews were known as a nation2 and neither it nor their religion has ever been known to change4 ,these facts are sufficient to establish the existence of the ,brahmin and ,budhist systems of religion long prior to the earliest records of the ,jewish nation4 ,note4--,here we desire to call the attention of the reader to the very remarkable statement of ,col4 ,dow in his ,history of ,india4 ,he tells us that the ,hindoos give a very particular account of the origin of the ,jewish religion 7pref4 v474 ,they say that a pious ,hindoo by the name of ,rajah ,tara apostatized from the faith1 for which he was banished to the ,west1 where he established a system of religion1 which became afterwards known as the ,jewish religion4 ,tura only needs a change of one letter to make ,tera1 the father of ,abraham4 ,let the reader make a note of this4 ,,chapter ,,vi4--,,the ,,egyptian ,,bible4 ,,the ,,hermas4 ,the sacred books1 the ,hennas1 or ,books of ,hermas1 were believed by the ,egyptians to have been dictated by the ,god ,isis1 and inspired by him4 ,in their collected capacity they constituted the ,egyptian ,bible1 and were believed to contain the sum total of human and divine wisdom4 ,their great age is undisputed4 ,they treat of the creation of the world1 the attributes of ,god1 and the theogony of the inferior deities1 which answer to angels in the ,christian system1 as they hold the same office1 and are apparently the same kind of beings4 ,the ,hermas1 like all other ,bibles1 recognize but one supreme ,god1 whom it declares to be just1 holy1 morally perfect1 invisible1 and indivisible1 and whom it recommends to be worshiped in silence4 ,this ,holy ,book contains some lofty and soul-inspiring moral sentiments and useful precepts4 ,,analogy ,,of ,,the ,,egyptian ,,and ,,jewish ,,religions4 ,modern archaeological researches in ,egypt have disclosed a very striking resemblance between the ancient ,egyptian religion and that found in the ,jewish ,old ,testament1 which1 with the evidence of the greater antiquity of the former1 has fastened the conviction upon the mind of every impartial reader of history1 that the ,jewish religion was constructed from materials obtained in ,egypt and ,india2 and this conclusion is corroborated by the ,bible itself1 which tells us ,moses was skilled in all the wisdom and learning of ,egypt1 and was by birth an ,egyptian4 ,when we compare the doctrines1 precepts1 laws1 and customs of the two religions1 we find but little difference between them4 ,even to the ten commandments there is a striking resemblance4 ,the account of the creation and the order of its development is essentially the same in both4 #a4 ,the ,egyptians had a leader filling the place of ,moses by the name of ,hermes2 and his writings were held in similar estimation1 as they were believed to be inspired and dictated by ,infinite ,wisdom4 #b4 ,the ,egyptians had a priesthood of wealth and power1 and possessing the same sacerdotal caste as those of the ,jews4 #c4 ,and the priesthood1 ,mr4 ,pritchard tells us 7,debate #aaf71 was hereditary1 and confined to a certain tribe1 as was that of the ,jews4 ,according to ,diodorus ,siculus1 and also ,mr4 ,wilkinson1 nearly all their ceremonies were essentially the same4 #d4 ,and their religious temples were constructed upon the same model1 with an outer court and an inner court1--a sanctum sanctorum4 #e4 ,the ,egyptians had numerous prophets like the ,jews4 ,and ,herodotus says1 ,the art of predicting future events came from the ,egyptians4 #f4 ,the ,egyptians had an ark1 or shrine1 which served as an oracle1 and was carried about on a pole by a procession of priests1 as the ark of the covenant of the ,jews was by the ,levites4 ,the ,rev4 ,john ,kendrick1 in his ,ancient ,egypt1 acknowledged that he believed the ark of the covenant of the ,hebrews was constructed on the model of the ,egyptian shrine4 #g4 ,kitto1 in his ,cyclopedia1 says the ,egyptian sphinxes explain what is meant by the cherubims of the ,jews4 #h4 ,in their selection of animals for sacrifices1 we find the same rules were adopted4 ,each were controlled by the singular fancy of choosing a red heifer4 #i4 ,each had their scape-animals to carry away their sins1--the ,egyptians an ox1 and the ,jews a goat4 #aj4 ,both practiced circumcision4 ,and we have the authority of ,herodotus for saying the ,jews and ,phoenicians borrowed the custom of the ,egyptians4 #aa4 ,both ,jews and ,egyptians took off their shoes when approaching a holy place1 which1 with the ,egyptians1 was in the temple4 #ab4 ,both believed in one supreme1 over-ruling ,god1 and many subordinates1 known either as angels or deities1 which1 in their character and their offices1 were essentially the same4 ,and a hundred other analogies might be pointed out1 which indicate the ,oriental origin of ,judaism4 ,,antiquity ,,of ,,egypt4 ,as a full comparison will show that the religion of ancient ,egypt and that of the ,jews were essentially alike1 not only in their general features but in their most minute details1 with respect to most of their doctrines1 precepts1 and customs1 the question arises1 ,how came this resemblance8 ,it is out of the question to consider it merely fortuitous3 that one grew out of the other1 or both were derived from a common source1 we are compelled to admit4 ,to determine which was the parent system we have only to ascertain which possesses the greater antiquity4 ,this question is very easily settled4 ,a large volume of facts is at our command which tend to prove that the ,egyptians were in a high state of civilization before the ,jews were known to history4 ,the ,bible itself partially recognizes this fact by its frequent allusion to ,egypt as a wise and powerful nation1 able at all times to exercise superior sway over the ,jews1 and whose wise men1 or magicians1 could compete with not only the ,jews1 but their ,god1 in the performance of miracles2 that is1 with the ,jews and their ,god to help them1 in achieving the most astounding feats4 ,they could make any thing that ,jehovah could1 with the exception of lice4 ,the remote antiquity of ,egypt can be proved by a few facts4 ,the ,egyptians have a carefully preserved list of sixty-one kings1 who ruled the empire between ,menes and ,amasis1 with names and ages given1 whose aggregate reign comprises a period of more than seven thousand years4 ,herodotus says they computed with great care and accuracy4 ,manetho tells us ,menes reigned seven thousand seven hundred years ago1 which places him more than seventeen hundred years before ,adam4 ,engravings on monuments1 and writings on papyrus1 confirm the statement of ,manetho4 ,and then hieroglyphics on the pyramids of ,egypt1 with names1 dates1 and figures which have recently been deciphered1 enable us to trace the antiquity of ,egypt back eight thousand years1 when she is shown to have been in a high state of civilization4 ,another fact3 ,layard and ,rawlinson1 who recently visited ,egypt as commissioners or agents of the ,british ,government1 state that fragments of pottery have been recently found by digging in the ,valley of the ,nile1 which1 by counting the successive layers1 or deposits1 made by the annual overflowing of the river1 are shown to be not less than eleven thousand years old4 ,such facts amount to demonstration1 and can not be set aside4 ,and ,mr ,wilkinson1 in his ,manners and ,customs of ,ancient ,egypt1 adduces another kind of evidence to show the impossibility of ,egypt having obtained her religion from the ,jews4 ,he says1 ,the first glimpse we obtain of ,egypt shows us a nation far advanced in the arts and customs and institutions of civilized life4 ,and this was six or seven thousand years ago2 while the most conclusive evidence can be adduced to show that no essential change has been made in her religion since the inscriptions were made on the monuments1 some of which bear evidence of being eight thousand or nine thousand years old4 ,if there has been no essential change in her religion for eight thousand or nine thousand years1 it is prima facie evidence that she did not borrow any of her religious tenets of the ,jews4 ,such facts settle the question more conclusively than the most elaborate argument could do4 ,,chapter ,,vii4--,,the ,,persian ,,bibles4 ,i4 ,,the ,,zend ,,ayesta4 ,the ,persians1 properly speaking1 had two ,bibles1 or ,testaments1 regarded as inspired and of divine authority1--the ,zend ,avesta and the ,sadder1 which may be denominated their ,old and ,new ,testaments4 ,with these may be classed other sacred books of ,persia1 known as the ,desatur 7or ,revealed ,will of ,god71 the ,g4 ,javidan 7or ,eternal ,wisdom71 and the ,sophi ,ibraham 7,wisdom of ,ibraham74 ,hyde1 in his ,biography of ,brittain1 eighth chapter1 pronounces the ,g4 ,javidan older than the writings of ,zoroaster1 which were penned #fjj ,b4,c4 ,the ,zend ,avesta presents a detailed account of creation in six kappas1 or indefinite periods of time2 the temptation and fall of man1 and his final restoration2 the immortality of the soul1 c4 ,,ii4 ,,persian ,,bible--,,the ,,sadder4 ,the ,sadder depicts the war in heaven1 in which the great dragon1 or devil1 ,ahrimanes1 is finally slain4 ,this sacred book1 as well as the ,zenda ,avesta1 contains many beautiful precepts4 ,the ,persian sacred writings are all full of prayer and praise to ,god4 ,one portion addresses him as ,ormuzd1 another as ,ahura ,mazda4 ,none of their ,holy ,books countenance or show any favor either for idolatry or polytheism4 ,the ,persians have alway's opposed the making and worship of deific images2 and they worship but one ,god1 with the above names4 ,one of their prayers1 as a specimen1 will show this3 ,o ,ahura ,mazda1 thou true and happy being6 aid us to think and speak of thee1 and do only those things which promote the true welfare of body and soul4 ,i believe in thee as the just and holy ,god1 thou living ,wise ,one6 ,thou art the author of creation1 the true source of light and life4 ,i will praise thee1 thou ,holy ,spirit1 thou glorious ,god ,mazda6 ,thou givest with a liberal hand good things to the impious1 as well as to the pious4 ,in that portion of the ,zenda ,avesta called the ,yacna1 constituting seven chapters1 it is declared1 ,we worship ,ahura ,mazda1 and pray for the spread of his religion4 ,we praise ,mazda's religion1 and the pure brotherhood which it established4 ,from the ,holy ,spirit ,mazda proceeds all good1 and he is the source of perfection and immortality4 ,here let it be noted that ,cyrus of ,persia was teaching the doctrine of immortality of the soul1 while ,moses seems never to have thought of such a thing3 he is silent on the subject4 ,zenda ,avesta means ,the ,living ,word of ,god4 ,it has also been called by its disciples ,the ,revealed ,word2 and ,ahura ,mazda has been called the ,god of gods1 as the ,jews called ,jehovah4 ,who is to settle this counter-claim8 ,sin1 repentance1 and forgiveness are all recognized in the sacred books of the ,persians4 ,this is evinced by a devout disciple1 when he says1 in prayer1 ,i repent1 ,o ,lord1 of my wicked deeds in thought and words4 ,forgive1 ,o ,lord3 ,i repent of my sins4 ,a writer says1 ,upon the really fundamental duties of man1 the ,zenda ,avesta upholds a high standard of morality and honesty1 and seeks to inculcate the immense importance of leading an upright and virtuous life1--such a life alone as can be pleasing to ,god and useful to man4 ,a text in this sacred book reads1 ,you can not be a worshiper of the one true ,god and of many gods at the same time2 which is a very explicit avowal of the belief in but one ,god4 ,this ,persian ,bible declares1 that one way to advance ,god's kingdom on earth is to confer benefit upon the poor4 ,its spirit of kindness and sympathetic regard for suffering extends even to the brute creation4 ,it forbids cruelty to any class of beings1 and enjoins kindness to all4 ,its psalms1 hymns1 and liturgies breathe forth a spirit of deep piety4 ,a compliance with the divine law is urged as a means of saving the sinner from future punishment4 ,the stern moral fortitude of the great teacher and moral exemplar ,zoroaster1 in resisting1 like ,christ1 the temptations of the ,evil ,one1 evinces a high appreciation of true virtue4 ,as a whole1 the sacred books of the ,persians1 like those of other nations1 contain a considerable amount of golden truth mixed with much rubbish and superstition4 ,,analogy ,,of ,,the ,,persian ,,and ,,jewish ,,religions4 ,doctor ,pocoke says1 ,many things taught in the sacred books of the ,persians are the same as those taught in the ,pentateuch of ,moses1 and other parts of the ,bible4 ,they also contain many of the psalms erroneously called by the ,jews and ,christians the ,psalms of ,david4 ,sir ,william ,jones1 in his ,asiatic ,researches1 says1 ,the primeval religion of ,iran 7,persia7 is called by ,newton the oldest1 and it may justly be called the noblest1 of all religions4 ,it teaches a firm belief that one supreme ,god made the world by his power1 and governs it by his providence4 ,it inculcates a pious fear1 love1 and adoration for ,god2 also a due reverence for parents and aged persons1 fraternal affection for the whole human species1 and a compassionate tenderness even for the brute creation4 ,can as much as this be said of the ,christian religion8 ,mr4 ,goodrich1 after stating that the ancient ,hebrews evidently had no idea of astronomy as a science1 says1 ,the ,chaldeans appear to have made observations on eclipses earlier than the commencement of written history 7,history of ,all ,nations1 p4 #be74 ,the ,chaldeans and ,persians have a story of creation essentially the same as that of the ,jews4 ,it represents ,ormuzd as creating the world through the word in six kappas1 or periods of time4 ,previous to that period1 nothing but chaos1 or darkness1 and water had existed4 ,ormuzd created1 first1 the heavens and the earth2 second1 the firmament2 third1 the seas and waters2 fourth1 the sun1 moon1 and stars2 fifth1 birds1 reptiles1 quadrupeds1 c42 sixth1 man4 ,the ,persians and ,chaldeans have also a story of a deluge1 in which ,xisuthra1 being warned in a dream1 built an ark1 in which he saved himself1 his wife and daughter1 and the pilot1 and a pair of every species of animals1 reptiles1 and birds4 ,after the rain had ceased1 he sent out a pigeon1 which1 finding no resting place1 came back to the ark4 ,the second time1 it came with mud in its bill1 which was a better evidence that the waters had subsided than the leaf which ,noah's dove returned with1 as that might have been picked up while floating on the waters4 ,they had a giant in strength 7a ,gaza7 answering to that of ,samson4 ,they had a story of a lofty tower designed to reach to heaven1 but the gods destroyed it1 and confounded the language of the builders4 ,the ,persians had their priests1 their prophets1 their angels1 their twelve patriarchs1 their holy fires1 holy water1 and rites of purification1 like the ,jews2 also their ordinance of water-baptism4 ,their holy mountains1 holy rivers1 and holy waters1 their animal sacrifices1 and their sacrament or ceremony of bread and wine1 were all similar to those of the ,jews4 ,they had a ,soleimon and a ,soleimon's temple4 ,their religion was a theocracy1 and was violently opposed to idolatry2 but1 unlike the ,jewish religion1 it taught the doctrine of the immortality of the soul1 and the lofty idea that the human mind is an emanation from the divine nature4 ,we find the principal elements of the ,christian system also mixed up with the doctrines and principles above set forth2 such as two primary principles of good and evil 7,ormuzd and ,ahrimanes71 termed by ,christians ,god and the ,devil1--two ,gods with their two kingdoms1 which were always at war with each other1 to moderate which stands ,mithra the ,mediator1 who was born1 like ,christ1 of an immaculate virgin4 ,for a further elucidation1 see ,the ,world's ,sixteen ,crucified ,saviors4 ,,antiquity ,,of ,,the ,,persian ,,religion4 ,the historical facts to establish the existence of the ,persian religion long prior to that of the ,jews are numerous1 cogent1 and unanswerable4 ,they have calculations in astronomy which1 scientists admit1 must have been made four hundred years anterior to the time of ,moses4 ,according to ,berosus1 fragments of their history have been found which extend it back fifteen thousand years2 and he tells us it is computed with great care4 ,,chapter ,,viii4--,,chinese ,,bibles4 ,,kings ,,and ,,shoo4 ,the ,chinese have varions sacred books1 the principal of which are the ,five ,kings4 ,they have also four ,holy ,books1 known as ,shoo1 and one called ,tao-te1 though the word ,king is a term applied to all their sacred books4 ,some of these ,holy ,bibles are attributed to ,confucius1 one of them 7,ta-heo1 the ,great ,learning7 to his grandson1 and others to his disciples4 ,some of the sects recognize thirteen ,kings1 or sacred books1 others only seven1 and the principal sect but five4 ,some of these ,holy ,books bear a resemblance to the ,christian ,gospels1 others to the ,epistles2 and one of them bears a considerable resemblance to ,paul's ,epistle to the ,hebrews4 ,they are believed to be divinely inspired2 and all are regarded as authority in matters of faith1 doctrine1 and practice4 ,all of them inculcate virtue1 and condemn vice and immorality4 ,i will present merely a brief exposition of a few of the leading books4 ,i4 ,,ta-,,heo2 ,,or1 ,,great ,,learning4 ,this book forms the basis of the religious sect known as the ,tao-ists4 ,it treats principally of doctrines1 but enjoins many important duties1--such as family government1 the cultivation of the natural faculties1 the acquisition of knowledge1 the duty of being honest and sincere and rectifying the heart1 and the moral obligation of having good rulers and a righteous government as means of making all peaceful and happy4 ,,ii4 ,,the ,,chung ,,yung2 ,,or1 ,,the ,,doctrine ,,of ,,the ,,mean4 ,this book contains the ,golden ,rule3 ,what you do not like others to do to you1 do not so to them4 ,it recommends a state of harmony in the mental faculties as the path of duty and the road to happiness and to heaven4 ,it teaches that people should follow the dictates of their own consciences1 and cultivate and fully develop their natures4 ,on the whole1 it admonishes a system of moral perfection4 ,it declares that spiritual beings are constantly around us1 and we do nothing without them1 though we do not see nor hear them4 ,pretty good spiritualism6 ,,iii4 ,,the ,,book ,,of ,,mang1 ,,of ,,mencius4 ,mang1 or ,mencius1 the philosopher1 lived about two hundred years after ,confucius4 ,this ,holy ,book of his was not admitted into the ,chinese canon till several centuries after it was written4 ,up to that date it was regarded as apocryphal1 but is now held in high veneration as an inspired book4 ,it affirms the essential goodness of human nature1 instead of the ,christian doctrine of total depravity4 ,it teaches that all men are possessed of more or less goodness by nature1 but are often corrupted by bad example and bad governments4 ,it argues the moral right of the people to choose their own rulers4 ,,iv4 ,,shoo ,,king2 ,,or1 ,,book ,,of ,,history4 ,this work is constituted of fifty-eight books4 ,it throws much light on the history of the ,chinese ,empire1 and bears evidence of having been written in a very remote age1 but was compiled about #ejj ,b4,c4 ,it argues that people are not bad by nature1 and that it is the duty of governments to bless the good and punish the wicked4 ,otherwise they need not expect the blessing of heaven1 or the favor of the people4 ,it relates the case of an emperor who was reformed by reading the ,holy ,book4 ,v4 ,,the ,,she ,,king2 ,,or1 ,,book ,,of ,,poetry4 ,this book is about as devoid of moral instruction as the ,books of ,ruth and ,esther in the ,christian ,bible4 ,it is principally a display of human emotions and social feelings4 ,yet almost every ,chinese has committed portions of it to memory4 ,being gotten up in the style of a poem1 it is well calculated to enlist the feelings of the devout disciple4 ,,vi4 ,,the ,,chun ,,tsen2 ,,or1 ,,spring ,,and ,,summer4 ,this is principally a historical record1 and is interpreted as representing spring and summer4 ,it is held in high estimation as being the production of the ,great ,divine ,man1 ,confucius2 and it is wonderful with what ingenuity its commentators and teachers have succeeded in extracting from its dry details about wars1 marriages1 deaths1 travels1 eclipses1 battles1 c41 the most profound lessons in morals4 ,like the admirers and expounders of other ,holy ,books in all ages and countries1 they bestow the most recondite spiritual meanings on texts containing nothing but nonsense1 senseless verbiage1 or immoral teachings4 ,,vii4 ,,the ,,tao-,,te ,,king2 ,,or1 ,,doctrine ,,of ,,reason4 ,tao means absolute1 and ,te means virtue2 which indicates that it teaches absolute virtue4 ,of all sacred books this is the most philosophical4 ,it seems to constitute both a revelation and system of philosophy4 ,it displays considerable wisdom and beauty1 but is not free from those gross and repulsive elements which characterize the ,christian and some other ,bibles4 ,it declares that ,god created1 cherishes1 and loves all the world4 ,it has no angry ,god1 but one enjoining love and benevolence1 and the return of good for evil1 upon all the human race4 ,it declares ,god made all beings3 his essence formed them1 his might preserves them1 his providence protects them1 and his power perfects them4 ,it condemns war and weapons of death3 it says that ,tao does not employ them1 and all good men abhor them4 ,it also condemns the possession of worldly wealth as being in opposition to a spiritual life1 and as denoting the absence of good from the soul4 ,modesty1 mercy1 benevolence1 and contentment are recommended as the highest of human virtues4 ,an extensive commentary1 written by a ,chinese saint about #afj ,b4,c41 goes with this book to explain it1 as all divine revelations have to be revealed over again by the priests1 who seem to assume that ,infinite ,wisdom is too ignorant of human language to dictate a book that can be understood4 ,must it not be mortifying to him to have his blunders thus exposed8 ,,analogy ,,of ,,the ,,chinese ,,and ,,jewish ,,religions4 ,the ,christian historian1 ,mr4 ,milne1 expressed a fear that he might be condemned for furnishing proof1 that1 before ,jesus was born1 a morality as pure was inculcated in the celestial empire 7,china74 ,as in the ,hindoo1 ,egyptian1 and ,persian religions1 we find the ,jewish and ,christian religions here amalgamated together4 ,the ,chinese had a cosmogony1 or story of creation similar in some respects to those already noticed4 ,these sacred books speak of a primitive paradise1 in which was a tree of knowledge and a tree of life2 also of a deluge and an ark4 ,baptism1 the cross1 and the miter are emblematical rites of their religion4 ,they also taught the doctrine of the eucharist and the trinity1 and practiced circumcision4 ,the ,chinese have a story or tradition of an incarnate ,god1 ,natigai1 who1 like ,christ1 was both creator and mediator4 ,his system of religious faith taught the doctrine of special providences1 future rewards and punishments1 a general judgment-day1 the duty of humility or self-abasement1 and the moral and religious obligation to observe strict temperate habits1 and to devote our whole lives to ,god1 c4 ,the ,chinese religion inculcates many beautiful and sublime moral precepts1 which we have not space to notice here4 ,the historical books of ,china1 comprising a hundred and fifty volumes1 and called ,the ,great ,annals1 and recently translated by a scientific ,frenchman1 have a regular chronology1 beginning nearly two thousand six hundred years before the period assigned for the creation of ,adam4 ,and they have calculations in astronomy at that remote period4 ,the learned men of ,europe have decided that they made the calculation of an eclipse about seven hundred years before the time of ,moses4 ,these facts are sufficient to prove the existence of their religion long anterior to the time of ,adam4 ,,concluding ,,inference4 ,in addition to the facts and authorities we have cited to show that the ,hindoo1 ,egyptian1 ,persian1 and ,chinese religions were all established prior to that of the ,jews1 there are other facts which demonstrate the absolute impossibility of any of these religions obtaining any of their religious elements or doctrines from the ,jews4 #a4 ,we find both the ,jewish and ,christian doctrine interwoven into each one of those ,oriental systems4 ,hence1 if they borrowed one1 they borrowed both4 ,but that is impossible3 for the ,christian system is known to be much younger4 #b4 ,those ,oriental religions are all conservative in character2 so that there has been scarcely any perceptible change in their doctrines during the thousands of years of their known existence4 ,hence their very nature would preclude them from borrowing any new doctrines4 #c4 ,on the contrary1 the ,jewish mind has been very vacillating4 ,a disposition to change their religion has been constantly manifested through their whole history4 ,such facts as these settle the question4 ,,chapter ,,ix4--,,bibles ,i4 ,,the ,,soffees' ,,bible--,,the ,,musnavi4 ,the ,bible of the ,soffees1 the ,musnavi1 teaches that ,god exists everywhere and in every thing2 that the soul of man1 and the principle of life throughout all nature1 are not from ,god1 but of ,god1 and constitute a part of his essence2 that nothing exists essentially but ,god2 and that all nature abounds with ,divine ,life4 ,mr4 ,malcom1 in his ,history of the ,moguls 7p4 #bfi71 says3 ,the ,soffees are incessantly occupied in adoring the ,almighty1 and in a search after truth4 ,they are passionately fond of poetry and music 7two essential elements of civilization74 ,their ,bible teaches many beautiful moral lessons4 ,,ii4 ,,the ,,parsees' ,,bible--,,bour ,,desot4 ,the ,parsees' ,bible is entitled ,bour ,desch1 which means ,genesis2 or1 the ,beginning of ,things4 ,its cosmogony is similar to that of ,moses1 though more definite1 and probably written at an earlier period4 ,its ,eden1 or primitive paradise1 lasted three thousand years before ,kipo 7the ,devil7 entered1 plucked the fruit1 handed it to the woman1 and thus caused her downfall1 and1 after her1 that of the whole human race4 ,,iii4 ,,the ,,tamalese ,,bible4 ,we have space for but little more than the titles of other ,bibles4 ,the ,tamalese ,holy ,book was known as the ,kalivodkam1 and contains some excellent moral precepts4 ,,iv4 ,,scandinavian ,,bible4 ,saga1 meaning ,wisdom1 is the name of the ,scandinavian ,inspired ,volume1 so called because it was believed to have emanated from the fountain of divine wisdom4 ,v4 ,,the ,,kalmucs' ,,bible4 ,kaliocham1 the ,kalmucs' ,bible1 was believed to contain in repletion all the wisdom of ,god and man4 ,,vi4 ,,the ,,athenian ,,bible4 ,the ancient ,athenians had what they claimed to be a ,holy and ,god-derived ,book1 called ,the ,testament4 ,dinarchus alludes to it in his speech against ,demosthenes4 ,it was read with deep1 solemn awe and devoutness4 ,,vii4 ,,the ,,cabalists' ,,bible4 ,yohar1 or ,book of ,light1 the ,bible of the ,cabalists1 relates some wonderful cures and miracles performed by that sect4 ,,chapter ,x4--,,the ,,mahomedan ,,bible--,,the ,,koran4 ,the ,koran1 or ,alkoran1 is the most modern in its origin of #bb in the list1 having been penned six hundred years later than the ,christian ,bible4 ,it differs from most other ,bibles in being the production of a single author1 and1 for this reason1 possesses more uniformity of style and fewer contradictions than most other ,bibles4 ,mahomet did not claim to be its author1 and did not write it1 but merely dictated it to his secretary ,zaid4 ,like the founder of the ,christian religion1 and nearly all the other great religions of the world1 he was very illiterate4 ,incarnate ,gods and religious chieftains possess no aspiration to become scholars1 and no taste for science4 ,they were governed by feeling and the impulse of religious enthusiasm1 which have no affinity for science4 ,mahomet1 however1 did not profess to be a ,god1 but merely a prophet4 ,the ,koran1 having originated in a later and more enlightened age than the ,christian ,bible1 possesses some superior features1 and1 of course1 is superior to still older ,bibles4 ,it is more consistent in its teachings on the subject of temperance1 as it does not1 like the ,christian ,bible1 both sanction and condemn the use of intoxicating drinks2 but uniformly forbids the use of it1 and even prohibits the manufacture of it4 ,it also shows more respect for the rights of woman by providing for her maintenance by dowry4 ,it levies a tax on its disciples of two and one-fourth per cent for the support of the poor4 ,it enjoins not only kindness and respect for enemies1 but a careful provision for their wants4 ,the disciples of the ,koran were taught and believed that the ,holy ,book was originated in heaven1 and had long been preserved there by its divine author ,allah1 and1 in the fullness of time1 was handed down1 chapter at a time1 by the angel ,gabriel to the prophet ,mahomet2 and his scribe ,zaid recorded it4 ,the leading doctrines of the ,koran are3 the ,unity of the ,godhead1 and the perfection of his attributes2 the joys of paradise1 and the terrors of hell2 the awful fate of unbelievers in the ,koran4 ,the ,day of ,judgment is held up as a terror to evildoers and skeptics1 and an encouragement to the faithful4 ,skeptics1 or unbelievers in the ,koran and the ,mahomedan religion1 are repeatedly consigned to the same terrible fate 7the fires of hell7 that ,christ consigns the unbeliever in the ,christian religion1 and the same as that to which the founders of other religions doom those who reject or disbelieve their pretended revelations4 ,the ,koran abounds in precepts of a high moral tone4 ,mahomet holds out the idea that ,christ was created like ,adam1 and therefore was but a man1 though a true servant of ,god4 ,this1 he asserts1 was the view of ,christ himself4 ,the doctrine that ,god could have a son1 or that there could be more than one person in the ,godhead1 was to him profanity1 infidelity1 and downright blasphemy4 ,it is repeatedly denounced in strong terms in the ,koran4 ,all prayer and praises to ,god are addressed to him in the singular number4 ,i will cite a few texts in illustration3 ,praise be to ,god1 ,lord of all worlds1 the compassionate and merciful ,king4 ,thee only do we worship1 and to thee only do we cry for help4 ,guide us in the right path4 ,the sun is ,god's noonday brightness2 the moon followeth him3 the day revealeth his glory2 and the night enshroudeth him4 ,he built the heavens1 and spread forth the earth4 ,and whoso shall fear ,god1 and do good works1 no fear shall come upon them1 neither shall they be put to grief4 ,but those who turn away from him1 he will consign to eternal fire4 ,to those who believe 7the ,koran71 and do things which are right1 hath ,god promised forgiveness and a noble recompense4 ,,ii4 ,,the ,,mormons' ,,bible--,,the ,,book ,,of ,,mormon2 ,,also ,,the ,,revelations ,,of ,,joseph ,,smith4 ,this sacred book is claimed to have been found inscribed on gold plates1 situated several feet below the surface of the earth1 in ,wayne ,county1 ,n4,y41 in the year #ahbc1 by ,joseph ,smith1 a pious youth1 then only fourteen years of age1 who declared he received information with respect to the existence of the plates and their locality from an angel of the ,lord1 with whom he had had frequent intercourse for several years4 ,the following is a description of the plates and original records composing the book1 as furnished by ,orson ,pratt1 one of the ,latter-day ,apostles of ,jesus ,christ3 ,the records were engraven on plates which had the appearance of gold4 ,each plate was not far from seven by eight inches in length and width1 being not quite as thick as common tin4 ,they were filled on both sides with engravings in ,egyptian characters1 and bound together in a volume as the leaves of a book1 fastened at one edge with three rings running through the whole4 ,this volume was something near six inches in thickness1 a part of which was sealed4 ,the characters1 or letters1 upon the unsealed part were small and beautifully engraven4 ,the whole book exhibited many marks of antiquity in its construction1 and skill in its engravings4 ,with the records was found a curious instrument called by the ancients ',urim and ,thummim'2 which consisted of two transparent stones1 clear as crystal1 set in the two rims of a bow4 ,it was used in ancient times by persons called seers1 by means of which they received revelations of things past or future4 ,mr4 ,smith finally succeeded1 with the aid of a profound linguist in ,new-,york ,city by the name of ,anthon1 in translating the whole work into the ,english language4 ,several writers testify that the ground out of which the records were dug was solid1 and covered with a thick and solid growth of grass1 presenting no appearance of having ever been disturbed4 ,the sect now constitutes about three hundred thousand disciples4 ,the following testimony to the truth of the story is a voluntary offering by three witnesses3-- ,,testimony ,,of ,,three ,,witnesses4 ,,be it known unto all nations1 tongues1 kindred1 and people unto whom this work shall come1 that we1 through the grace of ,god the ,father1 and oar ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 have seen the plates which contain this record1 which is a record of the people of ,nephi1 and also of the ,lamanites4 ,men1 brethren1 and also of the people of ,jared4 ,and we also know that they have been translated by the gift and power of ,god2 for his voice hath declared it unto ,us3 wherefore we know of a surety that the work is true4 ,and we also testify that we have seen engravings which are upon the plates2 and they are shown unto us by the power of ,god1 and not of man4 ,and we declare with words of soberness1 that an angel of ,god came down1 and that he brought and laid before our eyes1 and we beheld and saw1 the plates and the engravings thereon4 ,and we know it is by the grace of ,god and our ,lord ,jesus ,christ that we beheld and bare record that these things are true1 and it is marvelous in oar eyes4 ,nevertheless the voice of the ,lord commanded that we should bear record of it4 ,wherefore1 to be obedient to the commandments of ,god1 we bear testimony of these things4 ,and we know1 that if we are faithful in ,christ1 we shall rid our garments of the blood of all men1 and be found spotless before the judgment-seat of ,christ1 and shall dwell with him eternally in heaven4 ,and the honor be to the ,father and the ,son and the ,holy ,ghost1 which are one ,god4 ,amen4 ,oliver ,cowdery4 ,david ,whitmer4 ,martin ,harris4 ,,mormon ,,sacred ,,book1 ,,no4 #b--,,the ,,book ,,of ,,doctrines ,,and ,,covenants2 ,,or1 ,,the ,,revelations ,,of ,,joseph ,,smith4 ,in addition to the ,book of ,mormon1 ,joseph ,smith originated and partly composed a ,book of ,doctrines and ,covenants1 purporting to be a direct revelation from heaven relative to the temporal government of their church4 ,it enjoined the support of the poor1 the taxation of members1 the establishment of cities and temples1 the education of the people1 the emigration of saints1 c4 ,this book has been venerated by the ,mormons as a holy revelation from ,god1 and hence is1 in a strict sense1 a ,bible4 ,its title sufficiently indicates its character4 ,as much as ,christians ridicule the idea of ,joseph ,smith receiving a revelation from ,god1 it comes to us with exactly the same authority as the claimed-to-be revelation of ,moses4 ,the evidence in each case is the same4 ,,iii4 ,,the ,,shakers' ,,bible4 ,the ,bible of the ,shakers is entitled ,a ,holy1 ,sacred1 and ,divine ,roll from the ,lord ,god of ,heaven to the ,inhabitants of the ,earth1 ,revealed in the ,society of ,new ,lebanon1 ,columbiana ,county1 ,new ,york1 ,united ,states of ,america4 ,the testimony of eleven mighty angels is given1 who are said to have attended the writing of the ,roll4 ,a copy of the ,holy ,book has been sent to every king and potentate on earth4 ,its contents and style bear some resemblance to the ,christian ,bible2 and it contains texts which appear to have been drawn from that book1 and then altered4 ,it should be borne in mind that the ,shakers also profess to believe in the ,christian ,bible1 with their own peculiar construction of the book1 like other sects4 ,,chapter ,,xi4--,,the ,,jewish ,,bible4 ,in a practical sense1 there are other books beside the ,old ,testament which go to make up the ,jewish ,bible4 ,the ,talmud1 or rather the two ,talmuds2 the ,jerusalem ,talmu 7comprising the ,mishna1 or ,second ,law71 compiled about #aej ,b4,c4 by a ,jewish rabbi2 and the ,babylonian ,talmud1 compiled about six hundred and fifty years later1--are regarded by the ,jews as equally inspired and equally binding in their moral requisitions as that of the ,old ,testament4 ,in fact1 they compare the former to wine1 and the latter to water1 when speaking of their relative value4 ,some tall stories are found in these ,jewish revelations1 such as these3 it tells of a bird so tall that the water of a river in which it stood came only to its knees1 though the water was so deep that it took an ax1 thrown into it1 seven years to reach the bottom2 and of an egg of such enormous dimensions1 that1 when broken1 the white of it glued a whole town together and a forest of three hundred cedar-trees4 ,these are but specimens of their miracles4 ,such is the character of the ,jewish sacred writings1 emanating from the same source as the ,old ,testament2 and consequently of equal authority and reliability1 and equally entitled to our belief4 ,,chapter ,,xii4--,,the ,,christians' ,,bible4 ,the ,christian ,bible1 as now accepted by ,protestants 7for it must be borne in mind that it has been altered and amended on various occasions1 thus altering the canonical ,word of ,god71 is composed of thirty-nine books in the ,old-,testament department1 and twenty-seven in the ,new2 the whole constituting a multifarious collection of old oracles1 obsolete dogmas1 ,oriental legends1 ancient myths1 religious reveries1 beautiful precepts1 poetry1 heart-touching pathos1 wild fancies1 preceptive admonitions1 martial exploits1 domestic regulations1 broken1 disjointed narratives1 ritual rules1 and spiritual ideas2 including also cosmogony1 history1 theocracy1 theology1 annals1 romance1 prophecy1 rhapsody1 psalmody1 mythology1 allegory1 dreams1 tradition1 legislation1 ethics1 politics1 and religion1 all jumbled together without arrangement1 division1 classification1 or order2 committed to writing in various ages and nations and countries1 and by various writers1 extending over a period of several thousand years1 including nearly every form of composition known to human ingenuity1--gay1 grave1 tragical1 logical1 philosophical1 religious1 and romantic1--emanating from ,gods1 angels1 men1 and devils2 recorded1 some of it in mountains1 some of it in caves1 some of it on the banks of rivers1 some of it in forests1 some of it in deserts1 and some of it under the shadow of the ,pyramids4 ,it commenced on ,mount ,horeb1 and ended in the isle of ,patmos4 ,from such circumstances we are not surprised to learn that its chronology is unreliable1 chimerical1 and incorrect2 its history contradictory and incredible2 its philosophy fallacious2 its logic unsound2 its cosmogony foolish and absurd2 its astronomy fragmentary and childish2 its religion pagan-derived2 its morals defective1 sometimes selfish1 often extravagant1 and in some cases pernicious4 ,its government1 both temporal and spiritual1 is1 to some extent1 both barbarous and tyrannical2 while its theocracy is mere brute force4 ,it presents us with narratives without authorities1 facts and figures without dates1 and records without names4 ,we find no order in its arrangement1 no system in its subjects or the manner of presenting them1 and no connection in its paragraphs1 and often no agreement in its statements1 and no sense in its logic4 ,it seems to teach nearly every thing upon nearly every question of morals which it touches4 ,it apparently both sanctions and condemns nearly every species of crime to which it refers1 and pours fulsome laudations upon the heads of some of the most bloody-minded and licentious men1--such as ,david1 ,solomon1 c41--and holds them up as examples of true practical morality4 ,it is often dark1 ambiguous1 and mysterious1 as well as contradictory1 not only in its lessons of morality1 but in its account of the simplest occurrences1 thus rendering it comparatively worthless as a moral guide2 inasmuch as it is much easier to find out what is right and what is not without going to the ,bible1 than it is to find out what the ,bible teaches upon the subject1 or what it intends to teach in any given case4 ,with respect to war1 slavery1 polygamy1 and the use of intoxicating liquors1 for example1 it is much easier to determine whether they are right or wrong by the moral fitness of things than whether they are scriptural or anti-scriptural2 while it is silent upon many crimes which now infest society4 ,if we are compelled to determine the character of some actions without going to the ,bible1 why not that of all other moral actions and duties8 ,edmund ,burke says of the ,bible1 ,it is necessary to sort out what is intended as example1 and what only as narrative2 what is to be understood literally1 and what figuratively1 where one precept is to be controlled and modified by another2 what is temporary1 and what of perpetual obligation2 what is appropriate to one state or set of men1 and what is the general duty of men in all ages4 ,now1 who can not see that all this must require a quality of mind capable of determining or learning moral principles and moral duties without recurrence to the ,bible8 ,and it must require a vast amount of time to accomplish this task1 all of which is lost1 inasmuch as it is consuming time in making the ,bible conform to what you have already learned of right outside its pages1--time that might be much better employed4 ,such are the moral aspects of the ,bible4 ,but it also has its beauties1 which we need not occupy much space in depicting1 as we have fifty thousand clergymen in this country who attend faithfully to that matter4 ,suffice it to say1 that portions of it are characterized by a high-toned spirituality1 other portions by a deep1 heart-stirring pathos4 ,and then we have manifested in other parts the most devout piety1 while the books of the prophets often breathe forth a spirit of the most elevating poetry4 ,and there is scarcely a book1 or even a chapter1 in the whole ,bible1 that does not evince a spirit of religious devotion1 and an effort for the right1 though often misdirected4 ,taken as a whole1 the ,bible may be regarded as an exposition of the condition of science1 morals1 religion1 government1 and domestic polity of the era in which it was written1 and suited to the temporal and spiritual wants of the people of that age1 for whom it was written1 but not for this age4 ,when regarded in this light1 and as simply a human production of the best minds of the age and times in which it was written1 many portions of it can be read with interest and instruction4 ,but when read1 as it has been for centuries1 as a perfect1 divine composition1 designed for all time and as a finality in faith and practice and moral progress1 it becomes a stumbling-block in the path of progress1 an embargo upon free thought1 a fetter upon the soul1 a fog of bewilderment to the mind1 and a drag-chain to the moral and intellectual reformation of the world4 ,,chapter ,,xiii4---,,general ,,analogies ,,of ,,bibles4 ,from the foregoing brief analysis of the characters of the ,bibles of various nations1 it will be observed that they are1 in their main or leading features1 essentially alike1 including the ,holy ,books of ,jews1 ,christians1 and pagans2 that they are alike in their ends and aims and main characteristics2 that all inculcate the same fundamental doctrines2 that all impart and enjoin the observance of intrinsically the same moral lessons1 the same preceptive aphorisms4 ,all teach substantially the same superstitions1 the same kind of miraculous feats performed by ,gods1 angels1 and men and devils1 the same marvelous stories and achievements over-ruling and over-riding the great laws of nature1 often checking or stopping the ponderous wheels of the machinery of the universe4 ,the revelations on the pages of each are claimed to be ,god-derived1 and to have been inspired through prophets1 oracles1 angels1 apostles1 or holy men2 or to have issued directly from the mouth of ,god1 and descended from his immaculate throne to earth1 without the intervention or employment of a medium4 ,each puts forth similar notions and traditions concerning ,gods1 deities1 or angels1 genii1 demons1 or evil spirits1 priests1 prophets1 patriarchs1 prayers1 sacrifices1 penances1 ceremonies1 rituals1 ,messiahs1 redeemers1 intercessors1 sin-atoning1 crucified ,saviors1 sons of ,god1 c4 ,all recognize the doctrine of atonement for sin2 all1 or nearly all1 approximate in their modes of propitiating the favor of an offended ,deity by oblations1 sacrifices1 and offerings of animals1 men1 or ,gods1 or sons of ,god4 ,each has its cosmogony2 each proclaims the doctrine of one supreme ,god1 the doctrine of the immortality of the soul1 of post-mortem rewards for deeds done in the body1--endless bliss for the righteous1 and punishment for the wicked4 ,each attests the truth and divine origin of its religion by the record of a long array of the most astonishing miracles1 confirmed and ratified by the fulfillment of numerous prophecies4 ,most of them teach the doctrine of the primeval innocence and moral elevation of man1 and of his fall1 and of his prospective subsequent restoration2 and also of the necessity of a change1 or being born again1 in order to a full reconciliation with ,god1 and a perfect state of righteousness4 ,in a word1 all had essentially the same religious institutions1 and the same ecclesiastical orders of priests1 pilgrims1 monks1 and missionaries2 the same or similar prayers1 liturgies1 sermons1 missionaries1 and sacrificial offerings2 similar holy orders of saints1 angels1 and martyrs4 ,all had their holy days1 their holy fasts and feasts1 holy rivers1 holy mountains1 and holy temples1 c42 and nearly all preached essentially the same doctrines relating to a spiritual birth1 regeneration1 predestination1 and a future life1 rewards1 and punishments1 and a final judgment1 c4 ,all furnish a religion cut and dried 7the great end of all ,bible creeds7 so as to save the intellectual labor and mental toil of discovering the rule of right and the road to duty by an investigation of the great laws of cause and effect1 the nature and constitution of the human mind1 and the moral fitness of things4 ,as a finale to creation1 and a final consummation and triumph of their peculiar faith1 each imagines and portrays a great prospective millennial epoch1 at which juncture the heavens are to be rolled together as a scroll2 the oceans1 seas1 lakes1 and rivers to take fire1 and be reduced to ashes2 the ,new ,jerusalem to descend from ,god out of heaven2 and peace1 righteousness1 and happiness unalloyed to rule and to reign thenceforth and for ever4 ,hence all ,bibles and religions are of divine origin1 or none4 ,note4--,sir ,william ,jones says the ancient religions borrowed from each other4 ,,ii4 ,,superior ,,features ,,of ,,heathen ,,bibles4 ,there is not one ,oriental ,bible in all the number but that is superior in some respects in its teachings to the ,christians' ,bible4 ,none of them sanction so explicity every species of crime2 none of them contain so much obscene language4 ,on the contrary1 the ,chinese ,bible1 as ,mr4 ,meadows says1 contains not one sentence but that may be read with propriety in any drawing-room in ,england4 ,strikingly different from that of the ,christian ,bible1 as shown in ,chap4 ,,xxiii4 ,the ,mahomedan ,bible is quite superior in its teachings1 both with respect to intemperance and the treatment of women4 ,it forbids both the use and the traffic in intoxicating drinks1 and also the manufacture2 while the ,christian ,bible1 although condemning one1 sanctions both 7see ,chap4 ,,lviii474 ,with respect to women1 it contains some commendable precepts4 ,it not only enjoins husbands to treat their wives properly1 and provide for them1 but provides for their divorce in case this is not done2 while the ,christian ,bible1 by the authority of ,christ1 allows divorce for no crime1 abuse1 cruelty1 or inhuman treatment on the part of tyrannical1 wicked1 or drunken husbands1 but that of fornication 7see ,matt1 v4 #cb74 ,the ,koran also enjoins a tax of two and one-fourth p4 ct4 on its disciples to support the poor2 while the ,christian ,bible says1 ,thou shalt not countenance a poor man in his cause 7,ex4 xxiii4 #c71 though it is true it contains counter-precepts4 ,these examples are sufficient to lead to the conclusion that nothing would be gained to the cause of practical morality by supplanting any of the ,oriental ,bibles with the ,christian ,bible4 ,,chapter ,,xiv4--,,the ,,infidels' ,,bible4 ,we find the remarkable admission in the ,christian ,bible1 that the moral guide adopted by infidels is superior to that book which ,christians have adopted for a guide4 ,paul1 in his ,epistle to the ,romans1 says1 ,the ,gentiles1 who have not the ,bible1 do by nature the things contained in the ,bible4 ,an astonishing ,bible concession1 truly6 ,he1 however1 uses the word law for ,bible2 but commentators tell us the law is contained in the ,bible1 and some writers make law and ,bible synonymous terms4 ,we therefore give the sense more fully by rendering it ,bible instead of law4 ,it is here admitted by ,paul1 that the great ,bible of ,nature1 written upon man's consciousness1 and inscribed upon every thing around him1 which is the infidels' ,bible and revelation1 is superior to any printed ,bible4 ,if man learns by nature the moral lessons taught by the ,bible or moral law 7that is by nature's laws1 as learned by observation and experience1 which is the infidel's sole reliance for learning the great lessons and duties of life71 then this natural revelation1 which ,paul commends so highly1 is superior to any written preprinted revelation4 ,if1 as ,paul teaches1 the ignorant1 illiterate ,gentile can learn by this revelation of nature1 or law of nature1 the duties of life1 the great truths of salvation1 and the right road to heaven1 then it must be greatly superior to the ,christians' ,bible4 ,for it is admitted by ,christians themselves 7foreign missionaries71 that1 with all the aid that priests and commentators can render1 there is a considerable portion of their ,bible which the heathen can not learn or be made to understand4 ,but not so1 according to ,paul1 with ,god's natural ,bible1 and the revelation inscribed on man's moral nature1 and learned by the exercise of his common sense1 natural judgment1 and the experience of mankind in general4 ,hence we have a ,bible which is not only easily read and easily understood by even the unlettered heathen1 but a ,bible which possesses many advantages over all printed ,bibles1 some of which ,i will mention4 ,in the first place1 it is a ,bible always open4 ,it can not be kept closed under lock and key1 as the ,christian ,bible has been in past ages4 ,second1 ,it is a ,bible that needs no translation in any language2 for it is already written in the languages all the nations of the earth4 ,third1 ,it is a ,bible1 thank ,god6 that all1 whether high or low1 learned or unlearned1 can read and understand4 ,its glorious truths are easily read2 for they are plainly and legibly inscribed upon every leaf and page of the soul of every human being4 ,fourth1 ,hence this revelation needs no priest to expound it1 and no church to unravel its mysteries1 by voluminous commentaries4 ,sixth1 ,no concordance is needed to enable its readers to find its golden gems1 which glitter and sparkle upon every page4 ,they are what the ,quakers call the light within4 ,seventh1 ,neither moths nor mice can destroy this glorious ,bible4 ,fire can not consume it1 nor water wash it away4 ,it is imperishable and eternal4 ,it is a ,bible into which no errors have ever crept1 either by printers1 transcribers1 or translators4 ,and 7soul-cheering thought67 it is a ,bible which contains all the important doctrines1 principles1 and precepts which can be found in any perishable paper-and-ink ,bible1 and all the grand truths that ,god ever vouchsafed to man4 ,they can all be found in this golden-leaved ,bible1 this eternal1 soul-saving revelation of ,god4 ,jesus refers to this natural ,bible1 or revelation1 again when he say's1 ,know ye not of yourselves what is right8 --that is1 by the ,bible planted in your own souls1 the revelation stereotyped upon your own moral sense or moral nature4 ,hence the virtual acknowledgment by ,jesus 7who is ,bible authority71 that there is no necessity of running to any printed or paste-board ,bible to learn the truths of the gospel or the duties of life2 for he teaches the important lesson that we may learn them in our own inward selves4 ,we can know of ourselves what is right4 ,and there are other texts which admit that ,god's first revelation1 and his last and only revelation1 to the human race1 is far superior to that of any books of human origin2 and which admit that this glorious revelation can not be found ,in the ,christian ,bible1 or any other perishable book1 but existed for ages before any paper-and-ink ,bible was ever thought of4 ,i will quote one other text to prove these statements1 and in further confirmation of the proposition that the ,christian ,bible itself admits that the infidels' ,bible1 direct from the hand of ,god1 is greatly superior to it in all the essential features and principles of a ,bible4 ,paul concedes this when he says1 in his epistle to the ,romans1 ,the invisible things of ,god are clearly seen and understood by the things that are made1 even his eternal power and ,godhead 7,rom4 i4 #bj74 ,now1 here it is proved1 if any thing can be proved by the ,bible1 that every thing that can be learned about ,god and religion can be found written upon the tablets of nature1 and inscribed upon every thing that is made4 ,for it is declared1 that even the invisible things of ,god--that is1 the great spiritual truths of the kingdom--can be seen and learned by the revelations1 or lessons1 written upon things that are made4 ,a wonderful admission1 truly6 ,it is stated1 they can not only be seen1 but clearly seen and understood1 by studying the things that are made1 and learning their important lessons4 ,if1 then1 they can be clearly seen and understood1 there is not the shadow of a doubt left upon the mind as to their truth or meaning3 you are not annoyed with that perplexity1 uncertainty1 and painful anxiety about the meaning of moral lessons they teach1 as you are with respect to hundreds of texts you find in the ,christian ,bible4 ,this is a grand revelation and declaration and benefit1 truly4 ,and even his eternal power and ,godhead1--that is1 ,god's character and attributes1--we are here told1 can be learned by reading and studying this beautiful and easily comprehended ,bible1 written by the finger of ,god upon every leaf and page of nature4 ,was there ever a more important1 more pleasing1 or more beautiful revelation made to the world than this of ,paul's8 ,and is it not surprising that ,christians have never noticed this most important admission8 ,it is an important moral lesson that throws their pen-and-ink ,bible into the shade1 and shows we would be better without than with it by substituting ,god's eternal and universal ,bible4 ,it will be observed1 then1 that it is shown by different texts of the ,bible1 that the ,holy ,book which came directly from the hands of ,god is greatly superior to that which came through the hands of man4 ,and the fact that it is the only ,bible1 or revelation1 that can now be found in all countries1 and the only ,bible that can be read by all nations1 kingdoms1 tongues1 and people1 and that not one man1 woman1 or child in a hundred1 take the world over1 can read any other ,bible but this1 is very nearly prima facie evidence that it is the only ,bible ,god ever designed for the human race1 and that he never did impart1 and never will impart1 any other revelation to the world2 that no other ,bible is necessary for the moral1 religious1 and spiritual welfare of the race1 or to point the road to salvation4 ,hence it is the only ,bible we would recommend for the reading of the young4 ,it is the only ,bible we are certain they can understand4 ,it is the only ,bible we are certain is free from errors4 ,it is the only ,bible we are certain has never been altered or mistranslated4 ,it is the only ,bible we are certain teaches no immoral lessons4 ,it is the only ,bible which we are certain contains no vulgar or obscene language1 calculated to raise a blush on the cheek of modesty1 and outrage every feeling of decorum1 as many of the texts found in the ,christian ,bible do4 ,it is the only ,holy ,scripture we can be certain was given forth by divine inspiration1 and the only sacred volume or ,holy ,word which has the full seal and sanction of ,almighty ,god4 ,read1 then1 and study well1 this open and widespread ,bible which infolds the universe4 ,all the ,bibles and religions of the past claim to have been authorized by a direct revelation or inspiration from ,god4 ,but we are satisfied that no such revelation has ever been given forth to any nation in any age of the world4 ,for inspiration is now known to be a universal law of the natural mind2 an inborn principle of the human soul1 which all ages and nations1 and every human being1 have possessed a greater or less share of4 ,and the amount of true inspiration possessed by each individual depends upon his or her moral1 intellectual1 and spiritual elevation of the soul or mind into the higher enjoyment of spiritual bliss where it becomes en rapport with all that is lovely1 inspiring1 and beautiful in ,god's universe2 where it can take cognizance of great moral problems and spiritual truths2 and where it can look through the long vista of futurity1 and behold the events of coming years rolling up toward the threshold of time4 ,this is true inspiration1 and the spirit of true prophecy4 ,but it is the work of our own minds1 and not of ,deity1 and is not confined to any age1 nation1 or religion4 ,it depends upon the culture of the moral and intellectual faculties and the spiritual aspirations of the individual1 and not upon his creed or religious belief4 ,as for a divine revelation1 it can not be found in any book of human origin4 ,it could not be incorporated into a book1 nor could all the books in the world contain it4 ,it is inscribed all over the face of nature4 ,we read it upon the outstretched earth and upon the shining heavens2 we read it upon ,every bush and every bower1 ,every leaf and every flower4 ,here1 then1 we have a ,bible with a revelation as broad as the universe4 ,its lids are the heavens above1 and the earth beneath4 ,its golden-leaf pages are spread out at our feet2 its lessons of wisdom1 its truths of salvation1 and its soul-inspiring beauties1 are inscribed upon the soul1 and written all over the face of nature4 ,read and study it1 ,o man6 and become wise onto salvation4 ,,chapter ,,xv4--,,two ,,thousand ,,bible ,,errors4 ,,old ,,testament ,,department4 ,a ,,hundred ,,and ,,twenty-,,three ,,errors ,,in ,,the ,,story ,,of ,,creation4 ,as the ,old ,testament possesses no order1 no arrangement1 and no distinct system of either morals or religion1 and no regular connection in its history1 we have to treat it in the same unsystematic order in which we find it1 and to expose many foolish errors and stories which seem almost beneath the dignity of any respectable writer to notice4 ,but1 as they constitute a large portion of the ,old ,testament1 we have got to deal with them or nothing4 ,and1 although trifling in themselves1 they have done much mischief4 ,hence we deem it of greater importance to expose their evil influence than to trace them to their heathen origin1 as we originally designed doing4 #a4 ,the first text in the ,bible is evidently an error4 ,in the beginning ,god created the heavens and the earth 7,gen4 #a74 ,no geologist and philosopher at the present day believes in either a creation or a creator4 ,the assumption involves two impossibilities4 ,first1 a creation could not take place without something to create from3 ,ex nihilo nihil fit1--,out of nothing nothing can come4 ,second1 to account for the origin of the earth1 sun1 moon1 and stars1 by assuming the existence of a creator1 is throwing no light on the subject4 ,we have made no progress towards solving the problem2 for we are equally puzzled to account for the origin of the creator himself4 ,it is as easy to assume that matter always existed as to assume that the creator always existed4 ,hence there would be no creation possible1 and none needed4 ,this is now regarded as a settled scientific problem4 #b4 ,it is a scientific error to assert that matter had a beginning1 as the ,bible assumes4 ,many scientific facts have been developed to establish the conclusion that all beings and objects on earth were eliminated from its elements1 and all the planets we can recognize were an outgrowth from some other worlds4 ,the proposition is not only susceptible of much proof 7which ,i have not space here to present71 but is very beautiful and satisfactory4 ,it composes our reason to peace4 ,all we lack of comprehending it is the capacity to grasp eternity and infinity1 which finite mortals cannot do4 #c4 ,if ,god created the heavens 7,gen4 i4 #a71 and heaven is his dwelling-place 7see #a ,kings viii4 #cj71 then where did he dwell before the heavens were made8 ,here is a very puzzling question1 and involves an absurdity equal to that of the ,tonga-,islanders1 who teach that the first goose was hatched from an egg1 and that the same goose laid the egg4 ,an idea equally ludicrous is involved in the assumption that ,god created the heavens and the earth about six thousand years ago2 so that1 previous to that era1 there was nothing on which he could stand1 sit1 or lie1 but must have been suspended in mid-air from all eternity4 #d4 ,if nothing existed prior to six thousand years ago1 then there was nothing for ,god to do1 and nothing for him to do it with4 ,hence he must have spent an eternity in idleness1 a solitary monarch without a kingdom4 #e4 ,as we are told ,god created the light 7,gen4 i4 #c71 the conclusion is forced upon us1 that1 prior to that period1 he had spent an eternity in darkness4 ,and it has been discovered that all beings originating in a state of darkness1 or living in that condition1 were formed without eyes1 as is proved by blind fishes being found in dark caves4 ,hence the thought is suggested1 that ,god1 prior to the era of creation 7six thousand years ago71 was perfectly blind4 #f4 ,god saw the light that it was good 7,gen4 i4 #d74 ,hence we must infer that ,god had just got his eyes open1 and that he had never before discovered that light is good4 ,of course it was good to be delivered from eternal darkness4 #g4 ,and ,god divided the light from the darkness 7,gen4 i4 #d74 ,hence1 previous to that period1 they must have been mixed together4 ,philosophy teaches that light and darkness never can be separated1 any more than heat and cold1 as one is only a different degree of the other4 #h4 ,and ,god called the light ,day1 and the darkness he called ,night 7,gen4 i4 #e74 ,and to whom did he call them8 as no living being was in existence until several days afterwards4 ,hence there was no need of calling them any thing1 and1 as we are told ,adam named every thing1 he could as easily have found names for these as for other things4 #i4 ,the ,bible teaches us that day and night were created three days before the sun4 ,every school-boy now knows that it is the revolution of the earth upon its axis that causes day and night2 and1 but for the existence of the sun1 there could be no day and night4 ,if ,moses' ,god was so ignorant1 he had better never have wakened out of his eternity of darkness4 #aj4 ,the ,bible teaches that the earth came into existence three days before the sun2 but science teaches us that the earth is a child or offshoot of the sun4 ,hence it could be equally true to say a son was born three days before his father4 #aa4 ,and the earth was without form1 and void 7,gen4 i4 #b72 but philosophy teaches that nothing can exist without form1 or when void4 ,the declaration brings to mind the ,scotchman's definition of nothing1--a footless stocking without a leg4 ,we have an idea of a thing which does not exist4 #ab4 ,and the ,spirit of ,god moved upon the face of the waters 7,gen4 i4 #b74 ,here we are taught that the original state of the earth was that of water4 ,but geology teaches its original constituents was fire or fusion2 that water did not exist1 and could not exist1 in it1 or on it1 for millions of ages4 ,professor ,agassiz says our earth was once in a state of igneous fusion1 without water1 without rain1 and even without an atmosphere 7,geological ,sketches1 i4 #b74 ,and even the pious1 ,god-fearing ,hugh ,miller says that the solid earth was at one time1 from center to circumference1 a mass of molten matter 7,lectures on ,geology1 #bef74 ,here we have geology against theology4 #ac4 ,god spent a day making a firmament1 by which he divided the waters from the waters4 ,if it had then stated that he spent a day in making moonshine1 or one day in making breath for ,adam1 it would have been as sensible2 for the firmament is as truly a part of the earth 7being eliminated from it7 as our breath is a part of our bodies4 #ad4 ,divided the waters from the waters4 ,here is disclosed a belief which prevailed in various ,oriental and heathen nations1 that the earth exists between two large lakes1 or sheets of water2 and that the firmament is a solid floor1 which holds the water up1 and prevents it from falling1 and inundating the earth2 and1 being supplied with doors and windows1 when ,god wants it to rain he opens the windows 7the ,bible says the windows of heaven were opened1 see ,gen4 vii4 #aa74 ,he pours it down by opening the windows1 and stops it by shutting them up4 ,the windows of heaven were stopped 7,gen4 viii4 #b74 ,how fully is the heathen tradition disclosed here6 #ae4 ,we are told that ,god gathered the waters under heaven together unto one place 7,gen4 i4 #i74 ,how ignorant he must have been of geography6 ,he evidently had not studied the science1 or had not traveled much1 or he would have known the waters under heaven never have been gathered together unto one place1 but exist in many places1 as the two hundred large lakes prove4 #af4 ,the ,bible tells us1 that1 when ,god created the vegetable kingdom1 he ordered each species of vegetation to bring forth after its kind 7,gen4 i4 #aa74 ,can we suppose that apple-trees would have borne buckeyes1 or mullein-stalks produced pumpkins1 or any thing foreign to their nature1 if the command had not been given for each to bring forth after its kind8 #ag4 ,according to the ,bible1 the vegetable kingdom was created before the animal2 but the learned geologist ,hitchcock1 although a ,christian by profession1 in his ,elements of ,geology says1 ,an examination of the rocks shows us that animals were created as early as vegetables 7and he might have said much earlier74 ,and yet the ,bible says vegetables were created on the third day1 and animals on the fifth 7see ,gen4 i474 #ah4 ,the ,bible represents vegetables as coming into existence before the sun1 but philosophy teaches that they could neither germinate nor grow without the warming and vivifying influence of the sun4 #ai4 ,the ,bible tells us that ,god made two great lights1 the greater light to rule the day1 and the lesser light to rule the night2 and ,god set them in the firmament to give light to the earth 7,gen4 i4 #af1 #ag74 ,that is1 he made two round balls1 and then stuck them into a hole scooped out of the firmament for the purpose4 ,this seems to be the idea4 ,here is disclosed the most egregious ignorance of astronomy4 ,think of that stupendous solar luminary1 as much larger than this pygmy planet as a man is larger than a mouse1 being hung up or stuck up above us for our sole accommodation6 ,how sublimely ridiculous6 #bj4 ,the ,bible represents the great world-builder1 the almighty-1 architect1 as spending five days in plodding and toiling at this little mole-hill of ours before he got it finished up to his notion1 and then made such a bad job of it that he repented for having undertaken it4 #ba4 ,but when he came to make the countless worlds1 the vast suns1 and systems of suns1 which roll their massive forms in every direction around the earth1 these were all made in a few hours4 ,and he made the stars also4 ,this text tells the whole story of the origin of the boundless planetary system1 comprising millions of worlds larger than our planet4 ,what superlative ignorance of astronomy ,moses' ,god manifests6 #bb4 ,moses is awarded great credit by ,bible believers for opposing polytheism1 and teaching the existence of but one ,god3 but it would have been more to his credit if he had stuck to a belief in a plurality of ,gods2 for it would take a million of such ,gods as his imagination has created a thousand years to make such a universe as astronomers have brought to light since he wrote4 #bc4 ,the language1 ,let us make man in our own image 7,gen4 #a4 #bf71 seems to imply that there was an association of gods1--a company of almighty mechanics1 who had formed a copartnership to do up a big job4 #bd4 ,if man was made in the image of ,god1 why was he cursed for eating the fruit of the tree of knowledge in order to be like ,god8 #be4 ,according to the ,bible1 ,god became so tired in the business of world-making that he had to take a rest of a whole day 7and perhaps took a nap also7 when the job was completed2 but geology and philosophy both teach that creation never was begun1 and never will be finished1 but is going on all the time4 ,hence new species of animals and vegetables are constantly coming into existence4 #bf4 ,the ,bible represents the entire universe as being created less than six thousand years ago2 but science teaches us that it has been in existence for millions of years4 #bg4 ,a large volume of scientific facts has been accumulated by scientists1 showing that even our earth1 one of the youngest of the planets1 is at least several hundred thousand years old4 ,look at a few of the facts which go to prove it4 ,the coral reefs of ,florida are estimated by ,professor ,agassiz to be one hundred and thirty-five thousand years old4 ,charles ,lyell estimates the delta of the ,mississippi ,valley to be at least one hundred thousand years old4 ,four growths of cypress-trees far below the surface of the ground1 and situated one above another1 have been discovered near ,new ,orleans1 whose successive growths must have occupied a period of at least one hundred and fifty thousand years4 ,so much for the agreement of geology and ,bible chronology4 #bh4 ,but we are told that a day in the ,bible means a thousand years4 ,then1 as the sabbath day constitutes one of the days spoken of in the ,bible1 and was provided as a day of rest1 ,christians and ,bible believers should rest a thousand years at a time2 and1 as ,god rested a whole day 7a thousand years71 he must have been as tired of resting as he was of world-making4 ,why do the figures #djjd ,b4,c4 stand at the top of the first page of the ,bible1 if a thousand years mean one day8 #bi4 ,the ,bible teaches that whales1 fishes1 and birds were made on the same day2 but geology assures us that fishes came into existence long before fowls4 #cj4 ,the ,bible teaches that beasts and creeping1 things were all made on the fifth day of creation2 but geology tells us that reptiles and creeping things crawled upon the earth millions of years before beasts came into existence4 #ca4 ,the ,bible represents man as coming into existence about six thousand years ago2 but human bones have recently been discovered in the vicinity of ,new ,orleans which ,dr4 ,dowler estimates to be at least fifty thousand years old4 #cb4 ,a deity who becomes so tired and physically exhausted with six days' labor as to be compelled to stop and rest1 physiology teaches would be liable to physical disease2 and1 if physically diseased1 it might terminate in death1 and thus leave the world without a ,god 7,godless74 #cc4 ,the ,bible tells us the ,lord ,god formed man of the dust of the ground 7,gen4 ii4 #g72 but philosophy teaches that dust possesses no vital properties1 and that it would have been less difficult to make man of a stone or a stump1 owing to their possessing more adhesive properties4 ,one writer suggests that the negro must have been made of coal-dust4 #cd4 ,according to the ,bible1 a serious blunder was made by ,jehovah in the work of creation1 by exhausting all the materials in the process of world-making and man-making1 so that nothing was left to make a helpmeet for ,adam2 and this blunder caused the necessity of robbing ,adam of one of his ribs4 #ce4 ,but common sense teaches us that a small crooked bone but a few ounces in weight could not furnish half the material necessary to constitute a woman4 ,the ,parsees1 with a little more show of sense1 tell us that the rib was used merely as a back-bone1 around which the woman was constructed2 which revives in memory ,erin's mode of making cannon1 which consisted in taking a round hole1 and pouring melted metal around it4 ,the ,tonga-,islanders have a tradition about as sensible as that of ,moses with respect to the origin of the first woman4 ,their ,god made the first man with three legs1 and amputated one of them to make a helpmeet for him8 ,this is an improvement1 as a leg can be better spared when there are three than a rib3 it also possesses more material than a rib4 #cf4 ,the ,bible teaches that man was created upright1 but fell4 ,if it means physically1 it can be easily accounted for1 and must be ascribed to his creator2 for depriving him of one of his ribs would leave him in an unbalanced condition1 so that he would be liable to fall4 #cg4 ,the ,bible imparts to us the strange intelligence that the ,lord ,god brought all the beasts and birds to ,adam to see what he would call them 7,gen4 ii4 #ai74 ,what an idea for ,omniscience or ,infinite ,wisdom to engage in the business of chasing bears1 lions1 tigers1 elephants1 and hyenas1 and all manner of beasts great and small1 and all manner of birds1 also hissing1 crawling1 biting reptiles1 and every living thing which he had created1 and taking them to ,adam to see what he would call them6 ,not having sufficient intelligence to find names for them himself 7pardon the thought71 his curiosity was no doubt aroused to see what an ignorant being of his own creation1 who had not sufficient intelligence to clothe himself1 would call the innumerable host of beasts1 birds1 c41 before any language was known1 or even a single letter was invented to spell names with4 7,we are very far from desiring to wound the feelings or encroach upon the reverence that any man or woman may cherish for a ,god of infinite love1 wisdom1 and goodness2 but let it be kept constantly in mind we are not presenting the history of such a being here1 but the mere imaginary ,god of ,moses and the ,bible47 #ch4 ,as the ,bible teaches that ,adam named all the beasts1 animals1 and birds1 it must have occupied a great number of years for the ,lord ,god of ,moses to have caught and taken the several hundred thousand species to ,adam to receive names in all the three thousand languages1 and then convey them back to their respective climates4 #ci4 ,the question naturally arises1 ,why should ,adam give them names by saying1 ,this is a horse1 that is an ass1 the animal yonder shall be called a hippopotamus1 c41 when there was nobody present to hear it and be benefited by it8 ,and nobody could have remembered half the names had they been present4 ,here we wish to call the attention of the reader specially to the fact that all the thoughts and language we have so far cited as being either that of ,god or ,moses sounds like the utterance of ignorant children1 and unworthy the dignity of an intelligent and sensible man much less that of a ,god4 #dj4 ,the ,bible teaches that ,god made man in his own image4 ,the reverse statement would have been true1 ,man made ,god in his own image2 for this is true of all nations who believe in a ,god4 #da4 ,here let it be noted the ,bible contains two contradictory accounts of creation2 one found in the first chapter of ,genesis1 the other in the second4 ,in the first1 animals are created before man2 in the second1 after man4 #db4 ,the first chapter of ,genesis says1 ,let the earth bring forth plants 7,gen4 i4 #aa73 the second says1 ,god created every plant444 before it was in the earth 7,gen4 ii4 #i74 ,a contradiction2 and neither statement is true1 there being no creation4 #dc4 ,the first chapter has the earth created several days before the firmament1 or heaven3 the second chapter has it created on the same day 7,gen4 ii4 #d74 #dd4 ,the first represents fowls as originating in the water 7,gen4 i4 #bj73 the second has them created out of the water4 #de4 ,after the first chapter says ,god created man in his own image 7,gen4 i4 #bg71 the second says there was not a man to till the ground 7,gen4 ii4 #d74 #df4 ,the first chapter represents man and woman as being created at the same time 7,gen4 i4 #bg73 the second represents the woman as being created after the man4 #dg4 ,the first implies that man has dominion over the whole earth3 the second restricts his dominion to a garden4 ,which is the inspired story of creation8 #dh4 ,the ,mexicans claim that the first man and woman were created in their country4 ,the ,hindoos aver that the original progenitors of the race 7,adimo and ,iva7 first made their appearance amongst them4 ,the ,chinese claim a similar honor4 ,the ,persians contend that ,god landed the first human pair in the land of ,iran4 ,and1 finally1 the ,jews affirm that ,jehovah created the first pair in ,eden4 ,,the ,,tree ,,of ,,knowledge ,,and ,,the ,,tree ,,of ,,life4 ,moses tells us ,god planted two trees in ,eden1 one of which he called the tree of the knowledge of good and evil4 ,this tree bore fruit which nobody was allowed to taste 7,gen4 ii4 #i74 #di4 ,why the tree was planted1 or why its fruit was forbidden to be used1 are problems which the ,bible does not solve1 and which set reason at defiance4 #ej4 ,and then it looks like a senseless act to create a tree for the purpose of bearing fruit 7as we can conceive of no other purpose for which it could have been created71 and then decree that it should all go to waste4 #ea4 ,it was worse still to create human beings with an appetite for this fruit1 and place it in their sight1 and then forbid them to taste it on penalty of death4 ,nothing could be more opposed to our ideas of reason and justice4 #eb4 ,did ,god create beings in his own image1 and then treat them as if he wished to tantalize them and render them unhappy8 #ec4 ,it would seem that he created man for no other purpose than to tease and torment him1 and quarrel with him4 #ed4 ,common sense would suggest it to be the act of an ignoramus or a tyrant to implant in man the desire to eat fruit which he did not allow him to eat4 #ee4 ,and would it not be unjust to punish ,adam and ,eve for doing what he himself had implanted in them the desire to do8 #ef4 ,god must have known they would eat the fruit1 if he were omniscient4 #eg4 ,if he were not omniscient1 he was not a ,god in a supreme or divine sense4 #eh4 ,god must have had the power without the will to prevent the act of disobedience1 which would make him an unjust and unmerciful tyrant4 #ei4 ,or else the will without the power1 which would make him a weak and frail being1 and not a ,god4 7,for a full elucidation of these points1 see chapter sixty-nine47 ,we will notice a few other points4 #fj4 ,as ,god declared eating the fruit would make ,adam like one of us1 that is1 ,godlike 7and all men are enjoined to become ,godlike71 was not ,adam1 therefore1 justified in eating the fruit in order to become ,godlike8 #fa4 ,in chapter sixty-nine it is shown1 that1 as ,adam and ,eve got their eyes open by eating the inhibited fruit1 the act of disobedience turned out to be a great blessing1 inasmuch as it saved the earth from being filled with a race of blind human beings4 #fb4 ,and1 as this blessing was obtained through the agency of the serpent-devil1 we must admit the father of lies was a great benefactor of the human race1 as shown in chapter sixty-nine4 #fc4 ,as ,adam could not very well exercise dominion over every living thing that moveth upon the earth 7,gen4 i4 #bf7 while shut up in a little eight-by-ten garden1 we can observe here another practical benefit of the act of disobedience which drove him from the garden4 #fd4 ,is it not a strange piece of moral incongruity to set ,adam to tilling the soil in the garden as a blessing1 and then doom him to till it outside as a curse8 7,gen4 iii4 #bc47 ,he first embarked in the business as a blessing1 and then as a curse4 ,how the same act could be both a blessing and a curse is a mystery of godliness which swamps us4 #fe4 ,the ,jews tell us the original tempter was a serpent 7,gen4 iii4 #a72 ,the ,mexicans say it was a demon2 the ,hindoos call him a snake2 the ,greeks declare it was a dragon2 ,josephus supposes it was an ape2 some of the ,east-,india sects speak of him as a fish2 but the ,persian revelations make it a lizard4 ,which is right8 #ff4 ,the ,mosaic or ,hebrew cosmogony represents the serpent as dealing out the fruit to the genus homo2 while the ,mexicans1 the ,egyptians1 and the ,persians set the serpent or evil genius to guarding the tree to protect the fruit4 ,which is right8 #fg4 ,when ,god ,jehovah announced to the trinity of ,gods1 ,behold1 the man has become as one of us to know good and evil 7,gen4 iii4 #bb71 exactly as the serpent had predicted1 instead of dying as ,jehovah had predicted1 does it not prove that the serpent was the best and most reliable prophet8 #fh4 ,as ,adam and ,eve could know nothing of the nature of right and wrong until they attained that knowledge by eating the fruit1 does not this fact prove it to be a justifiable if not a righteous act8 #fi4 ,how could ,adam and ,eve know that any act was sinful before an act of any kind had been committed by which they could learn the character or consequences of human conduct8 #fi4 ,is it not a logical conclusion1 that1 if ,god created every thing1 he can control every thing1 and hence1 strictly speaking1 is alone responsible for the right performance of every thing8 #gj4 ,the ,christian ,bible tells us the first pair of human beings sewed fig-leaves together for clothing2 but the ,chinese revelation say palm-leaves4 ,which is right8 ,who can tell8 #ga4 ,as it is declared the voice of ,god was heard walking in the garden 7,gen4 iii4 #h71 we beg leave to ask1 what kind of a thing is a walking voice8 #gb4 ,we also beg leave to ask1 who took charge of the house of many mansions while ,jehovah was down among the bushes hunting and hallooing for ,adam8 #gb4 ,and who took charge of creation1 and kept the machinery of the universe running during the thousand years' rest of ,god ,almighty1 if the one day he rested means a thousand years8 #gc4 ,was it necessary for an omnipresent ,god to come down from heaven to find ,adam when he hid among the bushes8 ,and what would have been the result if he had not been found8 #gd4 ,must we not conclude that the command to multiply and replenish the earth was rather superfluous1 inasmuch as nations who never heard of the command perform the duty faithfully8 #ge4 ,if the ,river ,gihon1 one of the four rivers of ,paradise1 encompassed the whole land of ,ethiopia 7,gen4 ii4 #ac71 which is in ,africa1 how did it manage to cross the ,red ,sea1 so as to get into ,eden1 which is in ,asia8 #aaa4 ,as ,bishop ,colenso shows the territory lying between the four rivers in ,eden1 as mentioned in ,gen4 ii4 comprised an area of several hundred miles1 we would suggest that father ,adam1 while in ,eden1 had rather a large garden to cultivate4 #aab4 ,how could fig-leaves be sewed together for clothing before needles were invented8 7see ,gen4 iii4 #g47 #aac4 ,how did ,eve see the tree as stated in ,genesis 7she saw the tree7 before she ate the fruit which caused her eyes to be opened8 #aad4 ,is it not calculated to destroy all ideas of justice in the minds of man and woman to believe that ,god cursed and ruined the happiness of the whole human race merely for one simple act prompted by a being destitute of moral perception or moral accountability8 #aae4 ,and what should we think of a being who would suffer a grand scheme1 on which is predicated the happiness of his innumerable family for untold ages1 to be defeated by the wily machinations of a brainless creature of his own creation8 #aaf4 ,why should ,adam hide from ,god because he was naked1 when1 if ,god made him1 he must have become accustomed to seeing him in that condition8 #aag4 ,if ,god in the morning pronounced every thing good1 and in the evening every thing bad1 does it not imply not only a serious blunder in the job1 but a serious mistake in his views either in the morning or in the evening8 #aah4 ,as we are told the ,lord ,god made clothing for ,adam out of goat-skins1 the question naturally arises1 ,who caught and killed the animals1 and dressed the skins8 ,does it not imply that ,god was both a butcher and a tanner8 ,rather plebeian employment for a ,god4 #aai4 ,and the statement that the ,lord ,god planted a garden eastward in ,eden 7,gen4 ii4 #h7 seems to imply that he was a horticulturist also4 #abj4 ,it is pretty hard to believe that ,adam could sleep while ,god ,almighty 7,moses' ,god7 was digging amongst his ribs1 as stated in ,gen4 ii4 #ba4 #aba4 ,how could ,adam know what the word die meant before there had been any deaths in the world1 when the ,lord told him he should die if he ate the forbidden fruit8 #abb4 ,as ,eve was pronounced the mother of all living when there were no human beings in existence but she and ,adam1 the inference seems to be that she was the mother of herself1 her husband1 and all the animal tribes4 #abc4 ,in the image of ,god created he them 7,adam and ,eve1 see ,gen4 i4 #bg74 ,if ,adam and ,eve were both created in the image of ,god1 it would seem to follow that he was constituted of two genders1 male and female4 ,in concluding this section1 we ask the reader to think of an infinitely wise ,god being defeated in his grand scheme of creation or salvation by a crawling serpent1 and a frightful hell and all its horrors originating from this act4 ,how sublimely ridiculous is the thought6 ,,ii4 ,,the ,,scientists ,,account ,,of ,,creation4 #a4 ,millions of years ago the sun in its revolution threw off1 as it had done on previous occasions1 a sort of fire-mist1 or nebulous scintillations1 which floated and rolled through space for countless ages1 gradually accumulating from the atmosphere in its revolution1 thus swelling in size until it became a conglomeration of gas2 and1 continuing to grow and progress1 it ripened into a fiery1 liquid mass possessing the most intense heat4 #b4 ,after innumerable ages this fiery liquid mass began to cool1 and finally formed a crust upon its surface4 #c4 ,as its interior elements began to evolve or emanate from its bosom1 it formed a dense1 heavy1 murky atmosphere1 almost as heavy as water1 in which no living thing could have breathed or lived for a moment4 #d4 ,this atmosphere contained moisture1 which in the course of time became condensed into globules forming drops1 which descended to the earth in the shape of rain4 #e4 ,this rain1 descending to the earth1 cooled its surface1 and eventually filled its vast cavities with water1 and thus formed lakes1 seas1 and oceans4 ,the boiling1 heaving mass in the bowels of the earth made it very irregular in shape4 #f4 ,as soon as the surface of the earth became sufficiently cool1 small swellings began to appear upon its surface1 presenting the appearance of blisters1 or boils4 ,these outgrowths finally began to exhibit vegetable life2 but for a long period of time they presented the appearance of rocks or stones4 #g4 ,in the mean time the washings from the surface of the earth were deposited in the seas and oceans1 and1 sinking to the bottom1 in the course of time formed rocks4 #h4 ,these rocks1 as they hardened1 gave off an element of life1 which in the course of time supplied the waters with various forms of animal or finny life1 and thus originated mollusks1 fishes1 c4 #i4 ,as the surface of the earth cooled and grew thicker1 the elements of life diffused through the liquid mass finally made their appearance on the surface in the character of the lowest forms of vegetable life8 such as mosses1 lichens1 ferns1 c4 #aj4 ,as the surface of the earth thickened1 and consequently accumulated the elements of vitality gave forth higher and still higher forms of vegetable life1 finally the most matured forms of matter began to exhibit animal life4 #aa4 ,the first species was the zoophite1 a compound of vegetable and animal life1 but possessing scarcely any of the functions of animal life except those of absorption and respiration1 and these functions were but slightly manifested4 #ab4 ,succeeding the zoophite came the mollusks and various hard-shelled animal forms1 which at first clung to the rocks1 then fed on seaweeds and other vegetable substances1 absorbing also from the atmosphere4 #ac4 ,in this way various species of animals and birds and reptiles sprang up1 ran their course1 and then perished1 to give place to higher forms4 #ad4 ,and finally1 when all the elements of life became sufficiently matured1 they formed a combination1 and turned loose upon the earth the animal man1 who at first was nearly as ugly1 clumsy1 and awkward as a baboon1 possessed of but little more sense or intelligence4 #ae4 ,each one of these changes and outgrowths of the new forms of vegetable and animal life constituted an epoch of innumerable ages1 thus showing the age of our planet to be beyond computation4 ,we submit to the reader whether this is not a more rational1 beautiful1 and satisfactory solution of the great problem of mineral1 vegetable1 animal1 and human existence1 than the jumbled-up medley presented by ,moses4 ,,chapter ,,xvi4--,,absurdities ,,in ,,the ,,ark ,,and ,,flood ,,story4 ,if there were no other errors or absurdities in the ,bible1 our faith in it would diminish at every step in the investigation of the ark and flood story as related in the sixth chapter of ,genesis4 ,the avowed purpose of the flood1 the means employed1 and their failure to accomplish the end desired1 are all at war with our reason and our moral sense4 #a4 ,the first question that naturally arises in considering this story is1 ,why should so many millions of innocent beings--men1 women1 children1 animals2 birds1 c4--perish as a penalty for the sins of a few thousand people8 #b4 ,the reason given for this wholesale destruction was the wickedness and moral depravity of the human race4 ,but is it true that the whole human race was in that state at that period8 ,according to ,manetho and ,herodotus1 ,egypt was in a state of high civilization and moral culture at the time2 and1 according to ,dr4 ,hulde1 ,china was also far advanced in the arts of civilization and in morality4 ,col4 ,dow and other writers represent ,india as being in a similar condition4 ,there could1 therefore1 be no justice in drowning all these nations in order to punish a few thousand rambling ,jews3 it was too much like burning the barn to destroy the rats4 #c4 ,an enlightened moralist of the present day would decide that it was a species of injustice to destroy all the land animals1 and let the fishes and aquatic animals live4 ,it looks like partiality4 #d4 ,but ,god1 having discovered that he made a signal failure in the work of creation1 acknowledged that it grieved him at his heart1 and that he repented having undertaken it4 ,however1 he issued a proclamation1 stating that the end of all flesh is come3 every thing that is in the earth shall die4 #e4 ,i1 even ,i1 do bring a flood of water upon the earth to destroy all flesh 7,gen4 xi4 #f74 ,the language seems to imply that somebody else had undertaken1 or was about to undertake1 the business4 #f4 ,but ,noah found grace in the eyes of the ,lord1 and was placed at the head of this grand scheme2 being1 as was assumed1 although a drunkard1 the most righteous man that could be found4 #g4 ,the ,lord instructed him to build an ark five hundred and fifty feet long1 twenty feet wide1 and fifty-five feet high1--about the size of an eastern warehouse4 ,think of putting into this two of every species of animal1 and seven of every species of clean beast1 and fowls of the air6--there being one hundred and fifty thousand or1 as some make it1 five hundred thousand species of animal1 one hundred and twelve thousand kinds of bird1 and fifty thousand species of insect4 #h4 ,and ,god ordered to be taken into this ark food sufficient to supply these millions of mouths4 ,this alone would have required forty such vessels4 #i4 ,as it was declared that ,god destroyed every living thing from the face of the earth1 it would have been necessary to have food enough stored away to last several years1 until the earth could have time to be replenished with a new crop of grass and vegetables to serve as food for the granivorous and herbivorous species1 and animals for the carnivorous tribes4 ,the weight of such a cargo would have been sufficient to sink the whole ,british navy6 #aj4 ,consider for a moment what amount of food would be required for each species of animal4 ,the four elephants 7two of each species7 would consume a ton of hay in two days1 making more than one hundred and fifty tons in twelve months4 ,the fourteen rhinoceroses would consume one thousand and fifty tons4 ,and then the horses1 cattle1 sheep1 goats1 asses1 zebras1 antelopes1 and other mammalia1 would require at least two thousand tons more2 making in the aggregate three thousand two hundred tons4 ,this alone would have filled every inch of the vessel4 #aa4 ,the seven hundred and eighty-four thousand birds 7one hundred and twelve thousand species7 would require grain1 which would make it necessary to store several thousand bushels4 #ab4 ,the three thousand flesh-eating animals1 including lions 7one lion could eat fifteen pounds a day71 cats1 dogs1 jackals1 hyenas1 skunks1 weasels1 crocodiles1 snakes1 eagles1 hawks1 buzzards1 c41 would require about forty wagon-loads to be slaughtered and fed to them each day2 for all would require fresh meat but the buzzards4 #ac4 ,and otters1 minks1 gulls1 kingfishers1 spoonbills1 storks1 c41 would require fish for food1 which must either be preserved in tanks for the purpose1 or one hundred and fifty persons would have to be employed all the time in catching them2 and there were only four men to do this and perform all the other labor1--sufficient for five thousand hands4 #ad4 ,there were nine hundred species of fly-catchers1--those that feed on flies1 beetles1 and other insects4 ,we are not informed whether flies were included in the registered list or not2 but they would1 of course1 be impudent enough to take up their quarters in the vessel without invitation4 #ae4 ,about two hundred and fifty birds known as bee-catch-ers would have to be supplied with this kind of insect3 this would be1 to say the least1 rather stinging business4 #af4 ,many cans of cockroaches must have been saved to feed the birds-of-paradise4 #ag4 ,there are several kinds of ant-eaters also1 which would have required much time to be spent in searching for ants in the cracks of the vessel1 or in collecting then6 off the water4 #ah4 ,the four hundred and forty-two monkeys would require fresh fruit2 and it is not probable anybody had the forethought to can it for them4 #ai4 ,sixty-five species of animal feed on insects2 and it would have been necessary for several persons to spend most of their time in crawling after millipeds1 fleas1 wood-lice1 c4 #bj4 ,there would have been work for fifty boy's in providing leaves and flowers 7if there were any possibility that they could be obtained while merged in twenty-seven feet of water7 for the animals that feed on these things4 #ba4 ,besides food1 fresh water must have been stored up for most of these animals1 as they could not have endured the salty water of the briny deep4 #bb4 ,noah and his family must have studied ornithology and natural history many years to know what kind of food to save for the various kinds of birds and animals4 #bc4 ,naturalists estimate that there are fourteen different climates1 each with animals adapted only to the temperature and natural growth of that locality4 ,how1 then1 could they all endure the change of being removed to the vicinity of ,mount ,ararat8 ,animals from the frigid zones must have felt like fish out of water in the warm climate of ,armenia4 #bd4 ,and think of the immense labor required to obtain this innumerable collection of animals6 ,in the first place1 either ,noah or his ,god must make a trip to the polar regions to obtain the white bear1 the reindeer1 the polar dog1 c4 #be4 ,and then the ,rocky ,mountains must be scaled to find and catch the grizzly bear4 ,some time and labor must have been required to obtain the rattlesnakes1 copperheads1 vipers1 cobras1 snapping-turtles1 c41 of the torrid zone4 #bf4 ,and a great deal of strategy must have been employed to catch the fox1 the deer1 the antelope1 the gazelle1 the chimpanzee1 of the temperate zone2 also the eagle1 hawk1 buzzard1 c4 #bg4 ,to do all this hunting and catching1 and conveying to the ark1 of the million and a half birds and animals1 would have required a larger number of persons than ,napoleon or ,xerxes ever commanded2 for1 as the whole thing is related as a natural occurrence1 we can not assume that they made the journey of their own accord4 #bh4 ,the ,bible commentator ,scott supposes that angels were employed to aid in this business of storing away the animals in the ark2 but it is certainly derogatory to that elevated order of beings to suppose they would stoop to such groveling work as bug-hunting1 skunk-catching1 snake-snaring1 c4 #bi4 ,and how could this immense multitude of respiring and perspiring animals live and breathe in a vessel with but one little twenty-two-inch window1 and that in the third story1 and shut up most of the time to keep the rain out1 especially if some giraffe had been disposed to monopolize it when it was open by thrusting his head out8 ,how could they be kept thus for a whole year without breeding pestilence and death8 #cj4 ,all animals require light2 and total darkness must have reigned in the two lower stories1 and only a partial light supplied the third story1--just what could come through a twenty-two-inch window4 #ca4 ,the chorus of voices in the ark--consisting of bellowing1 baying1 howling1 screaming1 hissing1 neighing1 snorting1 roaring1 chattering1 buzzing1 c4--suggests that deafness would have been a blessing to the human beings present4 #cb4 ,we are told that fifteen cubits upward did the water prevail1 and the mountains were covered4 ,fifteen cubits 7twenty-seven feet7 would not cover nine-tenths of the buildings now on the earth4 ,ararat is seventeen thousand feet1 and ,everest twenty-nine thousand feet high4 #cc4 ,several scientists have shown by actual experiment that the atmosphere could not contain the fourteen-hundredth part of the water that is represented to have fallen in the time of the flood4 #cd4 ,who or what conducted the ark to ,ararat when the waters subsided8 ,in the ,brahminical flood story a fish is said to have performed this feat1 and dragged it to ,mt4 ,hinavat2 but ,noah and ,moses are silent on this point4 #ce4 ,the peak of ,ararat is perpetually covered with snow and ice2 hence it must have been rather difficult and dangerous for the biped and quadruped cargo to descend from it4 #cf4 ,and what was there to prevent the nine hundred carnivorous animals from devouring the sheep1 hogs1 poultry1 rabbits1 minks1 hedgehogs1 o41 as they tumbled pell-mell down the mountain together4 #cg4 ,the same catastrophe must have ensued from the act of turning them loose upon the earth together1 with nothing to subsist upon but the flesh and blood of each other4 #ch4 ,many ,oriental nations have traditions of a flood1 and some of them of several floods4 ,xisuthrus of ,chaldea built a ship1 in which he saved himself and family during a mighty flood which overflowed the world2 also ,fohi of ,china1 ,menu of the ,brahmins1 ,satravarata of ,india1 and ,deucalion of ,greece4 ,hence it appears there were several families saved besides that of ,noah's4 ,egypt and ,india have stories of two floods occurring4 ,all these stories are evidently older than that recorded in the ,christian ,bible4 #ci4 ,geologists and archaeologists have collected a whole volume of evidence1 which shows that such a deluge could never have taken place as is embodied in the traditions of several nations4 ,the fresh water of the lakes1 and the salt water of the seas and oceans1 would have been so mixed as never again to be separated as they are now4 ,egyptian monuments and sculpture can be traced to a much earlier period than that assigned for ,noah's flood4 #dj4 ,lepsius has traced the existence of several races or tribes of negroes up to a period within forty-eight years of ,noah's flood2 this would seem to indicate that some of ,noah's family were negroes1 and must have multiplied and replenished very rapidly to start several races in forty-eight years4 #da4 ,the dynasties of ,egyptian kings can be traced back several thousand years beyond ,noah's time4 #db4 ,it is true ,jesus ,christ and the apostles indorsed the truth of the flood story 7,matt4 xxiv4 #cg72 but that is evidence against their intelligence1 instead of being a proof of the truth of the story4 #dc4 ,and the assumed divine author of the flood admitted it was an utter failure1--that it entirely failed to accomplish the end intended2 for it was declared but a few centuries after1 that the imagination of man's heart is evil1 and only evil1 continually1 which is an evidence that the wicked folks were not all drowned by the world's inundation4 #dd4 ,with respect to the many difficulties and impossibilities ,i have enumerated as lying in the way of carrying out this experiment of the flood1 it is sometimes argued in defense1 that1 as the whole thing was in the hands of ,god1 such obstacles would not be a straw in his way4 ,but such persons at different periods1--one ninety-five hundred years ago have failed to notice that it is nowhere stated or implied that it was to be accomplished by miracles4 ,a miracle could have destroyed all the wicked inhabitants of the earth in a moment1 without any flood or other means4 #de4 ,with regard to its being only a partial deluge1 as argued by some ,bible defenders1 we will say that it is only necessary to examine the language of the ,bible to settle this matter4 ,it is declared over and over again1 that the whole earth was covered with water1 and every living thing destroyed4 ,if it had been only a partial deluge1 all that would have been necessary for ,noah to do to save himself and family would have been to migrate to some dry country2 and the doomed sinners might have saved themselves in this way4 #df4 ,i will note here that the rainbow was for more than a thousand years looked upon both as evidence that there had been a universal deluge1 and also that there never would be another4 ,it is only at a recent period that the study of philosophy has disclosed the fact that the rainbow is caused by the reflection and refraction of the rays of light upon the falling rain1 and the error thus exploded4 #dg4 ,one thing in connection with this flood story is not clearly explained in the ,bible3 ,methuselah's time was not out till ten months after the flood began1 according to ,bible chronology4 ,where was he during this ten months8 ,,chapter ,,xvii4--,,the ,,ten ,,commandments1 ,,moral ,,defects ,,of4 ,these commandments have always been regarded by ,bible believers as being a remarkable display of infinite wisdom1 and as being morally perfect beyond criticism2 and consequently they have passed from age to age without examination1 when a little investigation would have shown any logical mind that they contain palpable errors both in logic and morals4 ,first commandment3 ,thou shalt have no other ,gods before me 7,exod4 xx4 #c72 that is1 as commentators have interpreted it1 ,thou shalt prefer no ,gods to me4 ,and why not8 ,what harm can it do8 ,supposing the people prefer a golden calf1 as the ,jews did under the leadership of ,aaron1 in the name of reason how can it injure either ,god or man8 if not1 where is the objection8 ,the feeling of devotion is the same in all cases1 whatever may be the object worshiped4 ,hence the worshiper is as much benefited by worshiping one object as another4 ,on the other hand1 it would be a slander upon infinite wisdom to suppose he can desire the homage1 adoration1 and flattery of poor ignorant mortals1 and desire them to crouch at his feet4 ,it would make a mere coxcomb of him to suppose he can be pleased with such adulation1 or that he desires such homage4 ,we worship no such ,god4 ,second commandment4 ,the second commandment prohibits our making the likeness of any thing that is in heaven above1 the earth beneath1 or the waters under the earth 7,exod4 xx4 #d74 ,let us look1 in the first place1 at the effect of this prohibition1 and then at the character of the act4 ,it effectually cuts off the use of photographs1 portraits1 and pictures1--illustrations of every description2 for all these are likenesses of something4 ,hence thousands of oases of the violation of this commandment take place every day in all ,christian or civilized countries4 ,books are issued every day containing likenesses of something in the heavens above or the earth beneath2 especially are school-books illustrated with the likenesses of all kinds of living beings1 and often with inanimate objects1 by which children learn4 ,the second commandment is utterly disregarded and trampled under foot by all ,christendom4 ,third commandment4 ,this commandment prohibits our bowing down to and worshiping any other ,god but ,jehovah1 because ,i1 the ,lord thy ,god1 am a jealous ,god 7,exod4 xx4 #e74 ,as for jealousy1 it will make any being hateful and despised1 according to ,william ,penn4 ,but why not worship other ,gods 7that is1 beings supposed to represent or resemble ,god78 ,can any serious evil result from such an act1 either to ,god or his worshipers8 ,if so1 what is it8 ,let us assume1 for the sake of the argument1 that the heathen who bow down to images of wood and stone suppose them to be the veritable living and true ,god 7which1 however1 is not true71 yet it would be the very climax of folly to suppose that an infinite being1 of such infinite perfection that it places him at an infinite distance beyond human flattery1 can take the slightest offense at such an act4 ,it is childish to entertain such a thought4 ,a thousand times more sensible is the doctrine of the ,hindoos' ,vedas1 which makes ,god 7,brahma7 say1 ,those who worship other ,gods worship me1 because ,i hear them1 and correct their mistake4 ,we will illustrate3-- ,a rebel soldier 7son of a doctor7 was wounded near his father's house1 in ,kentucky1 during the war1 in which he immediately sought refuge4 ,as he entered the hall 7it being evening twilight71 he observed some person at the farther end whom he supposed to be his father1 and exclaimed1 ,father1 ,i am wounded6 ,can you aid me8 ,his father1 being in a room above1 overheard him1 and responded1 ,yes1 sir4 ,had he had the vanity of ,jehovah1 he should have replied1 ,no1 sir3 you mistook the servant in the hall for me3 therefore ,i will not assist you1 but punish you1 and kill you4 ,remember1 ,jehovah is represented as killing the worshipers of other ,gods 7,deut4 #c4 iii4 #f74 ,if an illiterate heathen in like manner should1 in his ignorance1 call upon idols or mere imaginary beings for aid1 would not his heavenly ,father1 in the room above or the heaven above1 hear him and reply1 ,you are mistaken2 ,i am here1 not there2 but no difference1 the mistake is not important3 your intention was good1 and your motives honest2 therefore ,i will grant your request8 ,this would be sensible4 ,but ,jehovah is represented as saying1 ,if thy brother or son or daughter1 or even the wife of thy bosom1 shall say1 let us go and serve other ,gods1 thou shalt not pity nor spare1 but kill them 7,deut4 xiii4 #f74 ,here is the most shocking cruelty1 combined with supreme nonsense4 ,we are commanded to kill wives1 sons1 and daughters1 if they entertain a different view of ,god from ours1 no matter how honest they may be2 and there is no question but that all worshipers are honest4 ,they can not be otherwise4 ,and yet there is no sin more frequently or more fearfully denounced in the ,christian ,bible than that of worshipping other ,gods4 ,who can not see that it all grew out of the bitter sectarian bigotry of the ,jews1 which engendered feelings of animosity toward all nations who refused to subscribe to their creed8 ,this has been the fault of all creed worshipers4 ,as no man hath seen ,god at any time 7,john i4 #ah71 it must be a matter of imagination with every human being as to what is the form1 size1 and character of ,god4 ,and therefore it can make no difference what ,god1 or what kind of ,god1 we call upon in our prayers4 ,we would be equally heard and answered1 if there were a ,god answering prayer4 ,the third commandment1 therefore1 is devoid of sound sense4 ,fourth commandment3 ,thou shalt not take the name of the ,lord thy ,god in vain 7,exod4 xx4 #g74 ,the word vain is defined to mean worthless1 fruitless2 that is1 attended with no good results4 ,and we can not conceive that it can be any more sinful to take the name of ,god in vain than that of a human being1 or of any other object4 ,it is not rational to suppose ,god1 while superintending the movements of eighty-five millions of worlds1 pays any attention to the manner in which the inhabitants of this little planet use his name1 or that he cares any thing about it4 ,and then how is it possible for us to know when we are using his name in vain1 and when we are not8 ,fifth commandment3 ,remember the sabbath day to keep it holy4 ,this commandment is universally laid aside by all ,christendom4 ,nobody keeps the sabbath but the ,jews4 ,and as ,god himself does not keep the sabbath1 but lets all nature run and work 7her laws operate the same on that day as on all other days of the week71 we can not believe the sabbath was instituted by him4 ,sixth commandment3 ,honor thy father and mother 7,exod4 xx4 #ab74 ,pretty good2 but the reason assigned for it is devoid of sense1--,that thy days may be long upon the earth4 ,we have never learned that long-lived persons have been more dutiful to parents than others4 ,seventh commandment3 ,thou shalt not kill 7,exod4 xx4 #ac74 ,if the word not were left out1 we would concede this commandment has been faithfully obeyed4 ,his holy people were killing nearly all the time2 and their successors 7the ,christians7 have inundated the earth with blood by a constant violation of this command4 ,what good1 therefore1 we would ask1 has resulted from this commandment8 ,tenth commandment4 ,the tenth commandment forbids us to covet our neighbor's house1 wife1 or servant1 or any of his property 7covet1 to desire earnestly74 ,we can not conceive how there can be any moral turpitude in the act of desiring to possess any of our neighbor's property1 or even his wife1 if no improper means are used to obtain them4 ,the command was doubtless issued to keep the poor man from aping the rich1 and to make him content with his own lot and condition4 ,the above will be understood to be the true exposition of the holy commandments of the ,lord1 the ten glorious laws of ,god1 when people become accustomed to use their reason in matters of religion4 ,,chapter ,,xviii4--,,foolish ,,bible ,,stories4 ,i4 ,,talking ,,serpents ,,and ,,talking ,,asses4--,,gen4 ,,iii41 ,,num4 ,,xxii4 ,the laws of nature appear to have possessed but little force1 permanency1 or reliability in the days of ,moses1 as they were often brought to a dead halt1 and set aside on the most trivial occasions1 according to ,bible history2 and nothing could be learned of the character1 habits1 or natural powers of animals by their form or physical conformation1 if they possessed1 as represented1 minds and reasoning powers supposed to be peculiar to the human species4 ,hence the study of natural history must have been useless4 ,when naturalists at the present day find animals without the organs of speech1 they assume they do not possess the ability to talk and reason4 ,but the absence of the vocal organs in the days of ,moses appears to have furnished no criterion1 and interposed no obstacle to becoming a fluent speaker and an able reasoner1 as is illustrated in the case of a serpent and an ass talking and arguing like a lawyer4 ,hence natural history could have possessed no attraction1 as nothing certain could have been learned by studying it4 #a4 ,it is a singular reflection that the ,christian plan of salvation is based on a serpent1 and with about as little show of sense as the ,hottentot tradition of the earth resting on the heads of four turtles4 #b4 ,the idea of ,god creating a serpent to thwart and defeat his plans and designs1 or permitting him to do it1 is absolutely ridiculous4 #c4 ,if ,god knew1 when he created the serpent1 that his machinations would bring death and sin and all our woe into the world1 the act would prove him to be an unprincipled being4 #d4 ,and1 if he did not know it1 he must have been ignorant and short-sighted1 and not fit to be a ,god4 #e4 ,it would imply that he made a wonderful mistake in creating a being that turned right round1 and made war on his own kingdom1 crippled it1 and defeated its success4 #f4 ,to assume that ,god could be outwitted by a serpent is to place him lower in the scale of intelligence than a snake4 #g4 ,it would seem that the serpent was superior to ,jehovah either in knowledge or veracity2 for his statement relative to the effect of eating the fruit proved to be true1 while that of ,jehovah proved to be false 7,gen4 iii4 #c74 #h4 ,and1 as we have shown in chapter liii1 he was a greater friend and benefactor to the human race than ,jehovah1 as a number of benefits and blessings were conferred upon ,adam and ,eve and their posterity by yielding to his advice instead of obeying the mandates of ,jehovah4 #i4 ,it would doubtless be a source of gratification to naturalists of the present age to learn what species of snake that was which possessed such a remarkable intellect and reasoning faculties and powers of speech2 and also whether ,hebrew was its vernacular4 #aj4 ,why is it that ladies of the present day possess none of the nerveless intrepidity and moral courage of old mother ,eve1 who could stand and listen to a serpent talking without any signs of fainting1 and with a perfect nonchalance1 when our modern ladies would probably scream or run if a snake they should meet should assume the liberty to address them even in the most polite manner8 ,mother ,eve must have been familiar with oddities4 #aa4 ,if serpents and asses could talk in the days of ,moses1 why not now8 ,why have they lost the power of speech8 #ab4 ,the species of serpents and asses which furnished such distinguished reasoners and orators should have been preserved1 both as natural curiosities and on account of their practical benefits4 ,it would be a source of instruction as well as amusement for a traveler1 while journeying astride the back of an ass1 to be able to enter into a friendly chitchat and exchange views with him1 especially if the ass should be well posted on the topics of the day4 #ac4 ,it seems singular that the heathen prophet ,balaam should be able to enlighten infinite wisdom when he called on him for information concerning ,balak1 ,king of ,moab1 or that he should have been better posted in the matter4 #ad4 ,the circumstance of ,jehovah advising ,balaam to go at the call of ,balak to curse ,israel1 then becoming very angry at him because he did go1 and employing an ass to intercept his journey1 evinces him to have been a fickle-minded and changeable being4 7,num4 xxii4 #bj1 #bb47 #ae4 ,it appears that1 with all of ,balaam's superior intelligence1 he was inferior in spiritual discernment to that of his ass1 as she could see the spirit standing in the road when he could not4 #af4 ,it has been contemptuously suggested as a slur on spiritualism1 that perhaps the ass was a spiritual medium4 ,but the fact that asses 7of the biped species7 can now be found endowed with the power of speech1 renders the conclusion more rational that the ass talked without the aid of a spirit4 ,such are some of the ridiculous features of these ridiculous stories4 ,the expedient of disposing of these foolish stories as allegories1 as some have attempted1 will not avail any thing3 for such figures are too low and groveling to be employed even as metaphors2 and there is no hint in the ,bible that they are to be understood in an allegorical or metaphorical sense4 ,,ii4 ,,the ,,story ,,of ,,cain1 ,,absurdities ,,of4 #a4 ,did not ,eve dishonor ,god when1 at the birth of ,cain1 she said1 ,i have got a man from the ,lord 7,gen4 iv4 #a71 inasmuch as he turned out to be a murderer8 #b4 ,did not ,god know that ,cain would become a murderer8 ,if he did not1 he is not an omniscient ,god4 #c4 ,and1 if he did know it1 would it not make him accountable for the murder8 #d4 ,why did ,god set a mark on ,cain that whosoever should find him should not slay him 7,gen4 iv4 #ae71 when there was no whosoever in existence but his father and mother8 ,and it can not be supposed they would have to hunt to find him1 or that they would kill him when found4 #e4 ,and how could whosoever know what the mark meant8 #f4 ,where did or where could ,cain have gone when he fled from the presence of the ,lord 7,gen4 iv4 #af71 as ,david says he is present everywhere1 even in hell8 #g4 ,how could ,cain find a wife in the land of ,nod 7see ,gen4 iv4 #ag71 when he himself had killed the whole human race excepting his father and mother8 ,there were then no women to make wives of4 #h4 ,why did ,cain build a city 7see ,gen4 iv4 #ag71 when there was nobody to inhabit it8 #i4 ,as there were workers of iron and brass in this city1 does it not furnish evidence that there was a race of people who had attained a high state of civilization before ,adam was made8 #aj4 ,and as brass is not an ore1 but a compound of copper and zinc1 does it not furnish evidence that the mining business and the mechanic arts were carried on long before ,adam's time8 #aa4 ,if ,cain did find a wife in the land of ,nod1 is it not evidence that some ribs had been converted into women before ,adam's time8 #ab4 ,where did ,cain find carpenters and masons to build his city1 if his father and mother constituted the whole human race8 #ac4 ,did not ,jehova know when he accepted ,abel's offering and rejected ,cain's1 that he was sowing the seeds of discord that would lead to murder8 #ad4 ,and did he not set a bad example by showing partiality1 as there is no reason assigned for preferring ,abel's offering8 #ae4 ,had not ,cain just ground for believing that his offering of herbs would be accepted1 inasmuch as ,jehovah had ordered ,adam to use herbs for food8 #af4 ,must we conclude that ,jehovah had a carnivorous appetite1 which caused him to prefer animals to vegetables for sacrifices8 #ag4 ,what sense was there in dooming ,cain to be a vagabond among men1 when there was but one man in the world1 and that his father8 ,,iii4 ,,the ,,ark ,,of ,,the ,,covenant1 ,,absurdities ,,of4--#a ,,sam4 ,,chap4 ,,vi4 ,we find no case in any history of superstition reaching a more exalted climax than that illustrated in the history of the ,jewish ark of the covenant4 ,it appears that up to the time of ,solomon the ,jews had no temple for their ,god to dwell in1 but for some time previous hauled him about in box1 about four feet long by thirty inches deep1 known as the ark of the covenant4 ,let it not be supposed that we misrepresent in saying that ,jehovah was supposed to dwell in this box2 for it is explicitly stated that he dwelt between the cherubims1 which constituted a part of the accoutrements of the ark4 7,see #a ,sam4 iv47 ,one of the most singular and ridiculous features connected with this story is1 that ,jehovah1 in giving instructions for the construction of the ark1 told the people they must offer1 among other curious things1 badger-skins1 goat's hair1 and red ram's skins 7i4e41 ram's skins dyed red74 ,what use ,god ,almighty could have had for the hides and hair of these dead animals is hard to conjecture4 ,could superstition descend lower than this8 ,as minute a description is given of the whole affair by ,jehovah and ,moses as if there were some sense in it4 ,the box was hauled about by two cows2 and it was enjoined that those selected by the ,philistines should be cows that had never been worked or harnessed1 and that their calves should be shut up and left at home4 ,this is descending to a bill of particulars4 ,the calves must have suffered1 as their dams were driven far away and then slaughtered4 ,what became of the calves is not stated2 but we are told that the cows kept up a continual bellowing1 or lowing4 ,perhaps this was designed as a kind of base or tenor for the music which accompanied them2 and this accounts for the calves being left at home4 ,it is curious to observe that the cows were not yoked to the cart on which the ark was drawn1 but tied to it1--probably by their tails4 ,the ,jews did not seem to possess sufficient mechanical skill or genius to invent an ox-yoke4 ,another singular part of this singular story is1 that the ,philistines constructed six golden mice to accompany the ark2 and yet we are told that the ,jews were not allowed to have images of any thing 7,ex4 xx4 #d74 ,the most serious consideration connected with this affair was the vast destruction of human life4 ,in the first place the ,philistines1 in a battle with the ,lord's people1 slew thirty thousand of them1 and captured this box1 as we must presume1 with the ,lord in it4 ,it seems strange that1 when ,jehovah had fought so many successful battles1 he would allow himself to be captured4 ,it was some time1 too1 before he was recovered from the ,philistines4 ,when this was effected1 as the ark was being conveyed back under the superintendence of ,david1 with a company of thirty thousand people1 while passing over some rough ground1 the cart jostled1 and the ark came near being thrown off1 with the ,lord ,jehovah in it1 who would probably have been considerably bruised by the fall4 ,but a very clever man by the name of ,uzzah clapped his hand upon the cart to prevent this awful catastrophe2 and1 although probably actuated by the best and most pious motives1 he was immediately killed for it4 ,this part of the story has a bad moral4 ,on another occasion1 on the arrival of the ark at ,bethshemesh1 because one or two persons attempted to gratify a very natural curiosity by looking into the ark1 ,jehovah became so much enraged that he killed fifty thousand of the people of ,bethshemesh4 ,here is another of the many cases in which thousands of innocent people were punished for the sin of one man or a few persons4 ,how can any good grow out of the relation of such unjust1 unprincipled1 and superstitious doings recorded in a book designed for the moral instruction and salvation of the world8 ,we are told that at every place to which this box was carried1 while in the hands of the ,philistines1 it caused death and destruction1 or some other serious calamity4 ,at ,ashdod it produced disease and destruction among the people to an alarming extent2 and similar results followed while the ark was at ,ekron4 ,assuming that there is any truth in the story1 the thought is here suggested that the box might have been affected with some malarious disease4 ,while at ,jagon it caused the ,god of that place to fall down in the night from his resting-place2 on the second night he lost both his hands4 ,who that is acquainted with ,jewish history can not sec that this circumstance is related to show that the ,god of the ,jews was superior to other ,gods1 as he excelled them in working miracles1 in ,egypt and other places8 ,that it was a borrowed tradition is quite evident from the fact that the ,hindoos and ,egyptians had practiced similar rites and customs anterior to that period4 ,the ,hindoo ark was carried on a pole by four priests2 and1 wherever it touched ground1 it wrought miracles in the shape of deaths and births1 or the outgushing of springs of water4 ,the ,egyptian ark was constructed of gold1 which probably made the box more valuable than the ,god within4 ,all such wooden or metal ,gods were supposed to operate as talisman1 or protection against evil4 ,when will the believers in divine revelation and divine prodigies learn that all such superstitious customs and inventions were the work of men1 and not of ,god8 ,,iv4 ,,korah1 ,,dathan1 ,,and ,,abiram1 ,,absurdities4--,,num4 ,,chap4 ,,xvi4 ,these three leading men of ,israel1 growing tired of the tyrannical usurpations of ,moses1 concocted a mutiny1 in which they succeeded in enlisting some two hundred and fifty persons4 ,when ,moses learned what was on foot1 this meek man became very angry1 and reported the case to ,jehovah1 and requested him not to accept their offering when they came to make their usual oblations4 ,the ,lord took ,moses' advice1 and not only refused their offering1 but split the ground open where they stood1 so that they fell in1 and were seen no more4 ,and1 when their two hundred and fifty followers saw this1 they fled1 fearing they might share the same fate4 ,but that expedient did not save them3 a fire came out from the ,lord1 and consumed the whole number4 ,it must have been a fearful fire to consume so many while they were running4 ,the fire came from the ,lord2 but where the ,lord was at the time we are not informed1--whether sitting on his throne in heaven1 or standing beside the altar1 as he frequently did4 ,hence we can not tell whether the fire came from heaven1 as it did on some other occasions1 or from below4 ,it must have been a very aggravated case of rebellion2 for ,god and ,moses both got angry at once1 which was something rather unusual4 ,it was customary1 when ,jehovah got angry and made severe threats of what he would do1 for ,moses to interfere1 and intercede for his people1 and try to cool him down2 and1 by the power of his logic and eloquence1 he mostly succeeded in convincing him that he was wrong1 and got him to desist from carrying his threats into execution4 ,but1 on this occasion1 ,moses1 being angry himself1 let him take his own course4 ,but the most unjust and unmerciful act in the whole transaction was that of ,jehovah sending a plague1 and destroying fourteen thousand more1 merely because they mourned for their destroyed friends1 and ventured to complain of the course he and ,moses were pursuing4 ,it was certainly cruel to destroy them for so slight an offense4 ,it appears that1 by ,aaron's standing between the dead and the living1 the plague was stayed4 ,but for this timely interference of ,jehovah's high priest1 there is no knowing when or where the plague would have stopped4 ,now1 is it not something near akin to blasphemy to charge such nonsense--ay1 worse than nonsense1 cruelty1 injustice1 and malignity--to the just ,god of the universe8 ,v4 ,,the ,,story ,,of ,,daniel ,,and ,,nebuchadnezzar4 ,we shall not attempt to present an exposition of all the absurdities which abound in the ,book of ,daniel1 but will merely notice a few of its most incredible statements4 ,the most amusing chapter in the history of ,daniel is his interpretation of the dreams of ,king ,nebuchednezzar4 ,it appears that on one occasion the king had forgotten his dream1 which made it ostensibly necessary for ,daniel1 before interpreting it1 to reproduce it4 ,but who can not see it was not necessary for him to do either to save his reputation and his life1 both of which it appears were at stake8 ,if he were possessed of an active1 fertile imagination1 he could invent both1 and palm them off on to the king as the original1 who would be perfectly unable to detect the trick1 as he knew nothing about either4 ,it is stated that one of the dreams consigned the king to the fate of eating grass like an ox for three years4 ,in all such incredible stories which abound in the ,christians' ,bible1 we find glaring absurdities1 which a little reflection would reveal to the reader if he would allow himself to think4 ,there is a palpable absurdity in this story which shows that1 the conversion of the king into an ox us a punishment could not have achieved that end4 ,if he were converted into an ox1 his reason was gone1 and he was unconscious of his condition2 and hence it was no punishment at all4 ,or1 if he still retained his reason1 he had nothing to do but to walk away1 and find food more congenial to his appetite than grass4 ,and thus the story defeats itself4 ,it is stated his hair became like eagles' feathers1 and his nails like the claws of a bird 7,dan4 iv4 #cc71--;a very singular-looking ox surely4 ,it would have been more appropriate to call such a being an eagle or a dragon4 ,such is the careless and disjointed manner in which all ,bible stories are told1 as if related by mere ignorant children4 ,the most conclusive knock-down argument to the truth of this story is found in the fact that no allusion to this astounding miracle can be found by any of the historians of that or any other nation4 ,had the king been transformed into an ox1 the history of his own nation 7the ,persians7 would abound in allusions to the marvelous fact4 ,its silence on it settles the question4 ,we will occupy sufficient space to allude to one incident in the story of the three holy children1 which we find related in the ,book of ,daniel4 ,it is stated that a being who looked like the ,son of ,god was seen by the king walking in the furnace4 ,to be sure6 ,we are quite curious to know how he found out how the ,son of ,god looks4 ,how long had he lived in heaven with him so as to become familiar with his countenance8 ,what silly nonsense6 ,,vi4 ,,sodom ,,and ,,gomorrah4 ,story of ,sodom and ,gomorrah4 ,we are seemingly required by this story to believe that ,god keeps a manufactory of brimstone in heaven2 for we are told that the ,lord rained upon ,sodom and ,gomorrah brimstone and fire from the ,lord out of heaven 7,gen4 xix474 ,if we credit this story1 we may infer that the ,lord keeps a supply of the article on hand1 perhaps to be let down occasionally to replenish the bottomless pit4 ,the science of chemistry has demonstrated within the present century that the air is composed of nitrogen and oxygen2 and it has also demonstrated that oxygen gas and sulphur or brimstone1 when brought into contact1 are1 with a moderate amount of heat1 dissolved1 united1 and converted into oil of vitriol4 ,hence1 if fire and brimstone rained from heaven in that climate1 it is scientifically and chemically certain that the people were pelted with a shower of the oil of vitriol4 ,one square mile of the earth's surface in that locality would be supplied with about thirteen thousand million pounds of oxygen4 ,the requisite amount of brimstone to convert this into oil of vitriol would be about ten thousand million pounds1 making in the whole twenty-three thousand millions of pounds4 ,this would have been sufficient to spoil all the ,sunday garments of the people1 but could not have burned them up2 for cold oil will not burn1 and the fire and brimstone would have been converted into oil long before they reached the earth1 and become too cool for the heat to injure any thing4 ,we are told that several cities were destroyed by this divine judgment4 ,and pray how many cities could exist in a hot and arid desert1 where there was not a drop of water that a human being could drink8 ,,vii4 ,,tower ,,of ,,babel4 ,of all the stories ever recorded in any book1 disclosing on the part of the writer a profound ignorance of the sciences1--embracing1 at least1 astronomy1 geography1 and philosophy4--that of the ,tower of ,babel was probably never excelled4 ,a brief enumeration of some of its absurdities will disclose this fact4 #a4 ,we are told 7in chap4 xi4 of ,genesis71 that1 after ,god had discovered by some means that the children of men were building a city and a tower to reach to heaven1 he came down to see the city and the tower 7,gen4 xi4 #f74 ,the statement that he came down implies that he was a local being1 and not the omnipotent and omnipresent ,god4 #b4 ,if he were not already present1 and had to travel and descend in order to be present1 we should like to know what mode of travel he adopted4 ,it appears from the story that1 if he came down1 he must have returned almost immediately1 and descended a second time2 for1 after this1 he is represented as saying1 ,go to1 let us go down1 and there confound their language 7,gen4 xi4 #g74 #c4 ,who was this us8 ,the use of this plural pronoun us implies that there were several ,gods on hand4 #d4 ,and1 if he came down1 who did he leave in his place8 ,must we assume there is a trinity of ,gods8 ,but it would be superlative nonsense to assume that the three ,gods could be one 7as ,christians claim7 if one of them could leave the kingdom4 #e4 ,how did the writer know that he or they talked in this manner1 as he could not have been present in person to hear it8 #f4 ,in this same chapter the inspired writer tells us1 ,the whole earth was of one language and one speech 7,gen4 xi4 #a74 ,in the preceding chapter there is a long list of different tongues1 or languages1 and nations2 and it is declared they were divided in their lands1 everyone after his tongue1 families1 and nations4 ,how contradictory6 #g4 ,what a childish and ludicrous notion the writer entertained with respect to heaven when he cherished the belief that a tower could be erected to reach it6 #h4 ,according to ,st4 ,jerome the ,tower of ,babel was twenty thousand feet high4 ,a ,jewish writer says it was eighty thousand4 ,in the first case it would be nearly four miles in height2 in the other1 over fifteen miles1--nearly three times the height of the highest mountain on the globe6 ,no method has ever yet been discovered for elevating building materials to such a height4 #i4 ,taking ,st4 ,jerome as authority1 the hod-carriers1 in ascending and descending1 would have to perform a journey of more than seven miles each trip4 #aj4 ,as the air becomes rarefied in proportion to its distance from the earth1 the lungs of the workmen would have collapsed1 and their blood have congealed1 before they climbed half-way to the top4 ,they could not have breathed at such a height4 #aa4 ,as the earth is constantly revolving on its axis1 the crazy tower-builders would only be in the direction of the point at which they aimed once in twenty-four hours1 and then moving with a speed one hundred and forty times greater than that of a cannon-ball4 ,it would require dexterous springing to leap into the door of heaven as they passed it4 #ab4 ,and as the earth1 in its orbit1 moves at the rate of sixty-eight thousand miles an hour1 it would soon carry them millions of miles beyond any point they might be aiming to reach4 #ac4 ,after all1 we can not see any possible objection ,jehovah or any other ,god could have had to such an enterprise4 #ad4 ,if the ,babelites had succeeded in climbing into heaven1 what of it8 ,was ,omnipotence afraid they would dispossess him of his throne1 and seize the reins of government8 ,if not1 what could have been the objection8 #ae4 ,and then it would not have taken the heavenly host fifteen minutes to tumble them out1 as they did ,michael and the dragon4 #af4 ,the truth is1 the imaginary ,god of the ,jews was a4 suspicious1 cowardly1 and jealous being4 ,he was constantly getting into hot water4 ,he appeared to live in perpetual fear day and night that some other ,god1 or some of his own creatures1 would encroach upon his rights4 ,in this case he seemed to be alarmed for fear those ignorant1 deluded tower-builders and wild fanatics would succeed in reaching the heavenly home1 perhaps bind him1 and cast him out of his own kingdom4 ,what superlative nonsense is the whole story6 ,and yet millions believe it to be divinely inspired1 and many thousands of dollars have been spent in printing it1 and circulating it over the world4 ,,viii4 ,,stopping ,,the ,,sun ,,and ,,moon1--,,absurdities ,,of ,,the ,,story4 ,of all the stories that ever taxed the brain or credulity of a man of science1 that of ,joshua stopping the sun and moon stands pre-eminent4 ,think of bringing to a stand-still that magnificent and immense luminary which constitutes the center of a solar system of one hundred and thirty worlds1 all of which move in harmony with it4 ,such a catastrophe would have broken one hundred and thirty planets loose from their orbits1 and dashed them together in utter confusion1 and would thus have broken up our solar system4 ,the shock produced upon this earth would have thrown every thing on its surface off into boundless space4 ,for a pun1 man1 on a little planet like this1 to command the mighty sun1 which is fourteen hundred thousand times as large as the earth1 to stop in its grand career1 would be comparable to an ant saying to a mountain1 ,get out of my way4 ,and1 when we look at the cruel and wicked purpose for which this stupendous miracle is said to have been wrought1 we are shocked at the demoralizing effect such lessons must have upon the millions who look upon it as the work of a just and righteous ,god4 ,it savors too much of blasphemy to assume that a ,god of infinite justice would perform an act attended with such direful consequences1 merely to allow the little1 bloody-minded ,joshua more time to blow out the brains and tear out the hearts of his enemies1 guilty of no crime but that of believing in a different religious creed4 ,farewell to reason1 justice1 and morality1 if we must subscribe to such moral lessons as this6 ,and why did he have the moon stopped at midday1 when it could not be seen1 and was1 perhaps1 on the opposite side of the globe8 ,egypt1 ,india1 ,greece1 and ,mexico all have traditions of the sun stopping1 but1 in most cases1 have too much sense to stop the moon4 ,fohi of ,china had the sun stopped eight hundred and fifty years before ,joshua1 the son of ,nun1 ever saw the sun4 ,bacchus and other ,god-men of ,egypt had it stopped four times4 ,while in ,greece ,phaethon was set after it to hurry it up1 and increase its speed4 ,a poor rule that will not work both ways6 ,the ,chinese annals state that the sun stopped ten days during the reign of the ,emperor ,yom4 ,argoon of ,india stopped it several days for his own accommodation4 ,but1 unfortunately for the cause of religion1 or rather religious superstition1 no man of science1 in any of these countries1 has as much as noticed these world-astounding phenomena2 and no writer1 but one religious fanatic in each case1 has spoken of them1--a circumstance of itself sufficient to render them utterly incredible4 ,,ix4 ,,the ,,story ,,of ,,samson1--,,its ,,absurdities4 ,were the story of ,samson found in any other book than the ,christian ,bible1 it would be looked upon by ,bible believers as one of those wild and incredible legends of heathen mythology with which all the holy books of that age abound4 ,but it is accepted as true because found in the ,bible2 and the ,bible is considered to be true1 partly because it tells such marvelous stories4 ,it is assumed that they prove each other4 ,perhaps it is upon the presumption that it is a poor rule that will not work both ways4 #a4 ,we are told 7,judg4 chap4 xiii47 that an angel appeared to the wife of ,manoah1 and promised her a son2 and ,manoah seemed to be as well pleased about the matter as his wife1 and seemed to care but little whether the father was a man or an angel or a ,god1 and we are left in the dark as to which it was4 #b4 ,it is rather a notable circumstance that the ,jewish ,god and his angels seemed to have a great deal to do in trying to accommodate and aid old women in becoming mothers1 as in the case of ,abraham's wife and ,manoah's wife1 also ,elizabeth and ,mary in the ,new ,testament1 and other cases4 #c4 ,the man or angel or ,god1 whichever it was 7for he is called by each name71 that appeared to ,mrs4 ,manoah1 advised her to abstain from strong drink1 and to eat no unclean thing4 ,very good advice to be observed at any time2 but it seems to imply that she was in the habit of using such pernicious articles4 #d4 ,and1 when her child was born1 he was called ,samson1 and was remarkable for his great strength1 which is said to lie in his hair4 ,the mighty denizens of the forest interposed no obstacle to his march2 and houses were but playthings1 to be tossed in the air like balls4 ,he is reported to have seized a lion and slain him when yet a boy1 without a weapon of any kind4 ,it would have been well if this mighty hero had been present when ,jehovah had a battle with the ,canaanites 7,judg4 i4 #ai71 as he would not probably have been defeated so easily because they had chariots of iron4 ,those vehicles of iron would have been mere straws for ,samson4 ,if their respective histories be true1 he excelled ,jehovah1 both with regard to strength and courage1 in a severe contest4 #e4 ,it is stated that1 a short time after this young bachelor-hero had slain the king of the forest1 as he was returning home from a visit to his lady-love1 he observed that a swarm of bees had taken possession of the carcass1 and filled it with honey4 ,those bees must have been very much less fastidious in their tastes and habits than the bees of modern times2 for the latter shun a carcass as instinctively as death4 #f4 ,another remarkable circumstance connected with this case is1 that the long-haired bachelor thrust his hands through the bees1 and tore out the honey1 regardless of their stinging mode of defending their rights4 ,his skin must have been as remarkable for toughness as his muscles for strength4 #g4 ,one of the most cruel1 ungodly1 and fiendish acts of this young hero was that of murdering thirty men to get their garments1 as a recompense to those thirty persons who solved his riddle2 thus massacring thirty innocent persons in order to strip them of their garments1--an unprovoked and wanton murder4 ,and yet it is declared1 the spirit of ,god was with him4 ,what shocking ideas of ,deity6 #h4 ,samson was evidently a free-lover1 as he had intercourse with a number of women of doubtful character4 #i4 ,his next great feat consisted in chasing and catching three hundred foxes1 and tying their tails together1 and making a firebrand of them4 ,it must have been a good time to raise poultry after so many foxes had disappeared1 but certainly not before that event1 if foxes were so numerous4 #aj4 ,it seems strange that these tail-bearers of fire did not take to the woods1 instead of running through all the fields in the country1 and setting them on fire4 #aa4 ,the next feat was the breaking of two strong cords1 with which his arms had been bound by three thousand men4 7,see ,judg4 xv4 #d74 ,it is difficult to conceive how three thousand men could get to him to tie them1 as it is intimated they did4 ,his mode of being revenged after he had snapped the cords was to seize the jaw-bone of an ass1 and slay a thousand men2 and1 after he had killed these thousand men with the bone1 there was enough of it left to contain a considerable amount of water4 ,it is related that the ,lord clave a hollow in it1 and there came out of it water to quench ,samson's thirst4 #ab4 ,asses seem to figure quite conspicuously in ,bible history4 ,sometimes they talk and reason like a ,cicero1 as in the case of ,balaam2 and they serve other important ends in the histories of ,abram and ,job 7who had a thousand7 and ,samson1 and also that of ,jesus ,christ1 who is represented as riding two at once4 ,in the hands of ,samson the jaw-bone of an ass was more destructive than a twenty-four pound cannon1 besides furnishing him with water sufficient to supply his thirst4 #ac4 ,another feat of this young ,hercules was that of carrying away the gate and gate-posts of the city of ,gaza1 in which the keepers had shut him up while lodging with a harlot4 ,most of his female companions seem to have been licentious characters2 and yet the ,lord favored him6 #ad4 ,it is said the spirit of the ,lord moved ,samson 7,judg4 xiii4 #be74 ,it would seem that the spirit of the ,devil did also2 for he had a terrible propensity for lying4 ,he lied even to his own wife three or four times4 ,he once deceived her by telling her that his strength could be overcome by tying him with green withes2 and yet he snapped them like cobwebs4 ,he then virtually confessed to her that he had lied1 but told her that new ropes would accomplish the thing2 and yet he was no sooner bound with them1 than he freed his limbs as easily as a lion would crawl out of a fish-net4 ,the next experiment in lying and tying appertained to his hair4 ,he told his sweet ,delilah1 that1 if she would weave his seven locks of hair into the web in the loom1 he would be as weak as another man2 but he walked off with the web and the whole accouterments hanging to his head1 as easily as a wolf would with a steel trap dangling to his foot4 ,why did not the hair pull out by the roots8 he then told her the truth1 as was assumed1 but which was evidently the biggest falsehood he had uttered1--that his strength lay in his hair1 and that his strength would depart if his hair were to be shorn off4 ,but if there were any physical strength incorporated in the hair1 so that it would flow into the brain and down into the muscles when wanted to be used1 men would not frequent barber-shops1 as they now do1 but let it grow ten feet long if necessary4 #ae4 ,the last great act in this drama of physical prowess was that of overthrowing a house with three thousand people on the roof4 7,modern architecture don't often produce a roof large enough or strong enough to sustain three thousand people4 ,this feat would require more strength than to conquer the battalion armed with chariots of iron67 #af4 ,and in all this unholy and wicked business of lying1 cheating1 and murdering1 the ,lord was with him4 ,this is a slanderous imputation upon ,divine ,perfection and ,holiness4 #ag4 ,no good that we can discover1 but much evil1 was accomplished by the practical life of this extraordinary man4 ,he was ostensibly raised up to redeem ,israel2 and yet1 immediately after his death1 the ,philistines gained a complete victory over the ,israelites1 and took prisoner the ark of the ,lord1 and reduced them to a worse condition than they were in before4 #ah4 ,we can not escape the conviction that such stories have a demoralizing effect upon those who read them1 and believe they have the divine approval4 #ai4 ,for seeming to treat the subject in a spirit of ridicule1 ,i will cite a ,christian writer as authority1 who says1 ,he who treats absurdities with seriousness lowers his own dignity and manhood4 #bj4 ,such stories as the foregoing can certainly do nothing toward improving the morals of the heathen by placing the book containing it in their hands4 ,x4 ,,story ,,of ,,jonah1--,,its ,,absurdities4 ,the history of ,jonah is so much like numerous stories we find in heathen mythology that we are disposed to class it with them4 ,its absurdities are numerous1 a few of which we will point out3-- #a4 ,it represents ,jonah as claiming to be a ,hebrew2 but as it says nothing about the ,jews or ,hebrews1 and treats entirely of the heathen or ,gentiles1 that is probably its source1 and it was perhaps intended as a fable4 #b4 ,the ship he boarded1 when making his escape1 was a heathen vessel1 which implies that he had some affinity for that class of people4 #c4 ,it seems very singular1 that if ,jonah did not believe ,jehovah to be a mere local personal deity1 rather than the ,infinite and ,omnipresent ,god1 he should entertain the thought of running away from him or escaping from his presence by flight4 #d4 ,the heathen who had charge of the vessel were evidently possessed of more humanity and more mercy than either ,jehovah or the leading men of ,israel1 who seem to have made it a point to kill nearly all the heathen they could lay their hands on2 as did ,abram1 ,moses1 ,joshua1 c4 ,for it is stated1 that after they had cast lots to find who was the cause of the storm which overtook the ship1 and in this way discovered it was ,jonah1 they strove with all their might to get the vessel to the shore1 rather than resort to the desperate expedient of throwing ,jonah overboard4 ,this bespeaks for these heathen a feeling of mercy and humanity4 #e4 ,we learn by the language these heathen used in their prayer to stop the storm1 ,we beseech thee1 ,o ,lord1 c41 that they believed in one supreme ,god4 ,where1 then1 is the truth of the claim of the ,jews that they alone believed in one ,god1 or the unity of the ,godhead8 ,in this way their own ,bible often proves this claim was false2 that the nations they had intercourse with believed in one supreme and overruling ,god4 #f4 ,it is stated1 that after ,jonah was thrown overboard1 and was swallowed by a fish1 he prayed to the ,lord4 ,how was this discovered8 ,did he pray loud enough to be heard through the sides of the whale8 or did the fish open its mouth for his accommodation8 #g4 ,as for the prayer1 it appears to have been made up of scraps selected from the ,psalms of ,david without much connection1 or relevancy to the case4 #h4 ,it is stated that the ,lord spake to the fish1 and it vomited ,jonah upon the dry land4 ,it must have been a very singular fish to understand ,hebrew or any human language4 #i4 ,in another respect the whale must have been a peculiar one1 or of peculiar construction4 ,the throat of an ordinary whale is about the diameter of a man's arm4 ,it must therefore have been very much stretched to swallow ,jonah1 or ,jonah must have been very much compressed and elongated4 #aj4 ,the gourd that sheltered ,jonah must also have been of a peculiar species to have a vine that could grow several yards in one night1 and stand erect so as to hold the gourd in a position to shelter the prophet2 and the gourd would have to be as large as a cart or locomotive1 or it would soon cease to afford him shade4 #aa4 ,jonah seems to have been a very proud and selfish man1 with but little of the feeling of mercy1 as he preferred that the whole nation of ,ninevites should be destroyed rather than that his prediction should not be fulfilled1 for he became very angry when he found the ,lord was going to spare them4 #ab4 ,the reason the ,lord assigns for sparing ,nineveh is a very sensible one1--because there are more than threescore thousand persons that can not discern between their right and their left hand4 ,this is certainly very good reasoning2 but why did he not think of this when millions of innocent persons perished in the act of drowning the whole human race1 excepting four men and four women1 or when ,sodom and ,gomorrah were swallowed up1 or when seventy thousand were killed for a sin committed by ,david1 or in the numerous cases in which a war of extermination was carried on against whole nations1 with the order to slay men1 women1 and children1 and leave nothing alive that breathes8 ,why such partiality8 ,but this is one of the two thousand ,bible inconsistencies4 #ac4 ,this is a very poor story1 with a very bad moral4 ,it indicates fickleness1 short-sightedness1 and partiality on the part of ,jehovah2 and selfishness and bad temper on the part of his prophet4 #ad4 ,there are other absurdities in this story which we will bring to view by a few brief questions4 #ae4 ,why did ,jehovah care any thing about the salvation or welfare of ,nineveh1 a heathen city1 when usually1 instead of laboring to save the heathen1 he was plotting their destruction8 #af4 ,what put the thought into the heads of the mariners1 that the storm was caused by the misconduct of some person on board8 ,can we suppose they ever knew of such a case8 ,if the misconduct of human beings could produce storms or a disturbance of the elements1 the world would be cursed by a perpetual hurricane4 #ag4 ,we are told the sailors cast lots to ascertain who was the cause of the storm4 ,rather a strange way of investigating the cause of natural events4 #ah4 ,is it not strange that ,jehovah would bring on a violent storm on ,jonah's account1 and continue it for hours1 and let him sleep during the time2 and still stranger that ,jonah was so indifferent that he could sleep in such a storm8 #ai4 ,jonah must have been the most considerate and merciful sinner ever reported in history to propose himself that he should be thrown overboard as a means of allaying the storm1 and saving a set of gambling heathen4 ,what a wonderful freak of mercy and justice6 ,but it seems to have been all exhausted on the mariners1 so that he had none left for the poor ,ninevites2 for he became very angry when he found ,jehovah was not going to destroy them1 the innocent and guilty and all together4 ,this was inconsistent1 to say the least4 #bj4 ,what must have been the astonishment of the crew of the hundreds of ships sailing on the same sea to observe a sudden storm to arise and stop without any natural cause6 ,and when they afterwards learned that the whole thing was brought about by the misconduct of one man in one of the vessels1 perhaps hundreds of miles distant1 they must have abandoned all idea of ever looking again for natural causes for storms after that occurrence4 ,how repressing such events would be to the growth and cultivation of the intellect1 and the study of the natural sciences6 #ba4 ,how could ,jonah remain three days in the whale's stomach without being digested1 as fish have astonishing digestive powers8 ,and1 if he were not digested1 both he and the fish must have been extremely hungry at the end of the three days' fast4 #bb4 ,as a fish large enough to swallow ,jonah could not swim through the shoal-water to reach the land1 it becomes an interesting query to know how it got ,jonah on to the dry land4 ,it must have required the use of a powerful emetic to inspire the fish with force sufficient to throw him fifty or a hundred feet4 #bc4 ,is it not strange that ,jonah's message to the ,ninevites should have had such a marvelous effect upon the whole city1 when it was evidently delivered in a language that none of them understood8 #bd4 ,we are told the king issued orders for everybody1 including men1 women and children1 and beasts1 to stop eating and drinking1 and to be covered with sackcloth4 ,what sin can we suppose the beasts had committed that they must be doomed to starve1 and be covered with sackcloth as an emblem of repentance8 ,it must have required an enormous amount of sackcloth to cover two millions of people1 and probably as many domestic animals4 ,where it all came from1 the ,lord ,jehovah only knows4 ,and it seems singular that all of the animals should stand quietly while such an uncouth covering was thrown upon them4 #be4 ,it is also difficult to comprehend why a nation of people1 who probably never heard of ,jehovah before1 should all repent in sackcloth and ashes4 ,it is the most effective missionary work we have ever read of4 ,in modern times it requires two hundred missionaries a whole century to make half that many converts4 #bf4 ,but the most conclusive argument against the truth of the story is found in the fact that it is falsified by the testimony of history4 ,according to her history by ,diodorus1 ,nineveh was destroyed by ,arbaces sixteen years before ,jonah's time4 #bg4 ,i have noticed this senseless story at some length1 because ,christian writers have invested it with great importance1 and because it is indorsed by nearly all the ,new-,testament writers4 ,even ,christ himself indorses it1 and compares ,jonah's case to his4 ,their extreme ignorance is evinced by the foregoing exposition4 #bh4 ,several similar stories are found in heathen mythology1 a few of which we will briefly sketch here4 ,the ,hindoo sacred book1 the ,purans1 states that ,chrishna was swallowed by a crocodile1 and1 after remaining three days in its stomach1 was thrown upon dry land1 much to his relief and also to that of the crocodile4 ,a ,grecian demi-,god 7,hercules71 according to ,gales1 was swallowed by a dog1 and remained in his stomach three days4 ,but the story entitled to the premium is one preserved in the legends of some of the ,eastern islanders4 ,a man1 for some misdemeanor on a voyage across the ,indus1 was thrown over-board1 and swallowed by a shark2 but1 as the fish still followed the vessel1 it was finally caught1 and search made for the man1 when1 to the surprise of the whole crew1 he was found sitting bolt upright1 playing the tune of ,old ,hundred on a fiddle he had in his possession when he went down the throat of the sea-monster4 ,this was rather a pleasant way of putting in the time4 ,jonah1 it appears1 was not so fortunate as to have a fiddle in his possession while in the stomach of the whale4 ,the foregoing ten stories1 from that of the serpent to ,jonah1 have been for hundreds of years printed by the thousand1 struck off in almost every known human language1 and sent off by ship-loads to almost every nation on the globe1 to be placed in the hands of the heathen as being productions of ,infinite ,wisdom1 the inspirations of an ,all-wise ,god1 and calculated to enlighten them and improve their morals4 ,what sublime nonsense6 what egregious folly6 ,and what a deplorable and sorrowful mistake has been thus committed by the blinded disciples of the ,christian faith6 ,,chapter ,,xix4--,,bible ,,prophecies ,,not ,,fulfilled4 ,having devoted a chapter to this subject in ,the ,world's ,sixteen ,crucified ,saviors1 we shall treat the subject but briefly in this work4 ,the ,old ,testament has been thoroughly searched for prophecies1 and more than a hundred texts selected1 by various ,christian writers1 and assumed to be prophetic of some future event4 ,but a critical and impartial investigation of the subject will show that not one of them is1 strictly speaking1 a prophecy2 but most of them refer to events either in the past1 or events naturally suggested by the circumstances under which the writer was placed4 ,and in many cases the text has no reference whatever to the event which ,bible commentators assume they refer to4 ,in treating the subject briefly1 we will show1-- #a4 ,that if one-fourth of the texts from ,genesis to ,revelation were prophecies1 and it could be shown that every one of them has been fulfilled to the letter1 it would not prove that there was any divine inspiration or divine aid in the matter2 because many facts show that prophecy1 or the power to discover future events1 is a natural and not a supernatural1 gift4 #b4 ,many cases are reported in history of the prediction of future events by pagan or heathen seers1 and also by persons not claiming to be inspired nor even religious4 ,i will cite a few cases3 ,josephine1 wife of ,napoleon1 relates that she had all the important events of her future life pointed out to her by an ignorant1 illiterate fortune-teller1 long before they occurred2 such as her marriage1 her unhappy life1 and the death of her husband1--all of which was fulfilled to the letter4 ,an astrologer predicted the great fire in ,london4 ,rousseau foretold the ,french ,revolution4 ,cicero made a remarkable prophecy1 which was realized in the discovery of ,america and the history of ,george ,washington by consulting the ,sibylline oracles4 ,these1 and many other cases that might be cited1 furnish satisfactory evidence that the capacity for foretelling the occurrence of future events is a natural and inherent power of the human mind1 and hence can do nothing toward proving the divine origin of any religion1 or the divine illumination of any prophet4 ,therefore any further argument in the case would be superfluous4 ,we will only briefly review a few of the ,jewish prophecies 7or texts assumed to be prophecies7 to show that the ,jewish nation occupied a lower moral plane1 and possessed less of the gift of prophecy than some of the contemporary heathen nations4 ,hence ,christian writers are wrong in assuming that the ,jews alone possessed this power1 while they possessed it in a less degree than some of the ,oriental prophets4 ,prophecies 7assumed to be7 relating to ,babylon1 relating to ,damascus1 relating to ,tyre1 relating to the dispersion of the ,jews1 relating to the advent of ,christ1 c41 have been quoted time and again by ,christian writers and clergymen1 and dwelt upon at great length in attempts to show their fulfillment1 in order to deduce therefrom the argument and conclusion that the ,jewish nation were divinely commissioned to furnish the world with a true system of religion and morals4 ,but we are prepared to show that every one of these prophecies so called has utterly failed of any fulfillment in the sense that writers and preachers assume4 ,as it would require a large work to treat this subject fully1 we shall only briefly refer to one or two cases as samples of the whole4 ,as ,babylon and ,tyre are the most frequently referred to1 and are regarded as the strongest cases1 our attention will be confined to them4 ,relative to ,babylon1 ,isaiah says1 ,it shall not be dwelt in from generation to generation2 neither shall the ,arabian pitch his tent there 7,isa4 xiii4 #ai73 but he says1 ,it shall be inhabited by wild beasts of the desert and satyrs and dragons1--not one of which predictions has ever been realized4 ,it is still inhabited1 though its name has been changed to ,hillah1 which has now a population of about nine thousand4 ,so far from the ,arabian not pitching his tent there1 it is the very thing they have done1 and are now doing daily4 ,mr4 ,lay-ard1 who recently visited the place1 says1 in his work 7,nineveh and ,babylon71 ,the ,arab settlement showed the activity of a hive of bees4 ,what a singular rebuff to ,isaiah's prophecy1 and also to that of ,jeremiah1 who says it should become a perpetual desolation 7xxv4 #ab71 and that it should not be dwelt in by man nor the son of man6 7,jer4 #a4 #dj47 ,isaiah declared1 ,her days shall not be prolonged 7,isa4 xiii74 ,and thus the prophecies have all failed which refer to ,babylon4 ,speaking of ,tyre1 ,ezekiel says1 it should be taken by ,nebuchadnezzar1 and trodden down by his chariots and horses2 and thou shalt be built no more1 and thou shalt never be found again4 ,and yet ,tyre never was destroyed by ,nebuchadnezzar1 nor by any power2 and1 although it has suffered like other ,eastern cities1 it is still a flourishing city with a population of about five thousand4 ,st4 ,jerome spoke of it in the fourth century as being the most noble and beautiful city in ,phoenicia4 ,and this was more than a thousand years after ,ezekiel's maledictions were pronounced against it1 which declared it should be destroyed1 and never be rebuilt4 ,true1 it has been partially destroyed several times1--and what ancient city has not8--but it has been rebuilt as often4 ,we have1 then1 before us two illustrative cases of the failures of ,jewish prophecies pronounced against neighboring cities and kingdoms1 probably prompted by a spirit of envy and animosity because they had either overruled the ,jewish nation1 and subjected it to their power1 or outstripped it in temporal prosperity4 ,the ,jewish prophets were continually fulminating their thunders and curses upon those powers and principalities which had overpowered them1 and held them in subjection4 ,this was very natural2 and occasionally an unpropitious prediction may have been realized4 ,but it is a remarkable fact1 that more than forty disastrous events1 which the ,jewish prophets declared the ,lord would inflict upon ,egypt 7the nation they so much contemned and envied because it held them in slavery for four hundred years71 have never been realized in the history or experience of that nation4 ,some of these cases are noticed in ,the ,world's ,sixteen ,crucified ,saviors1 as also the prophecies and failures in regard to ,damascus and other cities1 to which the reader is referred for a further elucidation this subject4 ,,chapter ,,xx4--,,miracles1 ,,erroneous ,,belief ,,in4 ,having treated the subject of miracles at some length in ,the ,world's ,sixteen ,crucified ,saviors1 we shall give it but a brief notice in this work1 and will comprehend the whole thing in a few points4 #a4 ,the history of miraculous achievements by ,gods and men form a very large chapter in the inspired writings of nearly all the ancient religious systems which have flourished in the world2 and to notice all these cases would require volumes enough to make a library4 #b4 ,almost the only evidence we have in any case of the actual performance of a miracle is the report of the writer who relates it4 #c4 ,st4 ,chrysostom declares that miracles are not designed for men of sense1 but only for sluggish minds4 ,it will be understood1 therefore1 that what we write here on the subject will not be designed for persons of sense1 but only for the ignorant and superstitious4 #d4 ,many things in the past which were set down as miracles are now known to be the result of natural causes2 such as the rainbow1 most cases of sickness1 and1 in fact1 nearly every phenomenon of nature4 ,and1 as every age develops new light on natural causes1 it has made the list of miracles not already explained so small1 that we may reasonably conclude that they will all yet be explained and understood in this light1 excepting those fabricated without any basis of truth4 #e4 ,as ,god appears to have regulated every thing in the beginning by fixed laws1 if he should break one of those laws by the performance of a miracle1 it would throw every thing into chaos and confusion1 and prove that he is not a ,god of order and stability4 #f4 ,if ,god1 as we are told1 made every thing perfect1 then the performance of a miracle must make them imperfect1 or prove that they have always been imperfect4 #g4 ,the performance of a miracle would prove that ,god is an imperfect being in not having every thing regulated by the laws of nature4 #h4 ,if the performance of miracles can authenticate the truth of one religion1 then it must prove the truth of all religions2 for all report miracles of some kind1 and furnish1 in most cases1 the same kind of evidence that these miracles were performed4 #i4 ,there is not a miracle related in either the ,old or ,new ,testament that has not a parallel reported in the ,bibles or sacred writings of the ,orientals2 such as curing the halt and blind1 raising the dead1 crossing streams in a miraculous manner1 c4 ,many cases are reported of the ,hindoo ,savior and ,son of ,god1 ,chrishna1 raising dead persons who had been drowned1 murdered1 or died a natural death4 ,according to ,tacitus1 ,vespasian performed a number of miraculous cures2 such as curing the lame1 restoring sight to the blind1 c41 just as is related of ,jesus4 ,according to ,josephus1 ,alexander with his army passed through the ,sea of ,pamphylia in the same miraculous manner that ,moses did through the ,red ,sea4 ,as ,alexander's army was engaged in the work of human butchery1 we may assume that1 if ,god could have had anything to do with it1 he would have embraced the opportunity to drown them1 and wash them all away4 #aj4 ,jewish ,miracles4--,the ,jewish ,talmud speaks of birds so large that they darkened the sun1 and shut out the light of the sun from the earth4 ,probably they supposed1 like ,moses1 that nearly all the earth was located between ,dan and ,beersheba4 ,another kind of bird was so tall1 that1 when walking in a river seventy feet deep1 the water only reached its knees4 ,this is a tall story2 but it should be remembered that it is related by the same people who tell us about sticks being converted into serpents1 water into blood1 dust into lice1 c41 and a man 7,samson7 overturning a house with several thousand people in it1 c4 ,hence all these stones are equally reliable or unreliable4 #aa4 ,mahomedan ,miracles4--,mahomedans bear off the palm in miraculous prodigies4 ,for instance1 a cock is spoken of so large that the distance between its feet and head was five hundred days' journey4 ,what a pity ,barnum could not obtain it6 ,another example3 an angel so large that the distance between his eyes was seventy thousand days' journey4 ,the head of this tall ghost must have been among the planets4 ,the earth would have been too small to furnish him with a seat2 and the attempt to-use it for that purpose would probably have thrown it out of its orbit4 #ab4 ,christian ,miracles4--,the early ,christians seem to have had the whole miracle-making machinery of heaven under their control4 ,their miracles were prodigious and numerous4 ,they claimed they could cast out devils1 call the dead from their graves1 and make ghosts walk about either end up4 ,we are told that when a ,mr4 ,huntingdon was reduced to great poverty and suffering1 and prayed for divine assistance1 fishes came out of the water to him1 and larks and leather breeches from heaven1 to serve as food and clothing4 ,it is difficult to conceive how leather breeches came to be stored in heaven4 ,with these few specimens1 selected at random1 we will stop4 ,they are too large even to excite our marvelousness4 ,the most ignorant and superstitious nations have always had the longest creeds and the tallest miracles4 #ac4 ,we have stated that the only evidence of the performance of any miracle in most cases is the simple narration of it by the writer who records it4 ,the ,roman ,catholics1 however1 claim to have the testimony of thousands of reliable witnesses to attest to the performance of some extraordinary miracles which they have reported the history of2 such as a picture of the ,virgin ,mary1 hanging on the walls of the church1 opening and shutting its eyes daily for six or seven months1 which they declare was witnessed by sixty thousand people1 including ,pope1 cardinals1 bishops1 c41--leading men of the ,church4 #ad4 ,there is as much evidence that ,esculapius raised ,hypolitus from the dead 7as related by the ,roman historian ,pausanias71 as that ,elijah or ,christ raised the dead2 as much evidence that the serpent's egg inclosed in gold 7as related by ,pliny in his ,arguinum ,ovum7 swam up stream when thrown into the river1 as that ,elisha raised an ax to the surface of the water by casting a stick into it 7#b ,kings vi4 #f72 as much evidence that ,mahomet opened a fountain of water in the end of his little finger1 as that ,samson found a spring of water in the jaw-bone of an ass2 as much evidence that ,mahomet's camel talked to him1 as that ,balaam's ass was endowed with human speech2 and as much evidence that ,esculapius cured the blind with spittle1 as that ,christ performed such cures4 ,all stand upon a level2 all lack the proof4 #ae4 ,here let it be noted that many of the miracles recorded in the ,christian ,bible are susceptible of an explanation upon natural principles2 such as the shadow going back on the dial of ,ahaz1 as the phenomenon has been witnessed in some of the ,eastern countries of the shadows appearing to recede1 when the sun is near the solstice1 once in the forenoon and once in the afternoon4 ,the story of the devils entering the hogs may be explained by assuming the devils to have been frogs2 for they are described as being like frogs4 7,see ,rev4 xvi4 #ac47 ,the resurrection of ,lazarus may be explained by assuming him to have been in a state of coma1 or trance2 for ,christ once declared1 ,this sickness is not unto death1 but he sleepeth 7,john xi74 ,the bloody sweat of ,christ1 and his transfiguration1 can also be explained on natural principles2 also ,paul's conversion1 and his miraculous cures with a handkerchief4 ,dr4 ,newton1 the great healer1 has cured hundreds of cases in a similar manner4 ,and the time will come when all real occurrences1 now called miracles1 will be accounted for1 and understood as the operation of natural causes4 ,,chapter ,,xxi4--,,errors ,,of ,,the ,,bible ,,in ,,facts ,,and ,,figures4 ,a spiritual or metaphorical interpretation1 if allowable in any case1 can not avail any thing towards either removing1 explaining1 or mitigating1 in the least degree1 the numerous palpable ,bible errors represented by figures4 ,figures never lie and admit of no construction4 ,the almost innumerable errors1 therefore1 of this character which abound in the ,bible utterly and for ever prostrate it as a work possessing any authority1 reliability1 or credibility in matters of history1 science1 or even theology4 ,bible writers1 when they have occasion to refer to numbers which they are interested in making appear very large1 seem to make almost a lawless use of figures4 ,i will present some examples1 stated in brief language1 commencing with the ,pentateuch4 ,the author of these five books1 in speaking of the genealogy1 population1 armies1 c41 of his own tribe1 makes use of figures which are not only incredible1 but utterly impossible4 ,the number of valiant fighting men1 for example1 among the ,israelites1 is frequently stated to be about six hundred thousand1 and never less4 7,see ,exod4 xii4 and xxxviii42 ,num4 xxvi41 c47 ,this number1 as ,bishop ,colenso demonstrates1 reaches far beyond the utmost limits of truth4 ,if the regular army had been six hundred thousand1 then the whole population 7women and children included7 could not have been less than two millions1--a number which many facts1 cited by the ,bible writer himself1 demonstrate to be impossible4 ,i would ask1 in the first place1 how ,moses could address all this immense congregation at once1 as he is often represented as doing4 7,see ,ex4 xxiv4 #c2 ,lev4 xxiv #ae2 ,num4 xiv4 #g1 c47 ,joshua makes all the congregation to include women and children4 ,but how could ,moses address this vast multitude of people1 some of whom must have been at least ten miles distant1 unless he used a speaking-trumpet or a telephone1 neither of which1 however1 had then come to light4 ,the writer of ,deuteronomy says1 ,moses spake unto all ,israel 7,deut4 i4 #a74 ,but not one in a hundred could have heard it1 therefore it was very nearly labor lost4 ,and ,joshua says ,moses wrote out his commandments1 and he read them before all the congregation of ,israel 7,josh4 viii4 #ce74 ,but it would have required a voice as loud as thunder to make all of them hear4 ,and it should be borne in mind that the people on these occasions were assembled in the tabernacle1--as we infer from many texts1--a building one hundred and eight yards square1 and capable of holding about five thousand people1 which would be just one to four thousand of the congregation2 so there were five thousand people inside1 and one million nine hundred and ninety-five thousand outside4 ,these last1 we are told1 occupied the outer court1 which was just eighteen feet wide4 ,this would place the most distant hearers twenty miles off4 ,how comforting the thought1 that1 when ,moses called them to the temple to worship 7see ,josh4 viii4 #ce71 they could get within twenty miles of him and the tabernacle of the ,lord6 ,the ,lord had built a tabernacle for them to worship in1 but only one or two in six thousand could get inside of it4 ,this small number only could enjoy seeing and hearing ,moses and the ,lord4 ,the rest--one million nine hundred and ninety-five thousand--were outside1 waiting for admission4 ,bishop ,colenso estimates1 the size of the camp of ,israel at about twelve miles square4 ,this camp was situated in a desert of ,sinai for at least a year2 and the business of keeping this camp in order1 waiting upon the people1 and removing also1 the remains of the daily sacrifice of two hundred thousand oxen1 sheep1 c41 devolved upon three priests1--,aaron1 ,eleazar1 and ,ithamar4 ,it would be quite an improvement of the sacerdotal order if the priests of to-day could be subjected occasionally to some such healthy exercise2 but they have managed to get the rule reversed4 ,they now have the people to wait upon them4 ,but those three priests of the ,israelites must have achieved a herculean task to wait each one upon three hundred and thirty-three thousand people daily1 and1 after preparing their food outside the camp1 travel twelve miles to supply each one of this vast multitude with food and water4 ,if they carried provision for only one person at a time1 they would have had to perform this journey of twelve miles five thousand five hundred times an hour1 which would have required them to be rather fleet on foot4 ,and1 besides the labor of carrying away every day1 to the distance of six or seven miles1 five hundred cart-loads of the offal of the dead animals1 there would be at least one pound of victuals to be carried to each person1 making1 in the aggregate1 five thousand five hundred pounds4 ,they must have enjoyed good health1 if abundant exercise would produce it4 ,they could not have been much troubled with dyspepsia or liver-complaint1 as many of that order are nowadays4 #a4 ,we are told that ,moses gave notice to the children of ,israel at midnight1 that they must take their departure from ,egypt the next morning for the promised land 7,exod4 xii472 but1 if they constituted the immense number represented1 they would have made a column two hundred miles long1 arranging them five abreast1 so it would have taken several days for all to get started4 ,how1 then1 could they all start the next morning8 ,and how did they keep their two millions of sheep and cattle alive for several days while passing over a sandy desert too poor to produce dog-fennel8 ,and it is strange how the whole tribe of ,israelites1 if two millions in number1 could live forty years in a wild1 barren desert1 and keep their immense flocks and herds alive4 #b4 ,the number of first-born male children over a month old1 on a certain occasion1 is set down at twenty-two-thousand two hundred and ninety-three1 which would make about eighty-eight children for each mother4 ,this was replenishing rapidly4 ,but their little tents1 like the tabernacle of the ,lord1 would not accommodate one-fourth of that number4 ,this would necessitate the mothers to leave most of their children out in the cold4 ,the number of the children of ,israel that went down to ,egypt1 according to ,exod4 i4 #e1 was seventy souls2 and they remained there during four generations1 represented by ,levi1 ,kohath1 ,amram1 and ,moses1 making a period 7as marginal notes state7 of two hundred and fifteen years2 though ,exod4 xii4 #dj1 gives it at four hundred and thirty years4 ,but this is another case of incredible exaggeration ,four generations of ordinary length1 in that age1 would not exceed the marginal calculation of two hundred and fifteen years2 and for those seventy souls to increase to two millions in that short period of time1 of four generations1 would have required each mother to have had twelve or fifteen children at a birth4 #c4 ,dan1 in the first generation1 had but one son 7,gen4 xlvi4 #bc72 yet in the fourth generation he had increased to sixty-two thousand seven hundred1 or1 according to ,num4 xxvi4 #dc1 to sixty-four thousand1 which would have required each son and grandson to have had about eighty children apiece4 ,this would have been multiplying and replenishing on a rapid scale4 #d4 ,aaron and his two sons had to make all the offerings1 and on an altar only nine feet square2 and an offering had to be made at the birth of every child1 which would require about five hundred sacrifices daily2 and then there were thirteen cities where these offerings had to be made1 and only three priests to do it4 7,see ,lev4 i4 #aa47 ,and1 besides1 the priests had to eat a large portion of the burnt offerings 7see ,num4 xviii4 #aj72 and1 as these offerings consisted of five hundred lambs and pigeons1 it would subject them to the task of eating enormous quantities daily4 #e4 ,at the second passover1 an offering had to be made for every family 7,exod4 xii471 which would require the slaughter of about one hundred and fifty thousand lambs4 ,the three priests had to sprinkle the blood of these lambs2 and it had to be done in about two hours 7#a ,chron4 xxx4 #ce74 ,the lambs had to be sacrificed at the rate of about one thousand two hundred and fifty a minute1 and each priest had to sprinkle the blood of more than four hundred lambs per minute with their own hands1 which would make the affair rather a bloody business1 if it were not wholly impossible1 and therefore an incredible story4 #f4 ,if we could credit the statements of the inspired writer of the book of ,numbers 7see chap4 xxxi471 we should have to believe twelve thousand ,israelites1 in a war with the ,midianites1 after selecting out thirty-two thousand young damsels1 killed forty-eight thousand men1 eight thousand women1 and twenty thousand boys2 burned all their cities1 and captured all their stock1 amounting to eight hundred and eight thousand1 and all this without the loss of a single man4 ,each ,israelite would have had to conquer seventy-five resisting enemies1 including men1 women1 children1 and stock4 ,it is a story too incredible for serious reflection4 ,we are told that the clothing of the ,israelites lasted forty years without waxing old 7see ,deut4 xxix4 #e71--;another story too incredible to be entertained for a moment4 #g4 ,in ,deuteronomy the priests are always called sons of ,levi1 or ,levites2 but1 in the other books of the ,pentateuch1 they are always called the sons of ,aaron1 which is an evidence they were not written by the same hand4 ,contradictions4 ,according to ,exod4 xviii4 #be1 ,moses appointed judges over ,israel before the giving forth of the law2 but 7,deut4 i4 #f7 we are told that the appointment took place after the law was issued at ,sinai4 #h4 ,according to ,deuteronomy1 chap4 x41 the ,lord separated the tribe of ,levi after the death of ,aaron2 but1 according to ,numbers1 chap4 iii41 the separation took place before his death4 #i4 ,according ,exodus1 ,god instituted the sabbath because he rested on that day2 but1 according to ,deuteronomy1 it was because he brought the ,israelites out of ,egypt by a stretched-out arm4 ,in ,deuteronomy1 chap4 xiv41 every creeping thing that flieth is declared to be unclean1 and is forbidden to be eaten2 but in ,leviticus1 chap4 xi41 every creeping thing1 including four kinds of locust1 is allowed1 and is prescribed as a part of their food4 #aj4 ,in ,exodus1 chap4 vi41 ,god is represented as saying1 ,by my name ,jehovah was ,i not known to them 7the patriarchs74 ,but he was mistaken2 for that name occurs frequently in ,genesis4 ,in #a ,sam4 chap4 viii41 we are told the name of ,samuel's first-born was ,joel2 and the name of his second1 ,abiah3 but in ,chroniclcs1 vi4 #bh41 we are told the name of ,samuel's eldest son was ,vashni4 ,which is right8 #aa4 ,bad ,bible ,morals4--,persons mutilated by accident1 or otherwise in helpless condition1 were excluded from the congregation of the ,lord2 while the guilty culprits who caused this mutilation were allowed free access to the holy sanctuary4 7,set ,lev4 xxi47 ,we consider this bad morality4 ,innocent base-born children were also excluded from the temple1 while the guilty parents were allowed free admission4 #ab4 ,by the law of ,moses and the will of ,god1 as is claimed1 parents were required to stone rebellious children to death2 and yet the parents were often the cause of this rebellious disposition1 and tenfold more guilty than the children1 having corrupted them by bad influences4 7,see ,deut4 xxi47 ,this is a specimen of ,bible justice and ,bible morality4 #ac4 ,the ,jews not ,civilized4--,the ,lord's chosen people possessed so little of the element of civilization1 they had to go to the ,king of ,tyre to hire artisans and skilled workmen to build their temple4 7,see #b ,chron4 ii4 #c1 and #a ,kings v4 #f47 #ad4 ,it is stated that it took one hundred and fifty-three thousand men seven years to build ,solomon's temple1--and heathen at that4 7,see #b ,chron4 ii4 #ag1ah47 ,strange1 indeed1 when it was only a hundred and ten feet long1 thirty-six feet wide1 and fifty-five feet high6 7#a ,kings vi4 #b47 ,some of our modern churches are much larger buildings1 and generally erected in less than a year by less than a dozen workmen4 ,it is certainly very damaging to the exalted pretensions of the ,lord's peculiar people that they possessed minds and intelligence so far below the heathen1 that no workmen could be found amongst them1 and they had consequently to go to these same heathen to hire workmen to build the ,lord's house4 ,such facts sink the reputation both of them and their ,god4 ,,chapter ,,xxii4--,,bible ,,contradictions-,,two ,,hundred ,,and ,,seventy-,,seven4 ,it is difficult to conceive how any real benefit or any reliable instruction can be derived from a book which contains statements with respect to doctrines or matters of fact that are contradicted on the next page1 or in some other portion of the book2 because it not only confuses the mind of the reader1 but renders it impossible for him to know1 as he reads a statement in one chapter of the book1 that it is not contradicted and nullified in some other chapter1 until he has sacrificed sufficient time to commit the whole book to memory3 and but few persons have ever achieved that herculean task4 ,hence it must be an unreliable book as an authority4 ,we know it has been stated by many admirers of the ,holy ,book that it contains no conflicting statements when properly understood4 ,but who is to decide when it is properly understood8 ,here1 again1 is a conflict of ideas4 ,all words have certain specific meanings attached to them by common consent4 ,and certainly any man of good sense would not attempt to attach any other meaning to them1 without stating the fact and clearly defining his new meaning1 if he expects any reader to understand him1 or any two readers to understand him alike2 and1 if he writes without giving a hint that he has invented or employed new meanings for the words he uses1 we are compelled to assume that his words and language have the ordinary and universally adopted signification4 ,with this view of the case 7as the writers of the ,bible have given no hint that they employed new meanings71 it is false to assume or say there are no contradictions in the ,bible1 when1 if we accept language with its ordinary and established signification1 an honest and unbiased investigation will show that it contains several thousand statements which conflict with each other or with science1 history or moral truth1 and hence must be totally unreliable as an authority4 ,to prove this1 we will now enter upon the unpleasant task of arranging and classifying a large number of these contradictions found both in the ,old and ,new ,testaments4 ,i4 ,,contradictions ,,in ,,matters ,,of ,,fact ,,and ,,in ,,doctrines4 #a4 ,was it death to eat the forbidden fruit8 ,yes3 ,in the day thou eatest thereof1 thou shalt surely die 7,gen4 ,,ii4 #ag74 ,no3 ,and all the-days of ,adam were nine hundrcd and thirty years 7,gen4 v4 #e74 #b4 ,can a woman1 according to scripture1 ever speak on religious matters8 ,yes3 ,the same man had four daughters--virgins--who did prophesy 7,acts xxi4 #i74 ,no3 ,i suffer not a woman to teach1 but to be in silence 7#a ,tim4 ii4 #ab74 #c4 ,should a man ever laugh8 ,yes3 ,there is a time to weep and a time to laugh 7,eccles4 iii4 #d74 ,no3 ,sorrow is better than laughter 7,eccles4 viii4 #c74 ,yes3 ,i commend mirth1 because a man hath no better thing under the sun than to eat1 drink1 and be merry 7,eccles4 vii4 #ae74 #d4 ,what is our moral duty relative to trimming the hair on our heads8 ,there shall no razor come upon his head1444 let the locks of his head grow 7,num4 vi4 #e74 ,if a man have long hair1 it is a shame unto him 7#a ,cor4 xi4 #ad74 #e4 ,is there any remedy for a fool8 ,yes3 ,the rod of correction will drive it far from him 7,prov4 xxii4 #ae74 ,no3 ,though thou bray a fool in a mortar1 yet will his foolishness not depart from him 7,prov4 xxvi4 #f74 #f4 ,should we pay a fool in his own coin8 ,yes3 ,answer a fool according to his folly 7,prov4 xxvi4 #e74 ,no3 ,answer not a fool according to his folly 7,prov4 xxvi4 #f74 #g4 ,is man's life threescore years and ten8 ,yes3 ,the days of our years are threescore years and ten 7,ps4 xc4 #aj74 ,no3 ,his days shall be a hundrcd and twenty years 7,gen4 vi4 #c74 #h4 ,is it desirable to be tempted8 ,yes3 ,count it all ,joy to be tempted 7,jas4 i4 #b74 ,no3 ,watch and pray1 that ye enter not ,into temptation 7,matt4 xxvi4 #da74 #i4 ,which is the tempter1 ,god or the devil8 ,the devil3 ,the devil tempted ,christ and ,judas4 7,see ,matt4 iv4 #a74 ,god3 ,god tempted ,david 7#b ,sam4 xxiv4 #a74 #aj4 ,does the ,lord ever tempt man8 ,no3 ,neither tempteth he any man 7,jas4 i4#ac74 ,yes3 ,and ,god did tempt ,abraham 7,gen4 xxii4 #a74 ,no3 ,he blinded their eyes1 and hardened their hearts 7,john xii4 #dj74 #aa4 ,can ,god be tempted8 ,no3 ,god can not be tempted 7,jas4 i4 #ac74 ,yes3 ,they have tempted me1 the ,lord1 ten times 7,num4 xiv4 #bb74 #ab4 ,is any thing good8 ,yes3 ,every thing 7#a ,tim4 iv4 #d74 ,no3 ,every thing is corrupt 7,gen4 vi4 #ab74 #ac4 ,how many ,gods are there8 ,one3 ,the ,lord our ,god is one ,lord 7,deut4 vi4#d74 ,several3 ,let us make man in our own image 7,gen4 i4 #bf74 ,three3 ,there are three that bear record in heaven1 ,father1 ,son1 and ,holy ,ghost 7#a ,john v4 #g74 #ad4 ,is ,god omnipresent8 ,yes3 ,david declares the ,lord is everywhere1 ,in heaven and earth1 and even in hell 7,ps4 cxxxix4 #g74 ,no3 ,the ,lord came down to see ,sodom 7,gen4 xviii4 #bj74 ,yes3 ,there is no place where the workers of iniquity can hide themselves 7,job xxxiv4 #bb74 ,no3 ,adam and ,eve hid themselves from the presence of the ,lord 7,gen4 iii4 #h74 ,no3 ,cain fled from the presence of ,god 7,gen4 iv4 #af74 ,yes3 ,man can not get out of his presence 7,ps4 cxxxix4 #g74 #ae4 ,is ,god omniscient8 ,yes3 ,he knoweth the hearts of all men 7,acts i4 #bd74 ,no3 ,the ,lord had to prove the ,israelites1 and also ,abraham1 to know what was in their hearts 7,deut4 viii4 and ,gen4 xxii474 #ah4 ,is ,god omnipotent8 ,yes3 ,with ,god all things are possible 7,matt4 xix4 #bf74 ,no3 ,he could not drive out the ,inhabitants of the valley1 because their chariots were made of iron 7,judg4 i4 #ai74 #ag4 ,is ,god unchangeable8 ,yes3 ,with him there is no variableness1 neither shadow of turning2 ,i change not 7,mal4 iii4 #f74 ,no3 ,and the ,lord repented of the evil he said he would inflict upon the ,ninevites 7,jon4 iii4 #aj74 #ah4 ,is ,god a merciful being8 ,yes3 ,the ,lord is very pitiful1 and full of mercy 7,jas4 v4 #aa74 ,no3 ,i will not pity nor spare1 nor have mercy1 but destroy 7,jer4 xiii4 #ad7 ,yes3 ,his tender mercies are over all his works 7,ps4 cxiv4 #i74 ,no3 ,have no pity on them1 but slay both man and woman1 infant and suckling 7,sam4 xv4 #b74 ,yes3 ,his mercy endureth for ever 7#a ,chron4 xvi4 #cd74 ,no3 ,i have taken away my loving kindness and mercies 7,jer4 xvi4 #c74 #ai4 ,does ,god over hate8 ,no3 ,god is love 7#a ,john iv4 #af74 ,yea3 ,he hated his own inheritance 7,ps4 cvi4 #dj74 #bj4 ,is ,god's anger perpetual8 ,no3 ,his anger endureth but a moment 7,ps4 xxx #e74 ,yes3 ,mine anger shall burn for ever 7,jer4 xvii4 #d74 #ba4 ,is ,god the author of evil8 ,yes3 ,i make peace1 and ,i create evil 7,isa4 xiv4 #g74 ,no3 ,out of his mouth proceeds not evil 7,lam4 iii4 #ch74 #bb4 ,is ,god in favor of war8 ,no3 ,he is the ,god of peace4 ,yes3 ,the ,lord is a man of war 7,exod4 xv4 #c74 ,no3 ,he is not the author of confusion1 but of peace 7#a ,cor4 xiv4 #cc74 #bc4 ,is the spirit of ,god for peace8 ,yes3 ,it is love1 peace1 joy1 gentleness1 and goodness 7,gal4 v4 #bb74 ,no3 ,the spirit of the ,lord came upon him1 and he slew a thousand men 7,judg4 xv4 #af74 ,yes3 ,the spirit of the ,lord begets love1 peace1 and goodness 7,gal4 v4 #bb74 ,no3 ,by the spirit of the ,lord ,samson slew thirty men 7,judg4 xiv4 #ai74 #bd4 ,has any man seen ,god8 ,yes3 ,moses1 ,aaron1 ,nadab1 and ,ablho1 and the seventy elders of ,israel saw the ,god of ,israel 7,exod4 xxiv4#i74 ,no3 ,no man hath seen ,god at any time 7,john i4 #ah74 ,yes3 ,i have seen ,god face to face1 and my life has been preserved 7,gen4 xxxii4 #cj74 ,no3 ,there shall no man see me1 and live 7,exod4 xxxiii4 #bj74 ,yes3 ,i saw also the ,lord standing upon the throne 7,isa4 vi4 #a74 ,no3 ,ye have never seen his shape 7,john v4 #cg74 #be4 ,can any man hear ,god's voice8 ,yes3 ,i heard thy voice in the garden 7,gen4 iii4 #i74 ,no3 ,ye have never heard his voice at any time 7,john v4 #cg74 #bf4 ,does ,god dwell in light8 ,yes3 ,he dwelleth in light which no man can approach to 7#a ,tim4 vi4 #af74 ,no3 ,the ,lord said he would dwell in thick darkness 7#a ,kings viii4 #ab74 #bg4 ,does ,god dwell in temples8 ,yes3 ,i have chosen this ,solmon's temple for a house 7#b ,chron4 viii4 #af74 ,no3 ,the ,most ,high dwelleth not in temples made with hands 7,acts xvii4 #bd74 #bh4 ,does ,god ever tire8 ,yes3 ,god rested1 and was refreshed 7,exod4 xxxi4 #ag74 ,no3 ,god fainteth not1 neither is he weary 7,isa4 xl4 #bh74 #bi4 ,is ,god a respecter of persons8 ,no3 ,there is no respect of persons with ,god 7,rom4 ii4 #aa74 ,yes3 ,and ,god had respect to ,abel and his offering 7,gen474 #cj4 ,can ,god always be found8 ,yes3 ,those who seek me early shall find me 7,prov4 viii4 #ag74 ,no3 ,they shall seek me early1 but shall not find me 7,prov4 i4 #bh74 #ca4 ,does the ,lord believe in burnt offerings8 ,no3 ,i delight not in the blood of bullocks or of lambs or of he-goats 7,isa4 i4 #aa74 ,yes3 ,thou shall offer every day a bullock for a sin-offering 7,exod4 xxix4 #cf74 #cb4 ,does the ,lord believe in animal sacrifices of any kind8 ,no3 ,your burnt offerings are not acceptable1 nor your sacrifices sweet unto me 7,jer4 vi4 #bj74 ,yes3 ,burnt sacrifices are sweet unto the ,lord 7,lev i4 #i74 #cc4 ,does ,god believe in human sacrifices8 ,no3 ,for he condemned the human sacrifices of the ,gentiles4 7,see ,deut4 xii4 #cj47 ,yes3 ,for his anger was abated by ,david's hanging the five sons of ,michal in the hill before the ,lord4 7,see #b ,sam4 xxi4 #h1 and ,judg4 xi4 #cj47 #cd4 ,does ,god ever repent8 ,yes3 ,it repenteth the ,lord that he had made man 7,gen4 vi4 #f74 ,no3 ,the ,lord is not a man that he should repent 7,num4 xxiii4 #ai74 #ce4 ,is all scripture given by inspiration of ,god8 ,yes3 ,all scripture is given by inspiration of ,god 7#b ,tim4 iii4 #af74 ,no3 ,i speak it not after the ,lord 7#b ,cor4 xi4 #ag74 #cf4 ,is war and fighting right8 ,no3 ,they that take the sword shall perish with the sword 7,matt1 xxvi4 #cb74 ,yes3 ,he that hath no sword1 let him sell his coat and by one 7,luke xxii4 #cf74 ,no3 ,beat your swords into plowshares1 and your spears into pruning-hooks 7,mic4 iv4 #c74 ,yes3 ,beat your plowshares into swords1 and your pruning-hooks into spears 7,joel iii4 #aj74 ,yes3 ,cursed be he who keepeth back his sword from blood 7,jer4 xlviii4 #aj74 #cg4 ,shall nation war against nation8 ,yes3 ,nation shall rise up against nation 7,matt4 xxiv4 #g74 ,no3 ,nation shall not rise up against nation 7,mic4 iv4 #c74 #ch4 ,shall we love our enemies8 ,yes3 ,love your enemies 7,luke vi4 #bg74 ,no3 ,bring my enemies1 and lay them before me 7,luke xix4 #bg74 #ci4 ,is hatred right8 ,no3 ,whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer7#a ,john iii4 #ae7 ,yes3 ,you must hate father and mother1 brother and sister1 c41 or ye can not be true followers of ,christ 7,luke xiv4 #bf74 #dj4 ,is anger commended8 ,yes3 ,be ye angry1 and sin not 7,eph4 iv4 #bf74 ,no ,anger resteth in the bosom of fools 7,ecclcs4 vii #i74 #da4 ,is it right to steal and rob8 ,no3 ,thou shalt not steal 7,exod4 xx4 #ae72 ,neither rob 7,lev4 xix4 #ac74 ,yea3 ,the ,israelites took from the ,egyptians ,jewels of silver and ,jewels of gold1 and raiment1 and they spoiled the ,egyptians 7,exod4 xii4 #ce74 #db4 ,is it right to kill8 ,no3 ,thou shalt not kill 7,exod4 xx4 #ac74 ,yes3 ,kill every male child amongst them4 ,yes3 ,go ye out and slay every man his companion and every man his neighbor1 and every man his brother 7,exod4 xxxii4 #bg74 #dc4 ,is it right to lie on any occasion8 ,no3 ,all liars are to be punished with fire and brimstone 7,rev4 xxi4 #h74 ,yes3 ,go put a lying spirit into the mouths of all the prophets 7 ,i ,kings xxii4 #ba74 ,no3 ,lying lips are an abomination to the ,lord 7,prov4 xii4 #bb74 ,yes3 ,the harlot ,rahab lied1 and was justified by works 7,jas4 ii4 #be74 ,no3 ,say nothing but the truth 7#b ,chron4 xviii4 #ae74 ,yes3 ,if the truth of ,god hath more abounded through my lie for his glory1 why am ,i adjudged a sinner8 7,rom4 iii4 #g74 #dd4 ,is ,god in favor of lying and deception8 ,no3 ,thou shalt not bear false wit-ness 7,exod4 #bj74 ,yes3 ,if a prophet is deceived1 ,i the ,lord deceived that prophet 7,ezek4 xiv4 #i74 #de4 ,is a pious life a happy life8 ,yes3 ,come unto me1 and ,i will give you rest 7,matt4 xi4 #bh74 ,no3 ,in the world ye shall have tribulation 7,john xvi4 #cc74 #df4 ,will righteousness make a man happy8 ,yes3 ,there shall no evil happen to the just 7,prov4 xii4 #ba74 ,no3 ,it is through much tribulation the righteous enter the kingdom of heaven 7,acts xiv4 #ba74 ,yes3 ,the righteous shall flourish 7,ps4 xcii4 #ab74 ,no3 ,the righteous shall perish 7,isa4 lvii4 #a74 ,yes3 ,the prayer of the righteous availeth much 7,jas4 v4 #af74 ,no3 ,there is none righteous2 no1 not one 7,rom4 iii4 #aj74 ,yes3 ,the righteous to be slain with the wicked 7,ezek4 xxi4 #c74 ,no3 ,the righteous not to be slain 7,exod4 xxiii4 #g74 #dg4 ,can we live without sinning8 ,yes3 ,those born of ,god can not sin 7#a ,john iii4 #i7 ,no3 ,there is no man that sinneth not 7,i ,kings viii4 #df74 ,yes3 ,he that committeth sin is of the devil 7#a ,john ill4 #h74 ,no3 ,there are none that doeth good1 and sinneth not 7,eccles4 vii4 #bj74 #dh4 ,does wickedness shorten a man's life8 ,yes3 ,the years of the wicked shall be shortened 7,prov4 x4 #bg74 ,no3 ,the wicked live1 and become old 7,job xxi4 #g74 ,shall we resist evil8 ,yes3 ,put away the evil of your doings 7,isa4 i4 #af74 ,no3 ,resist not evil 7,matt4 v4 #cg74 #di4 ,who can know whether the golden rule is right or wrong8 ,right3 ,whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you1 do you even so unto them 7,matt4 vii4 #ab74 ,wrong3 ,spare them not1 but slay both man and woman1 infant and suckling 7#a ,sam4 xv4 #c74 #ej4 ,is wisdom desirable8 ,yes3 ,happy is the man that findeth wisdom 7,prov4 iii4 #ac74 ,no3 ,much wisdom is much grief1 and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow 7,eccles4 i4 #ah74 ,yes3 ,get wisdom with all thy gettings 7,prov4 iv4 #g74 ,yes3 ,be wise as serpents 7,matt4 x4 #af74 ,no3 ,the wisdom of the wise shall be destroyed 7#a ,cor4 i4 #ai74 #ea4 ,shall we aim at a good reputation8 ,yes3 ,a good name is better than riches 7,prov4 xxii4 #a74 ,no3 ,woe unto you when all men speak well of you 7,luke vi4 #bf74 #eb4 ,are riches desirable8 ,yes3 ,the rich man's wealth is his strong ,city 7,prov4 x4 #ae74 ,no3 ,woe unto you that are rich 7,luke vi4 #bd74 ,yes3 ,blessed is the man that feareth the ,lord1444 wealth and riches shall be in his house 7,ps4 cxii474 ,no3 ,blessed be ye poor1 for yours is the kingdom of ,god 7,luke vi4 #bj74 #ec4 ,can a righteous man be rich1 or a rich man be saved8 ,yes3 ,in the house of the righteous is much treasure 7,prov4 xv4 #f74 ,no3 ,it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle1 than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of ,god 7,matt4 xix4 #bd74 #ed4 ,does the ,lord believe in riches8 ,yes3 ,the ,lord blessed ,job with fourteen thousand sheep1 and six thousand camels1 and a thousand yoke of oxen1 c4 7,job xiii4 #ab74 ,no3 ,a rich man can not enter into the kingdom of heaven 7,matt4 xix4 #bd74 ,yes3 ,wealth and riches shall be in the house of the man that feareth ,god 7,ps4 cxii4 #a74 ,no3 ,lay not up for yourselves treasures on earth 7,matt4 vi4 #ai74 #ee4 ,shall we use strong drink8 ,no3 ,wine is a mocker1 and strong drink is raging 7,prov4 xx4 #a74 ,yes3 ,give strong drink to him that is ready to perish 7,prov4 xxxi4 #f74 #ef4 ,should we ever use wine8 ,no3 ,do not use wine nor strong drink 7,lev4 x4 #i74 ,yes3 ,use a little wine for the stomach's sake 7,tim4 v4 #bc74 ,no3 ,look not upon the wine when it is red 7,prov4 xxiii4 #ca74 ,yes3 ,give wine to him that is of heavy heart 7,prov4 xxxi4 #f74 #eg4 ,is it right to eat all kinds of animals8 ,yes3 ,there is nothing unclean of itself2 eat every moving thing 7,gen4 ix4 #c74 ,no3 ,swine1 hares1 and camels are unclean2 ye shall not eat of their flesh 7,deut4 xiv4 #g74 #eh4 ,is it good to eat flesh8 ,yes3 ,it is good to eat flesh 7,deut4 xii4 #bj74 ,no2 ,it is not good to eat flesh 7,rom4 xiv4 #ba74 #ei4 ,is man justified by works8 ,yes3 ,abraham was justified by works 7,jas4 ii4 #ba74 ,no3 ,a man can not be justified by works 7,gal4 ii4 #af74 #fj4 ,is man saved by faith8 ,yes3 ,man is saved by faith without works 7,rom4 iii4 #bh74 ,no3 ,man can not be justfied by faith without works 7,james ii4 #bd74 #fa4 ,should our works be seen8 ,yes3 ,let your light shine before men 7,matt4 v4 #af74 ,no3 ,do not your alms before men 7,matt4 vi4 #a71 #fb4 ,is public prayer right8 ,no3 ,enter into thy closet1 and shut thy door 7,matt vi4 #f74 ,yes3 ,solomon prayed before all the congregation 7#a ,kings viii4 #bb74 #fc4 ,how can it be a moral duty to pray1 there being no certainty of an answer8 ,every one that asketh receiveth 7,matt4 vii4 #h74 ,they that seek me early shall find me 7,prov4 viii4 #ag74 ,then shall they call upon me1 but ,i will not answer2 they shall seek me early1 but shall not find me 7,prov4 i4 #bh74 #fd4 ,is man to be rewarded in this life8 ,yes3 ,both the righteous and the wicked an to be rewarded on earth 7,prov4 xi4 #ca74 ,no3 ,they are to be rewarded after death 7,matt4 xvi4 #bg74 #fe4 ,are children punished for the sins of their parents8 ,yes3 ,the iniquities of the father are visited upon the children 7,exod4 xx4 #f74 ,no ,the son shall not bear the iniquity of the father 7,ezek4 xviii4 #bj74 #ff4 ,should marriage be encouraged8 ,yes3 ,marriage is honorable to all 7,heb4 xiii4 #d74 ,no3 ,it is good for a man not to touch a woman 7#a ,cor4 vii4 #a74 #fg4 ,is divorce right or wrong according to the ,bible8 ,right3 ,if thou have no delight in her 7thy wife71 then thou shalt let her go 7,deut4 xxi4 #aa74 ,wrong3 ,whosoever shall put away his wife1 saving for the crime of fornication1 causeth her to commit adultery 7,matt4 v4 #cb74 #fh4 ,is it right to marry a brother's widow8 ,yes3 ,if a man die childless1 his brother shall marry his widow 7,deut4 xxv4 #e74 ,no3 ,to marry a brother's widow is an unclean thing 7,lev4 xx4 #ba74 #fi4 ,is it ever right to marry a sister8 ,no3 ,cursed shall he be who does so 7,deut4 xxvii4 #bb74 ,yes3 ,abraham married his sister1 and was blessed 7,gen4 xx4 #b74 #gj4 ,does the ,bible allow adultery8 ,no3 ,whoremongers and adulterers ,god will ,judge 7,heb4 xiii4 #d74 ,yes3 ,the ,lord commanded ,hosea to take a wife of whoredoms 7,hos4 i4 #b74 #ga4 ,is fornication sinful8 ,yes3 ,you should abstain from fornication 7#a4 ,thess4 iv4 #h74 ,no3 ,every woman who hath not known man by lying with him1 save for yourselves 7,num4 xxxi4 #ah74 #gb4 ,should we always obey kings and rulers8 ,yes3 ,to resist them is to resist the ordinance of ,god 7,rom4 xiii4 #c74 ,no3 ,whether it is right to obey ,god or man1 judge ye4 ,yes3 ,submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the ,lord's sake 7 #a ,pet4 ii4 #ad74 ,whatsoever they bid you observe1 that observe and do 7,matt1 xxiii4 ,s74 ,no3 ,we ought to obey ,god rather than man 7,acts v4 #bi74 #gc4 ,is the obedience of servants a duty8 ,yes3 ,servants1 obey your masters 7,col4 iii4 #bb74 ,no3 ,be ye not the servants of men 7#a ,cor4 vii4 #bc74 #gd4 ,is slavery right8 ,no3 ,be not called master2 ,break every yoke 7,isa4 lviii4 #f74 ,yes3 ,ye shall buy of the children of the stranger1 c41 and they shall be your possession 7,lev4 xxv4 #df74 ,no3 ,proclaim liberty throughout all the land 7,lev4 xxv4 #aj74 #ge4 ,who can tell if baptism is an obligatory ordinance8 ,yes3 ,go ye and teach all nations1 baptizing them1 c4 7,matt1 xxviii4 #ai74 ,no3 ,christ sent me not to baptize1 but to preach the gospel 7#a ,cor4 i4 #ag74 #gf4 ,is image-making right8 ,no3 ,ye shall make no image of any thing 7,exod4 xx4 #d74 ,yes3 ,moses made an image of a serpent 7,num4 xxi4 #i74 #gg4 ,is circumcision right8 ,yes3 ,except ye be circumcised after the manner of men1 ye can not be saved 7,acts xv4 #a74 ,no3 ,if ye be circumcised1 ,christ shall profit you nothing 7,gal4 v4 #b74 ,yes3 ,ye must be circumcised 7,acts xv4 #bd74 ,no3 ,circumcision is nothing 7,cor4 vii4 #ai74 #gh4 ,is it right to swear8 ,no3 ,swear not at all 7,matt4 v4 #ce74 ,yes3 ,god swore eleven times1 says the ,bible4 #gi4 ,why was the sabbath instituted8 ,because ,god rested on the sabbath day 7,exod4 xx4 #aa74 ,because he delivered his people on that day 7,deut4 vi4 #ae74 #hj4 ,is it right to observe the sabbath8 ,yes3 ,remember the sabbath day to keep it holy4 ,no3 ,your new moons and your sabbaths1444 ,i can not away with4 ,it is iniquity 7,isa4 i4 #ab74 #ha4 ,is it right to judge8 ,yes3 ,judge righteous ,judgment 7,john vii4 #bd74 ,no3 ,judge not1 that ye be not judged 7,matt4 vii4 #b74 #hb4 ,can a man work miracles without divine aid8 ,no3 ,no man can work such miracles except ,god be with him 7,john iii4 #b74 ,yes3 ,the ,egyptians did in like manner with their enchantments 7,exod4 vii4 #aj74 #hc4 ,can any man ascend to heaven8 ,yes3 ,elijah ascended in a chariot of fire 7#b ,kings ii4#aa74 ,no3 ,no man hath ascended up to heaven 7,john iii4 #ac74 ,yes3 ,all men must see death 7,heb4 ix4 #bg74 ,no3 ,enoch did not see death 7,heb4 xi4 #e74 #hd4 ,should we fear death8 ,yes3 ,christ walked not in ,jewry because the ,jews sought to kill him 7,john vii4 #a74 ,no3 ,fear not them that kill the body 7,matt4 x4 #bh74 #he4 ,will the earth ever be destroyed8 ,yes3 ,the earth also shall be burned up 7#b ,pet4 iii #aj74 ,no3 ,but the earth abideth for ever 7,eccles4 i4 #d74 #hf4 ,does the ,bible teach a future life8 ,yes3 ,they shall go away into everlasting punishment 7,matt4 xxv4 #df74 ,no3 ,for that which befelleth men befalleth beasts2444 as the one dieth1 so dieth the other1 c4 7,eccles4 iii4 #ai74 #hg4 ,does the ,bible teach a future resurrection8 ,yes3 ,the dead shall be raised 7,cor4 xv4 #eb74 ,no3 ,they shall not rise 7,isa4 xxvi4#ad74 ,yes3 ,the saints came up out of the ground 7,matt1 xxvii4 #fb74 ,no3 ,those who go down into the grave never come up again 7,job vii4 #i74 #hh4 ,are the actions of men ever to be judged according to the ,bible8 ,first1 ,the ,father judgeth no man 7,john v4 #bb74 ,second1 ,i ,jesus ,christ judge no man 7,john viii4 #ae74 ,so there is to be no judgment4 #hi4 ,no3 ,god saw every thing was corrupt 7,gen4 vi4 #aa74 ,yes3 ,god saw every thing he had made was good 7,gen4 i4 #ca74 #ij4 ,yes3 ,god forgives the sinner 7,jer4 xxxi4 #cd74 ,no3 ,god kills the sinner 7,ezek4 xviii4 #bj74 #ia4 ,yes3 ,god justifies the ungodly 7,rom4 iv4 #e74 ,no3 ,god will not clear the guilty 7,exod4 xxxiv4 #g74 #ib4 ,yes3 ,man is justified by the law 7,rom4 ii4 #ac74 ,no3 ,man can not be justified by the law 7,gal4 iii4 #aa74 #ic4 ,yes3 ,many have sinned without the law 7,rom4 ii4#ab74 ,no3 ,where there is no law there is no transgression 7,rom4 iv4 #ah74 #id4 ,yes3 ,heaven is a kingdom that can not be moved 7,heb4 xii4 #ah74 ,no3 ,i will shake heaven and earth 7,heb4 xii4 #bf74 #ie4 ,yes3 ,every thing is afraid of man 7,gen4 i4 #bh74 ,no3 ,the lion is not afraid of man 7,prov4 xxx4 #cj74 #if4 ,yes3 ,every man in his own tongue 7,gen4 x4 #e74 ,no3 ,the whole earth one tongue 7,gen4 xi4 #a74 #ig4 ,yes3 ,all things are become new 7#b ,cor4 v4 #ag74 ,no3 ,there is nothing new under the sun 7,eccles4 i4 #i74 #ih4 ,yes3 ,you shall make a likeness of a serpent and a cherubim 7,exod4 xxv4 #ah74 ,no3 ,make no likeness of any thing in heaven above or the earth beneath1 c4 7,exod4 xx4 #d74 #ii4 ,yes3 ,deborah the prophetess judged ,israel 7,judg4 iv4 #d74 ,no3 ,a woman is not to judge or rule a man 7#a ,tim4 ,ii4 #ab74 #ajj4 ,yes3 ,god's people shall be ashamed 7,hos4 x4 #f74 ,no3 ,god's people shall never be ashamed 7,ps4 xxxvii4 #ai74 #aja4 ,yes3 ,blessed are the fruitful 7,gen4 i4 #bh74 ,no3 ,blessed are the barren 7,luke xxiii4 #bi74 #ajb4 ,yes3 ,edom being thy brother1 do not abhor him 7,deut4 xxiii4 #g74 ,no3 ,he slew of ,edom ten thousand 7#b ,kings xiv4 #g74 #ajc4 ,yes3 ,bear ye one another's burdens 7,gal4 vi4 #b74 ,no3 ,every man must bear his own burden 7,gal4 vi4 #e74 #ajd4 ,yes3 ,labor not for meat 7,john vi4 #bg74 ,no3 ,he that labors not shall not eat 7#b ,thess4 iii4 #aj74 #aje4 ,in ,genesis vi4 #e ,god declared he would pour out his curses because the imagination of man's heart is evil1 and only evil continually4 ,in ,genesis viii4 #ba he gives the same reason for not cursing the world4 ,and these are mere specimens of a vast number of similar kind4 ,kings and ,chronicles especially are full of such discrepancies of dates1 numbers1 names1 c4 ,in one case the author of ,chronicles makes a son two years older than his father1 the father being forty and the son forty-two4 ,for proof1 compare #b ,chron4 xxi4 #bj with xxii4 #a1 #b4 ,and observe1 the author of #b ,chron4 xvi4 #a has ,baasha1 ,king of ,israel1 fighting against ,judah ten years after the author of #a ,kings xvi4 #h has him dead and buried4 ,but we have not space to spare to continue the list1 as it would comprise a large chapter4 ,let the reader compare the names and numbers of the leaders1 families1 tribes1 c41 of the children of ,israel1 as recorded by ,ezra 7chap4 ii471 with those of ,nehemiah 7chap1 vii471 and he will find more than a dozen discrepancies and contradictions2 the difference amounting in some cases to thousands4 ,he will also find a difference with respect to the coronation1 period of rule1 and termination of the reign of various kings1 and wide differences tracing genealogie1 families1 tribes1 c41 if he will compare ,kings1 ,chronicles1 ,samuel1 ,ezra1 ,nehemiah1 c4 ,such are the verbal discrepancies of the ,word of ,god2 such is arithmetic when inspired4 ,two questions upon the above3 #a4 ,how much older can a son be than his father according to scripture1 basing the inquiry upon ,chron4 xxi4 and xxii48 #b4 ,how long can a man continue to fight after he is dead and buried1 as is illustrated in the case of ,baasha1 ,king of ,israel8 7,see contradictions #adb1 #adc1 and #add47 ,,contradictions ,,in ,,history4 #ajj4 ,when was man created8 ,gen4 i4 #be says after the other animal4 ,gen4 ii1 #ac says before the other animals4 #ajg4 ,were seed-time and harvest to be perpetual8 ,yes3 ,seed-time and harvest shall not cease 7,gen4 viii4 #bb74 ,no3 ,there was neither earing nor harvest for five years 7,gen4 xiv4 #f74 #ajh4 ,did ,eve see before she ate the forbidden fruit8 ,yes3 ,woman saw before she ate the fruit 7,gen4 iii4 #f74 ,no3 ,her eyes were opened by eating the fruit 7,gen4 iii4 #g74 #aji4 ,when did the earth become dry after the flood8 ,in the first month the waters of the flood were dried up 7,gen4 viii4 #ac74 ,in the second month the waters of the flood were dried up 7,gen4 viii4 #ab74 #aaj4 ,how old was ,abraham when he left ,haran8 ,the eleventh chapter of ,genesis makes him one hundred and thirty-five years old2 but the twelfth says he was only seventy-five4 #aaa4 ,did ,abraham know where he was going8 ,yes3 ,he went forth to go into the land of ,canaan 7,gen4 xii4 #e74 ,no3 ,he went out1 not knowing whither he went 7,heb4 xi4 #h74 #aab4 ,did ,god give ,abraham land8 ,yes3 ,i give it to thy seed for ever 7,gen4 xiii4 #ae74 ,no3 ,abraham had none inheritance in it1 not so much as to set his foot on 7,acts vii4 #e74 #aac4 ,did ,moses fear ,pharaoh8 ,yes3 ,moses fled1 fearing ,pharaoh 7,exod4 ii4 #ad and #ah74 ,no3 ,moses did not fear ,pharaoh 7,heb4 xi4 #ba 74 #aad4 ,who hardened ,pharaoh's heart8 ,the ,lord hardened the heart of ,pharaoh 7,exod4 ix4 #ab74 ,pharaoh hardened his heart 7,exod4 viii4 #ae74 #aae4 ,how many fighting men in ,israel8 ,samuel says eight hundred thousand 7#b ,sam4 xxiv4 #i74 ,chronicles says one million one hundred thousand 7#a ,chron4 xxi4 #e74 #aaj4 ,how many fighting men in ,judah8 ,samuel says five hundred thousand 7#b ,sam4 xxiv4 #i74 ,chronicles says four hundred and seventy thousand 7#a ,chron4 xxi4 #e74 #aag4 ,who moved ,david to number ,israel8 ,god3 ,the ,lord moved ,david to number ,israel 7#b ,sam4 xxiv4 #a74 ,the devil3 ,satan provoked him to do it 7,chron4 xxi4 #a74 #aah4 ,did ,david sin more than once8 ,yes3 ,i have sinned greatly in numbering ,israel 7#b ,sam4 #bd4 #aj74 ,no3 ,he sinned only when he killed ,uriah 7#a ,kings xv4 #e74 #aai4 ,how many years of famine was ,david to suffer8 ,chronicles says it was three years 7#a ,chron4 xxi4 #aa74 ,samuel says it was seven years 7#b ,sam4 xxiv4 #ac74 #abj4 ,how many horsemen did ,david capture8 ,samuel says it was seven hundred 7#b ,sam4 viii4 #d74 ,chronicles says it was seven thousand 7#a ,chron4 xviii4 #d74 #aba4 ,what did ,david pay for his threshing-floor8 ,samuel says fifty shekels of silver 7#b ,sam4 xxiv4 #bd74 ,chronicles says six hundred shekels of gold 7#a ,chron4 xxi4 #be74 #abb4 ,was ,david's throne to come to an end8 ,no3 ,it shall be established for ever 7,ps4 lxxxix4 #d74 ,yes3 ,it was cast down to the ground 7,ps4 lxxxix4 #dd74 #abc4 ,was ,david really a man after ,god's own heart8 ,yes3 ,david was a man after ,god's own heart 7,acts xiii4 #bb74 ,no3 ,david displeased the ,lord 7#b ,sam4 xi4 #bd74 #abd4 ,was it a man or ,god that ,jacob wrestled with8 ,jacob wrestled all night with a man 7,gen4 xxxii4#bd74 ,jacob wrestled all night with ,god 7,gen4 xxxii4 #cj74 #abe4 ,how many were there of ,jacob's family8 ,jacob's family was only seventy souls 7,gen4 xlvi #bg74 ,jacob's family was seventy-five souls 7,acts vii4 #ad74 #abf4 ,how long was ,israel in ,egypt8 ,israel was four hundred and thirty years in ,egypt 7,exod4 xii4 #da74 ,jacob was only four hundred years in ,egypt 7,acts vii4 #f74 #abg4 ,did they see what the ,lord did in ,egypt8 ,yes3 ,you have seen all the ,lord did in ,egypt 7,deut4 xxix4 #b74 ,no3 ,you have seen nothing he did in ,egypt 7,deut4 xxix4 #d74 #abh4 ,who was the father of ,salah8 ,arphaxad 7,gen4 xi4 #ab74 ,cainan 7,luke iii4 #he74 #abi4 ,had ,michal any children8 ,no3 ,michal had no children unto the day of his death 7#b ,sam4 vi4 #bc74 ,yes3 ,the five sons of ,michal 7#b ,sam4 xxi4 #h74 #acj4 ,where was the law written8 ,exodus says it was written on ,mt4 ,sinai4 ,deuteronomy says it was written on ,mt4 ,horeb4 #aca4 ,how many died of the plague8 ,numbers says it was twenty and four thousand 7,num4 xxv4 #i74 ,corinthians says three and twenty thousand 7#a ,cor4 x4 #h74 #acb4 ,when did ,zachariah begin to reign8 ,in the thirty-eighth year of ,azariah 7#b ,kings xv4 #h74 ,but a comparison of #b ,kings xlv4 #bi and xv4 #a makes but fourteen years4 #acc4 ,how many stalls for horses had ,solomon8 ,we are told in #a ,kings iv4 #bf1 he had forty thousand4 ,but1 according to #b ,chron4 ix4 #be1 it was only four thousand4 #acd4 ,how much oil did ,solomon give ,hiram8 ,according to ,kings v4 #aa1 it was twenty measures4 ,but1 according to ,chron4 ii4 #aj1 it was twenty thousand4 #ace4 ,of what tribe was ,solomon's artificer1 who came from ,tyre8 ,according to #a ,kings vii4 #ad1 he was of the tribe of ,naphthali4 ,but1 according to #b ,chron4 ii4 #ad1 he was of the tribe of ,dan4 #acf4 ,how long were the two pillars of ,solomon's porch8 ,according to #a ,kings vii4 #ae1 they were eighteen cubits long4 ,but1 according to #b ,chron4 iii4 #ae1 they were thirty-five cubits long4 #acg4 ,how many baths were contained in the brazen sea8 ,according to #a ,kings vii4 #bf1 it contained two thousand2 but1 according to #b ,chron4 iv4 #e1 three thousand4 #ach4 ,how many mothers had ,abijah8 and who was she8 ,according to #a ,kings xv4 #b1 she was the daughter of ,ablshalom4 ,but #b ,chron4 xi4 #bj says she was the daughter of ,absalom2 and #b ,chron4 xiii4 #b says she was the daughter of ,uriel4 ,,the ,,chronology ,,of ,,the ,,kings ,,of ,,judah ,,and ,,israel ,,are ,a ,,mass ,,of ,,confusion4 #aci4 ,where was ,ahazlah killed1 and how often8 ,according to #b ,chron4 xxii4 #h1 he was killed at ,samaria2 and1 according to #b ,king ix4 #bg1 he was killed again4 #adj4 ,how many did ,jashobeam kill8 ,jashobeam slew eight hundred at one time 7#b ,sam4 xxiii4 #h74 ,no3 ,it was only three hundred he slew 7#a ,chron4 xi4 #aa74 #ada4 ,who killed the ,amalekites8 ,samuel says ,saul utterly destroyed them 7#a ,sam4 xv4 #c74 ,but1 according to chapter twenty-seven of the same book1 ,david killed them all1 left neither man nor woman 7#a ,sam4 xv4 #ac74 ,and yet it appears they were not well killed2 for1 forty years after1 they fought a battle with ,ziklag 7see #a ,sam4 xxx4 #ah71 and they were all killed again1 save four hundred young men2 and ,simeon after-wards slew them4 7,see #a ,chron4 iv4 #c47 ,and yet1 although destroyed three times1 ,josephus says he was a descendant of the ,amalekites4 ,they must have been a live people4 #adb4 ,when did ,baasha fight a battle with ,judah8 ,according to #b ,chron4 xvi4 #a1 it was in ,asa's thirty-sixth year4 ,but1 according to #a ,kings xvi4 #h1 in the twenty-sixth year of ,asa1 ,baasha died1 or1 at least1 vacated the throne1--a difference of ten years4 #adc4 ,how did ,asa and ,baasha stand toward each other8 ,there was war between ,asa and ,baasha all their days 7#a ,kings xv4 #af74 ,but1 according to ,chron4 xiv4 #a1 they were at peace ten years4 #add4 ,how long aid ,baasha reign8 ,baasha reigned over ,israel twenty-four years 7#a ,kings xv4 #cc74 ,but1 according to #a ,kings xvi4 #h1 it was twenty-three years4 #ade4 ,how long did ,elah reign8 ,according to #a ,kings xvi4 #h1 ,elah reigned two years1 commencing in ,asa's twenty-sixth year4 #adf4 ,when did ,ahazlah begin to reign over ,judah8 ,kings says it was the eleventh year of ,joram 7#b ,kings viii4 #af74 ,kings also says it was the twelfth 7#b ,kings viii4 #be74 #adg4 ,when did ,omri begin to reign8 ,in the thirty-eighth year of ,asa began ,omri to reign 7,kings xvi4 #ae74 ,but1 as ,zimri only reigned seven days1 and began in ,asa's twenty-seventh year1 ,omri must also have commenced in his twenty-seventh year4 #adh4 ,when did ,ahab commence his reign8 ,in the thirty-eighth year of ,asa began ,ahab1 son of ,omri1 to reign 7#a ,kings xvi4 #bi74 ,how can that be if ,omri reigned twelve years8 7,see #a ,kings xvi4 #bc74 #adi4 ,when did ,jeboram1 son of ,ahab1 begin to reign8 ,in the eighteenth year of ,jehoshaphat1 ,king of ,judah1 began ,jeboram to reign 7#b ,kings iii4 #a74 ,impossible1 if his son ,amaziah commenced in ,jehoshaphat's nineteenth year 7see #a ,kings xxii4 #ca71 and reigned two years3 seventeen and two are nineteen4 ,and1 according to #b ,kings #a4 #ag and #a ,kings1 it was twelve years later1 if ,jehoshaphat reigned twenty-five years4 7,see #a ,kings74 #aej4 ,when did ,azzlah1 or ,uzzlah1 begin to reign8 ,in the twenty-seventh year of ,jeroboam1 according to #b ,kings xv4 #a4 ,but1 according to #b ,kings xvi4 #ag and #bc1 it was only sixteen years4 #aea4 ,how long did ,jehu reign over ,israel8 ,jehu reigned over ,israel twenty-eight years 7#b ,kings x4 #cf74 ,but1 according to #b ,kings xiii4 #a1 he reigned thirty years4 #aeb4 ,how long did ,jehoahaz reign8 ,jehoahaz reigned seventeen years 7#b ,kings xiii4 #a74 ,but1 according to #b ,kings xiii4 #aj1 it was twenty years4 #aec4 ,how old was ,ahaz when he began to reign8 ,twenty years4 7#b ,kings xvi4 #b47 ,a wording to the text 7#b ,chron4 xxiv4 #b71 his father was about eleven years old when he was born4 ,,new-,,testament ,,contradictions4 ,there is a continual conflict in the statements of ,christ's biographers with respect to the various events of his life as compared with each other2 and in some cases they contradict themselves4 ,we will present some examples3-- #aed4 ,who came to worship ,christ when he was born8 ,matthew says1 wise men from the ,east 7,matt4 ii4 #e74 ,luke says they were shepherds of the same country 7,luke ii4 #h74 #aee4 ,how were they led8 ,matthew says they were led by a star 7,matt4 ii4 #f74 ,lake says by on angel 7,luke ii4 #c74 #aef4 ,what did the parents of ,jesus do when he was born8 ,matthew 7ii4 #ac7 says they fled into ,egypt4 ,but1 according to ,luke 7ii4 #bf71 they staid there forty-one days4 #aeg4 ,to whom did ,god speak at ,christ's baptism8 ,to him3 ,thou art my beloved son 7,luke iii4 #bb74 ,to the bystanders3 ,this is my beloved son 7,matt4 iii4 #ag74 #aeh4 ,where did ,christ go after being baptized8 ,mark says he went immediately into the wilderness1 and was there forty days 7,mark #a4 #ab74 ,john says three days after he was in ,cana 7,john ii4 #ab74 #aei4 ,where was ,john while ,christ was in ,galilee8 ,john was put in prison 7before that7 7,mark i4 #ad74 ,john was baptizing in non 7,john iii4 #bc74 #afj4 ,where was ,christ when he called ,peter and ,andrew8 ,matthew and ,mark say1 walking by the ,sea of ,galilee4 ,luke says1 sitting in their ship 7,luke v4 #aj74 #afa4 ,where were ,peter and ,andrew at the time8 ,matthew and ,mark say1 ,in their ship1 fishing4 ,luke says1 out washing their nets 7,luke v4 #b74 #afb4 ,how came ,peter and ,andrew to follow ,jesus8 ,matthew and ,mark say he called them4 ,but1 according to ,luke1 the draught of fishes caused them to go4 #afc4 ,where did ,christ heal the leper8 ,matthew says at the mount1 after the sermon 7viii4 #b74 ,mark says when preaching in ,galilee4 #afd4 ,who told ,jesus the centurion's servant was sick8 ,luke says he sent the elders of ,israel to tell him 7,luke vii4 #c74 ,but ,matthew says the centurion went himself 7,matt1 viii4 #e74 #aje4 ,where did ,christ go after curing ,peter's wife's mother8 ,matthew says beyond the lake1 and drowned a herd of swine 7viii4 #ah74 ,lake says to ,nain1 and raised the dead 7,luke vii4 #aa74 #aff4 ,where did ,christ drown the swine with devils8 ,matthew says in the country of ,gergeasenes4 ,mark and ,luke say in the country of ,gadarenes4 #afg4 ,where did the devils remonstrate against going8 ,mark 7v4 #aj7 says against being sent out of the country4 ,luke 7viii4 #ca7 says it was against going into the deep4 #afh4 ,were ,christ's disciples allowed to use staves8 ,yes3 ,take nothing444 save a staff only 7 ,mark vi4 #h74 ,no3 ,take neither shoes or yet staves 7,matt4 x4 #i74 #afi4 ,when did ,christ pluck the ears of corn8 ,matthew 7xii4 #a7 says after he had appointed his twelve disciples4 ,but ,luke and ,mark make it after that event4 #agj4 ,what woman interceded for her daughter8 ,a woman of ,canaan444 cried unto him 7,matt4 xv4 #bb74 ,the woman was a ,greek 7,mark vii4 #bf74 #aga4 ,how great was the multitude which ,jesus fed with seven loaves and a few fishes8 ,matthew says four thousand1 besides women and children 7xv4 #ch74 ,mark says four thousand in all 7viii4 #i74 #agb4 ,how long was it after ,christ was transfigured that he took ,james and ,john up into the mountain8 ,six days after 7,matt4 xvii4 #d74 ,eight days after 7,luke ix4 #bh74 #agc4 ,how much power did ,jesus say faith as big as a grain of mustard-seed can impart8 ,matthew 7xvii4 #bj7 says enough to remove mountains4 ,luke says 7xvii4 #f7 enough to pluck up trees by the roots4 ,both large jobs for one man4 #agd4 ,who asked seats in the kingdom for ,zebedee's children8 ,matthew says 7xx4 #bj7 it was their mother4 ,mark says 7x4 #ce7 they asked it themselves4 ,why did he refuse them two seats when he had promised them1 with the other ten disciples1 twelve thrones8 7,matt4 xix4 #bh47 #age4 ,how many blind men did ,jesus restore near ,jericho8 ,matthew says 7xx4 #cj7 two blind men4 ,mark and ,luke say only one1 ,bartimeus4 #agf4 ,where did he perform this miracle8 ,matthew says as he was going away from ,jericho4 ,luke says as he was coming into the city 7xviii4 #ce74 #agg4 ,when did ,christ drive out the money-changers8 ,matthew and ,luke say the day he rode into the city4 ,mark says not till the next day 7xi4 #aa74 #agh4 ,what did ,jesus tell his disciples about the ass8 ,matthew says 7xxi4 #b7 he told them they would find an ass and colt tied4 ,mark and ,luke say they found tied only a colt4 ,and ,john says it was a young ass1 and ,jesus found it himself 7xii4 #ad74 ,mark and ,luke say he rode the colt4 ,but ,matthew 7xxi4 #g7 represents him as riding both the ass and the colt4 #agi4 ,who answered ,christ's question in the parable of the vineyard8 ,matthew says 7xxi4 #da7 his disciples answered the question4 ,mark and ,luke both say he answered it himself4 #ahj4 ,when did ,christ tell the truth about ,lazarus8 ,he first said his sickness was not unto death1 but afterwards said he was dead4 #aha4 ,when did the anointment of ,christ take place8 ,matthew says 7xxvi4 #b7 it was two days before the passover4 ,but ,john says it was six days after 7,john xii4 #a74 ,and ,luke makes it much later 7viii4 #cf and xxii4 #a74 #ahb4 ,where did the anointment take place8 ,matthew says 7xxvi4 #f7 in the house of ,simon the leper4 ,luke says 7vii4 #cf7 in the house of a ,pharisee4 ,but1 according to ,john1 it was in the house of ,lazarus 7xii4 #a74 #ahc4 ,where was the ointment poured8 ,matthew and ,mark say on his head4 ,but ,luke and ,john say on his feet4 #ahd4 ,when did ,christ say one of his disciples would betray him8 ,matthew says 7xxvi4 #ba7 while they did eat supper4 ,but1 according to ,luke 7xxii4 #bj71 it was after supper was over4 #ahe4 ,where did ,jesus go after supper8 ,john savs over the brook ,cedron 7xviii4 #a474 ,but the other three evangelists say to the ,mount of ,olives4 #ahf4 ,when did ,judas betray ,christ8 ,john says 7xii4 #bg71 after supper he went out and made the bargain4 ,but the other three say it was before supper he made the bargain4 #ahg4 ,where and to whom did ,peter first deny ,christ8 ,john says 7xviii4 #ag7 to the damsel at the door4 ,the other three say to the men in the ball4 #ahh4 ,to whom was the second denial made8 ,matthew and ,mark say to a maid4 ,luke says to a man4 ,john says to those who stood by the fire 7xviii474 #ahi4 ,to whom was the third denial made8 ,matthew and ,mark say to those who stood by4 ,john says 7xviii47 to the servant of the high priest4 #aij4 ,where was ,christ crucified8 ,john says at ,calvary4 ,the other three say at ,golgotha4 #aia4 ,at what hour was ,christ crucified8 ,mark says 7xv4 #bf7 it was the third hour4 ,but1 according to ,john 7xix4 #ad71 it was after the sixth hour4 #aib4 ,how was ,christ dressed for the crucifixion8 ,and put on him a scarlet robe 7,matt1 xxvii4 #bh74 ,they put on him a purple robe 7,john xix4 #b74 #aic4 ,what was the drink offered to ,christ at the crucifixion8 ,mark says it was wine mixed with myrrh 7xv4 #bc74 ,matthew says it was vinegar mingled with gall4 ,but ,luke represents it as being only vinegar 7xxiii4 #cf74 ,matthew says ,christ tasted it2 but1 according to ,mark1 he did not4 #aid4 ,who bore ,christ's cross8 ,matthew says ,simon of ,cyrene 7xxvii4 #hb74 ,but ,john says ,jesus bore it himself 7xix1 #ag74 #aie4 ,which of the thieves reviled him8 ,mark says both of them 7xv4 #bi74 ,luke says 7xxiii4 #cj7 only one of them1 and the other reviled him for it4 #aif4 ,what were the words of the superscription on the cross8 ,this is ,jesus1 the ,king of the ,jews 7,matt1 xxvii4 #hg74 ,the ,king of the ,jews 7,mark xv4 #bf74 ,this is the ,king of the ,jews 7,luke xix4 #ah74 ,jesus of ,nazareth1 the ,king of the ,jews 7,john xix4 #ai74 ,but one of these can be right4 #aig4 ,was it lawful for the ,jews to put ,christ to death8 ,yes3 ,we have a law by which he ought to die 7,john xix4 #g74 ,no3 ,it is not lawful to put any man to death 7,john xviii4 #ca74 #aih4 ,who came to ,christ's sepulcher8 ,matthew says 7xxviii4 #a7 ,mary ,magdalene and another ,mary4 ,according to ,john1 it was ,mary ,magdalene only 7xx4 #a74 ,but ,lake says the two ,marys and ,joanna 7xxiv4 #aj7 #aii4 ,was it daylight when they came to the tomb8 ,no3 ,they came while it was yet dark 7,john xx4 #a74 ,yes3 ,they came at the rising of the sun 7,mark xvi4 #b74 #bjj4 ,whom did the women see at the tomb8 ,matthew says 7xxviii4 #a7 an angel sitting4 ,mark says 7xvi4 #e7 a young man4 ,luke says 7xxiv4 #d7 two men4 ,john says 7xx4 #ab7 two angels4 #bja4 ,did any of the women enter the sepulcher8 ,yes3 ,they entered in 7,mark xvi4 #f74 ,no3 ,they did not 7,john xx4 #b74 #bjb4 ,who looked into the sepulcher8 ,according to ,luke1 it was ,peter 7xxiv4 #ab74 ,according to ,john1 it was another disciple 7xx4 #d74 #bjc4 ,did ,peter go into the sepulcher8 ,john says he did go in 7xx4 #f74 ,according to ,luke1 he did not 7xxiv4 #ab74 #bjd4 ,did those who visited the tomb relate the case to any one8 ,according to ,luke1 they told the eleven disciples 7xxiv4 #bg74 ,but ,mark tells us they said nothing to any man 7xvi4 #h74 #bje4 ,to whom did ,christ appear after his resurrection8 ,matthew says to the two ,marys 7xxviii4 #i74 ,mark says to ,mary ,magdalene alone 7xvi4 #i74 ,according to ,luke1 it was to two of his disciples at ,emmaus4 #bjf4 ,when did ,christ first appear to his disciples8 ,matthew says it was at ,galilee 7,matt1 xxviii4 #af74 ,luke says it was at ,jerusalem 7,luke xxiv4 #cc74 #bjg4 ,how did ,christ's disciples feel when they met him8 ,luke says they were terrified 7xxiv4 #cg74 ,but ,john says they were glad 7xx4 #bj74 #bjc4 ,how often did ,christ show himself to the disciples8 ,john says1 ,this is now the third time4 ,but1 according to the other three1 it was the sixth time4 #bji4 ,where did ,christ part from his disciples8 ,mark says 7xvi4 #ad7 it was at ,jerusalem4 ,but1 according to ,luke1 it was at ,bethany4 #baj4 ,when did ,christ ascend8 ,according to ,luke1 it was the day of his resurrection 7,luke xxiv4 #ac74 ,john says it was nine days after 7,john xx4 #bf74 ,but1 according to ,acta i4 #c1 it was forty days after4 #baa4 ,from what place did ,christ ascend8 ,luke says 7xxiv4 #f7 it was from ,bethany4 ,acts says 7i4 #f7 it was from ,mount ,olivet4 #bab4 ,did ,christ bear witness of himself8 ,yes3 ,i am one that bear witness of myself 7,john viii4 #ac74 ,no3 ,if ,i bear witness of myself1 my witness is not true 7,john v4 #ba74 #bac4 ,could man bear testimony for ,christ8 ,yes3 ,ye also shall bear witness 7,john xv4 #bf74 ,no3 ,i receive not testimony from man 7,john v4 #bc74 #bad4 ,did ,christ come on a mission of peace8 ,yes3 ,to preach glory to ,god1444 and on earth peace 7,luke ii4 #ac74 ,no3 ,i came not to send peace but a sword 7,matt4 x4 #cd74 #bae4 ,did ,christ have a dwelling-place8 ,no3 ,matthew says 7viii4 #bj71 ,he had not where to lay his head4 ,but ,john says he had a house1 and his disciples saw it 7#a4 #cd74 #baf4 ,was ,christ the savior8 ,yes3 ,christ is the savior of all men 7#a ,tim4 iv4 #aj74 ,no3 ,beside me ,jehovah there is no savior 7,isa4 xiiii4 #aa74 #bag4 ,was ,christ omnipotent8 ,yes3 ,i and my ,father are one 7,john x4 #cj74 ,no3 ,my ,father is greater than ,i 7,john xiv4 #bh74 #bah4 ,was ,christ equal to ,god8 ,yes2 ,he thought it no robbery to be equal with ,god 7,phil1 ii4 #f74 ,no3 ,mv ,father is greater than ,i 7,john xiv4 #bh74 #bai4 ,was ,christ supreme ,god8 ,yes3 ,he was ,god manifest in the flesh 7#a ,tim4 iii4 #af74 ,no3 ,he was man approved of ,god 7,acts ii4 #bb74 #bbj4 ,how did ,judas die8 ,matthew says he went out and hanged himself 7,matt4 xxvii4 #f74 ,the ,acta says he went out and fell headlong 7,acts i4 #ah74 #bba4 ,did the men at ,paul's conversion hear a voice8 ,yes3 ,hearing a voice1 but seeing no man 7,acts ix4 #g74 ,no3 ,they heard not the voice 7,acts xxil4 #i74 #bbb4 ,did ,john see a book8 ,yes4 ,i saw444 a book written within1 c4 7,rev4 v4 #a74 ,no3 ,no man in heaven or earth could look on the book 7,rev4 v4 #c74 #bbh4 ,was ,john the ,baptist ,ellas8 ,yes3 ,this is ,elias which was to come 7,matt4 xi4 #ad74 ,no3 ,and he said ,i am not ,ellas 7,john #a4 #ba74 #bbd4 ,when did ,herodias ask for the head of ,john the baptist8 ,matthew says before ,herod's great promise to her2 but ,mark says it was after 7,mark vi4 #bd74 #bbe4 ,is the law of ,moses superseded8 ,yes3 ,we are delivered from the law 7,rom4 vii4 #f74 ,no3 ,i came not to destroy the law 7,matt4 v4 #ag74 #bbf4 ,who was the father of ,joseph8 ,and ,jacob begat ,joseph1 husband of ,mary 7,matt4 #a4 #af74 ,he was the son of ,hell 7,luke iii4 #bc74 #bbg4 ,who purchased the potter's field8 ,judas1 with the reward of iniquity 7,acts ,i4 #ah74 ,the chief priests took the silver1 and bought the potter's field 7,matt1 xxvii #f74 #bbh4 ,yes3 ,the spirit led ,christ to ,jerusalem 7,acts xx4 #bb74 ,no3 ,the spirit forbade him to so 7,acts xxi4 #d74 #bbi4 ,yes3 ,i go to prepare a place for you 7,john xiv4 #b74 ,no3 ,it was prepared from the beginning 7,matt4 xxv4 #hd74 #bhj4 ,yes3 ,the mission of the gospel began at ,jerusalem 7,luke xxiv4 #dg74 ,no4 ,it began at ,galilee 7,acts x4 #cg74 #bca4 ,yes3 ,i beseech you as strangers 7#a ,pet4 ii4 #aa74 ,no3 ,you are not strangers 7,eph4 ii4 #ad74 #bcb4 ,yes3 ,christ died for his enemies 7,rev4 x74 ,no3 ,for his friends 7,john xv4 #ac74 #bcc4 ,yes3 ,i write unto you1 fathers 7#a ,john ii4 #ac74 ,no3 ,call no man father 7,matt1 xxiii4 #i74 #bcd4 ,yes3 ,i am with you alway 7,matt1 xxviii4 #bj74 ,no3 ,it is expedient for you that ,i go away 7 ,john xvi4 #g74 ,total1 #bgg1 including double contradictions4 ,we will not attempt to argue that these conflicting statements prove that no such events as here referred to ever transpired1 and that the whole thing is a fabrication4 ,we only argue that it proves the writers were not inspired by infinite wisdom1 or they would have told the exact truth in all cases1 so that there could have been no mistakes4 ,it also proves that we never can know the real facts1 or arrive at an accurate knowledge or the exact truth1 with respect to any #ja' those doctrines1 duties1 or events the contradictions appertain to2 and1 as these contradictions refer to almost every doctrine1 precept1 and event of any importance1 it thus sinks all ,bible teaching into a labyrinth of uncertainty4 ,hence not one single statement in it can be set down as absolutely true without corroborative evidence4 ,note4--,the reader will observe1 from the contradictions in the foregoing list with respect to all the duties of life1 as well as all the crimes of society1--such as war1 intemperance1 slavery1 theft1 robbery1 murder1 falsehood1 swearing1 lying1 c41--that it is absolutely impossible to learn our moral and religious duties from the ,bible4 ,,chapter ,,xxiii4--,,obscene ,,language ,,of ,,the ,,bible--,,two ,,hundred ,,cases4 ,no person of refinement and good morals1 who has not been warped and biased by education or religious training in favor of the ,christian ,bible1 can read that book through without being often shocked and put to the blush by its obscene and vulgar language6 ,indeed1 there are more than two hundred texts calculated to raise a blush on the cheek of modesty4 ,many of them are so obscene that we would not dare copy them into this work4 ,it would not only outrage the feelings of the reader1 but it would render the author liable to prosecution4 ,a law has been recently passed by ,congress prohibiting the publication and circulation of obscene literature2 and many persons have already been prosecuted under that law1--some of them for merely selecting and publishing some of the obscene texts of the ,bible4 ,but1 without being influenced by these considerations1 we will1 in order to spare the feelings of the reader1 merely state the import of some of these texts4 #a4 ,omitting the history of ,adam1 in which we find some not very refined language1 we will commence with ,noah4 ,we are told that ,noah became so drunk as to strip off all his clothing1 and one of his sons1 to avoid seeing him in that situation1 walked backward1 and covered him3 for which act his father cursed him4 ,thus it appears that ,noah1 although a righteous man1 was not a very modest or decent one4 ,and such a man being held up as a righteous example must have a demoralizing tendency upon those who accept him in this light4 7,see ,gen4 ix4 7 #b4 ,the story of ,abraham and ,sarah1 and the account of ,abraham's illicit intimacy with his servant-maid ,hagar1 as related in ,genesis 7chap4 xvi471 and his and ,sarah's gossip over the affair1 is any thing but modest4 #c4 ,the holy man ,lot3 ,the story of ,lot's incest with his daughters1 as set forth in ,genesis 7chap4 xix471 is both immodest and disgusting4 #d4 ,rachel and ,bilhah3 ,the tea-table talk of ,jacob and ,rachel1 about the act of ,jacob in seducing their maid-servant ,bilhah1 must be morally repulsive to all only ,bible believers4 #e4 ,the story of ,leah and ,zilpah is not much better4 7,see ,gen4 xxx47 #f4 ,the bargain between ,leah and ,rachel about ,reuben's mandrakes 7,gen4 xxx47 is too immodest to relate or contemplate4 #g4 ,jacob's trick of using peeled sticks and poplar-trees among his cattle is something more than a descent from the sublime to the ridiculous4 ,and were it not deemed divine revelation1 heavenly instruction1 it would have been left out 7,gen4 xxx474 #h4 ,the account of ,rachel's stealing her father's images1 and then telling an indecent falsehood to hide it1 is not very suitable for a ,holy ,book 7,gen4 xxxi474 #i4 ,the story of the defilement of ,dinah we will not attempt to describe1 as we can not do it without offending decency4 7,see ,gen4 xxxiv47 #aj4 ,the story of ,reuben and ,bilhah1 in the next chapter1 may be instructive to the pious1 but is not so to persons of refined taste4 #aa4 ,if you read the narratives of ,judah1 ,onan1 and ,tamar1 as related in the thirty-eighth chapter of ,genesis1 for humanity's sake keep it out of the hands of your children1 and use your influence to prevent its circulation among the heathen2 for it must have the effect to sink them still deeper in moral depravity and mental degradation4 #ab4 ,the disgusting story of ,absalom's familiarity with his father's concubines1 as related 7#b ,sam4 xvi4 #cb71 is so disgusting1 that we will barely allude to it4 ,having referred to twelve cases more1 we shall pursue the repulsive subject no further1 except merely to indicate the chapter and verse where a long list of such cases may be found and examined by those who may need more evidence that the ,bible is an obscene book1 not fit to be read in decent society4 #ac4 ,vulgar language is used in representing men as acting like dogs4 7,see #b ,kings ix4 #h47 #ad4 ,job describes disgusting conduct toward a woman 7,job xxxi4 #i74 #ae4 ,solomon's ,song of ,songs contains much that is obscene language from the first to the eighth chapter4 #af4 ,isaiah makes revolting suggestions relative to stripping women4 7,see ,isa4 xxxii4 #b47 #ag4 ,ezekiel is represented as eating disgusting food 7dung7 7,ezek4 iv4 #ab74 #ah4 ,jehovah's command to ,hosea to marry a harlot is of immoral tendency4 #ai4 ,isaiah frequently makes use of vulgar language4 ,one case may be found in chap4 lxvi4 #c4 #bj4 ,another case in ,hosea1 describing horrible treatment of women and children4 7,see chap4 xiii4 #af47 #ba4 ,the conduct of ,sechem towards certain women1 as told in ,gen4 xxxiv4 #d1 is loathsome4 #bb4 ,the conduct of parents toward their daughters1 as described in ,deut4 xxii4 #ae1 and as enjoined by the ,mosaic law1 is disgusting and shocking in the extreme4 #bc4 ,and language no less disgusting1 relative to the treatment of men1 as prescribed by law1 is found in ,deut4 xxiii4 #bd4 ,the account of ,paul's conversion1 as described in ,acts ix41 is extremely vulgar4 ,the above-cited cases are mere samples of hundreds of similar ones to be found in ,god's ,holy ,book in the use of indecent language1 calculated to make any person blush to read in private1 much more if read in public4 ,indeed1 no person dare read them to a company of decent people4 ,look1 then1 how the case stands4 ,look at the mortifying condition in which every devout ,bible believer in ,christendom is placed4 ,here is a book which1 it is claimed1 emanated from a pure and holy being2 which contains so many passages couched in such obscene and offensive language1 that any person who attempts to read the book to a company must be constantly and critically on his guard1 and is liable to be kept in a state of fearful anxiety 7as the writer knows by his own experience71 lest he stumble on some of these offensive texts4 ,what an uncomfortable situation to be placed in when reading a book which is claimed to be perfect in every respect6 ,we have seen a ,bible class in school stopped suddenly by the teacher1 with orders to close their ,bibles1 because he had observed1 by looking ahead1 that the chapter contained language which would bring a blush to every cheek if read4 ,in the same school we saw a modest boy1 of refined feelings1 burst into tears because he was required to read to the school a certain passage in the account of the conversion of ,paul4 ,the teacher being a devout ,christian1 whose piety overruled his decorum1 attempted to enforce the reading by a threat of punishment1 but failed4 ,we have also seen the offer of one hundred dollars' reward1 standing in a paper for a considerable time to any person who would read a dozen texts to a company of ladies1 which the gentleman offering the reward might select1 but no person dared to disgrace himself by accepting the offer4 ,and what is the moral1 or lesson1 taught by these things8 ,why1 that the ,bible is a very unsuitable book for a refined nation of people to read habitually1 or for a morally elevated and enlightened age of the world1 though it was probably adapted to the age and to the people for which it was written4 ,they had not attained to the present standard of morality and refinement4 ,we cherish no disposition to censure them4 ,they were probably honest1 and lived up to their highest idea of right4 ,if anybody deserves censure in the case1 it is the professedly enlightened ,christians of the present age for going back to a savage1 unenlightened age and nation for their religion and morals4 ,a ,,partial ,,list ,,of ,,the ,,obscene ,,passages ,,of ,,the ,,bible4 ,the following figures point to texts1 many of which are too vulgar to be described in any kind of language3-- ,gen4 xvii4 #b1 very disgusting2 xix4 #h1 #cc1 #ce1 a shocking case2 xx4 #ah2 xxv4 #bc1 disgusting2 xxx4 #c1 very obscene2 xxx4 #ae1af2 xxxi4 #ab2 xxxiv4 #b1 #g1 #af1 #bb2 xxxviii4 #i1 loathsome2 xxxviii4 #bi2 lix4 #be2 ,exod4 #a4af2 xix4 #ae2 xx4 #b2 xxii4 #aj2 xxxiv4 #ae1 #af2 ,lev4 xii4 #ae2 xviii4 #g1 #ai1 #bj1 #bb1 #bc1 #bd2 xxi4 #g1 #bj1 extremely vulgar2 ,num4 xiv4 #cc2 xix4 #f1 disgusting2 xxv4 #a2 xxxi4 #ce2 ,deut4 xxi4 #aa2 xxii4 #ae1 #ba2 xxii4 #bb1 #bc1 #be2 xxiii4 #a1 very disgusting2 xxiii4 #ac1 #ag1 #ah2 xxv4 #e1 #g1 #aj2 xxxi4 #af2 ,judg4 xi4 #cg2 xix4 #b1 #be2 ,ruth i4 #aa1 #ab2 iii42 iv4 #ac2 #b ,sam4 vi4 #bj1 #bb2 vii4 #ab2 xi4 #d1 #aa2 xii4 #aa1 #ab1 very disgusting2 xiii4 #aa1 #ab1 #ad1 #bj1 #bb1 #bc2 #a ,kings i4 #d2 iii4 #af1 #ag1 #bf2 xi4 #c2 xvi4 #aa1 very filthy2 xxi4 #ba2 #b ,kings xviii4 #bg1 very filthy2 #b ,chron4 xxi4 #ac1 #ae2 ,esth4 ii4 #ab1 #ad2 ,job iii4 #aj2 xvi4 #ae2 xxi4 #bd2 xxxi4 #aj1 very disgusting1 and #ae2 xxxii4 #ai2 xi4 #af2 ,ps4 xxii4 #aj2 xlviii4 #f2 cxxxix4 #ac2 ,prov4 xxiii4 #bg2 xxx4 #af1ai2 ,eccles4 iv4 #aa2 xi4 #e2 ,sol4 #a4 #ac2 ,iii4 #a2 vi4 #h2 vii4 #b1 #c2 viii4 #h2 ,isa4 iii4 #ag2 xxvi4 #ag1 very nasty2 xlvii4 #b2 xlix41 very obscene2 xlvi4 #g2 ,jer4 ii4 #bj2 iii4 #a1 #b1 #f1 #i1 very filthy1 and #ac2 iv4 #ca2 xiiii4 #bg2 xiv4 #ag2 xvi4 #c1 #d2 xxix4 #h2 xxx4 #f2 xxxi4 #h1 #bg2 ,lam4 ii4#ac2 vii42 ,ezek4 iv4 #ae1 #af1 #ag1 #ah1 #ai1 #bj1 #ba1 #bb1 #be1 #bh1 #cc1 #ce2 xviii4 #f2 xix4 #b2 xxii4 #aa2 xxiii4 #b1 #c1 #e1 #g1 #h1 #aj1 #aa1 #ad1 #ag1 #ah1 #ai1 #bj1 #ba1 #bi1 #dc2 xliv4 #be2 ,hos4 i4 #b2 ii4 #b1 #d1 #e2 iv4 #ad1 #ah2 vii4 #d3 ix4 #a1ad2 ,mic4 #a1 #b2 iv4 #aj2 ,nah4 iii4 #d2 ,hab4 ii4 #af2 #b ,esd4 viii4 #h2 ix4 #dc2 xvi4 #ch1 #di2 ,jud4 ix4 #b2 ,wisd4 of ,sol4 iii4 #ac2 iv4 #f2 ,ecclus4 xx4 #d2 xxvi4 #i2 xxxviii4 #be2 xiii4 #aj2 ,bar4 vi4 #bi2 #b ,macc4 vi4 #d2 ,matt4 #a4 #be2 xxiv4 #ai2 xxv4 #aj2 ,luke i4 #ae1 #bd1 #ca1 #cf1 #da1 #dd1 #di2 ii4 #f1 #g1 #bc2 xi4 #bg2 ,john xvi4 #ba2 ,acts ii4 #cj2 ,rom4 i4 #bf1bg2 iii4#bc2 #a ,cor4 vii4 #a2 #b ,cor4 vi4 #ab2 ,heb4 xi4 #aa2 #b ,pet ii4 #b2 ,rev4 xii4 #b2 xvii4 #a2 xviii4 #d4 ,,chapter ,,xxiv4--,,circumcision ,a ,,heathen ,,custom4 ,i4 ,circumcision is a very ancient rite1 and of heathen origin1 though we are told in ,genesis that it was a command of ,god to ,abraham2 and it was nationalized by ,moses4 ,it was considered by the ,jews a very important religious rite1 and has been practiced by them from their earliest history4 ,so highly was this ordinance esteemed amongst them1 that it was in some cases performed twice4 ,according to ,herodotus and ,diodorus1 instead of the ,jews getting the command direct from ,god1 they borrowed the custom of the ,assyrians2 and ,josephus silently assents to its truth2 and ,j4 ,g4 ,wilkinson says1 ,it was established in ,egypt long before ,joseph was sold into that country1 which furnishes evidence of its existence before the time of ,moses4 ,among the ,jews this rite was performed on the eighth day after birth3 all converts to their religion1 and all servants1 had to submit to the ordinance4 ,jerome says that in his day a majority of the ,idumans1 ,moabites1 ,ammonites1 and ,ishmaelites were circumcised4 ,the ancient ,phoenicians also observed this rite1 and the aboriginal ,mexicans likewise4 ,the ,mahomedans also practice it2 and1 although the ,koran does not enjoin it1 it has been practiced wherever that religion has been adopted4 ,the rite is performed on both sexes in ,arabia4 ,this rite was practiced by the early ,christians4 ,even the wise ,paul gave practical sanction to this ordinance in the case of ,timothy4 ,the ,coptic and ,abyssinian ,christian churches still observe the custom4 ,a circumcision festival was established in the ,church1 and kept on the #ast of ,january in commemoration of the circumcision of ,jesus4 ,the toleration of this rite by the ,jews and ,christians shows that they were dwelling on the animal plane1--that they had not risen to that high state of spirituality which would lead them to abandon such heathenish ordinances and customs4 ,it is so repulsive to refined society1 that some civilized nations have enacted laws interdicting the custom4 ,yes1 this senseless1 cruel1 heathenish rite has to some extent been abandoned1 and must ere long entirely disappear from the earth4 ,it can not withstand the lights of science and civilization3 it is a childish1 senseless1 obscene1 vulgar1 heathenish1 cruel1 and disgusting superstition4 ,,ii4 ,,fasting ,,and ,,feasting4 ,a total ignorance of the laws of health is indicated as existing amongst the disciples of all the ancient religions by the alternate extremes of fasting and feasting4 ,the latter is injurious to health1 and the former1 also1 if long continued1 as was frequently the case4 ,but the subject of health did not occupy the minds of religious enthusiasts4 ,they knew nothing of the laws of health1 and cared less if possible4 ,fasting is reported1 ,in some cases1 as extending to an incredible period of time1 continuing in some cases for months4 ,hindoos often fasted for a week1 and in some cases1 if reports are time1 for several weeks4 ,pythagoras of ,greece fasted1 it is said1 forty days4 ,both the fasts and the feasts were generally held to signalize or celebrate some astronomical epoch2 such as the changes of the moon1 changes in the seasons1 c4 ,the ancient representatives of the ,christian faith were much given to fasting1 as were also some of the ,jews2 but1 at the present day1 ,christians1 with others1 are more addicted to feasting than fasting1 although fasting is enjoined by the ,bible both by precept and practice4 ,in this respect modern ,christianity bears no resemblance to ancient ,christianity4 ,,chapter ,,xxv4--,,holy ,,mountains1 ,,lands1 ,,cities1 ,,and ,,rivers4 ,i4 ,,holy ,,mountains4 ,those who have read the ,christian ,bible are familiar with the fact that the ancient ,jews and early ,christians had their holy mounts and holy mountains1 and that they are often referred to in the ,bible4 ,mount ,sinai and ,mount ,horeb were to the ,jews consecrated spots4 ,they called forth their highest feelings of veneration2 they occupied a place in their devout meditations1 similar to that of heaven in the mind of the ,christian worshiper4 ,it may be said to have been a substitute for heaven with the ,jews2 for they knew no other heaven1 and dreamed of no other in their earlier history4 ,and ,mount ,zion was a place equally sacred in the devout meditations of the early ,christians4 ,all the ,oriental nations had their holy mountains before the ,jews were known to history3 ,merau was the holy mount of the ancient ,hindoos2 ,olympus1 of the ,greeks2 ,athos1 of the ,egyptians4 ,it is therefore evident that the founders of the ,christian religion borrowed the idea of attaching sacredness to mountains4 ,several of ,christ's important acts were represented as having been performed on mountains4 ,his sermon was delivered on a mount2 his march into ,jerusalem was from the ,mount of ,olives4 ,luke says he went and abode in the ,mount of ,olives 7xxi4 #hg74 ,the ,devil took him up into an exceeding high mountain1 and showed him all the kingdoms of the world2 and1 finally1 his earthly career culminated on ,mount ,calvary4 ,holy hill1 holy mount1 and holy mountain--the most important of which was ,mount ,zion--are terms often used in the ,old ,testament4 ,history discloses very fully the origin of the custom of attaching sacredness to hills and mountains4 ,one writer says it was partly from the conviction1 that1 the higher the earth ascends1 the nearer it approaches the residence of the ,gods2 and consequently they would the more certainly hear the prayers and invocations of mortals4 ,prophets1 seers1 and anchorites were accustomed1 from these considerations1 to spend much time on the hills and mountains4 ,in view of these facts1 we may conclude that all persons acquainted with history will acknowledge that the ,jews and ,christians derived the tradition of regarding hills and mountains as holy from the ,orientals1 and that it is consequently a heathen tradition4 ,,ii4 ,,holy ,,lands ,,and ,,holy ,,cities4 ,jerusalem was the principal holy city of both ,jews and ,christians2 and ,palestine was their holy land44 ,here1 again1 we find them anticipated by heathen nations4 ,thebes was the holy city of ,egypt1 ,ida the holy city of ,india1 ,rome the holy city of the ,greeks and ,romans1 ,mecca the holy city of the ,mahomedans4 ,and1 like the early ,christians who spent much time in visiting ,jerusalem1 the ,mahomedans make frequent pilgrimages to ,mecca4 ,syria was the holy land of the ,chaldeans and ,persians1 ,wisdom the holy land of the ,hindoos1 and ,benares the principal holy city4 ,and these holy places they visited very frequently1 going in large companies1 singing hymns1 and reciting texts from their holy books as they traveled4 ,and ,christians in the time of ,constantine spent much time in traveling to and from ,jerusalem and the ,holy ,land1 prompted by the same superstitious notions and feelings4 ,here we observe another analogy in the religious customs of the ,jews1 ,christians1 and heathens1 all of which were derived from ancient ,india4 ,,iii4 ,,holy ,,rivers ,,and ,,holy ,,water4 ,holy rivers were quite numerous among the devotees of the ancient religions4 ,ganges1 in ,india1 appears to have been the first river invested with the title of holy4 ,its waters were used for the rite of baptism1 and were supposed to impart a spiritual life to the subject of immersion4 ,jordan and the ,euphrates were regarded as sacred by the ,jews1 and the former was the chosen stream for the rite of baptism by that nation44 ,even ,christ appears to have believed he could receive some spiritual benefit by being dipped beneath its waves4 ,the ,nile was a sacred river in ,egypt1 and many repaired to it for spiritual benefit4 ,thus the origin of holy rivers and holy waters is plainly indicated to be of heathen origin4 ,,chapter ,,xxvi4--,,bible ,,characters4 ,i4 ,,character ,,of ,,jehovah4 ,the ,old ,testament is principally a history of the ,jews and their ,god ,jehovah1--a narrative of their trials1 troubles1 treachery1 quarrels1 and faithless dealings toward each other4 ,no other ,god ever had so much trouble with his people2 and no other nation ever showed so little respect for their ,god1 or so little disposition to obey him1 or live up to his commands4 ,there appears to have been almost a natural antipathy between them2 so that they were constantly repelling each other4 ,the relationship appears to have been a forced one1 possessing but few of the adhesive ties of friendship4 ,both parties were apparently happier when separated1 as they were several times1--on one occasion for a long period 7,lam4 v4 #bj74 ,and yet1 according to the biblical history of the case1 they got along as well1 were as moral and as happy1 as when their ,god was with them4 ,hence it is evident1 if he had never returned1 they would have sustained no serious loss or disadvantage in any way4 ,the case furnishes an argument in favor of that class of people who are frequently denounced by the priesthood for living without ,god in the world4 ,if ,god's own people could get along without him1 why can not men and women of this intelligent age8 ,and the reason he assigns for remaining with them as much as he did shows it was not from natural affinity or affection for them1 but because he had promised to do so4 ,did he not know that a bad promise is better broken than kept8 ,another circumstance which implies that ,jehovah cherished but little respect for his people1 and cared but little about them1 is that1 from his neglect 7as it seems most natural to attribute it to this cause71 they were literally broken up while he was apparently with them4 ,one portion of them fell into the hands of ,shalmaneser1 ,king of ,assyria1 and the other portion into the hands of ,nebuchadnezzar1 ,king of ,babylon2 and they were never able to regain their political power as a nation afterwards4 ,and1 to cap the climax1 ten out of the twelve tribes were lost entirely1 thus leaving ,jehovah almost childless1 and destitute of worshipers4 ,and a search for them for several thousand years has failed to bring them to light4 ,this circumstance is entirely irreconcilable with the idea that the ,jews were the special favorites of ,god4 ,indeed1 it prostrates the assumption entirely beyond defense4 ,it proves1 also1 that ,jehovah's promise never to leave or forsake them was not adhered to4 7,see #a ,sam4 xii4 #bb47 ,and the language and conduct of the ,god of the ,jews on several occasions imply that1 if he ever did make choice of them as his pets1 he was disappointed in them1 and repented of the act4 ,when he exclaimed1 ,i have nourished and brought up children1 and they have rebelled against me 7,isa4 i4 #b71 he virtually confesses he had been short-sighted1 or that he had erred in judgment in selecting the ,jews as special favorites4 ,certainly this is the language of vexation and disappointment1 and want of judgment or foresight4 #b4 ,we are told he hated his own heritage 7,jer4 xii4 #h74 ,here is evinced again a feeling of hatred1 vexation1 and disappointment1 that no sensible being should manifest1 much less a ,god4 #c4 ,he gathered unto him the children of ,ammon and ,amalek1 and went and smote ,israel 7,judg4 iii4 #ac74 ,this was a traitorous act1 calculated to discredit any being4 ,hence it could not have been the act of an all-wise and benevolent ,god4 ,think of such a being getting into a squabble with his own children1 and having to invoke the aid of heathen tribes to subdue them1 and get him out of the difficulty6 ,one day he heads an army composed of his peculiar people to fight the heathen1 with the avowed determination to exterminate them1 and leave nothing alive that breathes1 ,the next day he gets out of patience with their stubbornness and iniquity2 his fury gets up to fever heat2 and he traitorously abandons them1 and joins those same enemies to fight them1 and reduce them to slavery4 ,it is scarcely necessary to say we do not believe such a ,god ever existed1 excepting in the imagination of ignorant people4 #d4 ,again3 ,jehovah is represented as selling his people several times to the neighboring heathen tribes1 which again leads to the conclusion that he was disappointed in them1 tired of them1 and wished to get rid of them4 ,he sold them once to ,jaban1 ,king of ,canan 7,judg4 iv4 #b71 and twice to the ,philistines4 ,wonder what he got1 and what he did with the money6 ,the first time he sold them to the ,philistines1 he told them he never would deliver them again3 but he seems either to have forgotten his promise1 or forgot there is a moral obligation to stick to the truth2 for he delivered them several times after that1 if his own biographer and inspired writer tells the truth4 ,here is more evidence that he is fickle-minded and unreliable1 or that the ,bible writers have misrepresented his character4 #e4 ,if we could assume there is any truth in the ,bible history of ,jehovah1 we should not wonder that the ,jews preferred worshiping a golden calf to paying their devotions to such a ,god1 and1 on the other hand1 it is not surprising that he should manifest his displeasure toward them1 and frequently steal away from them1 and often confess grief1 vexation1 and regret for having made choice of such an ignorant1 rebellious set of rambling nomads1 who subsisted by war and plunder4 #f4 ,jehovah's jealousy of other ,gods which he so frequently manifested and so often confessed1 and which is one of the most objectionable traits of his character1 must be attributed to his own moral defects2 for he acted in such a manner as to cause his own people to prefer other ,gods to him4 ,he frequently scolded and punished them for worshiping other ,gods1--a circumstance which furnishes evidence that other ,gods were better1 and therefore more worthy of being worshiped4 ,what else could have caused them to prefer other other ,gods4 ,he should have acted in such a loving and fatherly manner that other ,gods could not have been more venerated and sought after4 ,then he would not have been so often vexed1 harassed1 and perplexed at the idolatrous proclivities of his worshipers1 and so often resorted to retaliation by forsaking them1 selling them1 enslaving them1 or delivering them into the hands of the spoiler6 ,in ,judges ii4 #ad1 it is declared1 ,the ,lord delivered them into the hands of the spoiler2 and1 in ,judges vi4 #a1 we are told he delivered them into the hands of ,midian for seven years4 ,this looks like an attempt to spoil his own plans1 and to falsify his own promises to be with them1 and protect them at all times4 #g4 ,much of ,jehovah's dealings with his people seemed to be by way of experiment1 as in the case of trying ,abraham's faith by requiring him to offer up his son4 ,what an idea for an allwise and omnipotent ,god1 or whom it is said1 ,known unto him are all his works6 #h4 ,but many circumstances prove that ,jehovah was not the ,god of the universe1 but only a family or national ,god4 #a4 ,his acknowledgment of the existence of other ,gods 7,deut4 vi4 #ad74 #b4 ,his jealousy of other ,gods 7,exod4 xxxiv4 #ad74 #c4 ,his traveling on foot1 lodging in tents1 having his feet washed1 eating veal and cakes 7,gen4 xviii471 c41 all tend to prove this4 #d4 ,and the fact that he could not know what was going on in other nations1 and not even his own until he visited the spot in person 7as in the case of the ,tower of ,babel71 is proof he was not the ,god of the universe4 #i4 ,we can not concede that the ,creator of unnumbered worlds is 7like ,jehovah7 an angry1 malevolent being1 addicted to feelings of revenge and retaliation1 which seemed to banish the feeling of love and goodness entirely from his mind1 and who is represented as being frequently thwarted in his designs and purposes by the caprices of his weak and ignorant children1 who1 so far from answering his expectations of being the best1 turned out to be the worst1 of his human heritage4 ,such ideas would be derogatory to ,deity4 ,and this is the ,god the ,american ,christian ,alliance are trying to obtain a recognition of in the ,constitution of the ,united ,states4 ,what a moral calamity such a step would be6 ,,chapter ,,xxvii4--,,character ,,of ,,god',s ,,holy ,,people1 ,,the ,,jews4 ,as the ,jews are reputedly the chosen people of ,god1--chosen by him out of all the nations of the earth to be the special recipients of his favors1--the chosen instruments through which to communicate his will and his laws to the whole human race1 and chosen to be a moral example for all mankind1 for that age1 and for all future generations1--it becomes a matter of great importance to know their real character for morality1 for intelligence1 for honesty1 and for reliability4 ,and that we may1 in the effort to present a brief sketch of their character1 furnish no ground for suspecting any misrepresentation1 we will present it in the language of ,jewish and ,christian writers of established reputation4 ,it may reasonably be presumed that their own writers would be more likely to overrate than underrate their virtues4 ,hear1 then1 what one of their leading prophets says of them4 ,isaiah thus describes them 7,isa4 lix473 ,their hands are defiled with blood1 and their fingers with iniquity2 and their lips speak lies2 their tongues mutter perverseness4 ,none of them call for justice2 none of them plead for truth4 ,they trust in vanity1 and speak lies2 they conceive mischief1 and bring forth iniquity1 and the act of violence is in their hand4 ,their feet run to evil1 and they make haste to shed innocent blood4 ,their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity2 wasting and destruction are in their paths4 ,such is a description of ,god's holy people by one of their number4 ,and ,david completes the picture by declaring1 ,there is none righteous2 no1 not one4 ,and ,christ calls them a generation of vipers4 ,rather a shocking picture of ,god's peculiar people6 ,peculiar they were1 if ,isaiah's description of them was true1--peculiar for defective character4 ,it is rather strange that ,jehovah should have selected such moral outlaws as lawgivers and moral examples for the whole human race4 ,there were1 at the time1 several nations superior to the ,jews in morals and intelligence1 and much farther advanced in civilization4 ,the ,greeks1 ,egyptians1 ,chaldeans1 and a portion of the ,hindoos were in advance of the ,jews4 ,the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,hilliard1 in a sermon preached in ,new ,york in #ahfa1 says of the ,jews1 ,they were by nature1 perhaps1 the most cruel and blood-thirsty1 as well as idolatrous1 people in the world4 ,and yet he says in the same sermon1 that the ,lord chose the ,israelites because of their adaptedness of character to the carrying out of his divine ends of mercy to the race4 ,what cogent reasoning6 ,why not select the ,devil at once1 if beings the most cruel and blood-thirsty were best calculated for carrying out his divine ends of mercy to the race8 ,here is more proof of the evil effects of preaching1 or adhering to1 a religion which is so full of errors1 absurdities1 and immoral elements1 that it blinds the moral vision1 and weakens the reasoning faculties to give it a place in the mind1 and leads to a system of false reasoning1 and often corrupts the natural judgment4 ,we have more orthodox testimony to show the defective morals of the ,lord's chosen people4 ,dr4 ,burnet 7a ,christian writer71 in his ,archologia ,philosophie1 says1 ,they were of a gross and sluggish nature1 not qualified for the contemplation of natural things1 nor the perception of divine ones4 ,and consequently1 he tells us1 ,moses provided nothing for them of an intellectual nature1 and promised them nothing beyond this life1--did not teach a future state of existence4 ,lactantius says1 ,they were never visited by the learned men of other countries1 because they were never famous for literature4 ,st4 ,cyril says1 ,moses never attempted to philosophize with the ,jews1 because they were 'grossly ignorant1' and addicted to idolatry4 ,dr4 ,burnet further says1 ,they were depraved in their manners and discipline1 and almost bereaved of humanity4 ,if ,i may speak the truth1444 they were a vile company of men1--an assembly of slaves brought out of ,egyptian prisons1 who understood no art but that of making bricks4 ,josephus1 being a ,jew1 was their friend and defender2 and yet he says1 ,they were so illiterate1 that they never wrote any thing1 or held intercourse with the learned4 ,st4 ,cyril says1 ,some of them adored the sun as a deity2 others1 the moon and stars2 and others1 beasts1 and birds4 ,one writer says1 ,they hated all nations1 and were hated by all nations1 and they seemed determined to exterminate all nations but their own4 ,they might also have used the language of an ancient ,christian sect1 who declared1 ,we are the friends of ,god1 and the enemies of all mankind4 ,lot it be borne in mind that the testimonies here cited are not from infidel writers1 but all from ,jews and ,christians1 who1 we should presume1 could have no motive for exaggerating their moral defects1 but rather inducements for concealing them4 ,other similar testimony might be presented4 ,some of the laws which ,moses adopted for the government of the ,jews corroborates still further the statement that they occupied a very low position in the scale of morals as well as intellect2 for the laws of a nation are a true standard of their character4 ,hence the law of ,moses prohibiting uncleanness 7,lev4 xv471 the law against ,incest 7,lev4 xviii474 ,laws against bestiality1 to prohibit both sexes from carnal familiarity with beasts1 and various other laws of a similar character1 furnish a clear implication that they were addicted to all these vile habits2 and a law to compel them to wash their hands leads to the conclusion that they were inclined to be filthy in their habits4 ,and the following law shows that they were not very particular about their food3 ,ye may eat the locust after his kind1 and the beetle after his kind1 and the grasshopper after his kind 7,lev4 xi4 #bb74 ,here were three kinds of rather repulsive insects which the ,jews were expected to eat1 at least licensed to use as food4 ,can such a nation be considered to be civilized8 ,if so1 where is a nation now existing that can not1 with equal propriety1 be said to be civilized8 ,this portraiture of the ,jewish character is not here presented in any caviling spirit1 or to show that they are justly objects of either censure or ridicule4 ,far from it4 ,they most probably acted up to the highest light they were in possession of4 ,the primary motive of this exhibition of their character is to show that they possessed no qualifications and no traits of character calculated to fit them for moral lawgivers and moral exemplars for us1 and for the whole human race2 and we can not assume1 without really dishonoring ourselves1 that such a morally and intellectually inferior nation of people were the chosen instruments in the hands of ,god to communicate the revelation of his will to the human family4 ,we are under no moral obligation to believe it4 ,a revelation from a pure1 perfect1 and holy ,god must 7if we assume a revelation necessary7 come through a pure and holy channel3 otherwise it would be contaminated and corrupted before it reached us4 ,if ,god could consent to communicate a revelation to the human race through such a channel as the ,jewish nation furnished1 we see not how he could escape a stigma upon his character for stooping to such ignoble means4 ,and would not the act of familiarizing himself with such a people show that he kept bad company1 and furnish a bad ex-ample to us who are enjoined to be perfect as our ,father in heaven is perfect8 ,,chapter ,,xxviii4--,,character ,,of ,,moses2 ,,moral ,,defects ,,of4 ,the history of ,moses is so intimately and thoroughly inter-blended with that of the ,jews1 that1 to present the character of one1 is to present the character of the other4 ,we shall therefore devote but a brief chapter to a special exposition of his character1 as it will be found fully set forth in the history of the ,jews1 and the practical illustration of their moral character4 ,no religious chieftain ever claimed to be on more intimate terms with ,god1 and no writer ever presented a more dishonorable exhibition of his character4 ,he made ,god the author of nearly every thing he said and did1 no matter how wicked1 how cruel1 how demoralizing1 or how shocking to decency or refined moral sensibilities4 ,if some of his characteristics of ,god are not blasphemous1 we can have but little use for the word4 ,some of his laws serve as an illustration of this statement4 ,he says1 ,the ,lord spake unto ,moses1 and told him that no person with a flat nose or crooked back or broken hand1 a crooked eye1 or who was lame or possessing any kind of a physical blemish1 should be admitted into the congregation of the ,lord 7,lev4 xxi47 ,this was punishing the unfortunate for defects they could not help1 thus aggravating the misfortunes of a class who1 above all others1 had special claims upon his kindness on account of the very defects for which they were excluded4 ,these laws1 and many others no better1 sufficiently illustrate the character of the man4 ,his penal code1 which inflicted death for two hundred acts1 many of them no crime at all 7such as picking up sticks on the sabbath to make a fire to cook their food with71 furnishes conclusive evidence that he was a cruel and unmerciful lawgiver4 ,and the fact that he was almost constantly engaged in a bloody warfare with neighboring nations1 with the avowed determination to exterminate them1 and leave nothing alive that breathes1 simply because they preferred to worship some other ,god than the cruel ,jehovah1 leads to the conclusion that he was a bloody-minded warrior4 ,had ,christ lived under the ,hebrew monarchy1 ,moses' laws would have put him to death2 and yet they both claimed to derive their moral code from the same ,god1 the ,jewish ,jehovah4 ,a circumstance is related of ,moses killing an ,egyptian1 and hiding him in the sand4 ,and it is stated1 ,he looked this way and that way before committing the deed1 and then concealed the dead body4 ,this implies that he felt guilty1 and that it was an act of murder in the first degree4 ,although every chapter of ,moses' history proves him to have been a cruel and bloody-minded barbarian1 with a moral code possessing but a slight exhibition of the elements of mercy1 humanity1 and justice1 yet ,dr4 ,gaussel1 in his ,theopneustia1 calls him a holy and divine man1 and says1 ,he was such a prophet1 that his holy books were placed above all the rest of the ,old ,testament4 ,the doctor furnishes us one of the many cases of the blinding and biasing effect of a perverted religious education1 and an argument in favor of laboring to supersede ,bible religion with something better4 ,here we will notice it as a curious circumstance1 that1 after ,jehovah had occupied but six days in creating eighty-five millions of worlds1 and made most of them in a few hours1 it should have taken him and ,moses both forty days to write a law1 and a very imperfect one at that4 ,and then it would seem it took ,jehovah three thousand years to make a devil1 as his ,satanic ,majesty does not figure in the ,jewish hierarchy till after the lapse of that period4 ,one of the most conspicuous traits in ,moses' mental composition was an unbounded self-esteem4 ,although he claimed to be in constant consultation with ,jehovah1 he seldom yielded to his advice when it conflicted with his own judgment4 ,on the contrary1 he several times detected his ,god in error1 and admonished him1 and entered into an argument to convince him that he was wrong2 and1 of course1 he always came out first best in the logical contest4 ,take1 for example1 the case of ,aaron making the golden calf4 ,it occurred while he and ,jehovah were engaged in writing the holy law on ,mount ,sinai4 ,when the case became known to ,jehovah1 it so disturbed and aggravated him1 that he at once declared he would not only punish the guilty sinner1--the apostate ,aaron1--but would exterminate the whole race4 ,but the better tempered and more considerate ,moses began to reason and remonstrate against such a rash act4 ,he appealed to his honor and love of approbation1 and told him the ,egyptians would report that he was not able to get his holy people to the promised land1 and hence killed them to conceal the failure4 ,oh1 yes1 ,moses1 you are right6 ,i never thought of that1 was the seeming reply of ,jehovah4 ,and thus ,moses proved to be smarter than his ,god1 and enlightened his ignorance4 ,here we will call the attention of the reader to the resemblance between ,moses and the still more ancient ,egyptian ,mises1 or ,bacchus4 ,it is so striking1 that we can not resist the conviction that they were originally closely connected with each other4 #a4 ,bacchus1 like ,moses1 was born in ,egypt4 #b4 ,bacchus1 or ,mises1 was also exposed to danger on the ,river ,nile1 like ,moses4 #c4 ,bacchus lived on a mountain in ,arabia called ,nisas2 ,moses sojourned on ,mount ,sinai in ,arabia4 #d4 ,bacchus passed through the ,red ,sea dry-shod with a multitude of men1 women11 and children1 as ,moses is represented as doing4 #e4 ,bacchus likewise parted the waters of the ,river ,orontes1 as ,moses did those of ,jordan4 #f4 ,bacchus commanded the sun to stand still1 as ,moses' friend ,joshua did4 #g4 ,bacchus1 with his wand1 caused a spring of wine to spring from the earth1 as ,moses did a spring of water to flow from a rock with the rod of ,god1 or the rod of divination4 #h4 ,mises1 like ,moses1 also engraved his laws on tables of stone4 #i4 ,both have been represented in pictures with rays coming out of their heads1 indicative of the light of the sun4 ,thus1 it will be observed1 the resemblance runs through nearly the whole line of their history4 ,that ,bacchus figured in history anterior to the time of ,moses1 no person versed in ,oriental history can doubt1--a fact which impels us to the conclusion that the two stories got mixed before the history of ,moses was written6 ,there is one important chapter in the practical life of ,moses we can not omit to notice before we close his history1 as it furnishes a still fuller illustration of his character4 ,we allude to his deliverance of the ,lord's holy people from ,egyptian bondage4 ,several of the incidents in this narrative are incredibly absurd2 and some of them of such demoralizing tendency1 that it becomes the duty of the moralist to expose them to view4 ,the conduct of his ,god ,jehovah toward the ,king of ,egypt in this case is so repulsive and unjust1 that it must call forth the condemnation of every honest-minded reader possessing a true sense of justice4 #a4 ,we are told that ,jehovah1 through ,moses1 frequently ordered ,pharaoh to let his people go1 and then as often hardened his heart that he should not let them go2 and finally punished him with death because he was unwilling to let them go4 ,it would certainly be difficult to discover any sense or any justice or any consistency in such conduct4 #b4 ,it looks like not only a strange kind of justice1 but monstrous injustice1 for ,jehovah or any ,god to kill a man for doing what he had purposely compelled him to do4 ,live frogs1 lice1 flies1 blood1 vengeance1 and death were poured out upon the king and his subjects1 ostensibly for the purpose of compelling him to liberate the ,jewish nation2 and yet it was morally impossible for him to do so1 because the same ,jehovah had planted in his mind the determination not to let them go4 #c4 ,when ,moses spake to ,pharaoh in the name of ,jehovah to release the ,israelites1 the king asked1 ,who is the ,lord thy ,lord that ,i should obey his voice8 ,here let it be borne in mind that different nations had their own ,gods4 ,and ,moses' ,god is here the same itinerant being who had been rambling about among the bushes1 hunting his lost child 7,adam71 eating griddle-cakes with ,abraham1 wrestling all night with ,jacob1 getting whipped in a fight with the ,canaanites1 c4 ,pharaoh was therefore justified in calling for his credentials4 #d4 ,in nearly all the contests between ,jehovah and other ,gods1 their power is fully admitted2 and their success was only secondary to that of the ,god of ,israel4 ,the question was not1 ,shall ,jehovah succeed1 and other ,gods fail8 but1 ,shall ,jehovah be awarded the first prize in the contest1 and his name stand at the top of the list8 #e4 ,there are many texts in the ,bible which go to show that ,jehovah was jealous of other ,gods1 and perpetually in fear of being outgeneraled by them4 ,ye shall know that ,i am the ,lord1 was the constant burden of his song4 ,in the case before us he is represented as saying to ,pharaoh1 ,in this thou shalt know that ,i am the ,lord 7,exod4 vii4 #ag74 ,it is true you have a ,god1 and he is very smart and powerful2 but he can't come up to me4 #f4 ,jehovah seems to have been actuated by an aspiration for fame and power1 as well as by a sympathy for his people in this contest with ,pharaoh2 for he is represented as saying1 ,i will get me honor upon ,pharaoh and his host 7,exod4 xiv4 #ag74 ,here seems to be displayed a spirit of vanity1 and a thirst for glory1--the aspiration of vain rulers and petty tyrants4 #g4 ,the magicians kept up with ,moses' ,god in the performance of miracles till it came to making lice3 here they failed4 ,we might conjecture it was because all the dust had been already converted into lice by ,jehovah1 were it not that they had previously converted the water into blood just after ,jehovah had performed that miracle1 and left not a pint to drink4 #h4 ,in the achievement of all the ten prodigies1 there is no intimation but that the heathen magicians performed the miracles in the same manner that ,moses did1 and with equal success in most cases and in all the most difficult ones2 thus leaving ,jehovah no laurels worth boasting of4 #i4 ,there must have been a great many thousand honest men and women in ,egypt2 and yet ,jehovah is represented as killing the first-born of all ,egyptian parents without any distinction of character1 or any regard to their innocence2 and even the first-born of beasts also4 ,in the name of justice and mercy1 what sin had the beasts committed that they had to be punished8 #aj4 ,we are somewhat puzzled to see how the magicians could turn all the waters of ,egypt into blood1 when it was already blood1 having been converted into blood a short time before by ,moses and ,jehovah4 #aa4 ,and it seems strange that ,pharaoh should have horses enough for six hundred chosen chariots 7,exod4 xiv4 #g7 after they had all been killed1 three or four times by some of the plagues of ,egypt4 #ab4 ,it is not strange that ,aaron's rod should swallow up the others as represented2 for he had such a start in the business1 and had made such a large serpent1 he had probably used up most of the materials1 and left nothing but scraps for making others4 #ac4 ,the ,christian who can lay down his ,bible after reading such stories as this1 and not feel his natural and instinctive love of honesty1 justice1 and morality weakened1 must be wrongly fortified by nature against moral corruption4 ,,chapter ,,xxix4--,,character ,,of ,,abraham1 ,,moral ,,defects ,,of4 ,a brief history of the father of the ,jewish tribe will tend to illustrate and indicate the character of the whole nation1 as children usually inherit the qualities of their parents4 #a4 ,we will first notice the great promise which ,jehovah made to ,abraham with respect to the boundless extent of his future dominion4 ,his seed were to be as the dust of the earth or the sands of the sea for multitude 7,gen4 xiii4 #af74 ,and how has this promise been fulfilled8 ,why1 after a faithful compliance with the command to multiply and replenish the earth for more than three thousand years1 his whole tribe only numbers about six million souls1 which is less than one in two hundred of the entire population of the globe4 ,it would take but a few handfuls of dust to furnish the particles to represent the number1 instead of all the dust of the earth as promised or predicted4 #b4 ,jehovah promised ,abraham1 in the second place1 all the country from the river of ,egypt to the great river1--the ,river ,euphrates 7,gen4 xv4 #ah74 ,and yet1 after the lapse of three thousand years1 we do not find many occupying a foot of it4 ,another failure to execute his promise4 #c4 ,to thee will ,i give it the promised land1 and to thy seed for ever 7,gen4 xiii4 #ae74 ,it will be observed here1 that the title and possession was to be perpetual1--to the end of the world1 for ever4 ,and yet it has been in the possession of other nations five or six times2 and now not many of the ,lord's holy people can be found there4 ,another signal failure4 #d4 ,jehovah promised ,abraham all the land from the river of ,egypt to the ,river ,euphrates2 but they have never had possession of the country within two hundred miles of the river of ,egypt 7,nile74 ,a writer quaintly suggests that ,jehovah could never have previously seen the country he selected for his holy people1 or he would not have chosen it2 for all modern travelers agree in describing it as being a poor1 mountainous1 rocky1 barren1 and desolate country4 ,one writer says1 ,it is a country of rocks and mountains1 stones1 cliffs1 bounded by vast1 dreary1 and uninhabitable deserts4 ,st4 ,jerome describes it as being the refuse and rubbish of nature4 ,and this is the country1 let it be remembered1 that ,jehovah promised his people as the chosen spot of the earth4 ,how little he knew of geography6 #e4 ,jehovah and ,abraham appear to have been very intimate friends1 as they ate and slept together2 and the ,judge of all the earth was often a guest in the little1 narrow1 mud-built hut of the patriarch to eat veal1 parched corn1 and griddle-cakes with him1 and have his feet washed also by the old man 7,gen4 xviii4 #ah74 ,from such circumstances it would appear that ,jehovah traveled over the country in the character of a foot-pad or tramp1 and got into the mud occasionally4 ,it is strange that ,christians can read their ,bible without noticing this disparaging caricature of their ,god4 #f4 ,abraham's conduct towards his servant-girl ,hagar is both ,i disgraceful and inhuman1 as he first destroyed her character and virtue by criminal intimacy1 and then turned her and her child into the wilderness to starve 7,gen4 xxi474 ,such conduct is certainly very reprehensible4 #g4 ,and this is the man who is represented as being chosen by a ,god of infinite wisdom1 infinite purity1 and infinite holiness1 to stand at the head of the moral regeneration and salvation of the whole human race4 ,such a conception is derogatory to the divine character1 and demoralizing to those who read and believe it4 #h4 ,among other immoral and disgraceful acts of ,god's chosen servant1 the righteous patriarch1 the ,holy man of ,god1 was that of uttering the most shameful and unblushing falsehood4 ,he is charged with intentional lying on two different occasions1 in representing his wife as being his sister1--once to ,pharaoh1 and once to ,king ,abimelech2 and his wife indorsed his falsehood4 7,see ,gen4 chap4 xii4 and xx47 #i4 ,and yet1 in the face of all these immoral deeds1 ,god is represented as saying1 ,abraham kept all my commands1 all my statutes1 and all my laws4 7,see ,gen4 xxvi4 #e47 ,hence the inevitable conclusion that ,abraham was living up to the commands1 statutes1 and laws of ,god1 while committing these crimes and outrages upon humanity4 ,what a moral1 or rather immoral lesson1 is this to place before the heathen of foreign countries1 and the children of our own1 who read the ,bible6 ,it must have a tendency to demoralize them1 and encourage them in the commission of similar crimes1 as certainly as they are beings endowed with human frailties4 ,note these facts4 #aj4 ,and we find other disgraceful1 as well as incredible1 deeds charged to the father of the faithful4 ,the account of the surrender of his manhood1 and the obliteration of every impulse parental feeling required to obtain his consent to butcher his son ,isaac upon the altar1 imparts a humiliating moral lesson 7,gent4 xxii474 ,it matters not that he did not commit the deed4 ,he consented to do it1 and was ready to do it2 which proves a state of mind calculated to make humanity shudder4 ,the ,new-,zealanders have been known to point the missionaries to this example as a justification of their cruel practices of slaughtering human beings4 ,if a father in this age of civilization should do such a thing1 or even attempt it as ,abraham did1 he would be looked upon as a monster in human shape1 or perfectly insane1 even if he should claim that ,god called upon him to perform the act4 ,it would have been infinitely better to disobey such a ,god than to disobey and outrage every parental and kindly im-pulse of his nature4 ,but the case furnishes prima-facie evidence that ,abraham was under a religious delusion in supposing ,god required the performance of such an inhuman deed4 ,to assume that he did would make him more of a demon than a ,god4 ,any man or woman is to be pitied whose education has misled him or her1 and blinded them so that they can not see that the reading of a book teaching such lessons must prove morally injurious to the mind4 #aa4 ,the injunction on ,abraham to slay his son is said to have been imposed upon him to try his faith4 ,his faith in what8 ,i would ask4 ,faith in his own humanity8 faith in his love and affection for his son8 ,nothing of the kind6 but faith in his susceptibility of rendering himself an inhuman monster4 ,let us suppose a father says to his son1 ,richard1 ,i want you to draw a knife1 and cut your brother ,robert's throat2 and afterwards explains the matter by telling him he issued this order to try whether he would obey him4 ,but his son would evince more manhood1 and a better moral character1 by refusing to obey him4 ,it is much better to obey the dictates of conscience1 humanity1 and mercy1 than to obey a father or a ,god in a case like this4 #ab4 ,and ,jehovah is represented as saying1 through an angel1 ,now ,i know that thou fearest ,god 7,gen4 xxii4 #ab72 equivalent to saying1 ,if ,i had not tried this experiment1 ,i should not have known any thing about it4 ,what blind mortals human beings can become1 to suppose that a ,god of infinite wisdom1 who searcheth the hearts of all men1 must resort to cruel and shocking experiments to find out the the state of their minds6 #ac4 ,but the history of the case discloses the fact that it did not effect the end desired1--that of proving ,abraham's faith1--not in the least1 unless we assume that ,abraham lied in the case4 ,for he said to the young men while on the road to the altar1 ,abide here until we myself and son go yonder and worship1 and come again to you4 ,here is evidence that ,abraham knew he would bring his son back alive2 that is1 that ,isaac would return with him1 or that he told a falsehood in order to deceive4 ,the reader can seize which horn of the dilemma he prefers4 ,if he knew what the issue of the case would be1 it would1 of course1 be no trial of his faith whatever4 ,and yet ,paul and other ,new-,testament writers laud the act as being one of great merit and a proof of his faith4 #ad4 ,we must hasten on4 ,we can only give a passing notice of a few other acts of this illustrious patriarch1 in whom all the nations of the earth were to be blessed4 ,jehovah is represented as saying to ,abraham1 on a certain occasion1 ,i will go down now1 and see whether they the ,sodomites have done according to my desire4 ,if not1 ,i will know 7,gen4 xviii4 #ba74 ,this is one of several cases in which the ,judge of' all the earth is represented as abandoning the throne of heaven1 and coming down to learn what was going on below4 ,what a contracted and ignorant being was the ,jewish ,jehovah6 #ae4 ,the mission of ,jehovah at one time1 when he called upon ,abraham1 was to inform him that his gray-headed wife1 approaching a hundred years1 was to be blessed with a son in her old age4 ,has it never occurred to ,bible admirers that this and other similar cases represented the ,almighty1 whom the heaven of heavens can not contain1 as traveling over the country in the character of a fortune-teller1 notifying old women that the laws of nature would be suspended long enough to allow them to be blessed or cursed with the care and perplexity of children in their old age8 #af4 ,it should be noticed that ,abraham's ,god never reproved him for any of his misdeeds2 while1 on the other hand1 the heathen ,king ,abimelech called the man of ,god to account for his moral defects 7,gen4 xx474 #ag4 ,one of the most dishonorable acts recorded in the history of ,abraham's ,god was that of bringing a plague upon ,pharaoh and his household for receiving1 ,abaham's wife1 when it was brought about wholly through his treachery and misrepresentation1 and when it appears that ,pharaoh treated her in the most respectful manner4 #ah4 ,but1 with all these moral stains upon the character of ,abraham1 it becomes a pleasant task to record one good act in his life4 ,he seems to have presented the practical proof that he was a better man than his ,god2 for1 when ,jehovah threatened the destruction of ,sodom for her wickedness1 ,abraham remonstrated1 and suggested that it would be an act of injustice to destroy the righteous with the wicked4 ,it appears that this moral consideration had escaped the mind of ,jehovah4 ,what an inconsiderate1 reckless being ,bible writers represent the ,almighty as being6 #ai4 ,abraham1 according to his history1 was a man of valor1 and achieved some great exploits4 ,for instance1 with the assistance of his regiment of one hundred and eighteen servants1 he chased at one time four great kings1 with their mighty hosts1--the ,king of ,babylon1 the ,king of ,persia1 the ,king of ,pontus1 and the ,king of ,nations 7,gen4 xiv474 ,he drove them1 we are told1 more than a hundred miles1 and recovered his brother ,lot from their grasp4 ,a few such daring heroes could have put down the ,american ,rebellion without a battle4 #bj4 ,we will only observe further1 that this true servant of the ,lord was both a polygamist and an idolater2 at least we have the authority of the ,jewish writer1 ,philo1 for saying that his father was a maker of images1 and that ,abraham worshiped them8 ,such is a brief outline of the character of the man who is held up as an example for us to imitate1 and through whom all the nations of the earth are to be blessed1 and the man who stands at the head of that nation through which1 we are told1 a revelation has been given to the world which is to effect the moral regeneration and salvation of the whole human race4 ,whether the means are adapted to the ends1 the reader is left to judge4 ,,ii4 ,,character ,,of ,,isaac4 #a4 ,in accordance with the adage1 ,like father1 like son1 we find ,isaac carrying out the same spirit of fraud and deception practiced by his father4 ,when the men of the plain asked him about his wife1 he said1 she is my sister 7,gen4 xxvi472 and this man ,isaac was another of the faithful servants of the ,lord4 #b4 ,if the statement is true that the ,lord struck ,ananias and ,sapphira with sudden death for telling a falsehood1 as related in ,acts v41 the question naturally arises1 ,why did ,abraham and ,isaac escape the same fate1 as they were guilty of the same sin8 ,why this partiality8 ,manifestly1 this is a bad lesson in morals4 ,,iii4 ,,character ,,of ,,jacob1 ,,moral ,,defects ,,of4 #a4 ,like father1 like son1 is again verified in the practical life of ,jacob4 ,we find this patriarch excels1 in moral defects1 both his father and his grandfather4 #b4 ,his conduct toward his brother ,esau1 in robbing him of his just and inherited rights1 is an act which stamps an eternal stigma upon his character4 ,when ,jacob's father1 old and blind1 asked him1 ,art thou my son ,esau8 he replied1 ,i am 7,gen4 xxvii4 #bd71 thus telling a base falsehood1 and deceiving his old father2 and this deceptive and underhanded act caused his brother to cry an exceedingly bitter cry 7,gen4 xxvii4 #cd 74 ,what an unfeeling brother was this true servant of the ,lord6 ,it appears that ,isaac and ,jehovah both intended that ,esau should inherit the blessing2 but ,jacob outwitted them by the aid and connivance of his mother4 ,this is but a sample of the character and conduct of the family throughout their whole history4 #c4 ,jacob seems to have entertained very singular and selfish ideas in regard to his religious obligation to serve and worship his ,god4 ,he made it entirely a question of bread and butter1 or1 rather1 of bread and raiment4 ,he proposed to strike up a trade with ,jehovah relative to his future allegiance to his government1 and to fix the terms of the contract himself 7,gen4 xxviii474 ,he kindly and condescendingly told ,jehovah1 that if he would provide him with food and raiment1 and be his constant companion in the future1 then shall the ,lord be my ,god1 and this stone shall be ,god's house2 and ,i will give one-tenth to the ,lord of what he giveth me 7,gen4 xxviii4 #bj74 ,here is the attempt to drive a bargain with ,jehovah on the quid-pro-quo principle4 ,we are not informed how ,jehovah appreciated this kindly offer4 ,this is an unfortunate omission1 as every reader must feel interested in knowing whether he accepted the proposition2 and henceforth he whom the heaven of heavens can not contain took up his abode in the patriarch's little stone hut4 ,we are led to infer1 that1 if ,jehovah refused to accept his terms1 ,jacob would henceforth refuse to be a subject of ,god's kingdom1 and thus bring him to grief4 ,this is a sample of the childish conception entertained by the whole ,jewish nation of the ,god of the universe1 if we may presume their ,god was any thing more than a family or national deity4 #d4 ,the proneness of the ,lord's holy people to falsify1 and deceive is well illustrated in the case of ,laban1 who1 after ,jacob had by a fair contract1 labored seven years for him for his daughter ,rachel1 would not let him have her1 but forced his older daughter ,leah upon him2 and1 when ,jacob complained he told him he must serve seven years more if he got ,rachel2 and his love for her prompted him to accept the terms4 ,but he seems not to have been well compensated for his fourteen long years of toil for these two sisters4 ,their subsequent conduct indicates that he paid dear for the whistle2 and one month's labor ought to have paid for both1 even at ten cents a day1 for they both turned out to be failures4 ,they were1 however1 a fair specimen of the race4 ,rachel stole her father's images2 and1 when pursued and overtaken by him1 she hid them1 and told him a falsehood to conceal the act4 ,the circumstance of her father having images1 and of her stealing them1 is an evidence that both were idolaters 7,gen4 xxxi474 #e4 ,it is easy to see1 from the foregoing facts1 from what source the ,jewish proclivity to idolatry and also to falsehood was derived4 ,the latter was practically manifested by four hundred prophets at one time4 ,it is true the ,lord was charged with putting the lie in their mouths 7#a ,kings xxii4 #bb74 #f4 ,we are told1 that1 on a certain occasion1 the sons of ,jacob answered ,shechem1 and ,hamor his father1 deceitfully 7,gen4 xxxiv4 #ac72 by which it appears the spirit or propensity to fraud and deception was still transmitted to their posterity4 ,,chapter ,,xxx4--,,character ,,of ,,david-,,his ,,numerous ,,crimes4 ,here is one of the illustrious ,bible characters who has been held up to the world for several thousand years as the sweet singer of ,israel1 and the man after ,god's own heart2 whose life is stained by the commission of a long list of crimes of the blackest character1 some of which would send him to the ,state prison for life if committed in this morally enlightened age4 #a4 ,one of his first acts of moral delinquency was that of turning traitor to ,achish1 ,king of ,gath4 ,after the king had kindly given him a rulership over the city of ,ziklag1 he manifested his ingratitude by waging an unprovoked war for plunder upon the king's friends and relatives1 to rob them of their cattle 7#a ,sam4 xxvii474 #b4 ,david1 with an army1 committed a similar act of aggression and spoliation upon the rights and property of ,nabal1 to attain his cattle by robbery 7#a ,sam4 xxv474 #c4 ,david at one time turned traitor to his own nation by joining the army of ,achish to fight them 7#a ,sam4 xxix474 #d4 ,david obtained possession of the kingdom of ,ishboshett by bribery and intrigue1 after acknowledging him to be a righteous man 7#b ,sam4 iii474 #e4 ,david robbed ,mephibosheth1 the son of his bosom-friend ,jonathan1 and a poor cripple1 of one-half of his estate1 upon the plea that might makes right 7#b ,sam4 xvi474 #f4 ,david connived at some of the most abominable and atrocious crimes of his sons 7#b ,sam474 #g4 ,the manner in which ,david obtained his first wife ,michal is shocking to all who possess kind and philanthropic feelings4 ,saul had proposed a hundred foreskins of the ,philistines as the price of his daughter2 but ,david1 in wanton cruelty1 killed two hundred for this purpose4 #h4 ,the manner in which ,david obtained his beautiful wife ,bathsheba1 to add to his list of wives1 might be tolerated in that era of barbarism2 but it must be looked upon at the present time as an act of cruelty and wickedness4 ,he said to ,joab1 ,set ,uriah in the front of the battle444 that he may be smitten and die 7#b ,sam4 xi4 #ae72 which was equivalent to slaying him with his own hands1 and for no crime1 but solely to get his widow for a wife4 #i4 ,thus1 we see1 ,david was not only a polygamist1 but he obtained his wives by fraud1 murder1 and intrigue4 #aj4 ,david's dancing naked in public was an indecent act1 although several cases are reported of the holy men of that age appearing in public in a state of nudity4 ,his wife ,michal upbraided him for uncovering himself to the eyes of the handmaids1 his servants1 as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself 7#b ,sam4 vi474 ,it is said that ,david danced before the ,lord with all his might4 ,can we suppose the ,lord would fancy such sights8 #aa4 ,david's treatment of the ,moabites in killing two-thirds of them without any just provocation is an act that would hang any man of the present day 7#b ,sam4 viii474 #ab4 ,the fiendish act of ,david in placing the ,moabites under saws and harrows of iron1 and under axes of iron1 and making them walk through brick-kilns 7#b ,sam4 xii471 bespeaks a heart callous with cruelty1 unmerciful as a tiger4 ,the very thought of it is calculated to chill the blood of a person with the feelings of common humanity4 #ac4 ,david's murder of five step-sons and two brothers-in-law1 to gratify a malignant grudge toward the house of ,saul1 is another act showing the fiendish character of the man4 #ad4 ,when ,david was so old and stricken in years that no amount of bed-clothing could keep him warm1 he made this a plea for marrying another wife--and a young maid at that--to lie in his bosom him warm 7#a ,kings i4 #a74 ,lust knows no failure in expedients4 #ae4 ,david's advice to his son ,solomon on his death-bed1 to assassinate ,joab and his other enemies1 shows that his ruling passions--animosity and revenge--were strong in death4 #af4 ,and finally ,david's wicked prayer1 as found in the hun-dred and ninth ,psalm1 in which he invokes a string of the most horrid curses upon his enemies1 culminates his immoral history4 ,it completes the demoralizing picture of the man after ,god's own heart4 ,now1 we ask in solemn earnest1 is it not evident that a book indorsing such characters as ,david1 placed in the hands of the heathen of other countries or the children of our own1 must have a demoralizing tendency8 ,most certainly1 if ,franklin was right in saying1 ,the reading of bad examples will make bad morals4 ,remember1 the perpetrator of all these crimes is said to be a man after ,god's own heart4 ,if so1 then ,god must have approved of all his crimes4 ,but such a ,god will not do for this age2 and to teach children and heathen such a lesson is calculated to effect their moral ruin4 ,,ii4 ,,character ,,of ,,solomon4 ,solomon's writings and history both show that he was a libertine1 a tyrant1 and a polygamist4 ,his tyrannical monopoly-of seven hundred wives and three hundred prostitutes1 making him a practica ,free-lover on a large scale1 is an indelible stigma upon his character4 ,it was a usurpation of the rights1 and a trespass upon the liberties1 of nearly two thousand men and women4 ,it prevented them from filling the mission or sphere in life that ,god designed them to enjoy4 ,the organization of the sexes shows they were designed to be husbands and wives and parents4 ,and the nearly equal number of the sexes is an evidence that nearly a thousand men were deprived of wives by ,solomon's monopoly of women2 while1 on the other hand1 those women were prevented from sustaining the true relation of wives4 ,when he could not see those women more than once in three years by calling on one of them each day1 it is a farce1 and an insult to reason1 to call them wives4 ,could a woman sustain the practical relation of wife to a man she only saw as husband once in three years8 ,the very idea is ridiculous1 and a mockery of the true marriage relation4 ,and yet this is the man who is represented as being such a special favorite of ,god as to receive a portion of his divine wisdom4 ,it is a slander1 if any thing can be1 upon ,infinite ,wisdom4 ,by reading his amorous song1 we can learn his motives for enslaving such a large number of women4 ,if this wise man is to be accepted as authority 7and he should be if he got his wisdom directly from ,god71 then we must relinquish all hope of an immortal existence4 ,hear him3 ,for that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth the beasts3444 as the one dieth1 so dieth the other2 yea1 they have all one breath1 so that a man hath no pre-eminence over a beast 7,eccles4 iii4 #ai74 ,here is a plain and unequivocal denial of man's conscious existence beyond the grave4 ,nor does the ,old-,testament writer teach the doctrine4 ,job denies it in still more explicit terms1 if possible4 7,see ,job xiv4 #aj47 ,,iii4 ,,lot ,,and ,,his ,,wife ,,and ,,daughters4 ,the act of ,abram's brother ,lot delivering up his two daughters to the ,sodomites1 to do to them as is good in your eyes 7,gen4 xix4 #h71 must excite reflections in the highest degree revolting to the mind of every father who has daughters4 ,the act of a father voluntarily offering up his virtuous daughters to gratify the depraved passions of a mob is too shocking to contemplate4 ,and to accept such a character as a righteous man must certainly weaken the faith of the ,bible believer in a true system of morality1 and plant in his mind a very low standard of the moral perfections of ,god4 ,we are told 7,gen4 xix4 #bf7 that ,lot's wife was converted into a pillar of salt as a penalty for the simple act of looking back4 ,several absurdities are observable in this story3-- #a4 ,it is difficult to conceive how any sin or crime could be attached to the natural act of turning the head to look in any direction1 especially when no injunction had been laid upon the act4 #b4 ,if there were any thing so inherently wrong in the act of looking back as to be visited with such direful penalties1 pillars of salt would soon become more numerous than frogs were in ,egypt4 #c4 ,reason would suggest that1 to put the thing in shape to be believed by future generations1 the woman should have been converted into some imperishable substance1 such as granite1 gold1 silver1 or pig-iron4 ,a woman made of salt1 or salt of a woman1 would soon dissolve and disappear4 #d4 ,the ,hindoos relate that a woman in ,india was once converted into a pillar of stone for an act of unchastity2 and the stone is there unto this day4 ,here is a story with a better foundation3 the ,egyptians have the tradition of a woman being converted into a tree for the act of plucking some fruit after it had been interdicted4 ,how many of these stories should we credit8 ,,chapter ,,xxxi4--,,character ,,of ,,the ,,jewish ,,prophets4 ,it is a circumstance indicative of the natural moral defects of the ,jewish character1 that their most holy men1 who were assumed to be familiar with the counsels of ,infinite ,wisdom1 and on terms of daily intercourse with ,jehovah1 yet were1 according to their own history1 men of such defective moral habits and moral character as to be unreliable either as examples of moral rectitude1 or with respect to their prophetic utterances4 ,we will here present a brief sketch of the character of the principal prophets1 drawn from their own inspired writings3-- ,the leading prophet ,isaiah says1 ,the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink4 ,they are swallowed up of wine4 ,they are out of the way through strong drink4 ,they err in vision4 ,they stumble in judgment 7,isa4 xxiv4 #g74 ,here is a sweeping charge against all the prophets1--not one of them excepted4 ,if they err in vision 7of course he means spiritual vision71 then what reliance can be placed in their prophecies1 especially if it is true1 as he declares in chap4 ix41 that the prophets teach lies8 ,then we can not confide implicitly in any thing they say4 ,this conclusion1 and also the foregoing portraiture of their character1 is confirmed by ,hosea4 #b2 who says1 in chap4 ix41 that the ,lord will punish the prophets for their sins and their iniquities2 also1 ,the prophet is a snare in all his ways2 the prophet is a fool1 c4 7,hos4 ix4 #g1 #i74 ,micah says that they divined for money1 and made the people err4 ,what confidence1 we ask1 can be placed in men1 either for truthfulness or as moral teachers1 who are thus represented by their own historians and their own friends to be almost destitute of moral principle8 ,each one denounces all the others4 ,the implied meaning in each case seems to be1 ,take my pills1 and beware of counterfeits4 ,zechariah1 who was one of them1 declared the ,lord would drive them all out of the land with the unclean spirits 7,zech4 xiii4 #b74 ,we should not1 however1 be surprised to find them possessing such a character1 when their ,god1 ,jehovah1 is represented as being no better1 and is on the same moral plane4 ,they1 in fact1 make him responsible for all their moral derelictions and sinful acts by representing him as being the author or instigator4 ,if a prophet be deceived1444 ,i the ,lord have deceived that prophet 7,ezek4 xiv4 #i74 ,here the word prophet is used in a general sense1 so as to imply that none are excepted4 ,jeremiah takes ,god at his word when he exclaims1 ,o ,lord1 thou hast deceived me 7,jer4 xx4 #g74 ,here1 it will be observed1 the moral character of ,jehovah and his prophets were all cast in the same imperfect mold4 ,that superstition reigned supreme in the very highest order of the ,jewish minds1 to the exclusion of science1 is shown by some of the wild1 superstitious freaks of the prophets4 ,isaiah traveled through ,egypt and ,ethiopia three years stark naked 7,isa4 xx4 #c74 ,such a disgusting exhibition1 if attempted in this age of civilization1 would terminate in a few hours by the lodgment of the lunatic in the calaboose4 ,jehovah1 it appears1 first prompted the act1 and afterwards spoke approving of it by saying it was performed by my servant ,isaiah 7,isa4 xx4 #c74 ,ezekiel and ,habakkuk both would have us believe that ,god seized them by the hair of the head1 and carried them1--the former1 the distance of eight miles2 and the latter1 three hundred1 miles4 ,how ,jehovah himself traveled while performing this feat of carrying the prophets is not explained4 ,it must have been rather an unpleasant way of traveling1 and must have caused some serious perturbation of mind lest the hair-hold should slip1 and precipitate them to the ground4 ,if this mode of travel could have been continued1 it would have superseded the necessity of railroads4 ,ezekiel1 we are told1 lay three hundred and ninety days on his left side1 and forty days on his right side2 and then1 having swallowed a roll of parchment with the aid of ,jehovah 7,ezek4 iii4 #a71 he was prepared for business4 ,we are not told what was the object in swallowing such a formidable document1 or how he managed to get into his stomach an article having a diameter four times that of his throat4 ,jeremiah wore cords around his neck1 and a yoke on his back 7rather a singular place for a yoke74 ,hosea claimed that ,god commanded him twice to go and marry a whore 7,hos4 i4 ,z74 ,this looks like a connivance at1 if not a tacit indorsement of1 whoredom4 ,ezekiel relates a story about being carried by the hand of the ,lord1 and set down among some old dry bones1 which he proceeded to invest with human flesh and sinews1 and then drew skins over them to hold the flesh and bones together 7,ezek4 xxx vii474 ,having thus manufactured a new supply of the genus homo1 he invoked the four winds to inflate their bodies with breath1 when1 lo6 there stood upon their feet an exceeding great army4 ,we use his own language4 ,here is a story that casts all the wild and weird tales of heathen mythology in the shade4 ,there would have been no necessity for drafting soldiers in the recent ,rebellion if the country could have been blessed with such a creative genius as ,ezekiel4 ,such stories set all logic at defiance4 ,if the first commandment1 ,multiply and replenish the earth1 had been neglected so as to render it necessary to adopt another process for increasing the number of human beings1 certainly a more rational and decent mode might have been invented4 ,we will not relate any more of the curious capers of these inspired men of ,god4 ,some ,christian writers have disposed of such erratic conduct1 and such wild freaks of fancy1 by assuming them to be the garb or metaphor of some great spiritual truth4 ,this is explained by the proverb1 ,necessity is the mother of invention2 but the common mind knows nothing of these inventions of the priesthood to save the credit of the ,bible4 ,hence1 whether true or false1 such an explanation does not destroy the demoralizing influence of such ideas and language upon the public mind2 and then it is derogatory to the character of ,god to assume he would do such senseless and unrighteous things as are related in some of the above cases4 ,we insist that it would be a serious calamity upon the country to make a book containing such moral lessons1 or rather immoral lessons1 the fountain of our laws and the supreme rule of our conduct1 as urged by the ,evangelical ,alliance2 and it is a sorrowful and deplorable circumstance that such a book is circulated among the heathen by the thousand as guides for their moral conduct4 ,we wish they would refuse to accept it1 as the ,japanese have done in the past4 ,,ii4 ,,the ,,prophets ,,elijah ,,and ,,elisha4 ,there are some peculiar features in the history of these two ,hebrew prophets1 for which they seem to merit a special notice4 ,they appear to have been on very familiar terms with ,jehovah2 and the whole machinery of heaven1 we are led to conclude1 was under their control1 with no special reason why they should merit such divine partiality1 as they were not overstocked with practical righteousness4 ,the acts of raising the dead and controlling the elements appear to have been to them very common-place performances4 ,one of ,elijah's greatest miraculous feats was that of shutting up the heavens1 so that there was no dew nor rain for three years 7#a ,kings xvii4 #a74 ,aside from the absolute impossibility of intercepting the action of the laws which control and regulate the entire machinery of the universe1 there are several considerations which render this story wholly incredible4 ,it appears1 from the language used1 that this drought extended over the whole earth1 and all nations must have suffered the direful consequences2 and yet none of their histories allude to it4 ,the absence of rain and dew for three years must have caused the surface of the earth to become dry and parched to a considerable depth1 particularly in the torrid zone4 ,the creeks and rivulets must have been dried up4 ,every spear of grass1 every tree1 every plant1 must have withered and perished2 and all the cattle must have died for want of food and drink2 and the people must have shared the same fate4 ,indeed1 not a living thing could have been left upon the face of the earth where this drought prevailed4 ,and yet no other history makes any allusion to such a calamity2 and a circumstance which renders it more incredible is1 that the moisture which is constantly ascending from the earth could not have been held in the upper strata of the atmosphere for half that period of time4 ,when it ascends and accumulates1 and becomes sufficiently condensed1 it must fall in the shape of rain4 #b4 ,it appears that the prophet himself1 in order to escape the fatal consequences of this terrible visitation of divine wrath1 was instructed to flee1 and hide near the ,brook ,cherith1 which was in the vicinity of ,jordan4 ,here1 we are told1 he was fed by a raven1 which brought him both bread and water4 ,the queries naturally arise here1 ,where did the raven obtain those articles of food8 ,why can not suffering and starvation be prevented at the present day by a similar expedient8 ,why should several millions of human beings have suffered a terrible death by starvation in ,india within a recent period1 if ravens can be employed as messengers of mercy8 ,why should ,god be partial8 ,the preservation of the life of the prophet could not have been of so much more importance1 judging from his subsequent history1 as he achieved but little good afterward2 and1 as nobody claims to have seen the raven but ,elijah1 the case looks a little doubtful4 #c4 ,the next miraculous feat of ,elijah was that of increasing a widow's barrel of meal and cruse of oil after they were nearly exhausted1 so that they lasted for many months4 ,in nearly all such cases we find incredible features1 in addition to the impossibility of performing the act4 ,no reason can be found1 in the history of this case1 for bestowing such miraculous favors upon this woman that would not apply to thousands of women now1 some of them even in a worse state of suffering1 and in greater need of divine aid4 ,it does not appear that the miracle had the effect to convince anybody of the might and power of his ,god1 nor that it was designed to produce such an effect4 ,hence nothing was accomplished by it but the relief of the poor widow's wants1 which was a very good thing2 but1 as we have already remarked1 she had no more claim upon the benevolence and munificence of ,god than thousands of poor widows and others of the present day who receive no such aid4 #d4 ,the prophet performed1 we are told1 another miracle for the benefit of this woman1 though we do not learn that she was more righteous than other women4 ,her son sickened and died 7perhaps the meal was not in a very healthy condition72 and ,elijah restored him to life4 ,if there were any truth in the story1 it could be accounted for by supposing the boy was in a state of catalepsy1 or trance1 as life has been revived in numerous cases in persons in this condition in modern times2 and the conduct of ,elijah furnishes some evidence that he understood it in this light4 ,he took the body into an upper room1 so the performance should not be witnessed by any of the company 7perhaps for fear of being disturbed2 and he was probably apprehensive that they would suspicion1 from his actions1 that the boy was not dead74 ,in fact the narrator does not say he was dead1 but only that the breath had gone out of him2 and this could be said in any case of swooning1 trance1 or catalepsy4 #e4 ,ahab is reported as reproving ,elijah for bringing so much suffering upon the people by the great drought4 ,the reason the prophet assigns for this divine judgment is worthy of note4 ,it was because ,ahab and his subjects worshiped a false ,god 7,baalim74 ,this explains the whole affair4 ,the ,jews were always assuming that those who did not worship as they did worshipers of false ,gods3 but there is no evidence of were this1 and no reason in the assumption4 ,as ,st4 ,john 7i4 #ah7 declares1 ,no man has seen ,god at any time1 it follows that each worshiper1 under every system of religion1 pictures on the form1 size1 shape1 and character of ,god for himself2 and certainly1 other nations had as much right to form their own mental conceptions of ,god as the ,jews had1 and were as likely to form a correct idea of him as they4 ,they could not picture out a worse ,god than ,jehovah4 ,here we have a true explanation of the reason the ,jews were perpetually denouncing and would not subscribe to the ,jewish creed4 ,the ,jews were creed-worshipers4 #f4 ,this conclusion is confirmed by the relation1 in the next contest between the ,god of ,elijah and the ,god of the prophets of ,baal3 ,we are told that ,elijah's ,god could kindle a fire upon the altar1 while theirs could not4 ,here is admitted the existence of other ,gods4 ,the only difference between them is1 ,elijah's ,god was a little smarter4 ,the same thing is aimed to be shown in numerous other contests between ,jehovah and other ,gods4 ,it is merely a trial of skill1 strength1 and knowledge4 #g4 ,and because the ,god of the prophets of ,baal fell a little behind1 and could not quite equal the achievements of ,jehovah1 we are told that ,elijah put the prophets all to death4 ,here is another circumstance tending to show that ,elijah could not have been a true servant of a lust ,god2 for such a ,god would not sanction such cruelty4 ,but the story carries an absurdity upon the face of it4 ,to suppose that four hundred and fifty men would stand quietly1 and submit to be slain by one man single-handed and alone1 without any resistance1 is altogether too incredible to be entertained for a moment4 #h4 ,the next achievement of ,elijah1 after eating a barley cake1 baked on the coals1 and drinking a cruse of water 7#a ,kings xix4 #h71 was to walk forty days and forty nights1 without stopping to eat or sleep4 ,this performance was almost equal to that of the ,hindoo1 ,yalpa1 who walked round the sun in eleven hours4 ,one story is just as credible as the other4 #i4 ,we are told that1 when ,ahaziah1 who succeeded his father making war on other nations3 it was simply because ,ahab upon the throne1 got crippled by falling1 and sent to consult the ,god of ,ekron1 ,elijah1 on hearing of it1 asked why he did not consult the ,god of ,israel 7#b ,kings i4 ,g72 and1 when the king's messengers reported to him what the prophet ,elijah had said1 he sent fifty messengers to the prophet to invite him to come and see him1 that he might consult with him4 ,these messengers treated him very respectfully1 and called him the man of ,god2 but the prophet1 we are told1 instead of complying with the king's request1 called down fire from heaven1 which consumed the whole number4 ,when the king heard of the circumstance1 he sent fifty more messengers1 who shared the same fate1 and were likewise consumed by fire from heaven4 ,an uncivil and very wicked thing for a righteous prophet to do4 #aj4 ,we are told that ,elijah1 in the course of his travels1 came to a stream of water1 and took off his mantle1 and smote it4 ,the water parted hither and thither1 and permitted him to walk in the bottom of the stream4 ,another display of his great miraculous power2 but it is void of truth4 #aa4 ,the last astounding feat reported of this miraculous prophet was that of ascending to heaven in a chariot of fire1 with horses made of the same material4 ,rather a hazardous mode of traveling4 ,this story is contradicted both by the laws of nature1 and the express declaration of the ,bible itself4 ,the former teaches us that the fire would have been extinguished for want of oxygen before he had ascended many miles from the earth2 and the latter declares1 ,flesh and blood can not enter the kingdom of heaven2 and also that no man hath ascended up to heaven but he that came down from heaven1--,christ ,jesus 7,john iii4 #ac74 ,there are several circumstances which render these marvelous achievements of ,elijah wholly incredible1 in addition to their setting aside the laws of nature4 ,we can not learn that any good was accomplished by it4 ,it does not appear that anybody was converted to a life of practical righteousness2 while we must assume that ,god must have had some great purpose in view to cause him to thus set aside and trample under foot his own laws4 ,on the other hand1 a great deal of bad feeling was engendered1 and a great many lives destroyed4 ,and then there is no allusion whatever to these astonishing miracles in any other history4 ,all these circumstances and considerations warrant us in discarding the whole affair1 though ,christian writers attach great importance to it4 ,,the ,,feats ,,or ,,elisha4 ,the marvelous deeds of ,elisha appear to be1 to a considerable extent1 a mere repetition of those of ,elijah4 ,like his predecessor1 he raised a dead child to life1 increased the supply of oil for a widow after it had run short1 and also increased the quantity of good water for the people by a supernatural process1 though not by a shower of rain1 as ,elijah did1 after a three years drought4 ,there is evidently a disposition to imitate and outdo his predecessor3 hence he brings water without the process of rain4 ,there are two or three incidents in his history worthy of notice3-- #a4 ,when ,elijah took his perilous flight heavenward1 and left him alone1 we are told he rent his garments4 ,this act1 although customary among the ,lord's holy people1 was rather an insane way of manifesting his grief4 ,a man in this age doing so would be taken to the insane asylum4 #b4 ,the second performance of ,elisha1 deserving particular notice1 was an act of malignant revenge upon some frolicsome boys reminding him that he was bald-headed4 ,for this simple1 childish1 though rude1 act of calling him bald-head1 we are told he caused two bears to come out of the woods1 and tear forty-two of them to pieces4 ,why the other children escaped this fate1 we are not told4 ,this conduct on the part of the prophet evinces a morose1 cruel1 and revengeful disposition1 instead of a philanthropic and benevolent one1 as we should have expected the ,lord's chosen prophet to manifest4 ,if the story were a credible one1 it would be a stigma upon his character while it stands on the page of history4 #c4 ,there is one circumstance related in the history of ,elisha which seems to indicate that he was a man of rather gross habits4 ,it is stated1 that1 when he killed a yoke of oxen for food1 he boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen1 and gave the people to eat 7#a ,kings xix4 #ba74 ,we infer1 from this lan guage1 that the oxen were thrown into the cooking-vessel whole1 without being skinned or cleaned4 ,it most have been rather a rare dish1 and a tough one also4 #d4 ,we will notice one more remarkable incident in the history of this remarkable prophet4 ,we are told1 that1 as some men were felling some trees on the banks of the ,jordan1 one of them1 by accident1 let his ax fall into the stream4 ,on the case being reported to ,elisha1 he soon relieved the man of his trouble by throwing a stick into the water1 which caused the ax to swim4 ,here is another specimen of the philosophy of the ,christian ,bible4 ,heathen mythology is full of such lawless stories4 ,when the boat in which a ,hindoo was rowing capsized1 and threw his dinner into the ,indus1 a fish was accommodating enough to arrest it in its descent1 and bring it to the surface1 and restore it to the hungry boatman4 ,a very accommodating fish6 as much so as the stick6 ,we will now take a view of the moral bearing of the stories of these great ,god-chosen and ,god-favored prophets1 as one ,christian writer styles them4 ,we must assume that ,god would not suspend the action of those laws which secure order and harmony throughout nature to perform such miracles as these prophets are represented as performing1 unless some great and important end was to be accomplished by it4 ,well1 let us see if this was the result2 if not1 we must assume that these miracles were never performed4 ,according to ,dr4 ,lardner1 miracles were always designed to accomplish some great good1 and generally to remove the skepticism of unbelievers1 and to convince them of the mighty power of ,god4 ,but we do not find that any such effects were produced by any of the miracles here reported4 ,the performance of ,elijah did not convert ,ahab nor ,jezebel1 nor the worshipers of ,baal1 either to the faith or to a life of practical righteousness2 nor did those of ,elisha convert ,naaman2 nor did either of the prophets convert or reform any of the thousands of heathen in the countries through which they traveled4 ,the contemporary kings of ,judah and ,israel still continued in their ungodly course as before4 ,in a word1 nobody was benefited1 nobody reformed1 and no good effected by any of these miracles1 only to a few individuals1 which could have been accommodated in the usual way1--by ordinary means4 ,on the other hand1 bad feelings were engendered1 many lives lost1 and much suffering caused by their miraculous proceedings4 ,we must conclude1 then1 that1 so far as any agency of ,god is claimed in the several cases1 these miracles were never performed2 and we have the negative testimony of history to prove still further that these miracles were never wrought4 ,the history of no other nation mentions them1 not even the three years of drought2 yet ,christ speaks of it1 and indorses it with all its impossibilities and all its bad consequences1 which is an evidence of his ignorance of natural law4 ,as these stories1 by their stultifying absurdities1 do violence to our reason1 and also to our moral faculties1 on account of the cruelty1 injustice1 bloodshed 7for it shows both prophets were murderers71 we hold1 from these considerations1 that the influence of these stories is demoralizing1 and that they should not be put into the hands of the heathen1 as they are every year by the thousand4 ,,chapter ,,xxxii4--,,progressive ,,ideas ,,of ,,deity4 ,,idolatry3 ,,its ,,character1 ,,uses1 ,,harmlessness1 ,,and ,,primary ,,origin4 ,there is no act1 no species1 of human conduct1 nothing recognized as a sin within the lids of the ,christian ,bible1 which is perhaps more fearfully or more frequently condemned1 or denounced with more awful and terrible penalties1 than that of idolatry4 ,those who practiced it are ranked with murderers and liars 7,rev4 xxii4 #ae72 and it is declared1 ,they shall not inherit ,the kingdom of ,god 7#a ,cor4 vi4 #i71 but shall have their portion in the lake of fire and brimstone 7,rev4 xxi4 #h74 ,now1 we propose to bestow a brief examination upon the origin1 character1 and practical moral effect of this ancient practice1 that we may learn the nature of the custom which is thus placed at the head of the list of the acts of human depravity1 and regarded as the blackest and most infamous crime ever perpetrated by sinful man4 ,we find it manifested under various forms1 the original or most primitive aspect of which1 so far as disclosed by the light of history1 is known as ,fetichism1--the worship of inanimate objects4 ,stretching the imagination far away in the rearward of time1--far back along the receding pathway of human history1 over a series of many thousands1 not to say millions1 of years1--we arrive at a period in which man is found occupying a plane of mere animal1 sensorial existence1 connected with which was an imperfect development of perception and reflection4 ,in this era of his mental growth he began to perceive and recognize the motions of objects around him4 ,he observed bright and shining bodies rolling over his head1--one by day1 and ten thousand more by night4 ,at least he observed that they changed positions1--being in one locality in the morning1 and in the opposite direction in the evening4 ,what conclusion from these observations could be more natural1 more childlike 7for1 bear in mind1 this was really the childhood of the race71 or more reasonable1 than that these bodies possessed life1--that they inherently possessed the power of locomotion1 the same ability to move that he did himself1--just as the infant1 now gazing out upon the sky from the lap of its mother1 fancies the darting meteor to be a bird or an animal8 ,wherever the ignorant1 illiterate1 primitive inhabitants of our globe perceived motion1--whether it was displayed in the revolution of the planets1 the falling tree1 or the rippling stream1--there they associated life and motion4 ,and1 soon learning that these adjuncts of nature possessed a power and force superior to that with which they themselves were endowed1 their feelings of awe and veneration were thereby excited2 and to the highest degree their deep in-wrought devotional feelings first found an outlet by bowing in humble acknowledgment to the superior greatness of the shining orbs wheeling in such majestic grandeur along the deep blue sky1 and bidding defiance to all below4 ,this is believed to have been the first form1 the first practical manifestation1 of religious worship1 and the first form or phase of idolatry now denominated ,fetichism4 ,,polytheism4--,,this ,,word ,,is ,,from ,,polus1 ,,many1 ,,and ,,theos1 ,god2 and hence is used to denote a belief in many or several ,gods1 which comprehends the second form and stage of idolatry6 ,we have spoken of the early recognition by the primitive inhabitants of the earth of the motion of the heavenly bodies as giving rise to the belief that they possessed self-constituted life and volition4 ,but1 progressing a step farther1 their attention was turned to motion where there was no visible agent to produce it1--action without a visible actor4 ,the thunder rolled and reverberated along the great archway of heaven1 the winds whistled and moaned through the thick foliage of the trees1 and rushed along the valleys1 oft-times with such violence as to overturn their rude tenements1 and prostrate the towering oak at their feet4 ,yet nothing could be seen of the agent which produced these direful effects4 ,no being1 no agent1 no cause adequate for their production1 was visible4 ,hence they very naturally concluded that they were produced by invisible beings who could wing their way through space without being seen4 ,this assumed discovery soon gave rise to the thought that the stars might be moved by these beings1 instead of possessing1 as they had previously been supposed to do1 an inherent power of motion of their own4 ,and these prime movers of the planets they concluded to be ,gods1 or moving spirits4 ,thus originated the notion of a plurality of ,gods1 each planet having a separate ruling ,deity4 ,and the sun--being greatly superior to1 transcending in magnitude1 light1 power1 and influence1 all the other luminaries1 with their qualities all combined--was1 with the most childlike naturalness1 supposed to be ruled by the chief of the ,gods1 the ,lord of lords and ,king of kings4 ,it was he who1 every morning throwing open the magnificent portals of the ,orient1--the huge golden gates of the eastern horizon1--slowly lifted aloft his stupendous body of light to dispel the deep dark gloom which fur many hours had been spread like a pall over universal nature4 ,it was he who1 plowing his way through the heavens1 despite the mist and clouds piled upon the great highway of his wonted march1 rolled down at eventide the western declivity of the cerulean causeway to give place to ,luna1 queen of night1 realizing that1 ,soon as the evening shades prevail1 ,the moon takes up the wondrous tale2 and that ,ten thousand marshaled stars1 a silver zone1 ,diffuse their blended radiance round the throne4 ,it was this mighty solar orb1 the king of day1 who1 having performed his wonted journey to the south1 returned in early spring to banish the chilling blasts of the drear cold season2 to drive from off the earth the biting frosts and freezing snows of gloom-dispensing winter1 and pour down1 in lieu thereof1 his genial and vivifying rays to waken the flowers2 to call forth vegetation1 and ultimately ripen the golden harvest4 ,in a word1 he dispensed heat1 light1 life1 and blessings innumerable over all the earth4 ,how easy1 how natural1 then1 it was for the untutored savage to conclude that the indwelling or on-dwelling spirit of the sun was the chief of the ,gods1 to whom all the inferior ,deities 7those who presided over the stars7 bowed in humble allegiance1 acknowledging his superior sway1 his right to rule over the boundless universe6 ,the sun1 being thus the great central wheel of all recognized power1--i4e41 the tabernacle or dwelling-place of the supreme1 omnipotent ,god1--became the principal object of admiration and adoration1 the pivot around which clustered their deepest devotional aspirations2 the subordinate ,deities of the planets holding but a second place in their devout contemplations and uprising venerations4 ,the worship of these imaginary beings1 including the ruling and overruling ,god of all1 with his tabernacle pitched in the blazing sun1 is now termed idolatry1 and may be regarded as the second phase or form of this species of worship4 ,hence we may note it as a remarkable circumstance1 that all the principal systems of religion now existing1 as well as most of those which have passed away1 exhibit very strong marks of this ancient solar worship2 and it is more especially remarkable1 that both ,judaism and ,christianity1 with all their exalted claims to a supernatural origin1 should be1 as they seemingly are1 deeply tinctured with this ancient ,sabean or solar worship4 ,distinct traces of it are observable in the whole religious nomenclature of ,christianity4 ,it1 in fact1 pervades the whole system4 ,this declaration is borne out by the fact that nearly every divine epithet1 nearly every name applied to the ,deity in the ,christian scriptures1 including those addressed to ,jesus ,christ1 and also nearly every theological term in both the ,old and ,new ,testaments1 are traceable to the ancient solar worship2 that is1 the words1 when traced to their roots1 or original form1 are found to have been solar titles4 ,we will present some samples by way of proof3 ,the divine title ,lord1 in the ,new ,testament1 is translated from the ,greek ,kuros1 which is the ,persian name for the sun2 ,god is from ,gad1 an ,ammonian name for the sun2 ,jehovah1 by translation and declension1 becomes ,jupiter1 which1 according to ,macrobius1 is the sun itself2 ,deity is from the ,latin ,deus1 which is traceable to dies1 a day1--a period of time measured by the sun2 ,jesus is from ,jes or ,j-es 7with the ,latin termination us71 which means the one great fire of the sun2 and ,christ is derived from ,chris1 a ,chaldean term for the sun2 and so on of other divine titles4 ,and whole phrases of scripture-texts disclose the same idolatrous solar origin4 ,why is ,jesus ,christ called the sun of righteousness8 7spelled s-u-n1 let it be noticed71 as this text1 quoted from ,malachi1 is assumed to apply to him2 and why is the term light1 so frequently used and preferred throughout the ,christian scriptures1 to denote the spiritual condition of man8 ,why are nations1 whose minds are cultivated and stored with knowledge1 said to be enlightened8 ,certainly1 to our external vision1 they are as opaque as the most grossly ignorant barbarians4 ,but they are called enlightened when advanced in knowledge1 simply because all knowledge was once supposed to be imparted by the ,god of the sun through its descending rays of light4 ,hence light and knowledge are now synonymous terms4 ,david says1 ,the ,lord is my light and my salvation 7,ps4 xxvii4 #a71--;just what the ancient pagans used to say of the sun4 ,isaiah says1 ,the ,lord shall be to thee an everlasting light 7,isa4 lx4 #ai71--;exactly such a conception as the ancient heathen entertained of the sun1 to which its application is more obviously appropriate4 ,habakkuk says1 ,his brightness was as light 7iii4 #d74 ,apply this language to the sun1 and its meaning becomes strikingly significant4 ,christ is said to be a light to lighten the ,gentiles1 the true light1 the light of the world1 c42 and yet we can not discover that those who have embraced his doctrines1 and thus come into possession of this true light1 shed any more light upon a devious pathway1 traveled in the darkness of night1 than the veriest ,jewish pharisee or infidel4 ,the ,christian reader will reply1 ,these phrases are mere figures of speech4 ,to be sure they are3 we admit it4 ,but then their derivation and origin are none the less obvious1 and1 when scrutinizingly examined1 disclose remote traces of ,oriental idolatry2 and1 moreover1 they most unmistakably prove ,christianity to be of heathen extraction with respect to its verbal habiliments1 or external vestment1 as well as the main drift and scope of its doctrines and teachings1 as shown elsewhere4 ,we will observe further1 that such conceptions 7found in the ,christian ,bible7 as ,god is a consuming fire1 ,god is light1 c4 7,john i4 #e71 originated in the primeval ages1 when ,god was supposed to reside in the sun2 also such ejaculations as ,o ,lord1 the ,gentiles shall come to thy light1 and kings to the brightness of thy rising 7,isa4 ix4 #c74 ,the words light1 brightness1 and rising apply with striking force to the sun1 and were used by the ancient ,persians in such a relation1 while1 on the other hand1 it is difficult to discover any sense or appropriateness in applying them--at least the word rising--to the ,supreme ,being2 for he is represented as always occupying the highest heavens3 so there can be no higher point to rise to4 ,we might also ask1 ,why are the ,lord's day and ,sunday used as synonymous terms8 or why is the ,lord now worshiped on the very day anciently set apart for the worship of the sun or solar ,deities8 ,do not these facts prove that many remnants of the ancient idolatrous religions are still retained in ,christian theology8 ,monotheism4--,this word--from monos1 one1 or alone1 and ,theos1 ,god--represents a belief in but one ,god4 ,we have shown in the preceding section how a belief in a plurality of ,gods originated4 ,we will now trace the progress of this idea to a unitary conception of the ,deity4 ,it will be observed1 by the study of ancient theology1 that1 as the human mind becomes enlightened and expanded by the discovery of the laws governing the heavenly bodies1 the lesser or inferior ,deities gradually fall into disbelief and disuse1 and the ,supreme ,holy ,one proportionally becomes exalted in the devout affections of the worshiping multitude1 until most religious nations become1 in one view1 virtually and practically monotheists4 ,and it may be remarked here1 that1 as neither the imaginary ,god nor carved images of ,god were objects of worship by the most enlightened classes of any nation1 they can not strictly and truthfully be termed idolaters4 ,hence some writers are bold to affirm there never was a nation of idolaters2 and we incline to this opinion4 ,we are also bold to affirm that there never was1 properly speaking1 a nation of monotheists1--believing in but one ,god1 and no more1--neither ,jews nor ,christians excepted2 and we are likewise prepared to exhibit the proof of the affirmation1 that every nation1 reported in history making a profession of religion1 has acknowledged the existence of one supreme ,god4 ,this is true even of those who believe in a multiplicity of ,gods1--a circumstance which places both ,jews and ,christians in rather an awkward position1 claiming as they do1 and always have done1 a monopoly of this faith2 and the fact that they have long professedly labored to bring other nations to this belief1 while some of those nations have1 as we shall show1 been much more consistent1 both in the belief and practice of this doctrine1 than themselves1 places them1 as we conceive1 in rather a ludicrous aspect4 ,the ,christian ,bible and the ,christian world have arrogated vastly too much to themselves1 and overstepped the bounds of truth1 in claiming to be the only propagators of the unitary conception of a ,god1 as the following citations from historical authorities will clearly manifest3-- #a4 ,christians have a numerous cortege1 or retinue1 of angels in their system of inspired theology1 as is shown in various parts of the ,bible1 which1 in theological parlance1 must be regarded as so many secondary ,gods1 inasmuch as they are assigned the same duties1 perform the same functions1 and sustain precisely the same relation to the supernal ,deity as did the subordinate ,gods of the pagans under the ancient systems4 ,it is1 in fact1 only a change of name1 in order to get rid of the illogical dilemma of holding to the existence of but one ,god1 while virtually acknowledging the existence of many4 ,we might cite many facts and testimonies from history in proof of this statement1 but will restrict ourselves to one4 ,mr4 ,higgins says1 ,all nations believed in one supreme ,god1 and many subordinates4 ,the latter some termed angels2 others called them ,gods4 ,more anciently than the ,jews1 we find that the ,babylonians1 ,chaldeans1 ,persians1 and ,syrians all vested these subordinate beings with the properties of mere angels4 ,angels1 then1 with ,christians1 we legitimately infer1 is only another name for second-class ,gods1 or subordinate ,deities of the ,orientals4 #b4 ,even if we should pass over1 as unworthy of consideration1 the historical facts which go to identify the ,christian angels with the subordinate ,deities of the ancient pagans1 there is yet spread out before us a broad and tenable ground for charging ,christians with being polytheists1--that is1 for rejecting their pretensions of worshiping and preaching a unitary ,god2 for it is a very striking and depreciating fact1 that1 notwithstanding their boastful and arrogating claims1 there are many texts in the ,old ,testament which imply1 in the most distinct manner1 a belief in a plurality of ,gods4 ,indeed the first passage in the book1 according to ,mr4 ,parkhurst1 would read1 if correctly translated1 ,in the beginning the ,gods created the heavens and the earth1 thus disclosing an acknowledgment of more than one ,god4 ,and we find many other passages which are made to conceal the old polytheistic idea by a wrong translation4 ,fortunately1 however1 for the disclosure of truth1 there are many texts in which it comes very distinctly to the surface4 ,as for example1 in ,genesis i4 #bf1 we have the undisguised language1 ,let us make man in our own image4 ,now us and our being plural pronouns1 it would be folly and nonsense to deny that they refer to a plurality of ,gods4 ,let us make man means1 ,let us ,gods make man2 for no sophistry1 shifting1 or dodging can make sense of it with any other construction4 ,and several times1 in this and other chapters1 is similar language used4 ,we will cut the matter short by observing1 upon the authority of ,parkhurst1 that ,aleim and ,elohim are the ,hebrew plurals used to represent ,god in the ,old ,testament2 that these are much more frequently employed than the singular forms1 ,al and ,el1 thus disclosing the conception of a plurality of ,gods beyond dispute4 #c4 ,and this argumentation acquires additional logical strength when based on the fact that the ,jews did not claim ,jehovah as the only ,god1 but merely as supreme to other ,gods4 ,he was ,god of ,gods and ,lord of ,lords4 ,nor was he claimed to be a ,god of any but the ,jewish nation4 ,jethro is made to say1 ,now ,i know that ,jehovah is greater than all ,gods 7,exod4 xviii4 #aa74 ,and in ,exodus xv4 #aa it is asked1 ,who is like unto ,jehovah among the ,gods8 ,just such a claim as is put forth for ,jupiter by ,homer in his ,iliad3-- ,o first and greatest ,god1 by ,gods adored1 ,we own thy power1 our ,father and our ,lord6 ,hence it will be observed1 that if there were any merit or any honor in professing faith in a unitary ,deity1 or any truth forming a basis for such a claim1 neither ,jews nor ,christians could justly arrogate a monopoly of such faith1 inasmuch as there is an older claim to the doctrine4 #d4 ,but we find that the professors of the ,christian faith occupy still more untenable and more palpably erroneous ground than the ,jews with respect to the profession of holding strictly to the unitary conception of ,deity2 for they not only tacitly accept the contradictory phases of this doctrine1 which we have pointed out above1 in the ,jewish writings1 but they add thereto a new installment or chapter of errors by having accepted into their creed the old ,oriental doctrine of a trinity of ,gods4 ,they have ,god the ,father1 ,god the ,son1 and ,god the ,holy ,ghost1 which present us with a family of ,gods as complete and absolute as the confederated union of ,gods in either the ancient ,hindoo or ,grecian ,pantheon4 ,to allege1 in defense1 that these three ,gods were all one1 while we find each in various parts of the ,bible spoken of separately1 and discriminated by peculiar and distinct properties and titles1 instead of mitigating the error and contradiction1 such a plea only aggravates it4 ,in the same sense the ,hindoos claimed that their thousand ,gods were one4 ,and all the triads or trinities of ,gods swarming through the ancient mythologies were proclaimed to be each a trinity in unity2 so that such a defense only lands the professor of ,christianity amongst heathen myths4 #e4 ,the absurdity of the ,christian ,church in professing to worship a single ,god1 also making a profession of rising above and contemning the idolatrous1 polytheistic conception of ,deity1 culminates in their act of embodying and incorporating the infinite deityship in the man ,christ ,jesus1 and declaring him to possess the fullness of the ,godhead bodily ,for we thus have one full and absolute ,god perambulating the earth in the person of ,christ during his temporary sojourn here1 while another absolute ,god 7the ,father7 occupied the throne of heaven1 thus presenting us with a plurality of ,gods too marked and undisguised to admit a rational defense4 ,a profession of monotheism arrayed with such facts bespeaks folly supreme4 ,the polytheism of the ancient heathen is science and sense compared with such jargon4 ,for1 with all their ,gods1 they never paid divine honors1 or prayed to but one ,god 7,the ,supreme ,ruler72 while ,christians1 on the contrary1 worship all of theirs1--,father1 ,son1 and ,holy ,ghost1--frequently naming each one separately in their supplications to the throne of grace1 thus rendering themselves more open to the charge of polytheism1 and that species of idolatry which consists in worshiping several ,gods1 than those whom they condemn as heathen for committing similar acts4 ,we will prove this statement4 ,the reverend missionary1 ,d4 ,o4 ,allen1 says of a large body of heathen professors1 ,they believe in the existence of beings whom they call ,gods1 but do not recognize them as possessing any qualities1 or as having any agencies in human affairs1 which properly make them objects of worship4 ,they resemble the angels in the ,christian system4 ,brahma with them is the supreme ,god1 and all the other ,gods offer him worship4 ,it is evident1 then1 that they virtually worship but one ,god1 the inferior ,deities being but angels2 while ,christians1 on the contrary1 have placed two1 if not three1 ,gods on the throne4 ,which1 then1 have the best claim to be considered monotheists8 #f4 ,and what sense1 we would ask1 can attach to the profession of monotheism with such a ,god as the ,bible sets forth1--a limited1 local1 personal ,god4 ,no doctrine stands out more prominently as a fundamental tenet of the ,christian faith than that which makes ,god appear a circumscribed1 finite being4 ,he is represented in their inspired book as possessing those qualities1 properties1 faculties1 and functions which only a local1 organized being can possess1--such as a body1 head1 eyes1 nose1 mouth1 arms1 fingers1 feet1 stomach1 bowels1 heart1 c42 as eating1 sleeping1 walking1 talking1 riding1 laboring1 resting1 laughing1 crying2 and as getting angry and jealous1 and cursing1 swearing1 smiting1 fighting1 c41 and on one occasion getting whipped or vanquished in a fight because the enemy were fortified with chariots of iron4 7,see ,josh4 #ag-ah47 ,and hardly was creation completed before he was down in ,eden striding over the bushes1 hunting for his lost child ,adam1--the first sample of the genus homo4 ,and several times he had to leave his golden throne1 and descend to earth before he could be posted in human affairs4 ,now it must be evident to any person possessing a moiety of common sense that such a limited1 local1 circumscribed being1 limited in size1 and restricted in powers and qualities as ,jehovah is represented in the ,bible to be1 could neither be omnipotent1 omniscient1 nor omnipresent4 ,true1 ,christians consider him so2 but the ,bible fails to make him so4 ,and hence there would be room in infinite space for countless millions of such ,gods1 and the doctrine of polytheism would be perfectly consistent4 ,indeed1 such a dwarfish and circumscribed ,god would need thousands of such confederates to aid him in governing the countless worlds of the vast universe2 so that the polytheistic doctrine from the ,christian stand-point becomes a necessity1 as it does also from another plane of view4 ,we are told in ,gen4 i4 that the work of creation was completed in six days2 that the myriads of worlds which now chase each other through the sky were all rolled out of the vortex of infinitude in a week4 ,but it is evident to every scientific or reflecting mind that a million of years would not have sufficed for the work1 especially for such a ,god as ,moses describes and sets to the task ,hence the period of creation should be extended1 or the number of ,gods increased ad infinitum1 to save the credibility of the cosmologic traditions4 ,we would say1 then1 that1 for the following reasons1 the more ,gods ,christians acknowledge1 the better for the consistency of their cause3-- #a4 ,their conception of the ,divine ,essence is that of a local1 limited1 anthropomorphic1 organized being1 in exact conformity with the notion of the ancient pagans2 with which1 in order to have every part of the infinite universe supplied1 would require more in number than the most fertile imagination of the heathen ever created4 #b4 ,a countless host of such finite ,gods would have been required to complete the work of creation in six days4 #c4 ,there is room enough for any number of such finite ,gods to exist without encroaching on each other's dominions4 #d4 ,there should have been at least one such ,god to be assigned the creation of each planetary world1 which would require many millions of creative entities4 #e4 ,and the superintendence of the endlessly complicated machinery of each planet1 and the supply1 specifically and individually1 of the various wants of its swarming millions of diversified inhabitants1 would require an infinite host more of such local ,gods as ,jehovah of the ,jews4 #f4 ,and1 as ,christians already practically acknowledge the worship of three ,gods1 the addition of three hundred or three thousand more would only be an extension of the principle1 and could not be a whit more objectionable4 ,for it is not any specific number of ,gods they object to1 but a plurality2 and three is as certainly and absolutely a plurality as three hundred or three thousand4 ,from the above considerations1 founded on views of consistency1 we think ,christians should ground their arms1 and cease their moral warfare upon the votaries of other religions for being polytheistic or idolatrous4 ,and the sin of worshiping many ,gods1 which they declaim so much on1 is all a mere phantom4 ,we can not see how the divine mind could possibly be offended at the simple mistake of over-numbering the ,godhead4 ,we will illustrate the case4 ,we will suppose a merchant in ,cincinnati orders a bill of goods from ,new ,york1 addressing the order to ,john ,ap ,john ,co4 ,the latter opens and examines it1 then returns it unfilled1 with the following quaint protest3 ,sir1 there is no ',co4' attached to my address4 ,it is simply ,john ,ap ,john2 and you have insulted my dignity by this mistake1 thus assuming that ,i have not the brain and bullion to do business on my own hook1 but must have partners4 ,i therefore return it with contempt for your insolent blunder4 ,now1 we ask if there can be a man found who would be guilty of displaying such coxcomb vanity as this4 ,we trow not4 ,then1 why charge it upon an infinite ,god--an all-wise ,deity--by supposing that a prayer addressed1 by an innocent mistake1 to a hundred or a thousand ,gods would not be as acceptable to him as if addressed to him alone1 or even if erroneously addressed to the ,christian trinity of ,father1 ,son1 and ,holy ,ghost8 ,the ,construction and ,worship of ,images4--,in ,exod4 xx4 #d we find the following command3 ,thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above1 or that is in the earth beneath1 or that is in the water under the earth4 ,here1 it will be observed1 is a sweeping interdiction against image-making2 and1 as it prohibits the likeness of any thing that is in heaven above or the earth beneath1 it is a dead-lock upon the fine arts4 ,all engravings1 paintings1 photographs1 c41 with which the civilized world is now flooded1 and which hold high rank among the arts and sciences1 involve an open infraction of this command4 ,and hence1 this biblical interdiction being devoid of reason1 and of an anti-civilizing tendency1 the enlightened portion of ,christendom1 by common consent1 tramples it heedlessly under foot4 ,and we are bold to say that this command is both foolish and of impracticable application2 for a living1 thinking human being can no more avoid forming images of every thing that comes within the range of his mental vision1 whether situated in heaven above or the earth beneath1 than he can stop the entire machinery of his thoughts1 or the blood from circulating through his veins4 ,it is as natural as eating1 and as inevitable as breathing4 ,to be sure1 he does not give expression with wood1 metal1 or canvas to every image formed in the mind2 but the nature of the act1 morally speaking1 is precisely the same as if he did4 ,st4 ,clemens admits this when he declares it to be a sin for women to look in the glass1 because they form images of themselves4 ,all true6 viewed from the ,christian stand-point1 which regards image-making as a sin4 ,the most sinful or reprehensible act of image-making1 however1 in the view of ,christians1 is the construction of idols or images to represent the ,deity4 ,living in a civilized age1 they would be ashamed to occupy the broad ground assumed by the command which we have quoted above1 which forbids the likeness of every thing that exists2 yet they still hold that it is wrong to make images of the ,deity1--not anymore so1 according to the above command1 than the acceptance of engravings of animals and photographs of friends4 ,but where is the man now living1 or when did the man live1 who has not formed images of the ,deity1 or who does not instinctively and habitually do it every day of his life8 ,every man makes a likeness of ,god1 or what he supposes to be such1 every time he thinks of such a being4 ,it is impossible to make him the subject of thought without constructing a mental image of him1--i4e41 without constructing an image of him in the brain4 ,and can it be more sinful to make an image of him with the hand than with the head8--in other words1 to construct a likeness of him externally1 than to construct it internally4 ,certainly not4 ,one is shaped out in the mind2 the other is shaped out of a block of wood or metal3 and most certainly1 if the latter is idolatry1 the former is also4 ,the ,christian kneels in supplication with the image of ,god set up in his mind2 the pagan worships with the image set up in the temple or on the altar4 ,one is externally represented with words2 the other1 with wood4 ,the only difference between the ,christian and pagan idolatry is1 that1 after each has sketched out a likeness of the ,creator upon the tablet or dial-plate of his mind according to his conception of the form of ,deity1 the ,christian stops short with his work but half completed1 while the pagan goes on and gives practical expression to his by representing it with wood1 stone1 or other material1 by which it is more thoroughly impressed upon the memory1 and the devout contemplation1 the remembrance of ,god1 kept more constantly in the mind2 and thus the savage is proved to be the most practically religious of the two4 ,we have shown that the representation and delineation upon canvas1 paper1 wood1 or steel1 of the various objects of art1--of human creation1--are set down as the highest marks and the most distinguishing proofs of civilization4 ,and can it be right and laudable to thus represent or ,image the works of the ,creator1 and wrong to image the ,creator himself8 ,not according to the above command4 ,or can one be pleasing to him1 and the other offensive8 ,there is neither sense nor science1 logic nor lore1 in such conclusions4 ,christian reader1 do you not know that your little innocent daughter 'violates the command every day of her happy life by nursing1 dressing1 and caressing her wax doll1 her image miniature man8 ,for if it be true--and the ,bible teaches it--that man was created in the image of ,god1 then these artificial human likenesses1 these images of the infant man1 are also images of ,god2 and your little girl daily commits the awful sin of idolatry1 and you1 too1 for countenancing her in the act4 ,it may be noticed here that the pious ,christian confers upon himself an honor which he denies to the ,creator when he has his photograph struck off for the accommodation of a friend1 while he denounces as idolatry all attempts to construct an imaginary likeness of ,god4 ,but consistency is a jewel rarely found4 ,image ,worship4--,we may be met here with the answer that it is not the making of images1 but the worship of images1 in lieu of the worship of ,god1 that constitutes idolatry4 ,to this we reply1 we have no proof that any nation or people reported in history were ever obnoxious to the charge4 ,true1 the people of many countries have been in the habit of prostrating themselves before idols in their daily worship4 ,yet in no case which we have examined do we find that those idols were worshiped with the thought of their being the true and living ,god1 or of their being endowed with divine attributes1 but only as types or representations of ,god4 ,it is possible that some of the lower stratum of society--some of the debased and ignorant--may have been deluded into the idea that ,god had taken up his abode in those lifeless images4 ,in fact we are assured that the priest1 in some cases1 labored to instill this belief into their minds4 ,some of them may have been ignorant and pliable enough to be misled by his artful misrepresentation4 ,but1 by a large proportion of the idol-worshipers of every nation1 we have the highest authority for asserting that these artificial images were not regarded as any thing more than the mere representation1 or outward type1 of the ,deity1 and were venerated with the same religious conviction which ,christians experience in part aking of the body and blood of ,christ with the images of bread and wine1 and without the suspicion of incurring the charge of idolatry4 ,the two acts are precisely the same in spirit and essence4 ,but the untutored denizens of the ,pacific isles do not conceive that the dumb and lifeless sylvan figure before which they prostrate themselves in worship is the omnipotent1 self-existent ,god1 the ,creator of heaven and earth1 more truly than the ,christians believe they are really eating and drinking the body and blood of ,christ when partaking of the sacrament4 ,they are both mere symbols1 or representations1 of something higher4 ,it is irrational to suppose that beings endowed with minds believe that inanimate figures of gold1 silver1 iron1 c41 possess omnipotent thought1 power1 and feeling4 ,that able1 pious ,mahomedan writer1 ,abel ,fezzel1 declares 7in his ,aren ,akberry7 that the opinion that the ,hindoos 7who make many idols7 are idolaters has no foundation in fact2 but they are worshipers of ,god1 and only one ,god4 ,this1 says the modern traveler1 ,mr4 ,ditson of ,new ,york1 ,i know to be true2 for ,i had it from the lips of the ,hindoos themselves4 ,and this will apply with undiminished force to other nations habitually styled idolaters4 ,even the most savage nations1 says ,mr4 ,parker1 regard their idols only as types of ,god4 ,and we might quote whole pages from heathen writers to that effect4 ,the ancient ,grecian poet ,ovid says1 ,it is ,jove we adore in the image of ,god4 ,the ,gods inhabit our minds and bodies1 says ,statius1 a ,latin writer1 and not the images made to represent them4 ,hence it is evident they had a perception of their true character4 ,and the missionary1 ,rev4 ,d4 ,o4 ,allen1 tells us that even those who have been represented as worshiping the sun1 moon1 and stars1 only contemplate these planets as symbols of the ,deity1 and that their worship is really aimed to the invisible1 omnipotent1 omnipresent ,god4 ,it appears1 then1 that whatever external objects the most ignorant and savage tribes have addressed1 or have been supposed to worship1 have been used merely as types and symbols to enhance their devotion in the worship of the true ,god4 ,though1 as ,cicero remarks 7in his philosophical works71 ,a few may have been so feeble in their perceptions as to confound and identify the statues and ,gods together4 ,but another writer avers1 ,there is not in all antiquity the least trace of a prayer addressed to a statue4 ,he also says1 ,all paganism does not offer a single fact which can lead to the conclusion that they ever adored idols2 nor was there ever a law compelling them to do so4 ,when ,paul declared to the ,athenians1 ,whom ye ignorantly worship1 him declare ,i unto you1 he confessed most explicitly that they worshiped the true ,god through their idols4 ,where1 then1 is the sin of idolatry8 ,in one of the ,hindoo ,bibles 7the ,baghavat ,gita7 ,god is made to say1 ,they who serve other ,gods with a firm belief of being right do really involuntarily serve me1 and shall be rewarded4 ,how admirable1 how noble1 how magnanimous and merciful is this sentiment compared with the damning1 death-dealing denunciations against idolatry by the ,jewish ,jehovah6 ,and the ,mahomedan ,bible 7the ,koran7 contains a similar sentiment to the above4 ,thus1 we observe1 both the ,hindoo and ,mahomedan ,bibles evince in this respect a higher degree of moral sense than that of the ,christian ,bible1 whose violent interdictions against idolatry have caused many nations to be butchered1 and their lands deluged with blood4 ,there is nothing in the ,christian ,bible1 says ,mr4 ,higgins1 of one-twentieth part of the value of this text of the ,hindoo ,bible in the way of preventing a foolish persecution and bloodied4 ,it may be remembered here that ,christians inherited their extreme hatred of idolatry from the ,jews1 which is fostered by the ,jewish ,bible1 and that the ,jews derived their feelings of opposition to it from the two nations under which they were long enslaved1--the ,persians and ,egyptians1--both of which1 according to ,herodotus1 forbid the making of idols1 the former interdicting it by law2 as did also the ,roman emperor1 ,numa ,pompilius1 #fjj ,b4,c4 ,the ,parsees of ,india to this day oppose idolatry2 and the learned among the ,chinese have always discountenanced it4 ,strabo and other ,grecian philosophers wrote against it4 ,and many sects arose among the ancient heathen1 says the ,hierophant1 who rejected all external symbols of the ,deity4 ,on the other hand1 neither ,jews nor ,christians have been entirely free from this sin so called4 ,as for the ,lord's holy people1 there probably never was a nation who manifested a stronger or more invincible proclivity to idolatry than they1 or who indulged more eagerly in the practice of it whenever opportunity presented2 and frequently did they break over all restraint to plunge into this seemingly untiring luxury1 not even withholding their ear-rings when a molten image or golden calf was to be constructed4 ,and even their lawgiver ,moses consented to the construction of a number of imitations or substitutes for the carved images of the pagans4 ,their brazen serpent displayed upon a pole2 their carved cherubims with the body of a man1 the head of an animal1 and the wings of a bird2 and the ark of the covenant1 which was borne about in the same manner the heathen carried their idols1--were all compromises with and concessions to idolatry1 and were all venerated with the same spirit and in the same fashion the heathen adored their carved or molten images4 ,as for the holy ark1 the ,jews as solemnly believed that ,god ,almighty was shut up in that little box of shittim-wood as truly as ever the pagans believed that he sometimes condescended to a transient abode in their idols2 while it was death to touch it with unholy hands1 and sixty thousand were butchered because one man 7the pious ,iliza71 on a certain occasion1 instinctively and devoutly clapped his hand on it to keep it from falling4 ,in fact1 the golden image which it contained was an idol to all intents and purposes2 nor were the brazen serpent and cherubim of the altar much less so4 ,hence the vindictive condemnation of other nations for making and adoring images came with an ill grace from the ,jews4 ,nor are the skirts of the disciples of ,christ any freer from the stain of idolatry4 ,in fact1 it constitutes the very substratum of their religion4 ,in the first place1 they quote approvingly such texts as the following3 ,the ,lord is my rock 7,ps4 xviii4 #b72 ,who is a rock save our ,god8 7,ps4 xviii4 #ca72 ,the shepherd the stone of ,israel 7,gen4 xlix4 #bd74 ,peter calls him a living stone 7#a ,pet4 ii4 #d74 ,and there are a number of other similar texts1 all of which disclose real fetichism1 or the first form of idolatry4 ,the ancient ,laplanders4 ,arabians1 ,phoenicians1 and several tribes of ,asia ,minor used rocks and stones as representative images of ,deity4 ,and here we find the same association of ideas in the ,christian ,bible4 ,do you reply1 ,they must be considered figurative8 ,very well3 prove that the ancient heathen tribes did not also consider them figurative4 ,but we have a much more serious and conclusive proof than tins that nearly the entire retinue of ,christian professors are practical idolaters1 and that their holy religion1 in all its essential characteristics1 comprises1 in its very nature1 the highest species of idolatry4 ,some ,christian professors tell us that those who worship idols must have a limited conception of the character and attributes of the ,deity2 thus conceding that idolatry consists in ascribing to ,god a false character4 ,well1 now1 this is the very objection which we would urge as one of the first1 and one of the most serious charges against the ,christian system4 ,it presents us with a cramped1 dwarfish1 and childish conception of ,deity4 ,in the first place1 the disciples of ,christianity still cling to the old tradition1 which they inherited from the heathen1 of investing ,god with the form and characteristics of a man4 ,for if the ,deity possesses the human form1 as they and their ,bible teach1 then he must possess the human characteristics1--a logical sequence1 which science defies all ,christendom to overturn1 as it is the infallible testimony of the natural history of all time that nothing can possess the form of one being and the characteristics of another4 ,as is form1 so is and must be the character1 is an axiom supported by numberless proofs of daily and hourly observation4 ,hence1 ,jesus ,christ possessing1 according to the scriptures1 the form of a man1--the form of a servant1--must inevitably have possessed the character of a man4 ,hence we are not surprised to find1 that1 in spite of the combined efforts of his evangelical biographers to make him a ,god 7if they are really to be understood as designing to elevate him to the ,godhead71 his finite human qualities are dis-played in his history in every chapter4 ,every saying and every credible incident of his life prove him to have been a man1 notwithstanding some of them are apparently set forth as prima-facie evidence of his being a ,god4 ,therefore the conclusion that1 as ,jesus ,christ had the form of a man1 he could not have been a ,god2 and to worship him as such was and is idolatry in the highest and fullest sense4 ,and1 besides the form1 there are other evidences of his having been a man4 ,he walked1 talked1 ate1 slept1 wept1 shed tears1 c41 and finally died just as other men do4 ,and1 furthermore1 he believed and taught some of the traditions and superstitions of finite1 ignorant men1--such as a vengeful ,god1 an endless hell1 disease produced by demons1 a personal devil1 the speedy conflagration of the world1 c4 ,thus we have a threefold proof of his manhood1 and disproof of his ,godhead1 and a proof that those who worship him are idolaters4 ,and as the primitive or primordial ,bible ,god ,jehovah is represented as possessing1 as we have already shown1 a comprehensible body1 eyes1 nose1 mouth1 hands1 arms1 legs1 feet1 bowels1 c41 and as being a jealous1 angry1 revengeful1 fighting ,god 7the ,god of battles71 and inferior in several respects to some of the men who worshiped him1 such worship is consequently idolatry4 ,we observe1 then1 that the ,jews worshiped one idol 7,jehovah72 and the ,christians1 three 7,father1 ,son1 and ,holy ,ghost71--the two former possessing the form of man1 and the latter the form of a bird 7a dove74 ,there is exactly the same objection1 and it is to exactly the same extent idolatry1 to worship ,jesus ,christ as to worship ,chrishna1 ,confucius1 ,mahomet1 or any of the wooden ,gods or graven images of the idolatrous pagans4 ,in each case it is assuming that ,god1 instead of being eternally infinite in all his attributes1 has been invested with the finite1 limited1 and comprehensible form of man1 to say nothing of the corresponding finite qualities which his worshipers have assigned him4 ,and this narrow1 childish assumption1 with its attendant conceptions1 keeps the mind of the worshiper in an intellectually cramped and dwarfish condition1 besides perpetuating their dishonorable and disparaging views of ,deity4 ,and herein lies the great objection to idolatry4 ,if any of these venerated beings could possess divine attributes1 there would be less moral objection to worshiping them as ,gods4 ,the error is not in ascribing divine attributes to the wrong being1 but in the conception of wrong qualities and attributes as comprehensible in a divine being4 ,for ,god is not possessed of the vanity to be offended by the simple mistakes of men and women directing their prayers and devotions to another being or object instead of to him4 ,the grand error consists in mistaking the real character and attributes of ,deity2 that is1 in constructing false images of him1--whether mental or material is all the same4 ,in other words1 idolatry consists in worshiping1 for ,god1 beings or objects possessing finite forms1 with whom1 consequently1 infinite and divine attributes could not be properly associated1 and through whom they could not possibly be displayed4 ,and so self-evident was the proof that these beings1 possessing the form1 size1 and physical outline of men1 and presenting every appearance of men 7as ,christ1 ,chrishna1 ,confucius1 c471 were nothing but men1 that even those who were habitually taught to adore them as the supreme1 omnipotent ,deity1 naturally and instinctively1 in their intercourse with them and their descriptions of them1 invested them with human qualities as well as divine4 ,and thus they came to present to the world the awkward and ludicrous figure of beings displaying both finite and infinite attributes1--i4e41 of being demi-gods1 half ,god and half man4 ,this is especially true of the man ,christ ,jesus4 ,and it may be safely assumed as an incontrovertible proposition1 that just so long as men are in the habit of worshiping beings in the human form1 whether ,jehovah or ,jesus ,christ1 or beings possessing any conceivable form as the great ,i am1 just so long will they entertain1 to their own injury and to the disgrace of religion1 inferior and dishonorable views of ,god4 ,they must learn that a finite body can not contain an infinite spirit1 nor possess an infinite attribute2 and that to worship an object or being known to possess or even supposed to possess any conceivable form1 size1 or shape within the comprehension of man1 whether the materials composing this adored object or being are gold1 silver1 wood1 brass1 iron1 or flesh and blood 7as in the case of ,jesus ,christ71 constitutes the highest species of idolatry4 ,it can make no difference what the materials are1 as it is just as impossible to associate divine and infinite attributes with an image of flesh and blood or a finite body1 as to associate them with an image of wood1 stone1 or metal4 ,all is alike idolatry4 ,the ,christian world have an image or idol1 constructed in part of flesh and blood1 restricted1 as they tell us1 to a spiritual body1 which they call ,jesus ,christ1 and which they place upon an imaginary throne situated in or above the clouds1 and worship it as ,god2 while the ,babylonians had the same image carved from wood and metal1 which they called ,dagon1 and set upon a throne in the temple3 and1 in both cases1 we are told1 by way of apology1 that it was not the external form1 or outward body1 which constituted the divinity1 but the spirit within4 ,now1 as there is room in infinite space for millions of such beings 7such finite ,gods71 there could be no moral objection to multiplying their number1 and worshiping as many of them as the imagination could conjure up1 or the polytheist's fancy could create4 ,we worship none but the infinite ,god2 the living1 moving1 all-pervading1 and all-energizing spirit of the infinite universe1 who has no finite or comprehensible body1 and never had2 and hence1 being infinite in extent and in all his attributes1 but one such being can possibly exist1 and monotheism thus becomes a virtue and a necessity4 ,we will only remark further1 that the man who can worship a being with the human form or any form as the infinite ,god1 no matter if he swells his proportions by imagination to the size of the planet ,jupiter or the whole solar system1 yet still1 as this is not one step of an approach toward infinitude or omnipresence1 his conceptions of ,deity are puerile1 childish1 belittling1 and dishonorable1 if not blasphemous4 ,if there is such a thing as blasphemy1 it is found here4 ,and his ignorance of the essential characteristics of an infinite being1 or the scientific view of ,god1 is on a par with the child's ignorance of astronomy1 who exclaims1 ,give me the moon6 ,here we desire to apprise the reader more distinctly that we do not regard idolatry as a crime or blameworthy act in those who originated it1 but actually useful when restricted to its legitimate uses4 ,to those groveling in spiritual darkness1 on the lower plane of religious development1 it is as eyes to the blind1 and crutches to the lame4 ,it is only in those1 who1 like ,christians1 profess to be enlightened1 that it becomes a culpable act4 ,several writers have shown that idols were really practically useful1 in a religious point of view1 in the primitive spiritual condition of mankind1 and are yet so to the lower classes in various countries2 that is1 to those who dwell upon the sensorial plane1 and whose spiritual perceptions are hence too feeble to soar to an ethereal world to find the great object of spiritual worship4 ,the learned ,hindoo1 ,roh ,mun ,roy1 who wrote a work against idolatry1 and who condemned the ,christian churches for worshiping an idol in the person of ,jesus ,christ1 beautifully sets forth the true nature and purpose of idolatry when he says 7after stating that idols were not made for the learned71 ,the ,vedas ,hindoo ,bible directs those who are spiritually incapable of adoring the invisible ,supreme ,being to apply their minds to some visible object as an external manifestation of the only true ,god1 rather than lose themselves in the mazes of irreligion1 the bane of society4 ,as ,god exists everywhere1 and pervades every thing 7even idols71 such means were mercifully provided for the ignorant and untrained to lead them on to true mental adoration and spiritual worship4 ,and thus idols were used as aids and stepping-stones to the true worship for those who were mentally incapable of raising their minds from nature up to nature's ,god1 as taught by this heathen writer4 ,thus they served the same purpose as pictures do for children1 and were equally innocent and useful4 ,it is1 therefore1 no more sinful to be an idolater than to be a child4 ,in fact1 idolatry was a necessity of man's religious nature4 ,the ,vedas makes ,god say1 ,the ignorant believe me visible while ,i am invisible4 ,the able1 pious ,abel ,fezzel 7a ,mahomedan writer7 says1 in his ,aren ,akberry1 ,the ,brahmins and ,hindoos all believe in the unity of the ,god-head2 yet they hold images in high veneration1 because they represent celestial beings1 and prevent the mind from wandering4 ,swedenborg says in like manner1 ,the heathen kept images not only in their temples1 but in their houses1 not to worship them1 but to call to mind the heavenly being they represented4 ,thus it will be observed that the idol was the sanctuary where man1 in his childhood1 met to commune with his ,god1 just as the ,christian now seeks his spiritual presence at the communion-table or the altar4 ,the pagan1 who was a child in religious experience1 was morally necessitated to have a ,god1 or representation of ,god1 he could see1 feel1 and handle4 ,and it is remarkable that the ,christian world1 after two thousand years' religious experience1 still occupy the same plane1--are still pagans or children with respect to believing in visible external ,gods1 as they virtually worship two1 ,jehovah and ,jesus ,christ1 who1 according to the teaching of their ,bible and their established creeds1 were often seen in the human form1 and one of them with a human body4 ,thus it will be observed they have not outgrown or advanced beyond the essential principle of idolatry1--that of worshiping a visible or imaginary form for an invisible ,god1 who1 the positive philosophy teaches1 never has been and never can be seen under any circumstances1 because1 being omnipresent 7that is1 present everywhere1 and everywhere alike71 if he could be seen at all1 he could be seen at all times and in all places4 ,this is a self-evident1 axiomatic truth4 ,origin of ,idolatry4--,here we deem it proper to speak more directly and specifically of the primary origin of idolatry1 or image-worship1 than is disclosed in the preceding pages4 ,after the primitive inhabitants of the earth had conceived the notion that the sun1 moon1 and stars are moved in their orbits through the heavens by beings who occupied them 7as has already been shown71 they were in the habit of gazing upon these tower-lights of the ,elvsian fields 7the home of the ,gods7 with the most intense delight1 the most reverential awe and devotion4 ,but ever and anon this pleasing reverie was interrupted1 and subjected to sad suspense1 by the departure of the heavenly host to other and distant lands4 ,first of all1 the solar ,god1 mounted upon his gem-wheeled chariot drawn by his fleet steeds1 after plowing his way through the deep-blue vault of the sky1 was off on his swift-sped journey behind the western hills1 but followed almost immediately by the whole retinue of stellar orbs 7the homes of the lesser ,gods71 who danced along in his wake2 but1 ever true to the line of march1 followed on apace1 and were soon beyond the bounds of human vision4 ,this left an aching void in their devout minds4 ,hence the invention and construction of images as imaginary likenesses of the ,gods1 to serve as substitutes for them1 to be venerated in their stead daring their absence1 as we secure the likeness of a friend when about to leave us for a journey1 or to be long absent4 ,and here we may date the primary origin of idolatry1 which is nothing more nor less than the first rude germination of man's religious nature4 ,,ii4 ,,all ,,christians ,,atheists ,,or ,,idolaters4 ,it seems most strikingly strange that atheism and idolatry should be considered by the orthodox representatives of the ,christian faith as the most ,god-defying and heaven-daring sins that man can be guilty of 7as one ,christian writer represents them to be71 when there is not a professor of the ,christian faith1 and never has been1 who was not guilty most unquestionably of one of these sins4 ,it requires but a few words to prove this statement4 ,nearly all the early ,christian writers defined atheism to be disbelief in a personal ,god1 and idolatry as image-making4 ,how obtuse must have been their perceptions that they could not see that their definition of these terms made them all either atheists or idolaters1 and that it is impossible to escape one of these charges without becoming obnoxious to the other6 ,no person can believe in a personal ,god without forming an image of him in the mind2 and this is just as much idolatry as though that mental image should find expression in wood or stone or brass1 as shown in the preceding chapter4 ,on the other hand1 to believe in an infinite and spiritual ,god1 instead of a personal ,god1 is1 as shown above1 atheism4 ,it will be seen1 then1 to believe in a personal1 organized ,deity is1 to all intents and purposes1 idolatry2 while to reject this anthropomorphic and sensuous idea1 and accept the belief in a spiritual ,god in its stead1 is atheism4 ,and thus the position is reduced to a demonstrated problem1 that all ,christians are either atheists or idolaters4 ,,chapter ,,xxxiii4--,,new-,,testament ,,errors4 ,i4 ,,divine ,,revelation ,,impossible ,,and ,,unnecessary4 ,the ,hindoos1 ,egyptians1 ,persians1 ,chaldeans1 ,jews1 and ,mahomedans1 and various other nations1 claim to have had a special revelation of ,god's will communicated to them for the benefit of the whole human race4 ,but the following facts and arguments will tend to show that no such revelations have ever been made1 and that there is none necessary3-- ,we will inquire1 in the first place1 what a divine revelation would be4 ,coming from a perfect being1 it would of course be perfect1 and perfectly adapted to the moral and spiritual wants of the whole human race4 ,such a revelation would be so clear1 explicit1 and unequivocal in its language with respect to every doctrine1 principle1 and precept1 and every statement of fact1 that no person of ordinary mind could possibly misunderstand it2 and no two persons could differ for a moment with respect to the meaning of any text embraced in it4 ,it would need no priest and no commentator to explain it2 and1 if any attempt should be made to explain it1 it would only darken counsel1 render the matter more obscure1 and would amount to the blasphemous assumption that ,omniscience can be enlightened1 and his works improved4 ,and a divine revelation should be communicated to the whole human race2 for1 if restricted to one nation1 it would render ,god obnoxious to the charge of partiality4 ,and1 in order to make it practicable to communicate it to all nations1 it would be necessary to comprehend it in a universal language constructed for the purpose1 or else impart it to the world through all the three thousand languages in use by different nations and tribes4 ,but1 as such a revelation has never been made or known on the earth1 it is at once evident that no such revelation has ever been communicated to man by ,infinite ,wisdom4 ,,ii4 ,,revelation ,,for ,,one ,,age ,,and ,,nation ,,no ,,revelation ,,for ,,another4 ,a revelation issued two or three thousand years ago could be no revelation for this age4 ,the ,rev4 ,jeremiah ,jones admits that a revelation can only be a revelation to him who receives it1 and can not be made use of to convince another 7,canon1 p4 #ea74 ,bishop ,burnet admits that a revelation to one man is no revelation to another4 ,you can neither see nor feel a revelation made to another person4 ,you can merely see the marks on the paper on which he has recorded what he claims to have been a revelation to him4 ,and this is all the proof you can have in the case1 which is no proof at all4 ,,iii4 ,a ,,revelation ,,on ,,the ,,brain ,,called ,,reason4 ,i know that ,god has inscribed a revelation on my brain called reason1 as it is ever present with me4 ,hence ,i know that it was designed for me4 ,but ,i can not have this testimony with regard to a written revelation1 as it was not communicated to me4 ,hence1 as a matter of certainty and safety1 ,i should hold to my own revelation in preference to any other4 ,i can only be certain of my own revelation4 ,indeed ,i can not know that any other revelation was designed for me1 because a dozen revelations are brought forward by different nations for my acceptance2 and ,i can not determine to an absolute certainty which is divine and which is human4 ,to settle the matter1 ,i must have another revelation made expressly to me to inform me which is the true revelation4 ,to save this extra labor1 ,i might as well have had the original revelation itself4 ,,iv4 ,,the ,,human ,,brain ,,superior ,,to ,,any ,,revelation4 ,as an idiot can not be made to understand a revelation1 it is evident that a revelation presupposes a rational mind for its reception2 otherwise the revelation would be perfectly useless4 ,hence it is evident the brain must be right before the revelation is given1 or it will not be able to understand it4 ,this makes the brain superior to1 and of higher authority1 than revelation4 ,the moment we begin to reason on the revelation of the ,bible1 which we are compelled to do to determine which is the true one1 that moment we transfer the authority of the ,bible to the brain1 and the brain thus becomes its judge and jury4 ,the reason sits in judgment over the ,bible1 and is thus proved to be superior to it4 ,this is realized in the experience of every man who is superior to an idiot2 and thus the question of ,bible authority and superiority is at once and for ever settled4 ,it is proved to be inferior to reason1 and subordinate to it1 and dare not advance a step beyond it4 ,v4 ,,infallible ,,revelation ,,impossible4 ,a ,bible or revelation could only be infallible to a man or woman of infallible understanding2 that is1 to an infallible being4 ,and1 as no such being has ever existed1 it is evident that no infallible revelation has ever been issued4 ,,vi4 ,,every ,,thing ,,must ,,be ,,infallible4 ,no infallible revelation could be of any practical use to any person unless all the circumstances connected with it were infallible4 ,the language in which it is written must be infallible2 the person receiving it must be infallible2 and the reader1 or his understanding1 must also be infallible4 ,but1 as no such state of things has ever existed1 it follows that no infallible revelation has ever been given to man1 and is absolutely impracticable4 ,,vii4 ,,no ,,divine ,,revelation ,,without ,a ,,series ,,of ,,miracles4 ,a divine revelation must be miraculously inspired2 and then it must be miraculously preserved from the slightest alteration by the translator or the transcriber1 and from any error on the part of the printer4 ,and1 finally1 the reader's mind and understanding and judgment must be miraculously guarded from any mistake or misunderstanding or wrong conclusions relative to every text in the book4 ,otherwise there is no absolute certainty that the revelation is a true one1 or superior to s mere human production4 ,,viii4 ,,our ,,moral ,,and ,,religious ,,duties ,,can ,,not ,,be ,,learned ,,from ,,any ,,bible ,,or ,,revelation4 ,a critical investigation of the matter will show that our moral and religious duties are not half of them enumerated in the ,bible2 and to suppose that ,god would reveal only a portion of them1 and leave us in the dark with respect to others1 and compel us to find them out by chance and conjecture1 is to trifle with ,omniscience1 and assume that he is short-sighted and imperfect4 ,,ix4 ,,no ,,moral ,,duty ,,clearly ,,defined ,,by ,,the ,,bible4 ,as the circumstances of each case of moral duty differ from every other case1 so our courses of action must be different4 ,hence revelation1 to be of any practical use1 should have foreseen those circumstances1 pointed them out1 and instructed us how to act in the case4 ,but this is not done in any case4 ,we will illustrate3 ,we are enjoined by the ,bible to bring up a child in the way he should go2 but that way is not pointed out or defined4 ,we are not told which one of the thousand churches he should join2 we are not told1 when a man's leg is broken1 how it should be mended2 we are not told what means we should use to restore the sick to health1 nor instructed as to the best means to be used for the preservation of health and life4 ,and1 as these are among the first and most important duties1 we should have been instructed as to the best means to be used for that purpose2 but these things are omitted1 and left to the province of reason4 ,there is no case in which we are not compelled to make reason our supreme judge to decide how we shall practice the duties of revelation2 and thus revelation is made a servant or subsidiary agent4 ,christians sometimes tell us1 ,give us something better in the place of our religion before you take it from us4 ,but the ,bible tells them1 ,cease to do evil before you learn to do well4 ,doom error to destruction1 and truth will spring out of the ashes4 ,what would you think of a man who should say to a physician1 ,stop1 sir6 before you administer that medicine to my child1 ,i want to know what you are going to let it have in place of its pains and aches8 ,we do not propose or desire to destroy any religion as a whole1 but only the deleterious weeds which are choking and poisoning the healthy plants4 ,we do not wish to put down or arrest the progress of any truth4 ,the clergy sometimes assert that we could not distinguish right from wrong1 but for the ,bible4 ,and was nothing known to the world about right and wrong1 or the means of distinguishing between them1 during the two thousand years which elapsed before the ,bible was written8 ,christians place ,moses1 its first writer1 about fourteen hundred years before ,christ1 while the ,bible dates back #djjd ,b4,c4 ,and then what about those millions of the inhabitants of the globe who never had our ,bible8 ,and millions of them never had a ,bible of any kind4 ,are they destitute of moral perception8 ,on the contrary1 reliable authority1 and even ,christian writers1 assure us that the morals of many of those nations will put to shame the morals of any nation professing the religion of ,christ4 ,take1 for example1 the ,kalaos tribe of ,africa1 who appear to have no formal religion whatever2 and yet1 as ,dr4 ,livingstone informs us1 they maintain strict honesty in all their dealings with each other1 and have made considerable progress in the arts and manufactures4 ,they have never had a ,bible or revelation of any kind4 ,look also at the inhabitants of the ,arru ,islands4 ,these people1 says ,dr4 ,livingstone1 appear to have no religion whatever2 and yet they live in brotherly peace1 and respect each other's rights1--the rights of property in the fullest sense4 ,the ,rev4 ,w4 ,h4 ,clark1 speaking of the ,yoruba nation in ,central ,africa1 says1 ,their moral and even their civil rights in some respects would put to shame any ,christian nation in the world4 ,we might present a hundred more cases of this kind2 but these three cases are sufficient to show that nations witt no ,bible1 no revelation1 and even no religion1 transcend any ,christian nation with respect to strict honesty and a practical sense of right and wrong4 ,how absurd1 therefore1 is the idea shown to be1 that a knowledge of the ,christian ,bible is essential to the knowledge and practice of good morals6 7,see chap4 #ej47 ,x4 ,,our ,,duties ,,are ,,all ,,recorded ,,in ,,the ,,bible ,,of ,,nature4 ,there is not a moral or religious duty that is not inscribed on the tablet of man's soul or consciousness which he would not soon learn if his attention were not constantly directed to1 and his mind occupied with1 the erroneous theories of the dark1 illiterate ages4 ,the ,god of nature has endowed every human being with two sensations1--one of pleasure1 and the other of pain1--which serve as guides in all his actions1 both physical and moral4 ,they stand as sentinels at the door of his soul to warn him of the approach of evil of every kind4 ,the moment their kingdom is invaded1 they raise an alarm1 which he soon learns he must heed or suffer a penalty4 ,if he drinks intoxicating drinks1 or improperly indulges his appetites and propensities in any way1 he learns1 by suffering1 that is the penalty affixed to the violation of the law of health1 and that he can not escape it1 and that no one can suffer for him1 or make any atonement for his sins4 ,if he attempts to handle fire1 he is soon apprized that he is meddling with something that will injure him2 if he commits a moral wrong against a neighbor1 it re-acts upon himself in various ways1 as explained in ,chap4 #df4 ,it thus acts as a two-edged sword1 which cuts both ways1 punishes both the victim and the perpetrator4 ,man learns by experience that crime will not only injure him1 but1 in many cases1 will destroy him4 ,on the other hand1 when he practices virtue1 she greets him with her smiles1 and fills his soul with pleasure4 ,let me illustrate3 ,the bells in some city toll the alarm of fire at midnight4 ,in a few minutes thousands of men and boys are congregated on the spot1 many of them half-dressed1 and without hats or shoes1 in order to aid a fellow-being in rescuing his dwelling from the all-devouring element4 ,what prompts them to this act8 ,it is not an injunction of their ,bible4 ,no3 it was the well-spring of philanthropy leaping up through their souls that prompted to the deed1 and not a written ,bible4 ,again3 why is a mother's loving1 watchful care ever exercised for the protection and welfare of her child8 ,she will endure almost any hardship or privation which its welfare requires4 ,why does she do this8 ,her ,bible is silent on the subject4 ,it is the impulse of nature welling up from the fountain of maternal affection which prompts to these acts of loving care1--to this moral duty4 ,and this is true of all the other moral duties of life4 ,they are all imbibed al her fountain1--at the fountain of ,nature4 ,a man with a good moral development needs no revelation to teach him what is right1 no ,bible to prompt him to the performance of his duties4 ,we rejoice with joy unspeakable that the world is fast learning this moral axiom4 ,the ,bible truly teaches us that our moral duties are revealed in the book of nature 7,chap4 #ad74 ,and ,christian writers also admit this4 ,tertullian says1 ,why pain yourselves in searching for a divine law while you have that which is common to mankind1 and engraven upon the tablet of nature8 ,this is a wonderful admission for a ,christian writer to make1 as it virtually concedes there is no moral or religious necessity for a written ,bible or revelation4 ,,xi4 ,a ,,divine ,,revelation ,,adverse ,,to ,,human ,,progress4 ,one argument against the belief in a divine revelation is found in the fact that it would tend to paralyze human effort1 and thus make man a mental sloth4 ,if a man could find all his moral and religious duties cut and dried1 and laid out before him1 he would be thus robbed of the motive to study and learn his duties by the exercise of his mental powers4 ,and having no incentives to healthy1 energetic action1 he would become a drone and mental sloth4 ,we can not believe ,god ever made such a blunder as this4 ,,xii4 ,a ,,divine ,,revelation ,,would ,,imply ,,imperfection ,,on ,,the ,,part ,,of ,,deity4 ,it is admitted that no revelation was ever given to man for more than two thousand years after creation4 ,this would imply that it was forgotten by ,infinite ,wisdom1 or else the moral necessity for it overlooked4 ,either assumption would make ,god an imperfect and short-sighted being4 ,it would appear like an after-thought4 ,after man had lived so many years upon the earth1 it just occurred to ,god that he had not given him a written revelation instructing him what to do and believe4 ,the assumption of a divine revelation presupposes such a blunder as this on the part of ,omniscience1 and is therefore derogatory to his character4 ,now1 we ask seriously1 ,do not the foregoing facts and arguments show that there is no moral or religious necessity for a divine revelation to man8 ,let the believers in the necessity of the ,bible1 or a divine revelation1 show their fallacy1 or for ever abandon the old mythological assumption that it is necessary4 ,another conclusive argument3 ,a mind that could comprehend a truth divinely revealed could originate that truth4 ,we will give an illustrative proof3 ,a teacher works out a mathematical problem on the blackboard for the benefit of his school4 ,now1 every teacher and every logical mind will admit that every pupil1 possessing the mental capacity to understand the mathematical truth thus revealed1 could1 by his own unaided powers1 have developed it himself sooner or later4 ,in like manner1 the mind that could comprehend a truth revealed from ,god1 could originate it without the aid of revelation4 ,hence revelation would be worse than useless1 as it would furnish a pretext for mental or intellectual sloth1 and thus have a tendency to stop human progress by doing for us what we could and should do ourselves4 ,a logical investigation of the case will show that we possess the mental capacity to discover every truth we need1 whether it be scientific1 moral1 or religious2 and such exercise furnishes the only means to keep the mind in a healthy condition4 ,and thus the problem is proved again4 ,,chapter ,,xxxiv4--,,primeval ,,innocency ,,of ,,man ,,not ,,true4 ,the tradition so universally prevalent among the disciples of all the ,oriental systems of religious faith1 as well as those of a more modern origin1 and which is still a conspicuous element of the ,christian system1--that man commenced his career in a state of moral perfection1--is so obviously at war with every principle of anthropology1 and every page of human history tending to demonstrate the moral character of the primitive inhabitants of the earth1 that ,i shall employ but little time and space in exposing its absurdity and falsity4 #a4 ,all the organic remains of the earliest types of the human species that have been found demonstrate conclusively that man started on the animal plane with animal feelings1 propensities1 and habits1 almost totally devoid of moral feelings1 and consequently victim to his passions1 propensities1 and lusts4 ,where1 then1 were his moral purity and angelic holiness8 ,the idea is a mere chimera4 #b4 ,it is now a settled problem in mental science that the character of every species of animate being corresponds with its organization2 that the organic structure of the being1 whether dead or alive1 always indicates its true character4 ,if it possesses the form and type of the tiger it will always be found with the disposition and habits of the tiger2 or1 if it is a sheep in form1 it will be a sheep in character4 ,there is no deviation from this rule4 ,hence1 when we find the bones of the early types of the human species resembling those of the lower order of animals1 there is no escaping the conclusion that they possessed an analogous character4 #c4 ,look1 then1 at the fact that the skulls and facial bones of human beings1 found embedded in the rocks of ,gibraltar1 belonging to a race which naturalists have decided existed upon the earth sixty-five thousand years ago1 closely approximate those of an animal4 ,they possessed retreating foreheads1 prognathous jaws1 extremely coarse features1 and skulls nearly an inch in thickness2 hands resembling those of a monkey1 feet resembling those of a bear1 and cranial receptacle showing a very small amount of moral brain4 ,now1 it is evident that this early race1 with such a gross1 brutal organization1 could not have possessed fine moral sensibilities and lofty virtue1 purity1 and perfection4 #d4 ,and we find that nations whose organizations indicate a higher moral character are of more modern origin1 as shown by their organic remains being found in more recently formed strata1--the tertiary formation4 ,it is thus scientifically demonstrated that man's tendency toward moral perfection is inversely to the remoteness of time1--that1 the nearer we retrace his history to his origin1 the lower position he occupies in the scale of morals4 #e4 ,we will cite one more historical fact to establish this theory ,the existence of a tribe of negroes has been traced 7as stated in ,chap4 #af47 to near the date of ,noah's flood1 whose organization indicates a very near approach to the animal2 thus showing1 that1 if they are descendants of ,adam1 he himself must have possessed an inferior or defective moral organization and character4 #f4 ,let the reader1 after noting these facts1 read the history of the practical lives of the earliest races or nations whose deeds have been recorded1 and he will find they sustain the same proportion2 that their defective moral character corresponds 7ceteris paribus7 to the remoteness of the era in which they lived4 ,the history of the ,jews themselves illustrates and corroborates the proposition1 as the character of the modern ,jews is far superior to those of the era of ,abraham and ,moses4 #g4 ,once more3 ,the fact that the moral character of nearly all nations is constantly improving1 proves beyond question that man once occupied a much lower plane1 and that1 instead of falling from a state of moral purity1 he is constantly ascending toward that condition4 #h4 ,the current belief of man's primitive moral perfection is easily traced to its origin4 ,nearly all the ,oriental nations had a tradition of a golden age1 when the most sublime and unalloyed bliss was the lot and enjoyment of the genus homo4 ,but the serpent that beguiled ,eve to eat of the forbidden fruit in ,eden1 the serpent who stole the recipe of immortal life in ,assyria1 the entering of ,typhon into the golden paradise of ,osirus in ,egypt1 the opening of ,pandora's box in ,greece1 the piercing of the evil egg by ,ahrimanes in ,chaldea1 the machinations of the snake in ,india1 of the lizard in ,persia1 and the demon in ,mexico1 seem to have all had an agency in defeating the omniscient designs of ,deity1 and placing the reins of government in the hands of the world's omnipresent1 omnipotent1 and omniscient evil genius1 thus prostrating for ever the great and glorious plans of ,infinite ,wisdom4 ,,chapter ,,xxxv4--,,original ,,sin ,,and ,,fall ,,of ,,man4 ,having shown that man commenced his earthly career on a low moral and intellectual plane1 and that therefore the assumption of his original moral perfection is a fallacy1 the correlative dogma of his fall into a state of moral depravity falls to the ground of its own weight4 ,it would be a work of supererogation to attempt to show that man never fell in a moral sense1 after having shown that he never occupied an elevated moral position to fall from4 ,it is self-evident that he could not fall if there was no lower position for him to fall to2 and this has been shown4 ,nevertheless we will expose its absurdity from other logical stand-points4 ,according to the ,westminster ,catechism1 ,god placed man in the garden of ,eden1 and forbade him to eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge2 and1 because he disobeyed1 he became the victim of ,god's eternal wrath1 an accursed and totally depraved being4 ,such doctrine is not only morally revolting1 but replete with logical absurdities4 ,we will recount some of them3-- #a4 ,god formed and fashioned man1 according to the ,bible1 after his own image1 the product of his infinite wisdom2 and if he had not possessed infinite wisdom1 which must enable him to do every thing to perfection1 he had had an eternity to study the matter1 and get it fully matured1 so as to make every thing work in harmony1 and endow every sentient being with happiness4 #b4 ,and1 as happiness is the highest end and aim of every living being1 it is hence evident that1 where there is a want of happiness1 there is a want of perfection in the being who established such a state of things2 and such a being could not by any possibility be infinitely good and infinitely wise4 #c4 ,a few points considered will show very clearly1 that1 if man sinned and fell1 ,god has to sustain the responsibility of it4 ,we are told that ,god made man2 and1 being all-wise1 he would1 of course1 endow him with exactly such faculties and inclinations and appetites as were best adapted to his situation1 and calculated to make him happy4 ,but1 according to orthodoxy1 ,god had planted a tree near the spot where he placed ,adam1 and furnished it with some beautiful and luscious fruit1 and implanted in man an appetite and relish for it1 and1 as if to tantalize him with perpetual hanger1 forbade him to eat the fruit2 and apparently1 for fear ,adam would obey his command and abstain from eating the fruit1 he created a serpent-devil to persuade him 7or rather his wife7 with bland smiles 7assuming that a snake can smile1 which is rather doubtful7 to partake of the fruit1 and satisfy their appetites4 ,all this appear's to have been the work of their ,creator1 and not theirs4 ,but the conspicuous features of the absurdity do not stop here4 #d4 ,we are told that the prohibition to eat the fruit was issued to ,adam before ,eve was released from her imprisonment in ,adam's side1 or from performing the functions of a rib-bone1 before she became a woman and a wife2 and it is not even implied that it was intended to extend to her4 ,why1 then1 in the name of ,god1 should such curses be heaped upon her devoted head for eating the fruit when she had not been forbidden to do so8 ,and it does not appear to have been wrong in any sense1 only that ,jehovah had issued an order forbidding it4 #e4 ,jehovah professed great sympathy for ,adam's lonely condition1 and made a help meet for him2 and yet the first meat she helped him to1 it would seem1 damned him and his posterity for ever4 ,in view of this fact1 it is probable ,adam would have preferred to let her remain a bone in his side4 #f4 ,here let it be noted that ,adam and ,eve were ignorant and inexperienced beings4 ,they had had no experience in any thing1 and hence could not know that such an act1 or any other act1 was wrong and sinful4 #g4 ,nor could ,adam know what the word die meant when ,jehovah told him he would die the day he ate the fruit1 as he had seen nothing die4 #h4 ,it may here be said in reply1 that they should1 in their ignorance1 have obeyed the command which was given them ,to this we reply1 they did obey the command of one being4 ,god told them not to eat1 and the serpent told them to eat1 the fruit2 and1 not having lived with or had any experience with either of those omnipresent beings1 how could they know what would be the consequence of obeying or disobeying either of them8 ,this question of itself is sufficient to settle the matter4 ,they could not possibly know1 with no experience in either case1 that the consequence would be more serious or more fatal in disobeying ,jehovah than the serpent4 #i4 ,and as they got their eyes open by eating the fruit1 and did not die as ,jehovah told them they would 7while the serpent told them they would not71 it is not to be wondered at that ever after they and their posterity should be more inclined to serve the serpent-devil than ,jehovah1 seeing that all the happy consequences which the former predicted as the result of eating the fruit were realized1 while those of ,jehovah were falsified4 ,for proof see chap4 #ec4 #aj4 ,the most artful sophistry can not disguise the fact that the doctrine of moral depravity is a slanderous imputation upon divine mercy1 goodness1 and justice1 and challenges not only his goodness1 but his good sense4 #aa4 ,and every page of history and every principle of science demonstrate it to be both false and demoralizing4 ,man fell up1 and not down4 ,,chapter ,,xxxvi4--,,the ,,moral ,,depravity ,,of ,,man ,a ,,delusion4 ,it is alleged by the orthodox world that man's moral nature and reasoning faculties1 both became depraved by the fall4 ,totally depraved has been the doctrine2 but the gradual expansion and enlightenment of the mind by progressive science have modified the doctrine with some of the churches1 and they have substituted moral depravity for total depravity4 ,but neither assumption can be scientifically or logically sustained4 ,the assumption that our reason is depraved is made the pretext for urging the superiority of revelation1 and making reason subordinate to it4 ,we are told1 that1 as our reason is depraved1 we can not safely rely upon it to judge and criticise the ,bible or the doctrine of the churches4 ,mr4 ,moody recently exclaimed1 in a religious controversy1 ,i never reason on religion4 ,none but the disciples of devils reason4 ,it is dangerous to reason on religion4 ,unconscious of his ignorance1 ,mr4 ,moody assumed a very ludicrous position4--,by the exercise of his reason on religion1 ,mr4 ,moody came to the conclusion that it is wrong to reason on religion1 thus committing the very sin he condemns in others4 ,he reasons on religion to convince people that it is wrong to reason on religion1 and thus violates his own principles4 ,his case is analogous to that of the town council which attempted to keep the prisoners of the county in the old jail while they erected a new jail with the timbers of the old one1--rather a difficult task to achieve1 but not more so than ,mr4 ,moody's attempt to keep his reason in chains while he is trying to exercise it4 ,or1 rather1 he insults his auditors by saying to them virtually1 ,i will use my reason on matters of religion1 but you must not use yours4 ,as a reasoning being he reasons with reasonable beings1 and addresses their reason to convince them they ought not to reason on certain subjects4 ,he uses logic to prove that logic is dangerous1 and should not be used4 ,by reasoning against reason he pulls both ways1 like the ,scotchman who attempted to lift himself by his ears4 ,he commits logical suicide when he attempts to show there is any case in which reason should not be used4 ,the truth is1 a person can not think on the subject of religion without beginning to reason on it1 because his reasoning faculties and his thinking faculties are both one4 ,he thinks with his intellect1 and he reasons with his intellect2 and1 the very moment he begins to think1 he begins to reason4 ,and therefore1 if it is wrong to reason on religion1 it is wrong to have any religion4 ,we should not allow it to occupy our thoughts for a single moment1 and thus we would banish religion from the world2 which1 however1 would be no great loss if it is too absurd to bear the test of reason4 ,and1 if it is wrong to reason on religion1 it is wrong to reason on any subject4 ,the more important the subject1 the more necessary to use reason upon it1 that we may make no mistakes in regard to it4 ,the truth is1 reason is the only faculty with which a man can comprehend religion1 revelation1 or the ,bible4 ,this would prove again that it is wrong to have any religion1 if it is wrong to submit it to the judgment1 and test it by our reasoning faculties4 ,reason is the principal faculty which distinguishes us from the brute2 and1 therefore1 to discard it if to approximate to the condition of the brute4 ,what a pity ,mr4 ,moody had not been consulted in his creation that he might have had his reasoning faculties left out6 then he would not be under the necessity of sinning daily by exercising his reason in his attempts to stop its exercise4 ,and then there are other serious difficulties growing out of the reverend gentleman's position4 ,his reason being depraved1 we can place no confidence in its exercise or decision in this case1 so as to assume that his judgment and conclusions are correct when he declares against reason4 ,if he reaches his conclusions through a depraved reason1 they can be of no account4 ,the verdict can not transcend the judge or court which makes it4 ,the reasoner being depraved1 his reasoning and decision in the case must be depraved also1 and therefore worthless4 ,verily the gentleman is in a bad position1 and rather a serious quandary2 and every struggle to get out only sinks him deeper4 ,he is in the predicament of a dog running round after his tail4 ,and then we should like to ask the gentleman1 ,if our reason is not to be depended upon in matters of religion1 how is it to be depended upon in any case8 ,and how does he know1 or how can he know1 but that1 his reason being depraved1 it has lead him off the track1 in this case1 in his attempts to put it in chains8 ,will the reverend gentleman furnish a rule by which we can know in what case our reason can be trusted1 and in what cases we are to doff our moral manhood1 and lie prostrate in the dust with the brute8 ,and then the rule1 being the product of a depraved reason1 could not be relied upon4 ,really the reverend gentleman is in an inextricable quandary4 ,the case furnishes an illustrative proof of the extent a man can make a fool of himself when he attempts to shipwreck his reason1 and a proof that orthodoxy is a conglomeration of absurdities1 and is entirely out of place in an age of progressive thought1 and an age of reason and science4 ,the only evidence we have ever had of the truth of the depravity of human reason is found in the fact that men professing to have common sense and reason can believe it to be true4 ,and the fact that our moral sense instinctively repels the doctrine of total depravity or moral depravity1 and our reason rises up in rebellion against it1 is proof positive of its absurdity4 ,the thought is here suggested1 that1 if ,god could not get along without the adoption of an expedient calculated to corrupt our moral nature and deprave our reason1 he should not and would not have implanted in us such an instinctive horror to the doctrine4 ,this natural feeling of repugnance is alone sufficient to condemn it1 and prove that it is a slander upon ,infinite ,wisdom1 and a libel upon human nature1 to assume its existence4 ,and such doctrine is evidently calculated to demoralize society4 ,an old ,roman proverb teaches us1 ,call a man a dog1 and he will be a dog4 ,call a child depraved1 and it will feel depraved2 and1 feeling so1 it will act so4 ,on the other hand1 teach the child he possesses the grand principle and feeling of an inherent nobility1 and he will rise to the dignity of moral manhood4 ,such is the difference in the moral value of the two doctrines4 ,,chapter ,,xxxvii4--,,free ,,agency ,,and ,,moral ,,accountability4 ,one of the cardinal doctrines of the ,christian faith is the free agency of man2 but the very term is a logical contradiction4 ,an agent must act in accordance with the will and wishes of his employer1 or he will be called to account1 and perhaps dismissed4 ,where1 then1 is his moral freedom8 ,it may be assumed that his employer licenses him to take his own course2 but this must be with certain conditions1 or else he will act for himself1 and be no agent at all4 ,certain alternatives are placed before an agent1 which he is privileged to choose2 but that does not make him free in any rational or practical sense4 ,if he does not act as required or desired1 he will be either punished or dismissed4 ,that is a singular kind of freedom4 ,it is the freedom of a slave1 which is no freedom at all2 and this is exactly the kind of freedom orthodoxy grants to the sinner1 and to the whole human race4 ,it marks out the road to heaven1 and says1 ,this is the road to eternal bliss2 and you must walk in it1 or eternal misery will be your portion4 ,and1 to escape such a terrible doom1 millions tremblingly travel the road impelled and propelled by fear4 ,and this painful alternative ,christians are pleased to term free agency1 or moral freedom4 ,it is simply the freedom of a slave to clank his chains4 ,it is a perversion of language to apply the term free agency to such a case4 ,the orthodox give us our choice to accept their terms of salvation or reject them2 but they attach to the consequence of rejecting them the most awful penalties4 ,we will illustrate3 ,a father says to his son some sabbath morning1 ,john1 ,i am going to leave you free to-day either to go to church or go a-fishing4 ,he instantly darts away to the river or the lake with the glee of a humming-bird1 and is seen no more until nightfall4 ,as he approaches the door1 his father says to him1 ,john1 where have you been to-day8--,why1 father1 ,i have been fishing1 to be sure4--,well now1 ,john1 ,i am going to give you one of the most terrible floggings you ever had in your life for not going to church4--,why1 father1 you told me ,i might take my choice1 and go either to church1 or go a-fishing4--,that is true1 ,john2 but it was with the implied understanding that1 if you did not choose to go to church1 ,i would give you an unmerciful whipping4 ,this is free agency indeed6 ,it is the free agency of orthodoxy illustrated1 and applied to practice4 ,free agency coupled with a penalty is moral slavery and moral tyranny4 ,there is no moral freedom about it4 ,you are simply free to take your choice between two systems of slavery and two systems of punishment or suffering4 ,a hare pursued by a hound enjoys a similar kind of freedom1--the freedom to stand and be caught1 or the freedom to run4 ,of all the absurdities that ever entered the brain of a human being1 that of setting ,god and the ,devil both after man1 as orthodoxy does1 and then call him a free agent1 is not excelled4 ,we are told that we can not think a thought of ourselves4 ,all our good thoughts and actions are prompted by a good being2 and all our bad thoughts' and actions by a bad being 7,god and the ,devil74 ,where1 then1 is our moral freedom or our moral accountability1 if neither our thoughts nor our actions are our own1 as they can not be if they are prompted by other beings8 ,when a man performs a good act1 it is assumed that ,god is the author of it2 and he is told that he must give ,god praise for it4 ,on the other hand1 all wicked actions are assigned to the ,devil4 ,he is thus a target between these two cross-fires4 ,such an assumption sweeps away the last vestige of free agency and moral accountability4 ,some ,christian professors accept the doctrine of free agency to escape the dreaded alternative of assuming man to be a mere machine1 which they call fatality4 ,but here you have fatality to repletion4 ,if to place man between two all-powerful beings1 and have them both trying to direct his actions at once1 don't make him a machine1 then we have no use for the word4 ,it is strange that ,christian professors have never discovered that1 according to the teachings of the ,bible1 ,god himself is not a free agent4 ,a free agent is one who can have things as he wills or wishes1 so far as he has the power to make them so4 ,look1 then1 at the fact that1 according to their own ,bible1 ,god himself does not enjoy this desirable boon4 ,it is declared by that book that ,god wills not the death 7destruction7 of the sinner1 but that all shall be saved4 ,and it is elsewhere declared that strait is the gate1 and narrow is the way1 that leadeth unto life2 and few there be that find it4 ,according to the first text1 ,god desires to save all2 but1 according to the second1 he succeeds in saving but very few4 ,hence1 not having things as he desires or wishes them to be1 it is evident he is not a free agent1 according to the orthodox or technical sense of that term4 ,why1 then1 talk of men being free agents1 if a being with infinite power can not be a free agent8 ,to make man a free agent strictly or truly1 he should have been consulted beforehand as to how1 when1 and where he would be born1 or whether he would be born at all or not4 ,douglas ,jerrold significantly remarks that1 if ,i had foreknown that a portion of mankind would be born to be damned1 ,i'll be d----d if ,i would have been born at all4 ,this expression1 although profane1 contains a good moral4 ,certainly nothing could be more preposterous or unreasonable than to hold one being accountable to another when the former had no agency in creating his mind or originating his inclinations1 out of which all his actions grow4 ,true accountability can only appertain to beings who created their own natural inclinations1 or consented to receive those they are in possession of4 ,this is clear and unanswerable logic4 ,if man was made by ,god1 or ,infinite ,wisdom1 as ,christians affirm1 then common sense would teach that ,god alone is accountable for his actions4 ,the man would be a fool who should blame a watch for not running right1 knowing that the maker conferred upon it all the properties and powers it possessed4 ,the maker of the watch alone is held responsible for all its perfections and imperfections4 ,and1 if man has a maker1 it is a very clear case that that maker is equally responsible for his running wrong4 ,there is no resisting this conclusion4 ,the true assumption in the case is1 that man has no creator in the orthodox sense1 and is only responsible to himself1 and to society so far as he is a voluntary member of it4 ,but orthodoxy makes his salvation depend not only upon his resisting the natural inclinations implanted in his system1 but also upon the position of his birth4 ,as an argument in favor of sending the ,bible to the heathen1 they declare that millions perish every year because they have not the opportunity of reading that ,holy ,book1 and learning the name of ,jesus4 ,this makes their salvation depend upon the locality of their birth2 as some sections furnish the opportunity1 and others do not1 of becoming acquainted with their ,bible1 and the name of their ,savior4 ,we must imagine1 therefore1 in the day of judgment every human being will have a geographical question to answer4 ,after being interrogated as to their conduct and practical lives1 the next question will be1 ,where were you born8 ,if the answer is1 ,in ,arabia1 the reply of the judge will be1 ,oh yes6 you are a ,mahomedan4 ,our religion only saves those born in ,christian countries4 ,i must therefore set you aside among the goats4 ,if the applicant is from ,india1 he will be rejected from the kingdom1 and consigned to perdition1 because he is a heathen4 ,and thus ,christianity is shown to be a geographical system of salvation1 and makes a man's eternal destiny depend upon whether he is born in this country or that country1 which strips it of all claim to either justice1 impartiality1 or good sense4 ,the doctrine of free agency and moral accountability is one in a long list of ,geological absurdities1 which originated in an age of scientific ignorance1 when nothing was known of the natural powers1 or the philosophy of the human mind1 or the laws which control its action4 ,moral ,accountability4--,what is it8 and where is it8 ,it is certainly one of the greatest moral puzzles ever submitted to a philosopher1 as to how a being1 forced into existence by an omnipotent creative power1 without his consultation or consent1 can be responsible to that creative power for his conduct1 when he had no agency and no volition in his own creation1 and no power of resisting it1 or in shaping its conditions4 ,if ,god possesses omnipotent power and infinite wisdom1 and is a creator1 he could and should have made man to act just as he wished him to act2 and1 if he did not do so1 common sense would suggest that it was his own fault4 ,it will be seen from the force of this logic1 that ,christians must either give up the doctrine of a voluntary personal creator1 or that of moral accountability4 ,the two doctrines can not be made to harmonize together4 ,,chapter ,,xxxviii4--,,repentance1--,,the ,,doctrine ,,erroneous4 ,having treated this subject somewhat lengthily and critically in ,the ,world's ,sixteen ,crucified ,saviors1 we shall devote but a brief space to its elucidation here4 ,nearly all religious nations have attached great importance to the act of repentance2 but such an act does not repair the injury or wrong repented of4 ,the repentance of a murderer does not restore his murdered victim to life2 nor does the repentance and tears of the incendiary rebuild the dwelling he has destroyed by fire4 ,what1 then1 is its practical value8 ,we would ask1 also1 what moral value or merit can attach to an act of repentance when it is not claimed to be an act of the sinner1 but the power of ,god upon the soul8 7,luther47 ,it appears then1 according to orthodox logic1--#a4 ,that ,god won't save the sinner unless he repents4 #b4 ,that he can't repent only as ,god moves him to do so4 ,this places him in a bad predicament4 ,hence1 when he does repent1 it is an act of ,god4 #c4 ,and then ,god saves him because he makes him repent4 ,here is a jumble of logical incongruities and moral contradictions that can find no lodgment in a scientific mind4 ,a few brief questions will set the doctrine of repentance in its true light4 #d4 ,repentance consists in merely a revival of early impressions1 that may be either right or wrong1 true or false1 and almost as likely to be one as the other4 #e4 ,who ever knew a person to embrace more rational doctrines1 or become more intelligent1 or have a stronger taste for scientific pursuits1 by repentance8 #f4 ,is it not a fact that repentance usually causes a person to cling more tenaciously to the errors and superstitions in which he was educated8 #g4 ,who ever knew a person by repenting1 either in health or sickness1 to condemn one wrong act which he had erroneously been taught to believe was right8 ,if not1 does it not prove that repentance always conforms to education1 whether that education is right or wrong1 and hence does nothing toward enlightening the convert or anybody else8 #h4 ,on the contrary1 when a man repents with his mind full of religious errors1 is it not evident that the act of repentance will have the effect to rivet these errors more strongly upon his mind1 and thus effect a moral injury instead of a moral benefit8 #i4 ,if a man may abandon some of his immoral habits1 which he has been taught to believe are wrong1 by an act of repentance1 are not the good effects to some extent counterbalanced by his clinging more strongly to his religious errors8 #aj4 ,who ever knew a person to abandon a false religion by repentance8 ,does a ,hindoo or ,mahomedan ever embrace ,christianity by repenting8 #aa4 ,who ever knew a ,roman ,catholic to become a ,protestant1 or a ,protestant a ,catholic1 by repentance8 ,and yet orthodox ,christians will cite the belief and testimony of a dying man as an evidence of the truth of their doctrines4 #ab4 ,how can an act of repentance do any thing toward proving what is right and what is wrong in any case1 when one person repents for doing what another repents for not doing8 ,we have such cases recorded in history4 ,we have known a ,campbellite to leave his dying testimony in favor of water baptism1 and a ,quaker to leave his dying testimony against it4 ,does one case prove it to be wrong1 and the other right8 ,if not1 why do ,christians cite such cases8 ,what do they prove8 ,for a further illustration of this subject1 see ,the ,world's ,sixteen ,crucified ,saviors4 ,,death-,,bed ,,repentance4 ,if there is any class of people who need to repent for misspent time1 and for leading false and foolish lives1 it is the colporteurs who travel over the country distributing pious tracts1 containing doleful accounts of death-bed repentance1 which1 whether right or wrong1 prove nothing4 ,such cases of repentance as are reported do not appertain to the moral conduct1 but to the religious belief1 of the sinner4 ,it is the abandonment and condemnation of his past creeds1 and not of his past conduct1 which makes the tract so valuable4 ,such a case contains no moral instruction whatever4 ,if his early education was ,mahomedan1 his repentance will establish that religion again in his mind2 but1 if ,mormonism was the religion of his childhood1 he would again have full faith in that religion4 ,what nonsense6 ,who ever knew repentance to divorce or emancipate a man from all or any of the religious errors of his past life1 and plant in his soul a better and more rational religion1 or lead him to advocate any religion only that in which he had been educated8 ,such repentance is worth nothing1 and absolutely foolish4 ,let us assume that the numerous cases of death-bed repentance published in religious tracts are all true2 and what would it prove8 ,why1 simply this3 that the converts had all been educated to believe in ,christianity1 and had gone back to that religion4 ,had ,budhism or ,mahomedanism been their early religion1 they would have returned to that4 ,it is merely old errors and old truths revived and re-established in the mind4 ,but many facts afterwards gathered by honest investigation1 appertaining to some of these cases1 show that they have either been manufactured or greatly exaggerated4 ,as for example1 the case of ,thomas ,paine is proved to be without foundation4 ,his close was calm and peaceful4 ,many times has it been declared1 in the pulpit and elsewhere1 that ,tom ,paine repented1 and died a miserable death4 ,and yet we have the testimony of those ,christian professors who were present with him almost constantly during his last illness1 that he never manifested the least compunction of conscience1 or the least disposition to condemn any thing he had said or written in opposition to ,christianity or the ,bible4 ,take1 for example1 the testimony of ,willet ,hicks1 a reliable ,quaker preacher4 ,on being interrogated by a neighbor of the author of this work as to the truth of the statement that he repented1 he replied1 ,i was with ,paine every day during the latter part of his sickness1 and can affirm that he did not express any regret for having written ',the ,age of ,reason1' as has been reported1 nor for any thing he had said or written in opposition to the ,bible1 nor ask forgiveness of ,god4 ,he died as easy as any one ,i ever saw die2 and ,i have seen a great many die4 ,and yet this ,mr4 ,hicks was in hopes he would repent4 ,other similar testimony might be adduced2 but this is sufficient4 ,the story of ,ethan ,allen's daughter calling upon her father during her last illness1 and asking him if he would recommend her to die in his religious belief1 and his feeling so conscience-smitten by the question1 that he exclaimed1 ,no3 die in the belief of your mother6 7who was a ,christian7 has gone the rounds of the ,christian pulpits4 ,and yet we have the statement of his nephew1 ,col4 ,hitchcock1 that he had no daughter to die during his lifetime4 ,there is not one word of truth in the report4 ,these two cases furnish samples of the manner in which a dying cause will grasp at straws4 ,we will subjoin here the testimony of a clergyman1 in proof that infidels are not more likely to die in a state of mental distress than ,christians3 ,the ,rev4 ,theodore ,clap1 in his autobiography1 says1 ,in all my experience ,i never saw an unbeliever die in fear4 ,i have seen them expire without any hope or expectation of the future1 but never in agitation from dread or misgiving as to what might befall them hereafter4 ,we know that the idea is prevalent that this final event passes with some dreadful terror or agony of soul4 ,it is imagined1 that1 in the infidel's case1 the pangs of dissolution are greatly augmented by the upbraidings of a guilty conscience1 and by the reluctance of the spirit to be torn from its mortal tenement1 and hurried into the presence of an avenging ,judge2 but this is all a superstitious fancy4 ,it is a superstitious fear1 from a false education1 that causes any one to die in fear4 ,the ,rev4 ,w4 ,h4 ,spenser1 of the ,first ,parish ,church 7,massachusetts71 says1 ,some of the men most bitterly stigmatized as infidels have been among the most brilliant and useful minds the world has ever known1 and1 when dying and suffering from calumny and scorn1 have only to wait for time to do them justice1 and place them in history with the world's benefactors or saviors4 ,there is not to be found on record one purely infidel man1 in the sense now referred to1 whose death-bed was attended by recantations and remorse4 ,thus testifies a clergyman4 ,we will now show from reliable authority that the most ardent faith in ,christ and the ,bible1 and the most rigid and conscientious observance of their doctrines and precepts1 do not guarantee permanent acquiescence or satisfaction1 or protect the mind from the most violent mental perturbation in the hour of death4 ,john ,calvin stood in the first ranks of the ,church militant in his time1 and was considered by many the leading clergyman in ,christendom4 ,hear what ,martin ,luther1 his co-laborer1 says with respect to his mortal exit3 ,he died forlorn and forsaken of ,god1 blaspheming to the very end4444 ,he died of scarlet fever1 overrun and eaten up by ulcerous abscesses1 the stench of which drove every person away4 ,he gave up the ghost1 despairing of salvation1 and evoking devils from the abyss1 and uttering oaths most horrible1 and blasphemies most frightful4 ,then tell us no more about infidels recanting and dying unhappy1 after reading this case4 ,yet all the cases and evidences cited above only tend to show that no forms of religious belief have any thing specially to do with the condition of mind in the hour of mortal dissolution1 except so far as that belief has been invested with groundless1 superstitious fears4 ,hence persons who distribute death-bed tracts are in rather small business4 ,we like the answer of a liberal-minded man1 who1 when in his dying moments he was asked by a priest if he had made his peace with his ,god1 replied1 ,we have never had any unfriendly words4 ,we don't believe there can be a case found in all ,christendom of an infidel repenting whose parents were unbelievers1 so that he was not educated and biased in favor of any form of religious faith or belief4 ,,chapter ,,xxxix4--,,forgiveness ,,for ,,sin1 ,,an ,,immoral ,,doctrine4 ,the doctrine of divine forgiveness for sin is another illogical and immoral doctrine of the orthodox school1 as well as that of heathen nations1 which a logical analysis and the practical experience of nearly all religious countries show has been pernicious in its effects upon the morals of society4 ,a little reflection must convince any unbiased mind that1 while men and women are taught to believe that the consequences of sin or crime can be arrested or mitigated by an act of forgiveness by the divine ,law-maker1 they will feel the less restrained from the commission of crime and wickedness4 ,they naturally look upon it as a sort of license for the indulgence of their passions and propensities4 ,they are taught that none of the evil consequences of wrong-doing can follow them to another world if they repent in time1 and ask forgiveness4 ,this they accept as a broad license to take their swing in vice and villainy4 ,and thus they are partially demoralized by the doctrine4 ,much more rational is the doctrine of the ,swedenborgians and ,harmonialists1 that every sin or wrong act we commit makes its impress upon the soul1 or immortal spirit1 which will be carried with it to the life eternal1 and will there long operate to impair the happiness1 and retard the spiritual growth1 of every person who in this life indulges in crime or immoral conduct4 ,they teach us that the character we form for ourselves on this plane of existence will be carried with us to the spirit-world2 that our character undergoes no radical change by merely passing through the gates of death4 ,hence1 whatever defective moral qualities we permit to de incorporated into our characters here will operate to sink us to a lower plane of happiness in the after-death world4 ,this is a plausible and rational doctrine1 to say the least1 and can have no effect to demoralize the community1 as the sentiments breathed forth by some of the orthodox hymns have evidently done4 ,there is a fountain filled with blood1 ,drawn from ,immanuel's veins2 ,and sinners plunged beneath that flood ,lose all their guilty stains4 ,could any doctrine be more demoralizing than that here set forth1--that the deep-dyed stains of a life of crime1 debauchery1 and wickedness can all be wiped out by the simple act of plunging into a pool of blood1 or rather by believing that the atoning blood of ,christ will cleanse from all sin8 ,the same idea is incorporated into ,watts's well-known hymn1-- ,while the lamp holds out to burn1 ,the vilest sinner may return4 ,the idea here set forth is shocking to the moralist1 as well as demoralizing in its effects on the community4 ,the vilest sinner must feel very little concern about returning to the path of virtue1 or abandoning his wicked deeds1 while the conviction is established in his mind that he is losing nothing by leading such a life1 and will have nothing to do at the end of a long life of the most shocking crimes1 villainies1 and vices1 to escape entirely their legitimate punitive consequences1 but to take a flip in the blood of ,jesus4 ,every scientific moralist can see very plainly that the world can never be reformed while such license for sin and wickedness is issued from the ,christian pulpit4 ,practically speaking1 ,god could not forgive a sin4 ,an act of forgiveness implies that the legitimate consequence of the evil deed or sinful act can be set aside1 and escaped4 ,the principles of moral science teach us that this is impossible4 ,it demonstrates that the moral law is a part of our being2 and1 consequently1 an act of forgiveness for the violation or that law could not suspend its operation1 or stop the infliction of its penalty upon the perpetrator4 ,it could then1 of course1 effect nothing4 ,hence it will be seen that no sin can be forgiven1 but must work out its legitimate consequences4 ,scientifically speaking1 the law is the cause1 and the penalty the effect3 when the cause is set in operation1 the effect must follow4 ,it would be as easy to arrest the thunderbolt in its descent from the clouds as to evade the penalty of this law4 ,god could not if he would1 and would not if he could1 forgive the violation of his laws4 ,he could not1 because he has wisely arranged those laws to operate without his interference4 ,on the other hand1 he would not if he could1 because it would encourage their future and further violation4 ,and then a ,god who would confer on us an inclination to commit certain acts1 and then require us to ask his forgiveness for committing them1 would not be a very consistent being4 ,forgiveness is1 theologically speaking1 a free ticket to ,heaven4 ,buy a through ticket of the priest1 and you can go on the strait-line road1 direct to the orthodox house of many mansions1 without having to switch off at any station to unload your burden of sins4 ,all is well that ends well is their motto4 ,the orthodox clergy tell the most vile and debauched villain and bloody assassin1 after he has inhumanly butchered and murdered his innocent and virtuous wife1 can1 by an act of repentance and forgiveness1 swing from the end of the hangman's rope directly into a heaven of pure and unalloyed bliss1 and1 with his fingers all dripping with human blood1 join the white-robed saints in shouting1 ,glory hallelujah to the ,lord ,god and the ,lamb for ever and ever6 ,spare me1 oh1 spare me1 from ever believing in such a demoralizing religion as this6 ,,chapter ,,xl4--,,can ,,god ,,be ,,subject ,,to ,,anger8 ,all ,bibles1 and nearly every religious nation known to history1 have taught that ,god often gets angry at the creatures of his own creation4 ,but1 in the light of modern science1 nothing could be more transcendently absurd1 or more absolutely impossible1 than that a being possessing all knowledge--a being infinite in power1 infinite in wisdom1 and filling all space throughout the boundless universe--should be a victim to the weakness and ungovernable impulse of passion4 ,the very idea is revolting and blasphemous1 and presents to every reflecting and unbiased mind a self-evident impossibility4 ,the emotion of anger can only be the weakness of finite and imperfect beings4 ,it is self-evidently impossible for a being possessing infinite perfection1 and consequently infinite self-government1 to cherish the feeling of anger for a moment1 as the following consideration will show3-- #a4 ,the modern study of mental philosophy has demonstrated anger to be a species of moral weakness2 and hence it could not1 for a single moment1 occupy a mind possessing infinite perfection4 ,a being1 therefore1 who is assumed to possess such a weakness is self-evidently not a ,god1 but merely an imaginary being1 fit only to be worshiped by ignorant slaves4 #b4 ,the practical experience of every person demonstrates anger to be a species of unhappiness1 and often of absolute misery2 and the indulgence of this passion not only makes the possessor unhappy1 but destroys the happiness of every one around him4 ,if1 therefore1 ,god were an angry being1 instead of heaven being a place or state of happiness1 it would be the most miserable place imaginable2 for ,god is represented by the ,christian ,bible as getting angry every day 7see ,ps4 vii4 #aa71 and so angry that the fury comes up in his face4 ,as a ,yankee would say1 ,he gets mad all over4 ,i frankly confess ,i don't want to live in such a heaven1 or with such a ,god4 ,indeed1 it would be no heaven at all for anybody2 for heaven is a state of happiness4 #c4 ,in the third place1 the modern study of the science of philosophy has discovered that anger is a species of disease1 which may result in mental and even physical suicide if carried far enough4 ,it produces a congested state of the blood-vessels of the brain1 which1 if not arrested in its progress1 will produce death4 ,dr4 ,gunn1 in his work on domestic medicine1 reports several cases in which an inquest was held over a dead body by a coroner's jury1 and the verdict rendered1 ,came to his death in a fit of anger4 ,however irreverent1 the thought forces itself upon us1 that such a verdict might be given over the dead body of ,jehovah if we were compelled to believe all we read of his getting angry2 for it is a scientific deduction that can not be resisted1 that1 if anger can produce death in one being1 it may in all beings subject to its influence4 #d4 ,again3 as the result of the study of mental philosophy1 anger is now known to be a species of insanity4 ,it deranges1 more or less1 all the faculties of the mind1 and often disqualifies the possessor for doing any thing right1 or acting rationally1 while under its influence4 ,it often causes him to act without reason or judgment1 and is liable to drive him to the commission of crime4 ,as well think of entering the cage of a tiger as to take up our abode in a heaven ruled by such a ,god1--a heaven controlled by a ,god bereft of reason by the ungovernable action of his own passions4 ,we could not be happy in such a heaven3 we should be constantly under the influence of fear and apprehension1 lest he should become enraged1 and his vengeance fall upon us4 ,where there is fear there is no heaven or happiness4 ,if1 as the ,bible tells us1 he is liable to repent1 he might experience this mental perturbation at any time1 and repent for having admitted us into the heavenly kingdom1 and consequently expel us4 ,under such circumstances our motives would be very much weakened for laboring to reach such a heaven1 not knowing that we should be permitted to remain there a single hour4 ,how supremely ridiculous1 when logically analyzed1 is the conception of an angry ,god6 ,it is entirely behind the age1 and adapted only to the lowest stages of barbarism2 and yet thousands of ,christian clergymen preach this demoralizing doctrine from the pulpit every sabbath day4 ,it is demoralizing1 because no person can believe in an angry1 sin-punishing ,god1 without cherishing such feelings in his own bosom4 ,it is impossible for him to avoid it4 ,indeed1 he has no motives for trying to avoid it2 but1 on the contrary1 he possesses the strongest motives for cultivating such feelings4 ,for ,archbishop ,whately says1 ,religious people always try to be like the ,god they worship4 ,they consider it not only their privilege1 but their duty1 to imitate him4 ,hence1 if they believe he gets mad occasionally1 and pours out his vengeance upon his offending children 7his disobedient subjects71 they will naturally feel like following his example1 and be cruel and revengeful to those who excite their anger4 ,this preaching the doctrine of an angry ,god has a tendency to foster vengeful and vindictive feelings amongst the people2 when1 if the clergy would preach only a ,god of infinite love1 infinite goodness1 infinite perfection in all his attributes1 we should soon see a marked change in society4 ,kindness1 love1 and good-will would be manifested between man and man2 and cruel1 vengeful1 and vindictive feelings would gradually die out1 and be numbered amongst the things which have been and are not4 ,then would the kingdom of peace be established on earth1 and the millennium be ushered in4 ,but we can not expect the priests to be better than their ,god1 nor the people to be better than their priests4 ,like ,god like priest1 and like priest like people4 ,the priest deals out damnation upon the people to be like his ,god2 and the people follow in his foot steps1 and exercise cruel and revengeful feelings toward each other4 ,it seems astonishing that such an immoral and blasphemous doctrine should have been so long and so extensively tolerated in professedly enlightened countries1 as it is evident it must have had a bad effect2 and past experience proves it has had a demoralizing effect upon the people where the doctrine has been preached4 ,it furnishes an illustration of the omnipotent power of custom4 ,,chapter ,,xli4--,,atonement ,,for ,,sin1 ,,an ,,immoral ,,doctrine4 ,having appropriated a portion of two chapters in ,the ,world's ,sixteen ,crucified ,saviors to an exposition of the doctrine of the atonement1 we shall treat the subject but briefly in this work4 #a4 ,it is shown in the work above mentioned1 that the doctrine of the atonement is of heathen origin1 and that it is predicated upon the assumption that no sin can be fully expiated without the shedding of blood4 ,in the language of ,paul1 ,without the shedding of blood1 there can be no remission for sin4 ,a barbarous and bloody doctrine truly6 ,but this doctrine was almost universally prevalent amongst the ,orientals long before ,paul's time4 #b4 ,christians predicate the dogma of atonement for sin upon the assumption that ,christ's death and sufferings were a substitute for ,adam's death1 incurred by the fall4 ,but as ,adam's sentence was death1 and he suffered that penalty1 this assumption can not be true4 #c4 ,if the penalty for sin was death1 as taught in ,gen4 iii41 and ,christ suffered that penalty for man1 then man should not die2 but1 as he does1 it makes the doctrine preposterous4 ,it could not have meant spiritual death1 as some argue1 because a part of the penalty was that of being doomed to return to dust 7,gen4 r4 #ai74 #d4 ,if crucifixion was indispensably necessary as a penalty1 then the punishment should have been inflicted either upon the instigator or perpetrator of the deed3 either the serpent or ,adam should have been nailed to the cross4 #e4 ,we are told in reply1 that1 as an infinite sin was committed1 it required an infinite sacrifice4 ,but ,adam1 being a finite being1 could not commit an infinite sin2 and ,christ's sacrifice and sufferings could not be infinite1 unless he had continued to suffer to all eternity4 ,therefore the assumption is false4 #f4 ,an all-wise ,god would not let things get into such a condition as to require the murder of his only son from any consideration whatever4 #g4 ,and no father1 cherishing a proper regard and love for his son1 could have required him to be1 or consented to have him1 put to death in a cruel manner2 for the claims of mercy and paternal affection are as imperative as justice4 #h4 ,to put an intelligent and innocent being to death for any purpose is a violation of the moral law1 and as great a sin as that for which he died4 ,hecatombs of victims can not atone for the infraction of the moral law which is engraven upon our souls4 #i4 ,if it were necessary for ,christ to be put to death1 then ,judas is entitled to one-half the merit of it for inaugurating the act1 as it could not have taken place without his aid2 and no one who took part in it should be censured1 but praised4 #aj4 ,it is evident1 that1 if everybody had been ,quakers1 no atonement would have been made1 as their religion is opposed to bloodshed4 #aa4 ,the atonement is either one ,god putting another to death1 or ,god putting himself to death to appease his own wrath2 but both assumptions are monstrous absurdities1 which no person distinguished for science or reason can indorse4 #ab4 ,anger and murder are the two principal features in the doctrine of the atonement2 and both are repugnant to our moral sense and feelings of refinement1 and indicate a barbarous and heathen origin4 #ac4 ,the atonement punishes the innocent for the guilty2 which is a double or twofold crime1 and a reversal of the spirit of justice4 ,if a father should catch four of his children steeling1 and the fifth one standing by and remonstrating against the act1 and should seize on the innocent one and administer a severe flagellation1 he would commit a double crime3 #ast1 that of punishing an innocent child2 #b;d1 that of exonerating and encouraging the four guilty children in the commission of crime4 ,the atonement involves the same principle4 #ad4 ,no person with true moral manhood would consent to be saved on any such terms2 but would prefer to suffer for his own sins1 rather than let an innocent being suffer for them4 ,and the man who would accept salvation upon such terms must be a sneak and a coward1 with a soul not worth saving4 #ae4 ,who that possesses any sense of justice would want to swim through blood to get to the heavenly mansion8 ,i want neither animals1 men1 nor ,gods murdered to save my soul4 #af4 ,if there is any virtue in the atonement in the way of expiating crime1 then there is now another atonement demanded by the principles of moral justice to cancel the sin committed by the first atonement1--that of murdering an innocent being1 in whose mouth was no guile2 and then another atonement to wipe out the sin of this atonement1 and so on4 ,and thus it would be atonement after atonement1 murder after murder1 ad infinitum4 ,what shocking consequences and absurdities are involved in this ancient heathen superstition6 #ag4 ,it seems strange that any person can cherish the thought for a moment that the ,infinite ,father would require a sacrificial offering for the trifling act of eating a little fruit1 and require no atonement for the infinitely greater sin of murdering his only-begotten son4 ,another monstrous absurdity6 #ah4 ,the advocates of the atonement tell us that man stands toward his ,creator in the relation of a debtor2 and the atonement cancels the debt4 ,to be sure6 ,how does it do it8 ,we will illustrate3 ,a man says to his neighbor1 ,i owe you a thousand dollars2 but ,i won't pay it4--,very well1 says the creditor1 ,i will tell you what ,i will do3 ,i will forgive the debt by seizing on my own son1 strip him of all he has1 and then put him to death4 ,the claims of justice will then be satisfied4 ,a monstrous idea of justice6 #ai4 ,the ,jewish and ,chaldean law of atonement required the offender to place his hand on the head of the beast while being consumed in sacrifice2 and this was accepted as an atonement for his transgressions4 ,such a conception is both senseless and demoralizing4 ,he was thereby taught that he would escape the legitimate consequences of his crime4 ,and the ,christian atonement is no better4 ,the sin-atoning offering of ,christ furnishes an open door through which the sinner escapes the just punishment of law4 ,it is at least a partial liquidation of his sins4 ,when one being is punished for another1 this is1 to the latter1 an immunity from punishment2 and the ends of justice are thus completely thwarted1 and the moral law broken and trampled under foot4 ,if a culprit were sentenced to the penalty of death for murder1 and the punishment of another man were accepted in his stead1 every court in the civilized world would decide that two wrongs were committed1--the punishment of the innocent1 and the pardon of the guilty4 ,such doctrines are repugnant to ali ideas of justice1 and are most certainly demoralizing4 #bj4 ,the wrong-doer should be taught that he is just as guilty1 and just as certain of punishment for his crime1 as if all the ,gods in heaven were put to death to atone for his sin2 the penalty being inseparable from the act4 #ba4 ,what would be thought of the government that should punish the law-maker instead of the law-breaker8 ,this is exactly what the atonement amounts to2 so that the law-maker falls a victim to the penalty of his own laws4 ,it is ,god the law-maker dying for man the law-breaker4 ,such ideas and such doctrines are monstrous1 and completely overthrow every principle of civil jurisprudence4 #bb4 ,a ,god who could resort to such desperate expedients to appease his anger1 and satisfy the demands of justice1 is not a ,god1 but merely an imaginary being which was conjured up in an age of ignorance and superstition4 ,the belief in such a ,god is1 nevertheless1 demoralizing4 ,we will here relate an anecdote1 showing that such ideas of the ,supreme ,being are repulsive even to the unenlightened heathen3 ,in ,smith's ,gulf of ,guinea it is stated1 that1 as a ,christian missionary was presenting the doctrine of the ,christian religion to ,pepples1 ,king of ,bonny1 and told him that ,god gave his only-begotten son to die for us1--to be put to death for our sins1--the king stopped him by saying1 ,do you think me a fool to believe such palaver as that1--that ,god would kill his own son to please himself2 get mad at man1 and then kill his own son1 instead of killing him8 ,never6 never can ,i believe such fool palaver as that1 ,it is a big fool lie4 ,i tried1 says the missionary1 to impress upon his mind that nothing would satisfy divine justice but such a sacrifice2 but he cut me short by exclaiming1 ',that will do2 that will do3 ,i have got enough of such fool palaver4' ,quite a sensible heathen was ,king ,pepples4 ,,chapter ,,xlii4--,,special ,,providence1 ,,an ,,erroneous ,,doctrine4 ,all the holy books1 and nearly all holy men who have figured in the world1 have cherished a belief in what is termed special providences1--a doctrine which teaches that ,god individually and personally superintends the affairs1 not only of all nations1 but of each individual human being1 now amounting in number to about fourteen hundred millions4 ,it seems strange that the striking absurdity of such an assumption has not struck every mind possessing the power to reflect or investigate4 ,the thought of his looking after the affairs and happiness of fourteen hundred millions of human beings at a time1 besides running several thousand millions of worlds1 far excels any of the astounding feats of the evil genii of ,gulliver4 ,in the sublimity of its absurdity and impossibility1 it stands without a rival4 ,it expands beyond the utmost stretch of human credulity4 ,like all the other doctrines of the popular creed1 it sprang up in an age of the world when the human mind accepted every thing presented to it without investigation1--when nothing was rejected on the ground of its being too absurd to be believed4 ,and an absurdity1 when once established1 no matter how monstrous or how stultifying to the intellectual or reasoning faculties1 can bid defiance to the efforts of the few men of the world whose minds are too much expanded and enlightened to accept such gross absurdities4 ,there are several objections to the doctrine of special providences1 both of a logical or scientific character1 and also upon moral grounds1 which shows that it should have no place in an age of scientific intelligence4 ,one of these objections is the one just brought to notice1--that of its extreme absurdity and practical impossibility4 ,it does not require a great mind1 but only a reflecting one1 to see that no rational conception of the ,supreme ,being could render it practicable for one mind1 however boundless in knowledge and infinite in power1 to be so divided as to look after the interest of each individual of a countless number1 scattered over a world of more than a hundred and seventy-five thousand millions of miles in extent4 ,a scientific investigation of the operations of nature has settled the conviction in every scientific mind that the life1 actions1 and destiny of every human being are under the control of fixed and immutable laws1 which need only to be studied and observed to guard him effectually from personal accidents1 and those physical disasters to which he often falls a victim through ignorance of the proper means of avoiding them4 ,it is now patent to all critical observers that the serious disasters and numerous causes of physical suffering to which the larger portion of the human family were so frequently subjected in past ages1 have largely diminished1 and are constantly decreasing as the march of science dispels the ignorance of the people1--such as the sinking of ships1 attributable to imperfect mechanical construction2 pestilential diseases1 caused by the general ignorance of the causes of and means of preventing2 the explosion of steam-boilers on rivers1 railroads1 c4 ,and1 from the present rates of improvement in these respects1 we may reasonably calculate that the time is not far in the future when such disasters will be unknown4 ,then we will have no need of special providence to save the people from the fatal consequences of their ignorance4 ,the conviction seems now to be generally established in the public mind1 that when a boat is wrecked1 or a locomotive strays from the track1 and a few persons escape with their lives from the general wreck and ruin1 it is to be ascribed to the interposition of the hand of ,providence4 ,but common sense would suggest1 that1 if ,providence had any thing to do with it1 he should have commenced a little sooner1 and put some more brains or common sense into the heads of the managers of these cargoes of human beings1 or kept the whiskey out of their stomachs till they reached their point of destination4 ,in the thousands of cases annually reported of ,providence interposing his aid to save some reckless mariners1 or some heedless passengers on a pleasure-boat1 from a watery grave1 or rescuing a few persons from the wreck of a railroad bridge1 or some similar calamity1 the disasters might all have been avoided by ,providence simply acting upon the wisdom of the proverb1 ,an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure4 ,it would be considered an act of criminal neglect on the part of a father who could stand by and see his children1 from ignorance of the danger of such a situation1 fall from a precipice1 and get crippled3 for which his diligence in taking care of them1 and trying to heal their bruises1 would by no means excuse him1 as he should have commenced sooner1 and prevented the accident from taking place4 ,and nearly all the cases of providential interposition are liable to the same objection3 the assistance is too long delayed4 ,a collision of two ships recently occurred on the ,atlantic1 by which both vessels were reduced almost to wrecks2 but providentially but few lives were lost1 though most of the passengers were injured4 ,now the question naturally arises1 ,why did not ,god1 when he perceived the vessels were approaching each other1 interpose his providential care1 and prevent the disaster8 ,he either could not1 or would not2 and1 in either case1 he is not infinite in all his attributes1 according to the general ideas of the matter4 ,if he could not1 he is either not omnipresent or not infinite in power2 and1 if he could and would not1 he is not infinite in kindness and benevolence1 or he would have put forth his hand1 and saved his children from such a terrible fate4 ,it is time mankind would learn that ,god governs the universe by general laws1 fixed and unalterable1 and ever harmonious1 and that he never interferes immediately or personally in the affairs of men4 ,that finite human spirits do1 in many cases1 aid in human affairs by warning of danger1 c41 is fully believed by many persons4 ,if this be true1 their interposition would be liable to be mistaken for that of the ,infinite ,spirit4 ,but that any being can perform millions of finite acts at once1 or that ,god should suspend the operation of his laws1 which control the universe1 for the purpose of attending personally to the wants and prayers of each and every individual the world over1--many of the petitions running counter to1 or in direct conflict with1 each other1--is an idea too absurd to find lodgment in any truly enlightened mind4 ,but we entertain the pleasing thought that men are beginning to learn that ,god governs by general laws1 and not by personal or special agency4 ,these laws are so perfect in their operations that no special laws or personal interference is necessary in any case4 ,a critical investigation of any case of special providences would satisfy any scientific investigator that it was governed entirely by natural causes2 but such scrutinizing investigations are seldom made4 ,the great mass of pious people in all past ages have been so ignorant1 and so little accustomed to reasoning or observation1 that they have never observed1 that1 although many cases are reported of ,providence interfering to save the life of a child who fell from the window of a basement-story1 none are recorded of his saving a child that fell from the fifth story4 ,why is this8 ,does not this fact suggest a scientific lesson8 ,but the heads of the great mass of the people have been so filled with creeds and catechisms that they have no room for science4 ,it will be time enough to talk about special providences after a case is known of a man escaping with his life after a cannonball has passed through his head1 or a bullet through his heart4 ,the belief in special providences is calculated to paralyze human effort in times of danger1 and thus suffer the consequences to be more frequently fatal4 ,let a man believe1 while a ship is being wrecked in a storm1 dashing against rocks and billows1 and her deck overflowed with water1 that there is a ,providence in the case1 and he will naturally labor with less zeal and effort to save the vessel4 ,if the case is in the hands of ,god1 and it is his good pleasure that they should be lost1 it is of but little use to work the pumps2 and1 if it is his will that they should be saved1 they will be saved without much effort on their part4 ,there can be no doubt but that millions of pious people have been restrained on various occasions from putting forth their strongest efforts to arrest a threatening disaster1 from the conviction that the hand of ,god was in it1 and that no human efforts could change the fate he had decreed for them4 ,and thus the doctrine1 in its practical consequences1 has been pernicious4 ,but1 in this age of reason and scientific illumination1 men are beginning to learn1 that1 in cases of threatening danger and destruction1 muscle is more necessary than ,providence2 that1 when a ship is sinking in mid-ocean1 pumps are more efficacious than prayers2 and1 when a building is on fire1 they can better do without the assistance of ,providence than without water1 firemen1 and engines4 ,,chapter ,,xliii4--,,faith ,,and ,,belief1 ,,bible ,,errors ,,respecting4 ,faith and belief seem to be among the most important words in the ,christian ,new ,testament4 ,no words are much more frequently used4 ,they occur in nearly every chapter1 and are used more than two hundred times4 ,the following is a specimen of the manner in which these words are used3-- ,he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved2 but he that believeth not shall be damned4 ,this text1 and the sentiment it contains1 have caused more misery1 cruelty1 and more butchery than all the edicts of any king that ever sat on the throne of ,england4 ,never did a more delusive and fatal error find lodgment in the human mind than the idea couched in this text4 ,terrible have been the denunciations1 punishments1 and cruelties poured upon the unbelievers in the popular creed1 though that creed has been one thing one day1 and something else the next4 ,no matter how honest1 how upright1 how benevolent1 or how righteous a man proved himself in his practical life1 he was doomed to the dungeon1 the fagot1 and the halter1 if his creed was not conformable to the orthodox faith then in power4 ,men and women have been condemned and punished for assuming the right to doubt the truth of any doctrine of the popular creed1--an egregious mistake1 showing a profound ignorance of the nature of the human mind4 ,all persons versed in the science of mental philosophy now know that a man has no more control over his doubts and beliefs than he has over the blood that courses through his veins3 for1 without evidence1 he can not believe2 and1 with it1 he can not disbelieve1 as every one will find who will examine this matter critically4 ,consequently it is as unreasonable to condemn a man for his belief or disbelief1 as to condemn him for the color of his hair4 ,doubt1 so far from being restrained1 should be cultivated1 as being the first step toward the attainment of knowledge and progress2 for a man never makes any advancement or improvement in his views on any subject till he begins to doubt the correctness of his present views1 or1 at least1 doubts their being perfect1 or being incapable of improvement4 ,who1 then1 can not see that to threaten a man for disbelief is tyranny and injustice1 inasmuch as it has a tendency to make him a slave1 and to repress the growth of his mind8 ,condemning a man for disbelief is virtually offering a premium for hypocrisy1 as it has the effect to make thousands profess to believe doctrines which they do not1 and which their consciences really condemn1 in order to avoid the frowns and ill-will of their neighbors4 ,and1 as hypocrisy is a greater evil in its practical effects upon society than unbelief1 it can be seen that the practice of erecting a standard for belief and disbelief is wrong1 and mischievous in its effects4 ,the ,bible declares that faith is the gift of ,god4 ,it is evident1 that1 if this be true1 no responsibility can attach to faith or religious belief2 but all responsibility rests with the being who gives it4 ,two great blunders have been committed by faith-dealers3 ,first1 in assuming that belief is of the nature of a coat1 which can be put on and off at pleasure1--i4e41 that a man can believe what he pleases or wishes to believe4 ,the second is1 that knowledge and belief are synonymous terms1 which is very far from being true4 ,knowledge begins where faith and belief end4 ,belief is that uncertain state of the mind which is experienced in the absence of knowledge2 and1 when that knowledge is obtained1 the belief may prove to have been entirely erroneous4 ,belief implies uncertainty2 knowledge implies certainty4 ,there is this wide difference between them4 ,we believe a thing when we do not know whether it is so or not2 consequently the belief may be true or false4 ,how egregious1 then1 the blunder of the orthodox world in condemning for disbelief6 ,belief1 then1 is a state of guessing4 ,we will illustrate the position of orthodox ,christendom3 ,a boy throws up a copper coin1 and cries1 ,heads1 or tails8 ,a by-stander1 believing from its construction that heads will come up1 cries out1 ,heads6 ,now1 according to the logic of the orthodox1 if he guesses wrong1 he should be damned eternally for it4 ,when you say to a man1 ,you shall believe this1 or you shall believe that1 you bind his soul in chains1 and reverse the wheels of his progress1 and push him toward the dark ages4 ,the fear that it would be a sin to doubt1 causes religious ignorance2 and a man will never abandon his religious errors and superstitions while he fears to doubt their truth4 ,a man's belief and creed grow shorter as his knowledge increases4 ,and the time is not far distant when philosophers and men of science will have no religious belief3 all will be knowledge4 ,it can be seen from the above exposition1 that it is folly and consummate ignorance to attach so much importance to religious belief1 inasmuch as it is impossible to know whether it is right or wrong4 ,as the doctrine that belief is a virtue1 and unbelief a crime has inundated the world with persecution1 misery1 and blood1 it is time to abandon it4 ,those ,christians who assume that belief is under the control of the will can settle the matter by trying the following experiment upon themselves3 ,let them try to believe1 for only five minutes1 that ,mahomet was a true prophet1 and ,jesus ,christ was an impostor4 ,if they can do this1 it will settle the question1 and prove that man is responsible for his belief3 otherwise he is not4 ,some persons adhere to the ,bible upon the plea that it is safest to believe it1 and unsafe to disbelieve it4 ,but he who can believe an error or absurdity1 or1 rather1 profess to believe it because he is afraid to disbelieve it1 has not a soul big enough to be saved1 and will be certain to miss it2 or1 if he could be saved1 no man of sense would want to live in a heaven made up of such moral cowards and moral dwarfs4 ,and1 besides1 the only way to make a safe thing of being saved on this ground1 is to swallow all the two thousand systems of religion in the world1--six hundred ,christian creeds1 and fourteen hundred heathen traditions2 and1 to do this1 a person must have a very capacious stomach4 ,,chapter ,,xliv4--,a ,,personal ,,god ,,impossible4 ,most of the ,bibles1 and nearly all the religious teachers of the world1 have represented ,god as being a personal being1 and1 at the same time1 an infinite spirit4 ,but that is another of the thousand and one absurdities that have been taught and believed in the name of religion4 ,a personal being must1 in all cases1 be an organized being4 ,this is so self-evident as to need no argument2 and that an organized being can not be an infinite being is almost equality self-evident4 ,an organized being must be a finite being4 ,the word finite is used to express the opposite of infinite4 ,to assume1 therefore1 that a finite being1 or a being with a finite body1 can also be infinite1 is equivalent to assuming that a thing can be white and black1 large and small1 long and short1 light and heavy1 c41 at the same time2 which is a self-evident absurdity4 ,a personal being must be constituted of different parts1 or members1--as a head1 heart1 body1 feet1 c42 and1 if such a being could be infinite1 then each member must be infinite4 ,but as it is self-evident that a being to be infinite must fill all space1 and that nothing can be infinite unless it does occupy all space1 it can be seen at once1 that1 if one member were infinite1 it would occupy all space1 which would preclude the possibility of another member being infinite4 ,thus we are completely swamped at the first step toward making a personal ,god infinite4 ,here let it be noted that the ,god of the ,bible is represented as possessing all the members of the human body1--eyes 7#a ,pet4 iii4 #ab71 ears 7,ibid471 nose 7,isa4 #fe1 #e71 mouth 7,isa4 xiv4 #bc71 feet 7,rev4 i4 #ae71 arms 7,isa4 xxx4 #cj71 hands 7,exod4 xiii4 #c71 fingers 7,exod4 viii4 #ai71 head 7,dan4 vii4 #i71 heart 7,isa4 lxiii4 #d71 lips 7,ps4 xvii4 #d71 c4 ,now1 it is evidently impossible that such a being could be infinite4 ,we may be told that these members are all to be taken in a spiritual sense4 ,granted1 and the thing is equally impossible2 for they must still be separate members4 ,there could be no possible sense in applying all these terms to the whole being4 ,they must apply to separate parts2 and1 the moment we use terms which imply the existence of more than one part1 we concede the impossibility of such a ,god being infinite3 for only one part1 one being1 or one thing can be infinite4 ,there can not be two infinite beings1--self-evidently not4 ,and there are other logical difficulties in the way of admitting the existence of an infinite personal ,god4 ,if there could be such a thing as an infinite personality or organized being1 it is evident that only one such being could exist4 ,what1 then1 becomes of the ,father1 ,son1 and ,holy ,ghost1 and also the ,devil8 ,they are all spoken of in the ,bible as being omnipresent4 ,hence they must all be infinite1 which is another self-evident impossibility4 ,we could as easily conceive of two heads wearing the same hat at the same time1 as two such beings being infinite4 ,if one of them is infinite1 the others can not be2 and yet each is represented as being omnipresent1 which would make them infinite4 ,and thus we fail in every attempt to make a personal ,god infinite4 ,david1 in speaking of the ,god ,jehovah1 says1 ,if ,i descend into hell1 behold thou art there4 ,then he would not find the ,devil there2 for two infinite beings could not be found there4 ,and1 if ,god's dwelling-place is in hell as well as in heaven1 it can make but little difference which of the two places we go to1 as we are told our happiness will consist in being in his presence4 ,the defenders of a personal ,god sometimes have recourse to an illustrative argument4 ,they tell us that the sun is a local1 circumscribed body1 and yet shines to a boundless extent4 ,it is here assumed that the rays of the sun are a part of the sun2 but this is not true4 ,they once constituted a part of the sun1 it is true2 but to assume that they are still a part of the sun1 after they have left it1 is as absurd as to assume that the breath is still a part of the human body after it has escaped from the mouth4 ,thus every argument and every illustration fail to establish the self-evident absurdity of a personal ,god of the orthodox world being an infinite being2 or1 in other words1 of their conception of a ,god conforming to the teachings of science and good sense4 ,those who assume the existence of a personal ,god must hold him accountable for all the crime and all the misery existing in the world4 ,for such a ,god could not be controlled or circumscribed in his actions by any arbitrary laws2 and hence could and should1 by personal interference1 put a stop to all the crime1 misery1 suffering1 and wrong of every description existing on earth2 and the fact that he does not do it we hold to be prima-facie evidence that there is no personal ,god1 but that every thing is governed by fixed1 immutable laws1 which control ,god himself1 and which no ,god can alter4 ,note4--,we have shown in the twelve preceding chapters that all the leading doctrines of ,christianity are wrong1--from that of a belief in divine revelation to that of the conception of a personal ,god4 ,hence a better religion is needed for this age4 ,,chapter ,,xlv4--,,evil1 ,,natural ,,and ,,moral1 ,,explained4 ,the problem of the origin of evil has been the great theological puzzle to all theologians and with all religious systems1 and has turned the heads of more good people1 and sent more devout ,christians to the lunatic asylum1 than any other theological question1 excepting that of endless punishment2 and yet modern science1 which furnishes the principles for solving all the holy mysteries and miracles embodied in the religious creeds and ,bibles of the past ages1 shows the question to be quite simple and easily understood4 ,the true signification of the word evil1 in a moral sense1 can be expressed in a few words4 ,it is only another name for imperfection or negation4 ,it is the negative pole of the great moral battery2 and without it the battery could not be run4 ,and without it there could be no morality1 no moral principle or accountability1 while man exists upon the present animal plane4 ,in fact1 morality without evil would be an unmeaning word4 ,evil is a state of imperfection running through every vein of nature1 from the igneous rock to the brain of man4 ,some writers attempt to discriminate between natural and moral evil2 but there is no dividing line4 ,moral evil is as natural as any phenomenon in nature1 and is1 strictly speaking1 the phenomenal action of the brain4 ,moral evil is governed as rigidly by natural laws as physical evil2 because 7as science demonstrates7 it has its basis in man's moral nature4 ,and1 practically speaking1 there will be neither natural nor moral evil when nature 7now in a crude state7 grows to a state of maturity4 ,evil or imperfection1 which now characterizes every thing1 diminishes in its ratio to goodness or perfection as we ascend from inanimate matter to man1--the crowning work of nature4 ,the theological world assumes that man alone bears the impress of imperfection1 and that his imperfection is restricted principally to his moral action4 ,man alone is imperfect3 all else bears the mark of divine perfection4 ,so says ,archbishop ,whately4 ,but the converse assumption is nearer true3 ,man is the crowning work of nature1 and his moral attributes constitute the keystone of the arch4 ,he is occasionally erratic1 and often wicked1 but not universally and continually so1 like some of the lower animal tribes4 ,the hyena will murder at all times when opportunity offers2 but man only occasionally1 and when driven to it by the pressure of circumstances4 ,all monkeys are thieves2 but only a small portion of the genus homo are such4 ,man derives all his propensity to evil and wickedness from the lower animals4 ,his propensity to rob is exhibited in the eagle2 his inclination to steal1 in the monkey2 his disposition to murder1 in the hyena1 alligator1 rattlesnake1 c42 his disposition to enslave1 in the red ant1 which makes a slave of the black ant1 as has often been observed by naturalists4 ,such was the wickedness among the lower animals in their earlier stage of development1 that1 by theft1 robbery1 and murder1 they effected the entire extinction of many species of animals4 ,and if we descend still lower1 and learn the practical history of the mineral kingdom1 we shall find that its operations are marked by a a still more ruinous and destructive form of evil4 ,the hideous and devouring earthquake2 the heaving and overflowing volcano1 burying whole cities beneath its deep and merciless waves of running fire2 the roaring and furious tornado1 destroying hundreds of dwellings1 and dooming the inmates to a terrible death2 and the swift-sped lightning1 which1 with no note of warning1 strikes down hundreds of people every year1--all these violent operations of nature are the manifestation of evil1 and a proof that imperfection exists everywhere4 ,and man is the last and least manifestation of this multifarious destructive outburst of nature2 and he will never outgrow it1 and escape its operation entirely1 till all nature arrives at manhood4 ,while nature is imperfect1 man will be imperfect2 for he is a child of nature1 and all things move forward in correlated order4 ,he can1 however 7and it is a necessity of his nature that he should71 battle with opposing forces1 and modify the circumstances around him4 ,his nature impels him to this as naturally as it urges him to eat food when hungry2 but1 as at present constituted and situated1 it will be the work of time to rid the earth of moral evil4 ,the only way to accomplish the extinction of evil is to labor for the elevation of the whole race4 ,we are only rowing against the current in attempting to put down evil with our present system of moral ethics1 which treats the criminal as a wicked being instead of an unfortunate1 sin-sick brother4 ,he should be sent to a moral hospital instead of to the gallows1 the jail1 and the dungeon4 ,he should be treated as an unfortunate brother1 rather than as a being to be spurned from society as a viper4 ,he should be treated kindly1 not cruelly2 fed1 and not starved4 ,his moral nature should be warmed by affection1 and not congealed by frowns4 ,his instinctive respect for virtue should be developed by a sound moral education1 and not crushed by pursuing him with a malignant spirit4 ,moral evils must be treated as the fruits of the imperfections of our nature1 and not as the product of sin-punishing devils1 who first originate and stimulate crimes1 and then join with ,cod in punishing the criminal with fiendish cruelty2 thus applying a remedy which is a thousand times worse than the disease4 ,the science of phrenology explains most beautifully the cause and nature of sin or crime1 and demonstrates that it is simply the perverted or unbalanced action of the natural faculties of the mind4 ,combativeness when excessively developed or unduly excited1 prompts to quarrels and fighting2 destructiveness1 under similar circumstances1 leads to war and bloodshed2 amativeness1 when not properly restrained1 leads to the various forms of licentiousness2 over-active acquisitiveness is the main-spring in most cases of theft and robbery1 and all crimes committed for the acquisition of property or money4 ,and other crimes are prompted by the over-active condition of these and1 other mental faculties unrestrained by the moral faculties1 every act and every species of crime are in this way most satisfactorily accounted for by this now generally received and thoroughly established science of mental philosophy2 so that the mystery of godliness1 comprehended in the word sin1 which for ages perplexed the student of theology1 is now unraveled and understood by the scientific men of the age1 and known to have a natural basis and natural origin4 ,and this all-important discovery has driven the old orthodox ,devil from the arena of human action4 ,he no longer walks to and fro in the earth1 seeking whom he may devour4 ,he is dead--dead1--killed by the sledge-hammer of science4 ,and yet the fifty thousand clergymen who still defend the faith once delivered to the saints are 7many of them7 so far behind the march of human progress that the news of the mortal exit of his ,satanic ,majesty seems not yet to have reached them2 or1 if it has1 it is because they are unwilling to lose the services of a long-cherished and highly valued friend that they refuse to credit the report of his demise4 ,take away their ,devil1 and their whole theological scaffolding falls to the ground4 ,revivals could no more be carried on without his aid1 than a watch could be kept running without a main-spring4 ,and with the departure of the ,devil must go salvation by ,christ1 as there is then nothing1 in a theological sense1 to be saved from4 ,it is an important fact1 of which the clergy seem to be ignorant1 that the march of science has exploded all their old theological dogmas4 ,phrenology has banished the ,devil2 physiology explains the modus operandi of repentance2 psychology1 the process of getting religion2 philosophy analyzes their ,bible miracles2 geology has expanded their six days of creation into six thousand years2 astronomy has displaced ,moses' theory of creation1 and demolished ,st4 ,john's little eight-by-ten heaven4 7,see ,rev4 chap4 #ba47 ,and yet the orthodox clergy refuse to shorten their creeds by leaving out these old1 exploded dogmas4 ,like moles1 they continue rooting and digging away among their musty creeds1 dogmas1 and catechisms1 seemingly unconscious that the sun of science is now shining with dazzling brilliancy in the moral heavens4 ,some of them manifest a tenacity in holding on to musty and antiquated dogmas equal to that of the butcher's dog in the army which seized a slaughtered ox by the caudal appendage1 with the intention of monopolizing the meat1 and held on with a manly grip till limb after limb had been torn off1 and piece after piece had been cut away from the body by the hungry soldiers1 and nothing was left but the tail and the backbone2 and then his canine majesty growled at passers-by1 as much as to say1 ,i am master of the situation4 ,the fossilized clergy are masters of the situation1 while the old orthodox carcass is now minus every part but the tail and naked backbone1 to which they cling with a deathly grasp worthy of a better cause4 ,they remind us of the hotel-keeper in ,vermont1 who1 in answer to the interrogatories of some travelers1 stated that he did not keep any kind of food for either men or horses4 ,what in the name of ,god1 then1 do you keep8 inquired one of the hungry guests4 ,he replied1 ,i keep ,union ,hotel4 ,the stand-still clergy still keep the old theological hotel minus any spiritual food1 or supplied only with old salt junk handed down from the camp of ,moses or ,father ,abraham4 ,a word more with respect to the origin of evil3 ,is it not strange that ,christians should deny their ,god to be the author of evil1 when it is expressly so declared in their ,bible8 ,i make peace1 and ,i create evil4 ,i ,jehovah do all these things4 ,here is the positive declaration that ,god is the author of evil2 and1 if it were not thus unequivocally taught1 we could prove that the ,bible teaches this doctrine indirectly by various texts ,if ,god made every thing that was made1 then he either made evil or the author of evil1 whether that was a devil or a serpent or a fallen angel2 and this is substantially the same thing as originating evil1--to originate the author of evil4 ,we challenge refutation of the proposition4 ,but a philosophical analysis of the question will show there is no such thing as evil in either the abstract or absolute sense4 ,good and evil are but relative terms1 like heat and cold1 light and darkness1 c4 ,there is no distinct line of demarkation between any of these correlative terms4 ,it is impossible to tell where one ends1 and the other begins4 ,and then there is no act but that may become either right or wrong under different circumstances4 ,the ,bible says1 ,thou shalt not kill4 ,but the man who should see an assassin pointing a pistol to the head of his wife1 or a dagger to her breast1 and refrain from killing him as the only means of saving her life1 would be virtually himself a murderer4 ,thou shalt not steal 7,exod4 xx472 and yet stealing would become a moral right1 as well as a physical necessity1 to avoid starvation4 ,and so of all other acts called crime and sin3 they may become absolute virtues4 ,how foolish1 therefore1 to erect inflexible standards for human action or conduct6 ,and then it should be noted that what is regarded as sin in one age or country may be imposed as a moral or religious duty in another4 ,it is a sin to disbelieve the ,koran in ,arabia1 and a sin to believe it in ,america4 ,it is a sinful act to disbelieve the ,christian ,bible in this country1 and a moral and religious duty in ,japan4 ,it is blasphemy and atheism to disbelieve in ,jehovah and ,jesus ,christ in this country1 but a still greater blasphemy and sin to believe in them in ,arabia4 ,and thus all human actions are modified by the circumstances under which1 and the locality in which1 they are committed4 ,,chapter ,,xlvi4--,,true ,,salvation1 ,,ok ,,the ,,rational ,,view ,,of ,,sin4 ,we will now attempt to show what reason1 science1 and ,god's eternal ,bible teach as the nature of sin and its consequences4 ,the orthodox world represents sin to be a personal affront against a personal ,god4 ,but we take a broader1 and1 we think1 a more rational view of the matter4 ,we believe that no act of ours1 whether good or bad1 can possibly affect an infinite1 omnipresent1 and impersonal ,deity in any way whatever4 ,nothing we can do can either offend or gratify such a being4 ,he is infinitely too far removed from our little narrow sphere of action4 ,but every thing we do can and does affect ourselves1 and generally our friends and all connected with us4 ,every wrong act we perform inflicts an injury upon our moral consciousness1 and a wound upon our sense of right1 and inflicts a lasting injury upon our moral dignity1 if it does not create a painful sense of wrong4 ,and1 when once committed1 no repentance1 no forgiveness1 no prayer1 no atonement1 no pardon1 can do any thing toward arresting the baneful effects1 or toward healing the wound it has inflicted upon our moral consciousness1 or the injury it has inflicted upon others4 ,hence we never ask for forgiveness1 nor rely upon any atonement by men1 animals1 or ,gods to cancel the effects1 or mitigate the wrong1 or alleviate the injury in the case4 ,when you put your finger into fire1 and burn it1 you violate one of ,god's laws written upon your own constitution1--the law of self-preservation2 and it inflicts a wound which the longest and loudest prayer ever uttered can do nothing towards healing4 ,the effect will remain until healed by the working of nature's inherent laws4 ,a similar effect is produced by every wrong act you inflict upon yourself or your fellow-beings4 ,it inflicts a wound which is beyond the reach of prayer1 pardon1 repentance1 or forgiveness4 ,it most work ita natural cure1 as in the case of physical injury4 ,all bodily suffering comes through the mind1 and hence affects the mind as well as the body2 and every moral wrong we commit inflicts punishment or suffering upon the moral feelings4 ,hence it will be seen that sin does not have to wait for ,god to point out the penalty or punishment1 but contains its own punishment1 which no power in heaven or earth can arrest1 avert1 or set aside4 ,this is evidently the only true doctrine respecting the punishment for sin2 and it is the only doctrine that can stop the commission of crime1 and the only doctrine that can ever reform the world2 for1 while the people are taught that sin can be atoned for by any power in heaven or earth1 they will the more easily yield to the temptations to commit sin4 ,their will feel that this doctrine is a kind of license for sin3 at least it weakens the motive for abstaining from sin4 ,for if a man may lead a life of crime1 sin1 wickedness1 and debauchery1 destitute of all moral principle1 for ninety-nine years1 as orthodoxy teaches1 and then have the effect entirely canceled1 and the sin entirely erased from his soul1 by one short hour of prayer and repentance and forgiveness1 and by acknowledging his faith in the atoning blood of ,christ1 and then stand before ,god without a moral blot upon his soul1 all purified and ready to join the pure in heart--the white-robed angels who lived a life of self-denial and purity--in shouting glory to ,god1 where is the motive for leading a virtuous life8 ,it is entirely too weak to restrain from the commission of crime while the temptation is as strong as we usually find it in all countries1 especially as there is apparently a large premium offered to sinners4 ,christ says1 ,there is more joy in heaven over one sinner that repent-eth than over ninety and nine just persons who need no repentance 7,luke xv4 #g74 ,no wonder that sin abounds in all ,christian countries2 and it always will abound while people are taught such pernicious doctrines4 ,therefore we hold the doctrines of repentance1 atonement1 forgiveness1 c41 to be all wrong4 ,they are subversive of the first principles of moral justice1 and pernicious in their effects upon society4 ,let the wrong-doer1 instead of being taught these pernicious doctrines1 be instructed in the true system of salvation1 which will teach him there is no possibility of evading or escaping the punitive effects of wrong-doing2 that every wrong act he commits will inevitably drive the iron into his soul1--the two-edged sword of moral conviction2 and that the blood of no goats or no ,gods can do any thing toward washing away the sin1 or mitigating the punishment4 ,and let him be rescued also from the pernicious error of the churches1 that sin is a sweet morsel to be rolled under the tongue1 or that there is a pleasure in the commission of sin4 ,we hold no such views2 we believe in no such doctrines4 ,we do not believe there is any real pleasure in the commission of a moral wrong of any kind4 ,we believe that only a life of virtue is productive of real happiness4 ,let the wrongdoer be taught this moral lesson2 and let him be also taught that every humane and virtuous act of this life will expand his soul1 and elevate him to a higher plane of happiness1 and bring him one step nearer the door of the heavenly kingdom4 ,let the world of mankind all be taught these beautiful and soul-elevating doctrines1 which many now know by experience to be golden truths2 and we will soon witness a great moral revolution and renovation in society by the propagation of these doctrines4 ,we shall soon see the proof that our system of faith1 embracing these beautiful1 philosophical1 and elevating doctrines1 is much better calculated to moralize and reform the world than the morally weak and unjust doctrines of repentance1 atonement1 and pardon now daily preached from the ,christian pulpits4 ,many cases could be cited to show that they do have a pernicious influence4 ,i will adduce one example3 ,when that ,christian emperor1 ,constantine1 had murdered his wife1 son1 nephew1 and several other relatives1 he raised his hands toward heaven1 and exclaimed1 ,the blood of ,christ cleanseth from all sin4 ,here is an example of the pernicious and demoralizing effect of the ,christian doctrines of atonement and forgiveness4 ,we repeat1 then1 that such doctrines are demoralizing1 as they must operate to retard the progress of truth and true religion1 and the moral reformation of the world4 ,people should be taught that it is as impossible to escape the penalty for sin or wrong-doing as it is to escape the darts of death2 and that any act of forgiveness or atonement by some other being is only calculated to aggravate the wrong1 and augment the sin1 and open the door for a future commission of the act4 ,all should understand that there is no one to pardon sins1 and no savior but themselves4 ,the new religion1 as it is sometimes called1--though it is the oldest religion in the world1 being founded in the moral and religious nature of man1 and an outgrowth of his moral1 religious1 and spiritual elements1--this religion1 which is the religion of all the truly enlightened and scientific minds of the age1 teaches that every person must be his own savior2 that every man and woman must work out their own salvation1 not with fear and trembling'1 however1 but with joy and rejoicing4 ,hence we ask no bleeding saviors1 no atonements1 no acquittals by pardon or forgiveness4 ,we offer no such bribery for crime or sin1--no such allurements and inducements for leading a life of vice2 for many can testify1 from their own experience1 that they were more easily tempted from the path of virtue when they believed in these old heathenish1 morally deformed1 and morally dwarfing doctrines4 ,on the other hand1 they have felt much more strongly wedded to a life of virtue1 and more powerfully restrained from wrong-doing since they abandoned these pernicious doctrines1 and embraced the healthful1 beautiful1 and elevating doctrines of the ,harmonial ,philosophy4 ,this system teaches we have to suffer the penalty in full for every wrong act we commit2 that we can not escape in any case by either repentance1 atonement1 or pardon2 that we can not swim off to heaven through the blood of a murdered or crucified ,god1 and leave our sins behind unpunished1 or pack them on the back of a savior as the ,jews did theirs of the back of a goat4 ,it teaches us that the penalty is as certain as the commission of the crime2 because one is the cause1 and the other the effect4 ,hence we could as easily replace a lost arm1 torn off in the field of battle1 by prayer1 or stop the descending lightning from splintering yonder tree into a thousand fragments1 as to avert or set aside the penalty for crime by supplicating the throne of grace4 ,we hold that every wrong act we commit1 if it does not destroy our happiness at the time1 and operate as a barbed arrow sticking in the soul1 will at least weaken our capacity for happiness in the future1 weaken our moral strength and resolution to abstain from crime1 weaken our natural detestation of crime1 and weaken our moral ability to resist the temptation to commit the same and other crimes in the future1 and finally destroy our moral manhood and true dignity4 ,now1 here is a series of powerful motives for eschewing evil1 and leading a life of virtue1 which will operate to arrest that river of crime and iniquity now flowing through all ,christian countries as soon as the people are taught these rational and beautiful doctrines in lieu of those weak and foolish incentives to virtue which are taught them from the ,christian pulpit4 ,they possess a much greater moral force than the fear of angry ,gods and horned ,devils4 ,reader ponder these maxims4 ,the ,true ,theory of ,reform4--,it requires but a few words to show what kind of moral teaching is required to reform the world4 ,as happiness is the predominant desire and inalienable right of every human being1 all aim to pursue that course best calculated to attain it2 but1 as men are now organized and circumstanced1 they often pursue a course of life which infringes upon and destroys the happiness of others3 and some of them commit acts known as crimes1 which are simply trespasses upon the rights1 peace1 and happiness of their neighbors4 ,if1 in thus pursuing happiness1 they must destroy the happiness of others1 then it follows that the happiness of others is incompatible with their own4 ,if so1 then ,god has made a serious blunder in making one man's happiness depend upon destroying the happiness of others2 and1 as their happiness would depend equally upon destroying his1 the happiness of all would thus be destroyed4 ,hence the theory won't work4 ,it follows1 then1 that men lead a life of crime calculated to destroy the happiness of others1 because they are ignorant of the fact that they can pursue a course of life that will secure their own happiness without destroying that of others4 ,all that is necessary to reform them1 therefore1 is to convince them of this fact4 ,this is the true theory1 and the whole theory1 of reform4 ,and when people become acquainted with the modern discovery in moral philosophy1 which teaches us that we can not attain to complete happiness without consulting the happiness of others in every act which affects them1 there will be a double motive for leading a virtuous and honorable life4 ,even ,christian professors will profit by it when they find that the grasping avarice which prompts them to try to monopolize wealth1 and thus withhold the means of comfort and happiness from their neighbors1 is not the way to attain real happiness for themselves4 ,when the glorious era arrives that men will daily look after the happiness of others as well as their own1 then we shall have a true religion1 and a true state of society1 and a happy world4 ,,chapter ,,xlvii4--,,the ,,bible ,,sanctions ,,every ,,species ,,of ,,crime4 ,be ye perfect1 as your ,father in heaven is perfect 7,matt1 v4 #dh74 ,all ,christian professors admit that this perfection is to be attained by following his practical example1 and that the way to become acquainted with this practical example is to read the ,bible4 ,let us see1 then1 where a practical compliance with this precept1 as thus understood1 will lead us4 ,if the ,god of the ,bible is to be accepted as our heavenly ,father1 then a compliance with this precept will leave no crime uncommitted1 and no sin not perpetrated2 for he is represented as either committing or sanctioning every species of crime1 wickedness1 and immorality known to society in the age in which the ,bible was written4 ,that the truth of this statement may not be called in question1 we will proceed to bring forward evidence to prove it4 ,i4 ,,the ,,bible ,,sanctions ,,murder4 ,we find a scriptural warrant for the highest crime known to the law1--that of murder4 ,god is represented as saying to his holy people1 ,go ye out and slay every man his brother1 every man his companion1 and every man his neighbor 7,exod4 xxii4 #bg74 ,and1 relative to the dissenter from the faith1 he is represented as saying1 ,ye shall stone him with stones that he die4 ,now1 if such texts are not calculated to foster the spirit of murder1 and to extinguish the natural repugnance to cruelty and bloodshed in the human mind1 we can conceive of no language that would have such an effect1 especially when it is taken in connection with ,christ's injunction1 ,he that hath not a sword1 let him sell his coat1 and buy one4 ,and the practical lives of ,christian professors1 from the earliest establishment of the ,church1 furnishes proof of the demoralizing influence of such texts as these upon the readers of the ,bible4 ,these injunctions to murder and slaughter have been faithfully obeyed2 and the effect has been to submerge ,christendom in a sea of blood4 ,look1 for proof1 at the war among the churches for many years about the doctrine of the ,eucharist1 which resulted in the destruction of three hundred thousand lives2 the fight about images1 in which fifty thousand men1 women1 and children were murdered2 the war of a dozen churches against the sect of the ,manicheans in the ninth century 7,a4,d4 #hde7 about some trivial doctrine of the ,christian creed1 and which left on the battle-field no less than a hundred thousand murdered human beings2 the ,church schism1 in the time of ,john ,huss and ,jerome of ,prague1 followed by the war of the ,hussites1 which resulted in a bloody slaughter of a hundred and fifty thousand fellow-,christians2 the war known as ,the ,holy ,inquisition1 established in the year #abjh1 made a record in its history of human butchery of two hundred thousand ,christian professors who had to atone in blood for assuming the liberty to differ from the popular creed2 and1 finally1 the ,thirty ,years' war which strewed the earth with bloody corpses to the frightful number of five millions of human beings1 ,the whole makes a sum total of eighteen millions1 a large portion of which were ,christian professors1--all the work of ,christian hands and ,christian churches1 professed followers of the ,prince of peace4 ,but1 if the text quoted above means any thing 7requiring his followers to buy swords71 he appears also to have been the ,prince of war4 ,all the bloody tragedies cited above1 which form but a small number of the cases which indelibly stain the records of the ,christian ,church1' show how faithfully ,christian professors have lived out the demoralizing injunctions of their ,bible1 and prove that the ,book has been a powerful lever for evil as well as for good4 ,even the shocking cruelties displayed in the execution of these bloody tragedies finds a warrant in the ,bible4 ,in their efforts to carry out the ,bible injunction to exterminate heretics1 no species of cruelty was left untried as a punishment for the honest dissenter from the faith4 ,the sword of the ,church was unsheathed1 and plunged with a fierce and relentless ferocity into the bosoms and bowels of their neighbors and fellow-,christian professors1 whose only offense was that of believing and worshiping ,god according to the dictates of their consciences4 ,with a burning hatred for heretics1 stimulated by reading the ,bible injunction to put them to death in a cruel manner1 they leaped upon them with the ferocity of tigers1 and tortured them to death with every species of cruelty their ingenuity could invent4 ,they tied them to the whipping-post1 or chained them to the fiery fagot2 lacerated their bodies2 cut their tongues from their mouths2 tore their flesh from their bones with iron hooks1 tongs1 and pincers2 cut off their lips1 and tore out their tongues1 so that their piercing cries and heart-rending agonies could convey no intelligible sound2 tore their nails from their fingers1 and thrust needles into the bleeding wounds2 melted red-hot metal1 and poured it down their throats2 plucked out their eyes1 and threw them to beasts2 and1 in some cases1 their bodies were stretched upon the rack1 and flayed alive1 or torn limb from limb4 ,but ,i forbear3 the picture is too shocking4 ,oh that the waves of oblivion could roll over and cover such deeds of cruelty for ever6 ,i rejoice that the age for such atrocities is passed1 and1 ,i trust1 can never return4 ,i hope the churches will never again hold the reins of government1 and shape all the laws of the country4 ,the reason we do not witness such horrible scenes now is1 that many church-members have outgrown their ,bible2 and1 if there are any who have not1 they are restrained by laws enacted by liberal minds of too much good feeling and good sense to permit the churches to thus cruelly persecute each other1 or those who conscientiously differ from them4 ,i have stated that the shocking cruelties and barbarities practiced by ,christians upon each other in past ages1 find a warrant in the ,bible4 ,the act of ,david1 the man after ,god's own heart1 in placing the children of ,ammon under saws and harrows of iron1 is scarcely equaled in atrocity by any act recorded in the history of the ,fiji cannibals4 ,it is revolting to every impulse of benevolence1 every feeling of humanity1 and all ideas of mercy or justice4 ,and his wicked prayer1 contained in the one hundred and ninth ,psalm1 breathes forth the same spirit4 ,it is a series of fiendish imprecations poured out upon the heads of those who differed from his creed1 and worshiped a different ,god4 ,we will quote some of his language3 ,set thou a wicked man over him4 ,let there be none to extend mercy unto him2 let his children be fatherless1 and his wife a widow2 let his children be continually vagabonds1 and beg2 let his posterity be cut off1 and their name blotted out2 let the extortioner get all that he hath2 let his prayer become sin2 let the stranger spoil his land2 let not the sin of his mother be blotted out4 ,here is a series of most malignant imprecations issuing from a mind rankling and burning with a feeling of implacable revenge1 which is shocking to contemplate4 ,it is murderous in its intent1 and demoralizing in its effect upon those who accept it as being in accordance with the will of ,god4 ,no person can contemplate the cruelties practiced by this man of ,god upon his unoffending neighbors1 or read his vengeful prayer1 and accept it as emanating from the man after ,god's own heart1 without having his moral strength and resolution weakened1 his moral standard lowered1 and his ideas of the moral perfection of ,deity degraded4 ,and it was by deriving their conceptions of ,god from such a source that the ,christian world has come to entertain such low1 belittling1 and dishonorable views of the ,supreme ,ruler of the universe1 as is shown in their preaching and their writings2 and it furnishes their children with a low and imperfect standard of morality4 ,and this must always be the condition of things while the ,bible1 with its numerous bad examples and bad morality1 is accepted as a guide by those teachers and preachers who mold the moral sentiments of the people4 ,it will be observed1 that the man after ,god's own heart invokes the divine vengeance upon innocent children1 and prays that they may beg and starve1 merely because their father was not a worshiper of the savage ,jewish ,jehovah which exhibits a mind devoid of all idea of justice or humanity4 ,and this is a part of the religion of the ,christian's ,holy ,bible1 claimed as the product of divine inspiration4 ,now1 who can not see that such a religion as this is calculated to engender bad feelings1 bad ideas1 and bad morals1 and to repress the lofty moral emotions of the human mind8 ,,ii4 ,,the ,,bible ,,sanctions ,,theft ,,or ,,robbery4 ,robbery1 practiced under the false pretense of borrowing1 is another crime claiming the sanction of ,god's ,holy ,word and that ,holy ,being whose morality we are taught to imitate by the injunction1 ,be ye perfect1 as your ,father in heaven is perfect4 ,we are told 7in ,exod4 xii47 that the ,jews1 or ,hebrews1 when leaving ,egypt1 robbed or stole from the inhabitants to such an extent1 that they spoiled the ,egyptians1 which leads to the conclusion that the robbery must have been very extensive3 and for this merciless1 wholesale robbery1 they claimed the sanction of a just and righteous ,god2 for we are told he sanctioned or commanded the act4 ,and this is a part of the code of morals the ,evangelical ,christian ,union would have us incorporate into the ,constitution of the ,united ,states2 but it is evident1 from the facts already presented1 that such an act would be a step towards barbarism4 ,,iii4 ,,the ,,bible ,,sanctions ,,war4 ,another immoral feature of the ,christian ,bible1 and one which proves it to be a relic or record of barbarism1 and a very unsuitable book to constitute the fountain of our laws1 and the supreme rule of our conduct 7as recommended and urged by the ,evangelical ,christian ,union71 is found in its frequent sanction of human butchery2 and a just and righteous ,god is represented as leaving his throne in the heavens to come down to take a part in their savage and bloody battles with different nations about their religious creeds44 ,he is represented as standing in the front ranks during every battle fought by his holy people4 ,and1 by long experience on the field of human butchery1 he came to receive the military title of ,god of ,war1 ,a ,man of ,war1 ,the ,lord of ,hosts1 c42 and his success in destroying human beings won for him the reputation of a great and skillful general1 and placed him above other ,gods in valor in his own estimation4 ,he is represented as becoming so excited with anger1 so blood-thirsty and revengeful in spirit1 that he commanded his holy people to strike down every living creature with the sword1 whether men or animals4 ,the word of command was to spare nothing2 save nothing alive that breathes4 ,he is even represented as commanding the slaughter of innocent babes4 ,the order was1 so says ,samuel 7#a ,sam4 xv4 #c71 ,spare them not1 but slay both men and women1 infants and sucklings4 ,now1 of all the blood-dyed mandates that ever issued from human lips1 or was heard on the plains of human butchery1 none ever excelled it in cruelty and malignant barbarity1 claimed as coming from the mouth of a ,god of infinite justice and infinite benevolence4 ,think of the murder1 in cold blood1 of thousands of little innocent1 prattling babies1 who never lisped an evil word1 or conceived an evil thought1 in their lives6 and this by command of the loving ,father of the human family6 ,who believes it8 ,who can believe it8 ,ay1 who dare believe it1 if he would escape the charge of blasphemy8 ,neither ,nero nor ,caligula was ever guilty of any thing so ruthless1 so fiendish1 so cruel1 and so vindictive4 ,and this is the ,god the ,evangelical ,union tell us the ,constitution of the ,united ,states should recognize as the ,supreme ,ruler of nations4 ,this is the ,bible which they tell us should become the fountain of our laws1 and the supreme rule of our conduct4 ,this is the religion which they are trying to revive and fasten upon us in this enlightened nineteenth century4 ,this is the religion we are required to believe came from a ,god of infinite justice1 infinite mercy1 and loving kindness1 or be denounced as infidels1 and be eternally damned4 ,but could a person be more damned than to believe in such a religion8 ,now1 those who have studied the philosophy and impressibility of the human mind know that no extortion or contortion of the language of the text1 no symbolical or spiritual construction that can be forced upon it1 can prevent the reading and believing a book from producing pernicious effects1 which represents such barbarous deeds as having the divine sanction4 ,nothing can prevent it from exercising a demoralizing influence upon a ,christian community4 ,the sooner1 therefore1 it can cease to be placed in the hands of the heathen and the young people of ,christian lands1 and cease to constitute the basis of our religion1 the better for the progress of true morality1 and a virtuous system of religion4 ,,iv4 ,,the ,,bible ,,sanctions ,,the ,,evil ,,of ,,intemperance4 ,there are a number of texts in the ,bible1 which1 if human language can mean any thing1 most unquestionably furnish a warrant for drunkenness1 whatever might have been the intention of the writer2 and that they have had the effect to sustain and promote this evil1 the practical history of ,christian countries furnish proof that can not be gainsaid4 ,that teacher of ,bible morality--that wise man who is said to have received his wisdom directly from ,god1 and must consequently be considered good authority--is represented as saying1 ,give to him that is athirst1 and wine to those of heavy heart4 ,let him drink1 and forget his poverty1 and remember his misery no more4 ,here we are virtually recommended to drown our sorrows1 and benumb the pangs of poverty1 by becoming dead drunk2 for it is only after the inebriate has quaffed the contents of the intoxicating bowl1 or swung the bottle to his lips till he becomes stupefied and insensible 7i4e41 dead drunk71 that he can forget his poverty1 and remember his misery no more4 ,we dare not deny1 then1 that ,solomon recommended a state of beastly intoxication as a means of drowning our troubles2 for no other meaning can be forced upon the text than that which we have assigned it1 without assuming an unwarrantable use of language4 ,away1 then1 with such a book as the source of moral and religious instruction for the heathen1 or as a reading-book for youth and children6 ,the question is not what the ,bible can be made to teach2 but what is it naturally understood to teach1 and what are the moral consequences of so understanding it8 ,and we find in ,exodus a still more explicit license1 not only for drinking1 but for buying and selling1 intoxicating drinks ,it is proclaimed1 upon the authority of ,jehovah1 ,thou shalt spend thy money for oxen1 or for sheep1 or for wine1 or for strong drink1 or for whatsoever thy soul lusteth after 7,dent1 xiv4 #bf74 ,we are sometimes told1 but without reliable authority1 that the wine here referred to did not possess very intoxicating properties4 ,but it will be observed that the text did not stop at wine1 but strong drink2 thus leaving no doubt upon the mind of the reader but that they used strong liquors1 even if we were warranted in assuming the wine was not of this character1 which1 however1 we are not1 and which we know is not true3 for1 although like the wine of the grape in other countries1 it would not intoxicate while new1 yet in that warm climate1 as travelers affirm1 it will ferment in a few hours4 ,it is evident1 then1 that wine was one of their intoxicating beverages in addition to strong drinks4 ,and here we find a license for buying and selling and using both in a book which the orthodox churches would have us adopt as the fountain of our laws1 and the supreme rule of our conduct1 ostensibly for the improvement of the morals of the people2 when it is known to unbiased investigators of the subject that these and similar texts have been a stumbling-block in the progress of the temperance reform among that class of people who take the ,bible as it reads without studying the art of extracting the old meaning with the clerical force-pump1 and coining a new meaning of their own especially adapted to the occasion1--an art studied and practiced by the spiritually blinded devotees of all the ,holy ,bibles which ,god is assumed to have inspired for the salvation of the human race4 ,i will cite one case in proof of the statement that a ,bible containing such texts as ,i have cited is calculated to do much mischief in the way of retarding the temperance reform by furnishing the plainest authority for drinking and trafficking in intoxicating liquors4 ,a friend1 upon whom ,i can rely1 related to me the following case3 ,a man addicted to intemperate habits was converted to religion and induced to sign a temperance pledge1 partly by the influence of a speaker who quoted from the word of ,god such texts as these3 ,woe unto him who holds the bottle to his neighbor's mouth 7,hab4 ii4 #ae72 ,wine is a mocker1 and strong drink is raging 7,prov1 xx4 #a74 ,but a few days after his conversion1 as he was turning the leaves of the ,bible1 his eye accidentally caught sight of one of the texts ,i have quoted1--,thou shalt spend thy money for strong drink1 c4 ,here he discovered that his ,bible and his ,god both declared that buying and drinking intoxicating beverages was all right4 ,it was enough4 ,his resolution gave way2 his firmness was unmanned1 his moral manhood prostrated1 his pledge overruled2 and1 in less than two hours1 he was again lying in the ditch dead drunk4 ,here is a proof of the mischief that can be wrought by one single text upon those who have accepted the ,bible as the supreme rule of their conduct4 ,you may proclaim the evil of intemperance with the tongue of a ,cicero1 or paint it with the pencil of a ,raphael1 and muster all the texts you can find in the book condemning the practice1 yet one such text as ,i have quoted will poison the moral force1 of it all while the ,bible is read and adored as the rule of their conduct4 ,as one drop of belladonna or prussic acid will poison a whole pint of water1 in like manner will one immoral text1 when found in a book accepted by the people as their highest authority in practical morals1 have the effect to neutralize the moral force of every sound precept that may be found in the book4 ,it is useless1 and labor comparatively lost1 for a book or a moral teacher to inculcate good precepts1 while it is known they are morally capable of teaching or preaching bad ones4 ,one spark of fire is sufficient to explode a powder-magazine4 ,bad precepts and bad examples are both very contagious in a morally undeveloped and unenlightened age2 and their pernicious effects can not be wholly counteracted or prevented by any number of precepts of an opposite character4 ,but we are told the precepts above quoted are in the ,old ,testament1 and not the ,new1 which is now accepted as higher authority4 ,but then it should be borne in mind1 that the ,old ,testament is still being printed and bound with the ,new as a part of the ,holy ,bible1 and ,god's perfect revelation to man for the guidance of his moral conduct4 ,it is still circulated both in ,christian and heathen countries by the million with the ,new1 and as of equal authority with the ,new ,testament4 ,it takes both to make the ,holy ,bible4 ,it will be in vain1 then1 to plead any extenuation or apology for the immoralities of the ,old ,testament on this ground4 ,they will both stand or fall together4 ,the new dispensation could not stand a day without the ,old ,testament as a basis4 ,and then1 when we push our investigations a step further1 we find the ,new ,testament lending its sanction to most of the evils and crimes which are supported by the ,old ,testament2 and among this number is that under review1--the vice or sin of intemperance4 ,paul1 one of the principal founders and expounders of the religion of the ,new ,testament1 and one of the leading examples and teachers of its morals1 in his letter of exhortation to ,timothy1 advises him to drink no longer water1 but take a little wine for the stomach's sake 7#a ,tim4 v4 #bc74 ,as for the plea or purpose for which the intoxicating beverage was to be used on this occasion for the stomach's sake1 it is the same that dram-drinkers and drunkards have always had recourse to to justify the use of strong drink4 ,it is always drunk for the stomach's sake4 ,and1 when we find ,christ himself converting a large quantity of water into wine 7see ,john ii471 we must conclude that the ,new ,testament does not teach a system of morals calculated to arrest the sin of intemperance4 ,those1 then1 who wish still to continue floundering in the cesspool of drunkenness1 can find in the ,new ,testament1 as well as the ,old1 a justification for this sin4 ,v4 ,,the ,,crime ,,of ,,slave-,,holding ,,sanctioned ,,by ,,the ,,bible4 ,the ,bible contains a warrant for the perpetual enslavement of men1 women1 and children4 ,it is well known to the pioneer-laborers in the antislavery reform1 that this book constituted a strong bulwark in support of the system2 that it was one of the principal obstacles in the way of effecting its extermination4 ,its defenders quoted such texts as the following3 ,of the heathen round about you1 shall ye buy bondmen and bond maids1 and they shall be your possession for ever 7,lev4 xxv4 #dd74 ,among ,christian professors1 such positive and explicit license for the practice of slave-holding was hard to be set aside2 and it undoubtedly had an influence to perpetuate the accursed system of slavery4 ,,vi4 ,,the ,,bible ,,sanctions ,,polygamy4 ,the practice of polygamy is indorsed by the ,christian ,bible4 ,it is frequently sanctioned in the ,old ,testament1 both by precept and example1 while it is nowhere condemned by the ,book1 either in the ,old or ,new ,testament4 ,this fact makes ,mormonisin an impregnable institution2 and this is the reason it bids defiance to the efforts of a ,christian nation to put it down4 ,it is a ,bible institution4 ,hence a ,bible-believing nation dare not attack it4 ,the hand of the government is powerless to put it down1 because it is justified by the ,holy ,book4 ,hence it continues to exist1 a stigma upon the nation4 ,were it as explicitly and strongly condemned by the ,bible as idolatry is1 it would have been banished from the country long ago4 ,,vii4 ,,licentiousness ,,is ,,sanctioned ,,by ,,the ,,bible4 ,it can hardly be wondered at that so many ,christian professors fall victims to licentious habits1 as is evident from reports almost daily published in the periodicals1 from which one traveler has collected more than two thousand cases of priests1 the professed teachers of morality1 who have fallen victims to the vice of illegal sexual intercourse within a few years2 and probably the number whose deeds are never brought to light is much greater4 ,as we have already remarked1 this licentiousness among ,bible believers and ,bible teachers is no cause of wonder when we reflect that it is taught in their ,bible1 both by example and precept1 and even1 we are told1 commanded by ,jehovah himself4 ,in the thirty-first chapter of ,numbers it is written1 that the ,lord commanded ,moses to slay all the ,midianites1 except the women and girls who had never known man1 amounting to about thirty thousand4 ,they were even ordered to kill every male among the little ones2 and it is declared they left nothing alive that breathes1 except the thirty thousand maids saved to gratify the lust of those murderous libertines4 ,who that has any mercy1 justice1 or refinement in their nature1 can believe that such cruelty and licentiousness was the work of a righteous ,god8 ,christian professors contemplate these revolting pictures with an anxious desire to save the credit of the ,book1 until1 by dint of determination to believe 7for they are afraid even to doubt71 they finally persuade themselves1 that1 somehow or other1 they must be right1 notwithstanding their revolting nature4 ,they conclude they don't understand them1 or that it is our fine moral sensibilities1 and our natural love of virtue1 that is at fault4 ,and thus our moral manhood is deadened and sacrificed to our barbarous religion4 ,it is an evident fact1 and a sorrowful truth1 that the moral sensibilities of all ,christendom are more or less blunted and seared in this way1 and their standard of virtue lowered4 ,such is the demoralizing influence of the ,holy ,book when idolized and regarded as the source of our morals1 and the supreme rule of our conduct4 ,it is evident we never can reach that elevated standard of morals and true refinement which is the natural outgrowth of civilization till the ,bible is lowered to a more subordinate position1 and is no longer allowed to shape our morals1 and mold our religion1 and retard our civilization4 ,the texts ,i have cited are but samples of many similar passages which evince a sickly1 licentious state of morals amongst the ,lord's holy people4 ,by the moral code of ,moses and ,jehovah1 a ,jew was authorized to seize a beautiful woman 7if he should see one amongst the captives taken in war71 and take her to his house for his wife2 but1 if he finds upon trial that she don't suit him1 then he can turn her out1 and let her go whither she will4 ,he was licensed to turn her adrift upon the cold charities of the world4 ,if it shall be that thou find no delight in her1 then thou shalt let her go whither she will 7,deut4 xxi4 #ad74 ,it does not appear that her wishes were consulted in any case4 ,she was a captive at first1 and a slave to the end4 ,and these hard-hearted1 licentious men were ,god's holy people4 ,those pious and devout ,christians who are so inveterately opposed to1 and horrified at1 ,free-,lovism should not let it be known they believe in the ,bible1 lest they should get into the same difficulty the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,hitchkiss did while in ,arabia4 ,having stated to a ,mahomedan that there was a class of people in ,america known as ,free-,lovers1 and that they were infidels and ,spiritualists1 the disciple of the ,koran remarked1 in reply1 ,i suppose you are a ,free-,lover also4--,what makes you entertain that supposition8 asked the reverend4 ,because1 said the ,mussulman1 you are a believer in the ,christian ,bible2 and ,i have observed1 by reading that its leading men were practical ,free-,lovers4' ,the wise ,solomon was so highly esteemed by ,god1 that he opened to him the fountain of wisdom2 and hence he must have been looked up to by the ,jews as a leading authority in matters of religion and morals1 and an example be followed in practical life2 and he practiced ',free-,lovism1' or licentiousness1 on a very large scale4 ,his subjects and victims were numbered by the thousand2 and with three hundred of them he maintained no legal relation4 ,hence they were what are now called prostitutes4 ,and his father ,david1 'the man after ,god's own heart1' was also a ',f ree-,lover1 and indirectly committed murder in order to increase his number of victims2 and ,abraham1 the father and founder of the ,jewish nation1 also belonged to that class4 ,i suppose1 therefore1 you consider it all right4 ,the reverend gentleman replied1 ,i believe it was right for them1 but would not be right for us4 ,then1 said the ,mahomedan1 you believe that moral principles change1--that what is right to day may be wrong tomorrow1 and vice versa4 ,now1 it is evident1 that1 if they can change once1 they can change again1 and may thus be perpetually changing2 so that it would be impossible to know what true morality is1 for it would be one thing to-day and another tomorrow4 ,i hold that the principles of morality are perfect1 and hence can not change without becoming immorality4 ,thus reasoned the unconverted heathen2 and thus closed his controversy with the ,christian missionary4 ,the reader can judge which had the better end of the argument4 ,,viii4 ,,the ,,bible ,,sanctions ,,wife-,,catching4 ,in the ,book of ,judges 7,judges xxi4 #bj7 we learn that the ,israelites of the tribe of ,benjamin were instructed in the art of wife-catching4 ,go and lie in wait in the vineyards2 and behold1 if the daughters of ,shiloh come out to dance in dances1 then come ye out of the vineyards1 and catch you every man a wife 7,judges xxi4 #ba74 ,and they did so4 ,now it was certainty rather shameful business for ,god's oracles to be engaged in1--that of advising rude and lustful men to hide in ambush in the vineyards1 and1 when they saw the young maidens approaching1 to pounce upon them while dancing1 and carry or drag them off without a moment's warning4 ,it was called catching a wife2 but1 in this age of a higher moral development1 it would not be designated by such respectful language1 but would be placed in the list of crimes1 and punished as a ,state-prison offense4 ,,ix4 ,,the ,,crimes ,,of ,,treachery ,,and ,,assassination4 ,in the fourth chapter of ,judges we find a case of barbarity related1 comprising the double crime of treachery and murder1 for which a parallel can scarcely be found in the annals of any heathen nation1 and which appears to have received the approval of the ,jewish ,jehovah4 ,it is exhibited in the history of ,jael1 the wife of ,heber the ,kenite4 ,we read1 that as a poor fugitive by the name of ,sisera was fleeing from the ,lord's holy people1 who were pursuing him with uplifted swords with the determination to kill him1 not for any crime whatever1 but because he professed a different religion1 and refused to worship their cruel ,god 7for they seemed to consider themselves authorized by their ,god to exterminate all nations who dissented from their creed71--as this fugitive was flying from the swords of the worshipers of ,jehovah1 ,jael went out to meet him 7,sisera71 and said unto him1 ,turn in1 my lord3 turn in to me4 ,fear not4 ,and1 when he had turned in unto her in the tent1 she covered him with a mantle1 and feigned much pity for him2 and1 when he asked for a little water1 she gave him milk3 but1 as soon as he had fallen asleep1 she took a nail of the tent and a hammer1 and went softly unto him1 and smote the nail into his temple1 and fastened it into the ground4 ,who can read this deed of treachery and cruelty without emotions of horror1 and thrilling chilly sensations at the heart8 ,and yet ,jehovah1 the ,god of ,israel1 is represented as saying1 ,blessed above women shall ,jael1 the wife of ,heber the ,kenite1 be 7,judg4 v4 #bd74 ,now1 what is this but a premium offered for treachery and cold-blooded murder8 ,i believe1 with ,lord ,bacon1 that it is better to believe in no ,god than to believe in one possessing dishonorable traits of character2 and ,i can not see how it would be possible to ascribe more dishonorable traits of character to any being than are ascribed to the ,jewish ,jehovah4 ,and this is the ,god the orthodox world wants put into the ,constitution of the ,united ,states2 but most unfortunate for our progress in morals and civilization would it be to adopt such a measure4 ,and this is the book which the churches are constantly appealing to the people for aid to circulate among the heathen as necessary to improve their morals1 and save their souls2 but no other book could be put into their hands so completely calculated to deaden and obliterate every feeling of humanity1 every natural impulse of justice and mercy1 and kindle feelings of murder and revenge4 ,such a book should not be admitted into their families to corrupt their natural sense of right and justice4 ,i will cite another case evincing the same spirit1 and teaching the same kind of moral lesson4 ,we are told in ,judges 7chap4 iii47 that the ,lord sent a man by the name of ,ehud to murder ,eglon1 ,king of ,moab1 and sent him with a lie upon his lips4 ,as he came near to the king1 he said unto him1 ,i have a message from ,god unto thee 7,judg4 iii4 #bj1 #ba74 ,and1 while conversing with him under the guise of a friend1 he drew out a dagger which he had concealed under his garments1 and plunged it into his body1 and killed him4 ,and the ,lord1 the ,god of ,israel1 is represented as raising up the bloody-minded ,ehud for the special purpose of perpetrating this shocking deed of murder4 ,to circulate a book among the heathen1 detailing such revolting deeds of cruelty as consistent with sound morality1 and approved by a just and righteous ,god1 is an evil of no small magnitude4 ,i will cite one other case illustrative of ,bible intolerance4 ,it is found in the history of the godly ,phinehas1 related in the twenty-fifth chapter of ,numbers4 ,he was one of ,the ,lord's peculiar people1 who were such violent sectarians that they showed no mercy towards any nation or any individual who dissented from their creed4 ,hence1 when it was reported to ,moses and his ,god that ,zimri and his wife ,cozbi had become converts to the ,baal-peor religion1 they sent ,phinehas after them with deadly weapons to slay them for heresy2 and he chased them into their tents1 and slew them with a javelin upon their own hearthstone for no crime whatever against the moral law1 but for simply exercising their ,god-given right to worship ,god according to the dictates of their consciences4 ,it was a feeling of sectarianism1 intolerance1 and bitter animosity which prompted the act4 ,we can not wonder1 therefore1 that ,christian ,bible believers1 who have chosen this book as the supreme rule of their conduct1 should have written their history in blood1 and that the whole pathway of their pilgrimage is strewn with the bones of their murdered victims1 who were slain for being true to their consciences1 and for believing in and worshiping ,god according to their convictions of right and duty4 ,in addition to the long list of crimes already enumerated as being sanctioned by the ,bible1 we will name a few others3-- ,lying4--,we find that nearly all the leading characters who figure in ,bible history1 and who are held up as moral exemplars of the human race1 were guilty of lying either directly or indirectly4 ,we will cite a few cases3-- ,it is shown that ,abraham and his wife 7,gen4 xx471 and ,isaac 7,gen4 xxvi471 and ,jacob 7,gen4 xxxi471 were all guilty of falsehood2 also ,rachel1 ,jacob's wife 7,gen4 xxxi471 ,jacob's sons 7,gen4 xxxvii471 and ,samson 7,judg4 xvi471 and ,elisha 7#b ,kings71 and four hundred prophets 7#a ,kings xxii474 ,and ,jeremiah makes out all the prophets were virtual liars 7,jer4 vi4 #ac74 ,peter lied three times in about seventy-five minutes 7,luke xxii474 ,and ,paul justifies lying 7,rom4 iii--#g74 ,with so many examples of lying by inspired and holy men of old1 the custom became popular among the early ,christians1 and was upheld and justified by them1 as stated by the popular ,christian writer1 ,mosheim4 ,and some of the heathen nations1 for this reason1 were accustomed to calling the ,jews the sons of falsehood4 ,now1 we appeal to the moral consciousness of every honest reader to decide in his own mind whether it is possible for a book containing such defective moral inculcations to be calculated to promote true virtue1 or a love of truth1 in either ,christian or heathen nations1 and whether it should not1 on this account1 be kept out of the hands of the heathen1 as being calculated to weaken their natural appreciation of truth4 ,swearing4--,let the reader turn to his ,bible concordance1 and observe the hundreds of cases in which ,god and his people are represented as swearing4 ,he can then understand why profanity is now more prevalent in ,christian than in heathen countries4 ,god himself is several times represented as swearing in his wrath 7,ps4 xcv4 #aa74 ,it should therefore be expected to be prevalent amongst ,christian ,bible believers4 ,as a ,christian missionary was recently returning from ,india on board a ,british vessel1 observing a ,christian professor frequently swearing1 he stepped to him1 and observed1 ,here1 sir1 is my son1 twenty-one years old1 born and raised in a heathen land1 and to-day is the first time he ever heard a profane oath4 ,rather a withering lesson for a ,christian professor4 ,there are obviously two causes for the great prevalency of profane swearing in all ,christian countries4 ,one is its frequent indorsement in the ,bible1 and the other is the common custom of the priesthood apparently indulging in the practice in the pulpit4 ,in their godly zeal to convert sinners1 they exclaim1 ,god will damn you4 ,the boys in the congregation catch the refrain1 run into the street1 and repeat the oath 7dropping one word71 ,god damn you4 ,before we can expect this foolish and demoralizing practice to be abandoned1 we must have a different ,bible and different religious teachers2 and also before we can prevent the heathen who read our ,bible from imitating our example in swearing1 or using profane language4 ,cursing4--,the numerous cases of cursing recorded in the ,bible-from ,jehovah to ,elisha1 who cursed the sportive1 saucy boys1 and then destroyed them with bears1 are calculated to engender and foster the worst and most malignant passions of the human mind4 ,the very name of the ,jews' ,god1 ,jehovah 7,elohim71 is derived from a root which signifies to curse and to swear4 ,and the immoral practice of cursing is continued from the ,old ,testament through the ,new4 ,murder4--,we have spoken of murders perpetrated by the ,jews under the authority of a theocratic government4 ,we will now cite some cases of a more private character3 ,cain1 the first man born into the world1 was a murderer2 and1 instead of being punished for it1 he appears to have been honored4 ,he went into the land ,nod1 and built a great city4 ,the man after ,god's own heart 7,david7 indirectly killed ,uriah2 ,judith cut off the head of ,holofernes while in bed with him1--a most shocking case2 ,jehoiada1 the priest1 murdered his queen at the high gate in cold blood2 ,jael1 the wife of ,heber1 murdered the flying fugitive ,sisera by driving a nail though his head2 ,ehud murdered the ,king of ,eglon under the guise of friendship2 ,absalom murdered ,ammon2 ,joab murdered ,absalom2 ,solomon murdered his brother ,adonijah2 ,baasha murdered ,nadab2 ,zimri murdered ,elah2 ,omri murdered ,zimri ,ahab murdered ,naboth2 ,jehu murdered ,ahab and ,joram4 ,shallum murdered ,zachariah2 ,hoshea murdered ,pekah4 ,numerous other cases might be cited4 ,some of these murderers were leading men among the ,jews1--men whose life and character exercised great influence2 and consequently such examples were very pernicious1 and the moral lesson they impart to ,bible readers must be corrupting to their moral feelings1 if not their moral conduct4 ,flogging4--,the practice of flogging is regarded as a relic of barbarism by all modern writers on moral ethics4 ,we find it was prescribed by law under the ,hebrew monarchy4 ,forty lashes1 in some cases1 while the victim was tied or held down was the penalty for certain crimes4 7,see ,deut4 xxv47 ,if they were schooled in the councils of infinite wisdom as they claimed to be1 their ,god should have taught them a less severe and more enlightened method of treating offenders4 ,witchcraft4--,thou shalt not suffer a witch to live 7,exod4 xxii4 #ah7 has been the watchword and the authority for the slaughter of great numbers of human beings4 ,figures can not compute the tortures1 the shocking cruelties1 and the heart-crushing sufferings which have been endured as the legitimate fruit of this superstitious1 barbarous law of ,god's holy people4 ,it was continued in force to a late period1 and has been more extensively practiced by ,christians than by ,jews4 ,the number of victims in ,christian ,england alone amounts to hundreds of thousands4 ,a large portion of them were tied hand and foot1 and thrown into the water4 ,if they sank1 that terminated the case1 guilty or not guilty2 if they swam or floated1 that was regarded as an evidence of guilt1 and they were taken out1 and burned or hanged4 ,during its reign in ,england1 thirty thousand harmless women were burned as witches1 mostly poor women who had no means of self-defense4 ,even the learned ,sir ,matthew ,hale1 one of ,england's most enlightened ,christian jurists1 sentenced a number of poor women to be hanged in #affd as witches2 and the reason he assigned for it was1 that the ,bible leaves no doubt as to the reality of witchcraft1 and the duty of putting its subjects to death4 ,thus we have an illustration of the enormous evils which have grown out of ,bible superstitions1 perpetuated by those who were so ignorant as to accept the book as authority4 ,witchcraft1 which was believed by ,bible writers and ,bible ,christians to be the work of the ,devil or of evil spirits1 is now well understood in the light of modern science as to its causes1 of which ,bible revelation was ignorant4 ,as the want of space will permit no farther exposition or enumeration of ,bible crimes1 we will sum up the whole thus3 ,murder1 theft1 robbery1 war1 slavery1 intemperance1 polygamy1 concubinage1 fornication1 rape1 piracy1 lying1 assassination1 treachery1 tyranny1 revenge1 persecution for religious opinions1 vagabondism1 degradation and enslavement of women1 hypocrisy1 breach of faith1 suicide1 vulgarity or obscenity1 witchcraft1 flogging1 cursing1 swearing1 c4 ,we have cited texts and examples in proof of the statement that all these crimes1 and others not here enumerated1 are sanctioned by ,god's holy word1 and were perpetrated by ,god's holy people1 as they are called4 ,and yet a ,christian writer declares1 ,the ,lord kept his people pure1 holy1 and upright through every period of their history4 ,a statement could hardly be made that would be farther from the truth4 ,it is another evidence of the blinding effect of a false religion4 ,again we ask1 should a book1 lending its sanction to the long catalogue of crimes herein enumerated1 and which represents them as being in accordance with the will of a holy and a righteous ,god1 be placed in the hands of the illiterate and credulous heathen as a guide for their moral conduct8 ,most certainly it must have a deleterious effect upon their morals2 and yet hundreds of thousands are distributed amongst them every year by the ,christian churches and missionary societies4 ,and then think of making such a book the fountain of our laws1 and the supreme rule of our conduct1 as urged by the ,evangelical ,alliance and the orthodox churches4 ,we almost tremble at the thought of such a step toward barbarism and demoralization4 ,,chapter ,,xlviii4--,,immoral ,,influence ,,of ,,the ,,bible4 ,with the characteristic moral teaching of the ,christian ,bible1 presented in the preceding chapter and throughout this work1 we see not how to escape the conviction that the ,bible has inflicted1 and must necessarily inflict1 a demoralizing influence on society wherever it is read and believed4 ,it is morally impossible for any person to read and believe a book sanctioning1 or appearing to sanction1 so many species of crime and immorality without sustaining more or less moral and mental injury by it4 ,for whatever views he may entertain with respect to the numerous crimes therein reported as having been committed with the approval1 and often at the command1 of a just ,god1 it must naturally and inevitably have the tendency to weaken his detestation of those crimes1 and also weaken his zeal and effort to extinguish them and other similar crimes now existing in society4 ,it must also lower his conception of the moral attributes of ,deity4 ,however honest1 and however naturally opposed to such immoralities at the outset1 it is impossible for him to entertain the belief that they were once approved1 or even connived at1 by a morally perfect being1 without becoming unconsciously weakened in his feelings of opposition to1 and his hatred of1 such deeds4 ,it may be alleged that these practices are at war with those precepts which enjoin us to do unto others as we would have them do unto us2 and that of loving our neighbors as ourselves1 c4 ,this is true2 but reason and experience both teach us1 as an important lesson in moral and mental philosophy1 that1 when a book which is accepted as a guide for the conduct and moral actions of men contains contradictory precepts1 the people will seize on and reduce to practice those most consonant with their natures1 and most congenial to their natural feelings and ,inclinations4 ,hence it can easily be seen1 that as the animal feelings and propensities which lead to the commission of crime1 when unduly exercised1 have always been stronger with the masses or the populace than the moral feelings1 they have consequently always been more disposed to yield a compliance with those precepts which sanction1 or appear to sanction1 the commission of crime1 than those which are condemnatory of crime4 ,all persons in whose minds the animal propensities are the strongest will seize with eagerness the least authority1 or appearance of authority1 for committing those crimes which they are naturally inclined to commit1 and for which they are glad to find a license or encouragement to commit4 ,under such circumstances they will ignore the virtuous precepts1 and yield a compliance with those of an opposite character4 ,therefore ,christian professors who expect the ,bible to exert a moral influence in reforming the world and freeing it from crime1 because it contains some beautiful and sound moral precepts1 will be disappointed2 for those precepts will be neutralized1 and their effects destroyed1 by those of an opposite character4 ,a majority of the people in all countries have always possessed a strong inclination for committing those crimes which1 we have shown1 the ,christian ,bible appears to sanction4 ,hence the ,bible1 with all its counteracting precepts1 will only add fuel to the fire1 for the reason already pointed out4 ,those who do not know this must be ignorant of the most important principles of moral science1 and the elements of human nature4 ,right here is where ,christians commit a serious mistake4 ,they scatter their ,bibles among the heathen by the thousand1 assuming that it will have the effect to moralize and civilize them1 while they can find a warrant in it 7as shown in the preceding chapter7 for every species of crime they have been in the habit of committing4 ,this is a solemn error they have been committing for ages4 ,hence their missionary labors1 instead of reforming the heathen1 have only tended to demoralize them1 where they have not been counteracted by the more rational religion of science and nature1 as they have been in many cases4 ,many facts could be adduced to prove this statement1 some of which may be found in ,chapter #ej4 7,bible a ,moral ,necessity74 ,wherever the ,bible has been introduced1 without the arts and sciences to counteract its influence 7as in ,abyssinia and the ,samoan ,islands71 crime has increased4 ,history proves that wherever the ,bible has been circulated without any counteracting influences1 both in ,christian and heathen nations1 it has had the effect to weaken the moral strength of the people1 lower their natural appreciation of virtue and a true moral life1 and has had a tendency to popularize crime by making it more respectable4 ,it is therefore an unsuitable book to circulate as a guide for the moral conduct of man in any country4 ,,chapter ,,xlix4--,,the ,,bible ,,at ,,war ,,with ,,eighteen ,,sciences4 ,the word science is from the ,latin scire 7to know74 ,hence every statement incompatible with the teachings and principles of science is simply ignorance arrayed against knowledge4 ,it may surprise some who have been taught that the ,bible contains a perfect embodiment of truth1 or who believe1 with the redoubtable ,dr4 ,cheever1 that the ,bible does not contain the shadow of a shade of error from ,genesis to ,revelations1--it will doubtless surprise all such persons to be told1 that1 so far from ,dr4 ,cheever's statement being correct1 the ,holy ,book1 by a fair estimate1 is found to contain more than nine thousand scientific errors alone2 i4e41 more than nine thousand statements and assumptions which conflict with the established principles of modern science1 besides errors in morals and history1 c4 ,this1 perhaps1 should not be a matter of surprise to any person after viewing the character and condition of philosophy and the wide-spread scientific ignorance which reigned over the world at that period4 ,let it be borne in mind that science was the book which does not contain several errors of this character but just budding into life1 and philosophy had attained but a feeble growth amongst that portion of the earth's inhabitants who constituted the representatives of the ,jewish and ,christian religion4 ,not only does their history and their writings show that they were1 for the most part1 ignorant of what little science there was in the world1--which was small compared with the present period1--but they opposed it whenever they came in contact with it4 ,every thing was ascribed to supernatural power4 ,the word science only occurs twice in the ,bible1--once in the ,old ,testament1 and once in the ,new2 and1 in the latter case1 it was used for the purpose of condemning it4 ,paul advises ,timothy to beware of the babblings of science 7#a ,tim4 vi4 #bj74 ,the word philosophy is used but once in the ,bible1 and then not to recommend it2 but ,paul uses it to condemn it1 as he does science1 or at least to discourage it3 ,beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain conceit 7,col4 ii4 #h74 ,it will be observed1 then1 that there is apparently a veto placed upon the study of science and philosophy in the only two instances in which reference is made to them in the ,bible4 ,we can not wonder1 therefore1 that its devout disciples have in all ages1 until a very recent period1 set themselves squarely against the propagation of science and philosophy4 ,it was but carrying out the spirit of their ,bible4 ,the early ,christians1 almost to a man1 discouraged the study of science1 and condemned and persecuted those who attempted to propagate its principles1 and even put some of them to death4 ,copernicus was persecuted for setting forth principles of astronomy which conflicted with the teachings of the ,bible2 ,galileo was sentenced to death because he taught the rotundity and revolution of the earth in opposition to the ,bible1 which declares1 ,the earth has foundations1 and can not be removed 7,ps4 civ4 #e72 and ,bruno suffered the penalty of death for teaching substantially the same doctrine4 ,and every discoverer in science was condemned and persecuted4 ,much was written by the early fathers in acknowledgment of the incompatibility of science with religion and the teachings of the ,bible1 and to warn the pious disciple of the danger of occupying his mind in the investigation and study of science4 ,even ,eusebius1 the popular ecclesiastical writer of the third century1 and one of the most intelligent ,christians of that age1 acknowledged he had a contempt for the useless baubles of the philosophers3 ,we think little of these matters1 turning our souls to the exercise of better things4 ,and ,lactantius1 a ,christian of the same century1 pronounced the study of physical causes of natural things empty and false4 ,and ,st4 ,augustine1 a shining light of the ,church1 treated with contempt the notion that the earth is round1 as trees on the other side would hang with their tops down1 and the men there would have their feet higher than their heads4 ,he condemns it as false1 because no such race is recorded in ,scripture among the descendants of ,adam4 ,what profound reasoning6 ,martin ,luther utters his malediction against astronomy in the following language3 ,this false ,copernicus will turn the whole art of astronomy upside down2 but the ,scripture teacheth another lesson1 when ,joshua commanded the sun to stand still1 and not the earth4 ,of course ,joshua's order for the sun to stop knocks the science of astronomy on the head1 and extinguishes it for ever with all true ,bible believers2 and men have had to outgrow their ,bibles before they could accept the teachings of astronomy4 ,when we take into consideration the almost boundless acquisitions that have been made in the field of science since the invention of the printing art1 and the many discoveries evolved in every department of science and art1 now classified into a long list of new sciences1 and which throw a flood of light on almost every thing taught by the ancients in morals1 religion1 or science1 we should not be surprised to find more or less error in every thing they taught4 ,let us look for a moment at the long list of sciences now taught in our schools1 most of which were unknown two hundred years ago3 ,astronomy1 geology1 chemistry1 mineralogy1 meteorology1 pneumatics1 hydrostatics1 mechanics1 psychology1 paleontology1 anthropology1 ethnology1 archaeology1 biology1 history1 chronology1 botany1 zoology1 philosophy1 physiology1 ornithology1 geography1 mathematics1 optics1 acoustics1 phrenology1 animal magnetism1 c4 ,the facts and principles now comprised in these several branches of science have mostly been developed within a comparatively recent period of time2 and almost every department of science here enumerated embraces facts and discoveries which reveal important errors in the religious creeds of the ancient representatives of the ,christian faith4 ,to illustrate this statement1 we will cite some examples3-- #a4 ,astronomy4--,more than forty errors in astronomy will be found exposed in ,chapter #ae1 treating on the ,mosaic account of creation2 and here may be added a few more to the number4 ,several texts in the ,bible speak of the stars falling to the earth1 or traveling in some lawless direction4 ,even ,christ committed this error4 7,see ,mark xiii4 #be47 ,how ridiculous is this conception when viewed in connection with the fact that these stars are many of them larger than the earth6 ,saturn is about a thousand times larger1 and ,jupiter twelve hundred times larger1 than our planet4 ,john speaks of one-third of the stars falling at once 7,rev4 xii4 #d74 ,if these two large planets 7,jupiter and ,saturn7 should be of the number1 our little earth would fare rather badly1 though it is evident they could not all have room to strike it4 ,if they should strike it from opposite sides1 they would effectually grind it to powder4 ,the inspired writers of the ,bible seem to have had their minds so filled with heavenly things1 that there was but little room left for scientific knowledge appertaining to the earth4 ,the idea of the sun being made to rule by day1 and the moon and stars to rule by night1 as taught in ,gen4 i4 #af1 discloses still further the ignorance of ,bible writers on astronomy4 #b4 ,geological ,errors4--,the story of the creation in ,genesis 7as exposed in ,chapter #ae of this work7 contains many geological errors4 ,almost every statement1 in fact1 conflicts with the teachings of geology1 and especially the assumption that the earth1 with the retinue of worlds which roll through infinite space1 was brought into existence by a fiat of ,omnipotence1 and only about six thousand years ago2 while many facts in geological science disprove its creation1 and prove that it existed hundreds of thousands1 if not millions1 of years ago4 ,for the numerous ,bible errors under this head1 see ,chapter #ae4 #c4 ,errors in ,geography4--,the language applied to the earth by various writers of the ,bible show quite plainly that they entertained very erroneous conceptions of its form and size1 and the laws that govern it4 ,such language as the foundations of the earth 7,ps4 civ4 #e2 ,job xxxviii4 #d71 the ends of earth1 the corners of the earth1 the pillars of the earth 7#a ,sam4 ii4 #h71 clearly indicate that ,bible writers entertained the common erroneous conceptions of that age1 that the earth is a flat1 square1 angular figure1 only inhabited on one side4 ,matthew1 who represents ,christ as seeing all the kingdoms of the earth from the top of a mountain1 plainly discloses the same error4 #d4 ,errors in ,ethnology4--,the ,bible assumption of the origin of man within a period of six thousand years1 and the descent of the whole race from a single pair1 is directly at variance with the teachings of ethnological science1 which discloses the true history of man1 and proves1 according to ,agassiz and other modern naturalists1 that the human race has descended from at least five pairs of original progenitors4 ,see a work entitled ,types of ,mankind1 compiled from the writings of the ablest naturalists of the age4 #e4 ,archology1 which treats of antiquity1 presents us with nearly the same series of scientific facts to disprove the ,bible history of man4 ,it presents us with many facts in the history of the ancient empires of ,india1 ,egypt1 ,greece1 ,china1 and ,persia1 which directly contradict many statements found in the ,christian ,bible1 which the want of space compels us to omit any notice of here4 7,see chapters on ,bibles47 #f4 ,biology4--,the ,bible statements which make a son two years older than his father 7#b ,chron4 xxi4 and xxii471 a girl only three years old when she married1 and two millions of people spring from seventy persons in two hundred and fifteen years1 are all at variance with the teachings of biology4 #g4 ,botany4--,the origin of thorns and thistles1 and the preservation of the whole vegetable kingdom during ,noah's flood1 as inferentially taught by the ,christian ,bible1 conflict with the present established principles of botany4 #h4 ,zoology4--,this science1 which discloses the true history of animal life1 completely disproves some statements of the ,bible relative to the animal kingdom4 ,the hare is pronounced unclean in ,leviticus1 because he cheweth the cud1 but divideth not the hoof 7,lev4 xi4 #f74 ,here are three incorrect statements4 ,the hare does not chew the cud1 and does divide the hoof1 and is not unclean 7i4e41 not unsuitable for food74 #i4 ,ornithology4--,the writer who represents ,god as showering down nine hundred square miles of quails1 three feet thick1 around the ,jewish camp to serve as food 7see ,numb4 xi4 #cb71 must have been ignorant of the size of this bird1 if not of the whole feathered tribe4 #aj4 ,physiology4--,the apostle ,james must have been ignorant of the science of physiology when he declares the prayers of the elders of the ,church would heal the sick 7,jas4 v4 #ae74 ,it is not denied but that the presence of the elders could exercise a healing influence on the sick2 but it should be ascribed to their magnetism1 and not to their prayers4 ,the numerous cases in which disease is represented by ,christ and his disciples as being produced by devils or evil spirits1 and a cure effected by ejecting the diabolical intruder1 shows them to have been ignorant of physiology2 as does also the story of the sons of ,god cohabiting with the daughters of men 7,gen4 vi4 #d71 and producing a race of giants which1 according to the ,book of ,enoch1 were three hundred cubits high4 ,rather tall specimens of humanity4 ,their heads would be above the clouds1 so that they could not see which way they were traveling4 ,this story finds a parallel in the traditions of ,india1 which once produced a race of giants so tall that they could neither sit down in the house1 nor stand up out of doors4 ,their eyes were so far from the ground that they could not see their feet4 ,all these stories originated in an age which was destitute of a knowledge of physiology2 and1 as this amalgamation of ,gods with human beings did nothing to improve the race1 the story is destitute of a moral1 and proves 7if it proves any thing7 that the ,gods were no better than men4 #aa4 ,mental ,science4--,the two hundred texts which represent the heart as being the seat of the mind or soul furnish conclusive evidence that the writers were ignorant of the first principles of mental science4 ,my heart uttereth understand ing1 and a pure heart1 are examples4 ,an upright liver1 or a pure liver1 would be just as sensible language4 ,there is not one text in the book that implies a knowledge of the brain as being the organ of the mind1 which is a scientific fact now well established4 #ab4 ,animal ,magnetism4--,the exposition of this science by ,mesmer1 ,deluse1 ,townsend1 and other writers1 renders it clearly evident that the phenomena of witchcraft1 trance1 and many cases of spiritual vision1 were nothing more nor less than the products of animal magnetism superinduced by the action of mind on mind1 or the control of the mind by magnetic substances1--the science of magnetism being entirely unknown in that era of the world4 ,every case reported of restoring life to a dead person by ,christ1 ,elijah1 ,elisha1 and other ,god-men1 if they had any foundation in truth1 are explained by the principles of this science4 ,similar cases have been witnessed in modern times4 #ac4 ,philosophy4--,the science of philosophy1 in its matured aspect1 is of modern origin1 and furnishes the true explanation for many of the mysteries of godliness1 and other mysteries of the ,christian ,bible1 which1 by the illiterate writers of that age1 were ascribed to the direct manifestation of deific powers4 ,they are now known to be natural occurrences1 instead of supernatural1 as assumed by the writers4 ,the ,bible story of the rainbow furnishes one example4 ,moses must have been ignorant of philosophy when he selected the rainbow as an evidence there should be no rain in the future insufficient quantities to inundate the earth again1 when it is known that the rainbow is a certain evidence of rain1 as it is produced by the rain in the act of falling4 ,this is but one of many errors which the ignorant1 illiterate ,bible writers have made for want of knowledge on scientific subjects1 such as the history of creation1 the story of the flood1 c4 ,the several cases in which thunder is spoken of as being the voice of ,god disclose great ignorance of philosophy2 and several instances in which ,god promises to take away the sickness of the people evince an entire ignorance of the natural laws which control health and disease4 7,see ,exod4 xxiii4 #be2 ,deut4 vii4 #ae47 #ad4 ,mathematics4--,the ,bible is deficient in many cases with respect to the correct observance of the rules and principles of mathematics4 ,its assumption that there can be but one ,god1 and at the same time acknowledging three1 furnishes a striking proof of this4 ,its enumeration of the families and tribes furnishes another evidence of this4 ,its calculation of numbers rarely coincides with the names4 ,for example3 ,matth41 in his gospel1 states there are forty-two generations from ,david to ,joseph2 but his list of names only makes forty-one4 ,and ,matthew says1 ,from ,adam to ,david are fourteen generations2 but1 by counting his list of names1 we find but thirteen4 ,the date of ,methuselah's birth and his age1 when compared together1 extend his age ten months beyond the inauguration of the flood4 ,how he sustained life1 and avoided drowning during that time1 must be one of the mysteries of godliness4 ,these are a few specimens of ,bible mathematics4 #ae4 ,chemistry4--,a specimen of ,bible chemistry is found in the story of fire and brimstone descending from heaven together without a coalescence1 or the chemical combination and product which usually result from a contact of these two elements4 ,another specimen is presented in the process of manufacturing a golden calf by merely casting gold ear-rings1 finger-rings1 c41 into the fire2 and also ,moses' invention for grinding the same gold into powder1 and sprinkling it on the water1 and compelling the people to drink it4 ,no process is known in modern times by which gold can be ground to powder1 nor for holding it in solution if ground and thrown into water4 ,the specific gravity of all gold now in use causes it to sink to the bottom as soon as it is thrown into water4 ,bible chemistry seems to differ from natural chemistry4 #af4 ,pneumatics4--,had ,jehovah been acquainted with this science1 he could not have become alarmed about having his kingdom invaded by the builders of ,babel2 for we learn1 by an acquaintance with the principles of this science1 that the air becomes so rarefied as we ascend1 that we soon reach a point where human life must cease4 ,hence it was unnecessary to confound the language of the people in order to arrest the completion of the tower4 ,they would have been compelled to desist before they had got many miles from the earth4 #ag4 ,acoustics4--,moses must have been ignorant of this science1 or presumed his readers would be1 when he related the numerous cases of himself and ,joshua and others reading and talking to two millions of people1 some of whom must have been several miles distant4 ,no human voice in modern times could reach one-half of such an audience4 #ah4 ,hydrostatics4--,this science teaches us that several cases reported in the ,bible of the waters of rivers and seas being separated and erected in perpendicular columns so as to form embankments1 are contradicted by all the laws governing fluids1 and hence are wholly incredible4 ,the sciences of optics1 meteorology1 philology1 and psychology might also be included in the above list as being ignored and practically set aside by ,bible writers4 ,and yet1 in the face of all these facts1 ,dr4 ,cheever says1 ,there is a beautiful harmony between the principles of science and the teachings of the ,bible throughout the whole book4 ,and this seems to have been the universal conviction of the disciples of the ,christian faith before the progress of scientific discovery in modern times laid bare the errors of the ,holy ,book4 ,since that juncture in biblical theology culminated1 a new theory has been set on foot to dispose of the scientific errors of the ,bible4 ,we are told1 as an apology for these errors1 that the ,bible was designed to teach religion and morality1 and not science4 ,this is too true2 but a true system of religion must be based on the principles of science4 ,the plea also discloses a scientific ignorance on the part of the objector in not knowing there is science in every thing4 ,hence it is impossible to write on any subject without coming in contact with the principles of science1 which you must either conform to or violate4 ,persons destitute of scientific knowledge1 as were ,bible writers1 are liable1 in their ignorance1 to stumble into scientific errors in writing on any subject4 ,,chapter ,l4--,,the ,,bible ,,as ,a ,,moral ,,necessity4 ,,the question is frequently asked by ,bible adherents1 ,what would be the moral condition of society without the ,bible8 ,would it not again relapse into barbarism8 ,such questions manifest an ignorance of history and the moral instincts of the human mind1 and are easily met and answered by other questions indicating broader views4 ,we ask1 then1 what was the moral condition of the world1 or that portion of it included in the ,jewish nation1 during the two thousand years which elapsed before any part of our ,bible was written8 ,was it any worse than the next two thousand years after it was written8 ,and what is the moral condition of five-sixths of the human family now1 who never had our ,bible8 ,facts in history prove that the morals of some of the nations included in this class are superior to that of any ,bible nation1 either now existing1 or figuring in past history4 ,take1 for example1 the ,japanese4 ,we will present the testimony of an ,english officer1 ,col4 ,hall4 ,reporting his own observations and experience1 he says1 ,during more than a year's residence in ,japan1 ,i never saw a quarrel among young or old4 ,i have never seen an angry blow struck1 and have scarcely heard an angry word4 ,i have seen the children at their sports1 flying their kites on the hill2 and no amount of entangled strings1 or kites lodged in the trees1 provoked angry words or impatience4 ,in their games of jackstones and marbles1 ,i have never seen an approach to a quarrel among them4 ,they are taught implicit obedience to their parents2 but ,i have never seen one of them chastised4 ,respect and reverence for the aged is universal4 ,a crying child is seldom seen4 ,we have nothing to teach them out of the abundance of our civilization4 ,and a description of this nation by ,dr4 ,oliphant fully confirms the above4 ,he says1 ,universal testimony assures us1 that1 in their domestic relations1 the men are gentle and forbearing2 the women1 obedient and virtuous4 ,every department of crime is less in proportion to the population than in ,christian countries4 ,the native tribunals prove their competency to deal with criminals by giving general satisfaction4 ,unlike any ,christian country1 locks and keys are never used2 yet theft and robbery are almost unknown4 ,although we had the most tempting curiosities with us1 and left them laying about our lodgings for months1 not one of them was carried off1 though our room was sometimes crowded with people4 ,during the whole of our stay in ,yeddo1 we never heard a scolding woman1 nor saw a disturbance in the streets1 nor a child struck or otherwise maltreated4 ,in case of disputes between neighbors1 their children are often selected as arbiters1 and always give satisfaction4 ,and parents in their old age often give their properly and the entire management of their affairs into the hands of their children1 who never betray their trust4 ,now1 it must be evident to every reader1 that no such a moral picture of society can be presented of any ,christian country4 ,and yet the ,christian ,bible is not only scarcely known among them1 but they have resisted the most determined efforts of the ,christian f missionaries1 for more than two hundred years1 to introduce it and circulate it amongst them1 and have kept it out by positive prohibition most of the time4 ,do such facts tend to confirm the statement often made by devout ,christians1 that the ,bible must be introduced and read by the people before they can have good morals in any country8 ,as a still further proof of the erroneousness of this statement1 we will now contrast the state of morals in the most religious ,christian countries with that of the heathen nation just referred to4 ,and this moral picture of our country is from the pen of a ,christian writer1 the celebrated ,parson ,brownlow4 ,he tells us1 ,the gospel is preached to the people regularly all over the country4444 ,and yet1 notwithstanding all this1 rascality abounds in all classes of society4444 ,cheating and misrepresentation are the order of the day4 ,in politics there is very little patriotism6 or love of country4 ,in religion there is more hypocrisy than grace2 and the biggest scoundrels living1 crowd the church with a view to hide their rascally designs1 and more effectually serve the ,devil4 ,pious villains1 as sanctified as the moral law1 are keeping false accounts1 and resort to them for the sake of gain4444 ,in a word1 rascality abounds among all classes4 ,now look on this picture1 and then on that4 ,we will now present another contrast4 ,we will look at another specimen of morality among the heathen4 ,the portraiture is furnished us by the celebrated ,christian missionary1 ,dr4 ,livingstone4 ,speaking of some of the ,african tribes he encountered in his travels1 he says1 ,the inhabitants have many wise laws and politic institutions1 which would not discredit any nation in ,europe4 ,they are not a warlike people1 but appear to hold martial achievements in great contempt or abhorrence4 ,they have such a nice sense of justice and equity1 that they will by no means make any encroachments on the territory of their neighbors4 ,their dealings with each other are characterized by mutual confidence1 which ,chris-tians would do well to imitate4 ,no man is afraid of being cheated4 ,no precautions are used to prevent theft and robbery2 and yet no theft and robbery are committed4 ,their goods to be sold are stored in an open bazaar1 left without any attendants1 and the purchaser fixes his own price1 and leaves what he considers a fair equivalent in its stead2 and all parties are satisfied4 ,it would seem1 then1 that1 while in ,christian countries it requires two to make a bargain1 in heathen countries it requires but one4 ,here1 then1 we have the morals of a heathen nation1 who not only knew nothing of ,christianity1 but would not condescend to talk with the missionary on the subject1 but put him off with the plea1 ,it makes no difference what a man's religion is1 if his morals and practical life are right4 ,sensible reasoning ,we will now turn another leaf in ,christian history with the inquiry1 ,is every country honored with the name of ,christian distinguished for morality1 and every nation stigmatized as heathen practically immoral8 ,we will present another specimen of ,christian morality from the pen of that popular ,christian writer1 ,mr4 ,goodrich4 ,speaking of the moral condition of one of the oldest ,christian nations now existing 7the ,abyssinians71 he says1 ,they are restless1 savage1 and brutal1 almost beyond any known tribes of men4 ,the ,scotch traveler1 ,mr4 ,bruce1 was at ,gondar1 the capital2 and he tells us that he seldom went out without seeing dead human bodies lying in the streets1 left to be devoured by the dogs and hyenas4 ,alnary1 who lived there some years since1 says he was invited to a feast1 where1 amongst the dishes he was offered1 was flesh with warm blood4 ,we are told the people eat the flesh from the cattle while alive2 and sometimes1 after a large piece has been cut out1 the skin is drawn over it1 and the bleeding beast driven on its way4 ,sometimes1 when a party is assembled for a feast1 and are seated1 the oxen are brought to the door1 the flesh is cut off the living animal1 and the meat devoured while the agonized brutes are filling the air with their bellowings4444 ,and the manners of the people in other respects are horrible in the extreme4 ,yet1 strange to say1 they profess ,christianity1 and have numerous churches4 ,their saints are almost innumerable1 and surpass in miraculous power those of the ,romish ,church4 ,the clergy do not attempt to prevent divorces1 nor even polygamy4 ,in confirmation of the above graphic picture1 we will quote also from an ,english geography by ,guthrie and ,ferguson1 ,f4,r4,s4 7p4 #ibc73 ,the inhabitants of ,abyssinia consist of ,christians4 ,some ecclesiastical writers would persuade us that the conversion of ,abyssinia to ,christianity happened in the time of the apostles2 but others state that this was after1--3 in the year #ccc4 ,there is no such thing as marriage in ,abyssinia1 and no distinction made between legitimate and illegitimate children1 from the king to the beggar4 ,here1 then1 is ,christian morality1 and here is a specimen of ,christian free-lovism too1 in a country where the ,christian ,bible has been circulated by the thousand1 and read and adored for at least fifteen hundred years4 ,such facts furnish a complete refutation of the popular ,christian assumption that true and pure morality is inseparable from ,christianity and the ,bible4 ,the truth is1 the ,bible alone has never done any thing to advance the cause of either morality or civilization in any country1 because it is interdicted from improvement4 ,it may be asked here1 ,why is it1 then1 that both religion and morality prosper in most countries where the ,bible has been introduced8 ,the answer to this question is found in the important fact1 overlooked by the ,christian world1 that the arts and sciences generally accompany1 or soon follow1 the introduction of the ,bible2 but1 where this has not been the case1 and the ,bible has been circulated alone1 as in the case of ,abyssinia1 no progress whatever has been made towards the establishment of true morality or a rational religion1 or any of the adjuncts of civilization1 thus proving that the causes for the moral growth and improvement of society are outside of1 and independent of1 the ,bible1 and1 we will add 7in view of the many immoral lessons taught in the book71 in spite of the ,bible4 ,a little rational reflection must convince any unbiased person that ,bibles1 in the very nature of things1 must retard the moral and intellectual advancement and prosperity of society in every respect1 notwithstanding they contain many good and beautiful precepts1 for representing1 as they do1 the imperfect state of morals in the age and country in which they were written2 while their teachings are assumed to be a finality in moral and religious progress1 and hence are not allowed to be transcended in precept or practice4 ,the consequence is1 society would be pinned down immovably and perpetually to the same barbarous religion and morals of that age1 if it were not pushed forward by the irresistible influences of the arts and sciences4 ,hence we owe our advancement and prosperity not to ,bibles1 but to causes adequate to counteract and overcome their adverse influences4 ,,the ,,moral ,,benefits ,,of ,,infidelity4 ,an additional argument to prove the ,bible is not a moral necessity to teach the practical duties of life is the fact that that class of persons known as infidels1 who entirely reject the book as a guide or as a moral instructor on account of its very defective and contradictory system of morals1 are admitted by leading orthodox journals and representative men in the nation to possess better moral characters and habits1 and to lead better moral lives1 than ,bible believers4 ,as a proof of this statement1 we will here present the most wonderful and humiliating concessions of that leading religious journal of the nation1 ,the ,new-,york ,evangelist4 ,on this subject it speaks thus3 ,to the shame of the ,church it must be confessed that the foremost men in all our philanthropic movements1 in the interpretation of the spirit of the age1 in the practical application of genuine ,christianity1 in the reformation of abuses in high and in low places1 in the vindication of the rights of man and in practically redressing his wrongs1 in the moral and intellectual regeneration of the race1 are the so-called infidels in our land4 ,the ,church has pusillanimously left not only the working oar1 but the very reins of salutary reform1 in the hands of men she denounces as inimical to ,christianity1 and who are doing with all their might1 for humanity's sake1 that which the ,church ought to be doing for ,christ's sake2 and if they succeed1 as succeed they will1 in abolishing slavery1 banishing rum1 restraining licentiousness1 reforming abuses1 and elevating the masses1 then must the recoil upon ,christianity be disastrous in the extreme4 ,woe6 woe6 woe to ,christianity when infidels1 by force of nature or the tendencies of the age1 get ahead of the ,church in morals1 and in the practical work of ,christianity4 ,in some instances they are already far in advance4 ,in the vindication of truth1 righteousness1 and liberty1 they are the pioneers beckoning to a sluggish ,church to follow in the rear4 ,to this we will add the testimony of another orthodox writer 7the eminent ,catherine ,beecher7 as to the superior practical morality of infidels as compared with that of ,christians4 ,she says1 in her ,appeal to the ,people 7p4 #cai71 ,it has come to pass that the world has been improving in practical virtue1 while the ,church has been deteriorating4 ,the writer1 in her very extensive travels and intercourse with the religious world1 has had unusual opportunity to notice how surely and how extensively this fact has been observed and acknowledged by the best class of clergymen and laymen4 ,she says one of the most laborious ,episcopal bishops of the ,western ,states declares1 that the world is growing better1 and the ,church is growing worse4 ,she next cites the testimony of an eminent lawyer and church-member who is carrying on an extensive financial business throughout the country1 and who makes the remarkable statement1 that the better class of worldly men are more honorable and reliable in business than the majority of church-members4 7,let the reader mark this statement47 ,and this declaration was concurred in by another eminent lawyer1 banker1 and church-member1 who is doing a more extensive business in the ,north-western ,states than any other man4 ,and he states that the most extensive business-man in ,central ,new ,york has arrived at the same conclusion as the result of his observation4 ,and the greatest business-man in ,boston is also referred to1 whose experience led him to this conclusion4 ,and other business-men in different parts of the country testify to the same effect4 ,we may1 then1 set it down as the universal testimony of business-men that infidels and outsiders are more honest1 more reliable1 more truthful1 and more honorable than church-members4 ,what a fatal argument these facts furnish against the religion and morality of the ,christian ,bible6 ,they indicate that the religion and morality of nature and science are superior4 ,,burning ,,the ,,world',s ,,benefactors ,,as ,,infidels4 ,it will be perceived1 from the preceding orthodox testimonies1 that the class of people usually stigmatized as infidels are the true exemplars in practical morality1 and the true benefactors of society4 ,and ,christian countries owe them a debt of gratitude for all the reforms and improvements which have proved such signal blessings to society within the last few hundred years1 and for their own elevation out of the groveling ignorance of barbarism into the glorious sunlight of civilization4 ,what withering self-reproach1 what shameful mortification and self-condemnation1 they ought therefore to feel in view of having committed so many of them to the flames1 or otherwise maltreated and killed them6 ,for1 according to the above ,christian testimonies1 they were the world's real benefactors2 and the following list will show that those victims perished at the hands of ,christians as infidel martyrs3 ,in #aeaa ,herman of ,ryswick was burned for heresy2 in #aedf ,aonius ,polearius was hung1 and then burned for skepticism2 in #aegd ,geofroi ,vallie was burned for publishing a heretical book2 ,in #aedf ,stephen ,dolet1 a printer and bookseller1 was burned at ,paris for atheism2 in #aegi ,matthew ,hamont had his ears cut off1 and was then burned alive1 in ,england1 for denying that ,christ is ,god2 in #aehc ,john ,lewes was burned at ,norwich1 ,eng41 for denying the ,godhead of ,christ2 in #aehi ,francis ,kett1 a member of a college in ,cambridge1 ,eng41 was burned for holding divers detestable opinions against ,christ1 our ,savior2 ,in #afaa ,bartholomew ,legate was burned to ashes at ,smithfield for denying that ,christ was ,god2 in #afdd ,edward ,wightman was burned at ,litchfield for denying the divinity of ,christ2 in #afai ,lucilio ,yanini1 an ,italian1 was burned for atheistical opinions2 in #aegd ,john ,gonganelle was poisoned for his infidelity by the ,holy ,sacrament2 in #afbi ,alexander ,leighton had his nose slit and his ears cut off1 and was imprisoned for eleven years for publishing a work against miracles4 ,to make the matter short1 without extending the list1 it has been estimated that forty thousand perished at the hands of ,christians in forty y ears for infidelity1 heresy1 or other opinions deemed unsound by orthodox4 ,and thus it will be perceived that infidelity has had its martyrs as well as ,christianity2 and that ,christians1 in putting these men to death1 were robbing the world 7according to ,the ,new-,york ,evangelist7of its real benefactors4 ,oh1 shame6 ,christianity1 where is thy blush8 ,,chapter ,,li4--,,send ,,no ,,moke ,,bibles ,,to ,,the ,,heathen4 ,a recent work by a ,christian writer states that there are now employed in the work of converting the heathen to ,christianity fifteen thousand missionaries1 and that they succeed in converting about ten thousand a year4 ,from this statement1 it appears that ten thousand missionaries make annually one convert apiece1 while five thousand make none4 ,and the cost the writer estimates to be about twenty thousand dollars for each convert4 ,c4 ,wiseman estimated it1 about thirty years ago1 to be ten thousand dollars apiece4 ,and1 while these ten thousand converts were made1 the heathen population increased in numbers five millions4 ,thus it appears they increase two hundred times faster than they are converted4 ,how long will it take1 at such rates1 to effect the entire conversion of the world8 and what will be the cost8 ,all the gold ever dug from the mines of ,golconda and ,california would be but a drop in the bucket compared with the requisite amount4 ,the question naturally arises here1 ,do the results justify such an enormous expenditure of time and treasure1 say nothing of the loss of health on the part of the missionaries8 ,a learned ,hindoo stated1 in a speech made in ,london in #ahgf1 that the conversions made in ,india are confined principally to the low1 ignorant1 superstitious class1 who do not possess sufficient sense and intelligence to know the difference between the religion they are converted to and the religion they are converted from4 ,are such converts worth ten thousand or twenty thousand dollars apiece8 ,the case suggests the story of the ,hibernian who stated his horse had but two faults3 ,first1 he is hard to catch2 second1 he is no account when caught4 ,the heathen must be hard to convert if it requires an expense of ten thousand dollars apiece1 and of but little account when converted if they know nothing about the nature of the religion they are converted to4 ,there are various considerations which go to prove that the hundreds of millions of dollars expended annually in this enterprise are worse than wasted3-- #a4 ,one missionary1 becoming discouraged at the prospect1 once made the statement that nine-tenths of the converts have not sense enough to understand the ,christian religion1 nor moral principle enough to live up to its precepts1 and that a considerable portion of them relapsed into heathenism4 ,it should be borne in mind that it is not the most intelligent nor the most moral portion of the heathen who profess to embrace ,christianity1 but generally the credulous1 ignorant1 and fickle-minded class1 who are ready for any change that may be offered4 #b4 ,no real good seems to be accomplished by the introduction of the ,christian ,bible among the heathen1 but much evil4 ,its thousands of bad moral precepts and bad moral examples1 and its sanction of every species of crime1 must inevitably have the effect to weaken their moral resolutions1 and deepen them in the commission of crime4 ,and hence1 as missionaries themselves indirectly confess1 crime has increased in almost every nation where missions have been established4 ,it is true1 that1 in those nations where the arts and sciences have been cultivated1 they have operated to some extent in counteracting the bad moral lessons they learn by reading the ,bible2 and in some cases1 in this way1 some improvement has been made4 ,but no instance can be found in the history of the missionary enterprise where any improvement has been made in the morals of the people1 where their instruction has been confined to the ,bible1 without the arts and sciences4 ,on the contrary1 their morals have grown worse1 or remained unimproved1 as in ,abyssinia and the ,samoan ,islands1 where1 after more than a thousand years' instruction in ,bible religion1 without the arts and sciences1 they are still in the lowest stages of barbarism4 7,see ,chapter #ej47 ,,the ,,bible ,,as ,a ,,moral ,,necessity4 #c4 ,it is a policy that must be deplored by every true philanthropist1 that the ,christian world expends millions of dollars every year to convert the heathen to a religion that can neither improve their morals or their intellect1 but inculcates bad lessons in morals and science1 and1 in many cases1 is a worse religion than that already established in those countries4 7,for evidence1 see ,chapter #ej47 #d4 ,and this policy becomes still more reprehensible when coupled with the fact that there are sixty thousand ,christians living in a state of want1 beggary1 destitution1 and suffering1 in ,christian cellars in ,new-,york ,city2 and two hundred thousand1 including ,boston and ,philadelphia1 who are in a state of degradation and suffering almost beyond description1 who might be relieved and placed in a situation to improve their morals and their physical condition comfortably if the millions of money1 time1 and labor were spent on them which are uselessly expended on foreign missions4 ,think of two hundred thousand church-members living in dark1 damp1 dreary1 sickly cellars1 with grim starvation daily staring them in the face1 while their purse-proud ,christian landlords are living in luxury over their heads4 ,no such cruel1 inhuman religion can be found in any heathen nation4 #e4 ,and then the missionary enterprise inflicts physical evils1 as well as moral1 upon the foreign heathen4 ,it introduces habits and customs amongst them1 which1 in some cases1 destroy their health1 as well as corrupt their morals4 ,look1 for example1 at the ,sandwich ,islands4 ,since the establishment of ,christian missions amongst them1 the population has decreased thirty per cent4 ,twenty thousand children in schools in #ahdh are dwindled down to eleven thousand4 ,marriages have decreased1 and divorces have increased4 ,nine hundred divorces took place in four years1 while previous to the introduction of ,christianity1 we are told1 divorces were almost unknown4 ,missionaries1 ignorant of physiology and the laws of mental science1 and in total disregard of natural law1 establish habits among the heathen which destroy both their health and their happiness4 #f4 ,the people in several heathen countries have proved to be sharp-sighted and intelligent enough to detect the errors in the ,bible and religious system presented to them by the missionaries4 ,bishop ,colenso states1 that1 while serving as missionary among the ,zulus tribe1 some of the natives started objections to statements found in the ,bible which had not occurred to his own mind4 ,and this fact made him resign his mission and return home1 and read his ,bible with more care1 which resulted in detecting hundreds of errors in the ,holy ,book1 which he has published to the world in a large volume4 ,we are informed that the ,hindoos told some of the missionaries while among them1 that such a ,god as the ,christian ,bible describes would not be allowed to run at large in their country4 ,he would be taken up as a criminal4 #g4 ,the natives in several countries where the missionaries have been operating1 on becoming acquainted with the character of the teachings of the ,christian ,bible1 have raised objections to its being circulated amongst them1 and1 in some cases1 have besought the missionaries to leave4 ,the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,hall1 a missionary in ,india1 states that a public meeting was called at ,madras by the natives to draw up a petition to ,lord ,stanley of ,england to send no more missionaries1 and also entreat him to withdraw those then operating there2 and such was the interest manifested that the meeting called out ten thousand people4 ,the ,chinese1 also1 have manifested strong opposition to the movements of the missionaries among them2 while the ,japanese have kept out from amongst them both ,bible and missionaries by positive law until a recent period4 #h4 ,the inhabitants of the ,friendly ,isles1 of ,honolulu1 of ,india1 and also of ,japan1 have all discussed the subject of sending missionaries to this country to improve the morals of the ,christians2 and it is certain that some of them are practically acquainted with a better system of morals than that which prevails in this country4 ,here we will note the remarkable circumstance that a learned ,hindoo has recently held a two days' debate with a ,christian missionary1 which excited such an interest that it drew together from five to seven thousand of the natives1 who desired to see the missionary beat in the debate4 ,a writer states that the ,hindoo handled the missionary's arguments as a cat would a mouse1 thus intimating that the missionary was completely vanquished in the logical contest2 and yet this ,hindoo is called a heathen4 ,pshaw6 ,it would be a blessing to ,christian countries to be supplied with a few millions of such heathen4 ,it would improve both their morals and their intelligence4 ,note4--,many anecdotes are afloat tending to prove the superior moral honesty of the ,hindoos and other heathen4 ,as a traveler was walking the streets of an ,asiatic city with one of the natives1 he proposed to step into a store and purchase some article4 ,no1 said the native3 see that chair in the door to let us know the merchant is absent4--,what6 exclaimed the traveler3 do merchants go away and leave their goods exposed in that way8--,yes1 responded the honest native1 where there are no ,christians about4 ,,chapter ,,lii4--,,what ,,shall ,,we ,,believe ,,and ,,do ,,to ,,be ,,saved8 ,what shall we believe and do in order to be saved8 is an all-important query1 and one which daily occupies the minds of millions of earth's inhabitants of all countries and all climes4 ,there are ten thousand answers to this question1 and they are as conflicting as the confusion of tongues at the ,tower of ,babel ,no two religious orders1 and scarcely any two religious believers agree with respect to the all-important answer to be rendered to this all-important question4 ,to prove this1 we will interrogate the disciples of all the leading religious orders who have found a place in the world's history1 and compare their answers1 and observe the result4 ,commencing in the order of time1 the disciples of the ,vedas will be the first we will interrogate1 as they represent the oldest religious faith that has ever been promulgated in the world4 ,i4 ,,hindoo',s ,,answer ,,to ,,the ,,question4 ,well1 brother ,hindoo1 will you be so good as to answer this question1 ,what shall we do and believe in order to be saved8 ,oh1 yes6 responds the devout worshiper of ,brahma1 pointing to a stone arched pagoda4 ,go and prostrate yourself in that holy building1 made venerable by a thousand years' devotion1 and offer up prayer and praise to ,brahma1 and1 if you have committed any sins1 implore his forgiveness4 ,you must also believe in his ,holy ,book1 the ,vedas1 and obey its precepts1 which enjoin virtue and holiness1 and forbid theft1 robbery1 murder1 lying1 dishonesty1 adultery1 and other crimes2 and you must not only believe in the ,holy ,book as ,god's revealed will to mankind1 but you must believe it is all true1--every word of it4 ,you must believe1 also1 that it existed in the mind of the great ,god ,brahma from all eternity2 and some nine thousand years ago was revealed by him to certain holy men1 known as rishis1 or prophets1 who recorded it in a book for the instruction and salvation of the world2 and that this divinely revealed and perfect book contains all knowledge1 past1 present1 and future1 and all the religion necessary to save the whole human race4 ,and1 if you would become a true-born saint i4e41 in ,christian language1 regenerated and born again1 you must read the ,holy ,book through upon your bended knees4 ,and thousands of its most pious and devout disciples have performed this humble and laborious task4 ,and if you would advance still farther in soul-purification and true sanctity1 so as to become a thrice-born saint for they hold that the oftener you are born the better1 then you must commit the divine volume all to memory4 ,and many of them1 we are assured1 have accomplished this herculean task4 ,but you can not attain to complete and perfect holiness as a ,hindoo saint1 unless you forsake the busy scenes of life1 retire to lonely places1 and devote yourselves to a life of religious contemplation4 ,by leading this austere1 self-denying life1 they hold that men and women can attain to complete holiness1 and draw near to the spirit of ,god1 and become so exalted in his favor as to receive important revelations from him1 and be enabled by him to perform great miracles1 such as casting out devils1 raising the dead1 handling fire without being burned1 and swallowing poison without being killed or injured1 and finally become ,gods1 and ascend to heaven in mortal bodies after the manner of ,enoch and ,elijah4 ,in one respect some of the sects are much more consistent than ,christian professors4 ,believing1 as ,christians have always professed to do1 that sickness is often sent by ,god as a punishment for sin1 they never send for a physician1 nor allow one to treat the case2 because1 as they argue1 trying to cure it would be trying to counteract the judgment of ,god1 and thus bring down his vengeance upon the heads of those guilty of this sin4 ,here ,christians might learn an important moral lesson of the heathen1--that of living up to the doctrines they preach4 ,we have1 then1 the ,hindoo answer to the question1 ,what must we do and believe in order to be saved8 ,,the ,,egyptian',s ,,answer4 ,well1 brother disciple of the old ,egyptian religion1 let us hear your answer to the question1 ,what must we do and believe in order to be saved8--,well1 replies the believer in this ancient order of faith1 if you would make a sure thing of escaping the pangs of hell1 and being saved in the heavenly mansion1 you must not neglect to pray daily to the great ,god ,tulis1 crucified some twenty-eight hundred years ago for the sins of mankind2 and1 if you have committed any sin1 you must pray to him to have them canceled from ',the ,book of ,life4' ,for the ancient ,egyptians believed and taught that our evil deeds1 as well as our good deeds1 are recorded in ',the ,book of ,life1' in which ,st4 ,john represents 7see ,rev4 #bb-ai47 our good deeds alone as being registered4 ,and1 if you would make a sure thing of being saved in 'the day of judgment1' you must intercede with ,divine ,mercy to erase your evil deeds from this ,book of ,life1 so that they will not stand against you in that solemn hour4 ,here we find a few of the duties enumerated which the disciples of that ancient system of religion believed and taught were necessary to be comprised in your religious creed in order to be saved in the great day of accounts4 ,,the ,,chinese ,,answer4 ,we will now interrogate the representative of the religion of ,the ,five ,volumes1 and hear his answer to this most important question that ever occupied the thoughts of the human mind4 ,well1 then1 brother ,chinaman1 please tell us what we shall do and believe in order to reach the heavenly kingdom when compelled to quit the things of time4 ,why1 the most important thing of all is1 to perform your daily vows to ,god1 and worship him through images prepared to represent him1 whether those images are made of wood or stone or metal1 though you are not to consider these images as the veritable living and true ,god4 ,for no nation was ever so brainless or stupid as to believe that idols or images made of mere inanimate matter were living beings1 much less a living ,god4 ,no6 the images which have been represented by ,christian writers as being objects of worship in numerous heathen countries have been nothing more than mere imaginary likenesses of the ,divine ,being1 and were gotten up for the same purpose that ,christian men obtain photograph likenesses of their absent friends1 and hang them on the walls of their dwellings4 ,the object is simply to keep the images of our friends impressed on our minds in their absence2 and the same motive actuates the idolater in making supposed images of an absent ,god4 ,the object is simply to have something before them that will keep them in remembrance of him1 and his laws and commandments1--a very laudable motive1 most certainly4 ,they are idolaters1 it is true2 and so are all nations who believe in a personal ,god1 whether called ,jew1 pagan1 or ,christian3 for idolatry is defined to be image-making and image-worship2 and both of these acts all religious nations have been addicted to 7,christians not excepted74 ,this can be seen in a moment1 when we look at the essential nature of idolatry2 that is1 the making and worship of images4 ,all images are first formed in the mind4 ,the ,christian forms his conception of a personal ,god in his mind2 and the pagan does the same4 ,both thus make their mental images of ,god4 ,the only difference in the two cases is1 the pagan goes one step farther1 and represents his image in wood1 stone1 or metal2 but it is no more an image than while it existed only in the mind4 ,then it is evident there is no essential difference between them4 ,both are idolaters4 ,for a further elucidation of this subject1 see the chapter on idolatry4 ,and1 if you would be saved by the ,chinese religion1 there are some practical duties you must perform4 ,you must live up to the golden rule incorporated in their ,bible nearly twenty-five hundred years ago4 ,you must also observe the rite of water-baptism2 for it has been a religious ordinance amongst them for several thousand years4 ,and1 if you would attain to complete holiness1 you must be kind to all human beings1 and even all animals4 ,kill no living thing1 and eat nothing after sundown4 ,then you can be saved by their religion4 ,,the ,,persian',s ,,and ,,chaldean',s ,,answer4 ,brothers of the religion of ,iran1 can you tell us what to do and believe in order to be saved8 ,yes1 indeed4 ,first of all1 you must believe ',god's ,living ,word1' the ,zenda ,avesta2 for that is the meaning of the term4 ,zenda means 'the life' or 'the living1' and ,avesta1 'the word of ,god4' ,and you must live up to its holy precepts1 which will keep you from committing sin1 and prompt you to lead a virtuous life4 ,you must also say grace1 both before and after eating1 as that was their ancient custom4 ,but you are forbidden to speculate in any of the necessaries of life so as to cause suffering among the poor4 ,and their ,bible declares that he who hoards up grain1 and holds it for a high price1 is responsible for all the famine and all the misery that may take place among the people4 ,i would recommend modern ,christian speculators to borrow this heathen code1 and learn from it some important moral lessons4 ,to insure salvation under this religion1 you most also believe in ',mithra the ,mediator1' crucified for the sins of the world some three thousand three hundred years ago by wicked hands1 but in no case make any idols or images of ,god2 for their religion practically condemns idolatry4 ,,the ,,japanese ,,answer ,,to ,,the ,,question4 ,we will now hear from a heathen nation distinguished for good sense1 good morals1 and practical honesty4 ,tell us1 then1 brother ,japanese1 what we must do and believe in order to be saved4 ,well1 first of all1 you must keep the ,christian ,bible out of your houses4 ,don't suffer it to enter your doors4 ,let all ,bibles alone1 and obey the inward monitions of your own souls4 ,your own conscience and experience and moral sense will teach you that it is wrong to lie1 wrong to swear1 wrong to steal1 wrong to cheat1 wrong to get drunk1 wrong to fight1 and wrong to kill4 ,now let us learn something about the moral character and practical lives of this heathen nation1 who1 for more than two hundred years1 have kept ,christian ,bibles and ,christian missionaries out from among them1 most of the time by positive law4 ,dr4 ,oliphant and ,col4 ,hall1 who both spent some considerable time amongst them1 state that they are an honest1 upright1 moral1 and sober people4 ,with respect to honesty of dealing1 sobriety1 and abstinence from swearing1 quarreling1 fighting1 or any of the common vices of society1 the best authorities assure us that no ,christian nation on earth will compare with them2 and yet they conscientiously refrain from reading the ,christian ,bible4 7,see ,chapter ,l4 of this work47 ,what a startling disproof is here furnished to the declaration of ,christian writers that the introduction of the ,christian ,bible1 and the establishment of the ,christian religion amongst the heathen1 are essential to the existence of good morals amongst them6 ,in many cases more good would be effected by reversing the practice1 and sending heathen missionaries into ,christian nations1 as the pious pagans of ,china1 ,india1 and the ,friendly ,isles have all been talking of doing2 and some of the godly people of ,india have already entered upon the work4 ,,the ,,mahomedan ,,answer ,,to ,,the ,,question4 ,brother disciple of the ,koran1 will you please to tell us what the one hundred and fifty million of followers of the great prophet believe is necessary to do and believe in order to be saved8 ,yes1 certainly4 ,the devout believers in this soul-saving religion have understood this question for more than a thousand years1 and know exactly how to answer it4 ,you must believe that the ,holy ,book 7the ,koran7 is ,god's last revelation1 and his last will and testament to mankind2 and you must shape your practical lives by its precepts1 which will make you 'true saints1' and honest1 upright1 and righteous men and women4 ,you must also believe that the great prophet is the true1 holy1 and appointed messenger of ,god1 and that ,allah is the only true ,god4 ,to believe1 as ,christians do1 that ,god is divided into three persons or beings1 or three attributes1 or three branches1 known as ,father1 ,son1 and ,holy ,ghost1 is not only a monstrous absurdity1 but a monstrous sin and an unpardonable blasphemy2 and no man or woman who holds such doctrine can be saved4 ,god is but one1 and ,allah is his name1 and you must worship him seven times a day2 and on the sabbath day 7,friday7 you must present yourselves at the mosque with the ,holy ,book in your hand1 which1 having kissed1 you are then to place it upon the holy altar1 and listen while the priest explains its great truths and its profound and godly mysteries4 ,and on such occasions1 says ,major ,denham1 tears flow in abundance1 as under ,christian preaching4 ,here1 then1 you have the terms of salvation and the road marked cut to heaven by the believers in the ,koran4 ,,the ,,christian ,,churches' ,,answer ,,to ,,the ,,question4 ,and now1 brethren of the ,christian faith1 we will listen with attention to your answer to the important question1 ,what shall we do and believe in order to be saved8 ,but ,christian sects are so numerous1 and their views so conflicting1 we can only find room for the answers of a few of the leading churches4 ,,the ,,catholic',s ,,answer4 ,well1 brother ,roman ,catholic1 as you represent the oldest ,christian denomination in existence1 we will first hear from your ,church in answer to this great question1 ,what shall we do and believe in order to be saved8--,well1 the question is easily answered4 ,you must believe that the ,bible is the inspired word of ,god2 that ,jesus ,christ is the son of ,god2 and that ,st4 ,peter1 succeeded by the ,pope1 is his vicegerent on the earth4 ,you must also worship1 or at least believe in the divinity of1 the ,father1 son1 and ,holy ,ghost1 and the ,virgin ,mary2 and adhere to the various rites and ceremonies of the ,church4 ,,the ,,greek ,,christian',s ,,answer4 ,well1 brother disciple of the ,greek ,church1 what shall we do and believe in order to be saved8 ,what do you think of the ,roman ,catholic's answer8 ,is it correct8 ,no1 indeed3 far from it4 ,it is an insult to ,god the ,father and ,god the ,son both to put either ,st4 ,peter or the ,pope at the head of the ,church4 ,that is the office and mission of ,jesus ,christ the ,savior2 and he will never save you while you believe such blasphemous doctrine4 ,away then goes the old mother-church1 with her hundred and fifty millions of souls1 down into the bottomless pit1 being ruled out of heaven by the ,greek ,church2 that is1 doomed to eternal perdition1 according to the testimony of the ,greek ,church4 ,,the ,,presbyterian',s ,,answer ,,to ,,the ,,question4 ,well1 brother of the ,presbyterian order1 we will now listen to your answer to the great question1 ,what shall we do and believe in order to be saved8 ,how about the ,greek ,christian's answer to the question8 ,is it right8 ,does he hold the true doctrine1 or not8 ,no3 very far from it1 indeed4 ,like the ,roman ,christian1 he believes in the divinity of the ,virgin ,mary1 and consequently he is an idolater and no idolater can be admitted into the kingdom of ',heaven4 ,so away goes the old ,greek ,church1 with her seventy million disciples1 down into the world of endless woe1 if the testimony of our ,presbyterian brother is to be relied upon4 ,and thus two-thirds of all ,christendom1 comprising the disciples of the ,romish ,church and the ,greek ,church1 are doomed to an endless hell1 according to their own witnesses4 ,,the ,,unitarian ,,christian',s ,,answer4 ,our ,unitarian brother will now please come forward1 and tell us what we must do and believe in order to be saved4 ,do you indorse any of the answers already obtained1 or agree with any of the churches which have been interrogated upon this subject1 or not8 ,no3 very far from it4 ,what6 you don't dissent from the views of the ,presbyterian ,church upon this question1 do you8 ,yes1 ,i do3 for they worship 'the man ,christ ,jesus' 7as ,paul truly calls him71 and1 being but a man1 they are idolaters 7like the ,roman and ,greek ,christians7 for worshiping him as a ,god1 and therefore cannot be saved1 according to the ,bible4 ,he was born as a man2 he lived as a man2 he ate as a man2 he walked as a man2 he talked as a man2 he slept as a man1 and finally died as a man4 ,and he calls himself 'the son of man' more than forty times1 which would make him a man4 ,for these and various other reasons we believe he could not have been a ,god1 but only a man2 and therefore those who worship him as a ,god are guilty of idolatry1--the most heinous sin a man can commit1 according to the ,bible4 ,and hence they can not possibly be saved1 if the ,bible teaches truly4 ,away then goes four hundred ,protestant sects to the regions of eternal torment1 if the testimony of ,christian witnesses is to be believed and accepted in the case4 ,,the ,,jew',s ,,answer ,,to ,,the ,,question4 ,brother ,jew1 can you show us the road to salvation1 or tell us what to do and believe in order to be saved8 ,oh1 yes6 it is a plain question1 and easily answered4 ,you must believe that the ,old-,testament ,scriptures are the inspired word of ,god1 and believe in its miracles and prophecies1 though you are not to interpret or construe any of its prophecies as foretelling the coming and mission of ,christ2 for1 as we wrote them1 we of course know exactly what they teach1 and how to understand them4 ,and we know most positively that they do not foretell the coming and mission of any such a being as ,jesus ,christ as the promised ,messiah4 ,now1 look here1 you wicked ,jews1 exclaim a hundred ,christian sects1 you are denying 'the ,lord who bought you' and therefore can not be saved4 ,so six millions of ,jews are consigned by their ,protestant brethren to endless torment1--given over to the buffetings of ,satan to all eternity4 ,brother ,methodist1 perhaps you can do something towards settling this vexed and puzzling question1 ,what must we do and believe in order to be saved8--,certainly1 exclaims the pious disciple of ,wesley4 ,it is perfectly plain1 and easily answered4 ,you must believe in the ,bible as the revealed will and word of ,god1 and in ,jesus ,christ 'the ,son and sent of ,god2' and pour out your souls in prayer and praises to ,god1 and shout ',glory' to his holy name4--,stop6 stop6 cries out the good1 pious1 quiet1 broad-brimmed ,quaker4 ,you can not be saved in that way4 ,you drown the inward monitor of the ,holy ,spirit1 which must be listened to and obeyed in order to insure salvation4 ,you1 by your noisy way of worshiping ,god1 drown the voice of this inward monitor1 and consequently hear and heed not its admonitions2 thus proving that you know nothing about the true way of worshiping ,god1 or what true religion is4 ,and therefore there is no chance for you to be saved4 ,and thus two millions of ,methodists are doomed to eternal woe by their ,quaker brethren4 ,,the ,,baptist',s ,,answer ,brother ,baptist1 will you give us your opinion1 or answer the question1 ,what shall we do and believe in order to be saved8 --,oh1 yes6 the ,bible is so plain upon that subject that no honest reader can misunderstand it4 ,you are to believe in the ,bible2 believe in ,jesus ,christ1 and live up to his precepts2 and believe in1 and practically observe1 the sacred ordinance of water-baptism1--without which1 according to the ,bible1 it is impossible to reach the kingdom1 or inherit life everlasting4--,stop1 stop6 exclaims the drab-cloth ,quaker again4 ,i perceive that the ,baptists1 as well as the ,methodists1 are not on the road to salvation4 ,no man or woman can be saved who believes in1 and relies upon1 the external and carnal rite of water-baptism4 ,it is a reliance of such outward performances that causes millions of ignorant and unconverted heathen to sink to endless ruin every year4 ,they and you are dwelling in the outer court1 and practically know nothing about the true religion essential to salvation1 and hence can not be saved4 --,now1 look here1 exclaims the ,campbellite ,baptist1 water-baptism is one of the positive ordinances2 and the ,bible declares that no man or woman can be saved without a compliance with all the ordinances1 from the least to the greatest4 ,therefore there is no chance for you infidel ,quakers to get to heaven2 but you will1 sooner or later1 be consigned to the pit 'where the worm dieth not1 and the fire is not quenched4' ,and thus we might pursue the conflicting jargon of answers through all the churches4 ,but we stop confused and confounded amid chaos1 confusion1 and contradiction4 ,all seems to be wild conjecture and blind guess-work with regard to what we must do and believe in order to be saved4 ,there appears to be no way of learning any thing about the road to salvation by the churches4 ,what is to be done8 ,,the ,,quaker',s ,,answer4 ,brother ,quaker1 as you profess to get light from above1 perhaps you can throw some light on this dark question4 ,we have not yet heard your answer to this puzzling question4 ,can you tell us what to do and believe in order to be saved8 ,most certainly ,i can1 replies the inspired disciple of ,fox and ,penn4 ,there can be no mistake about what the ,bible teaches on the subject4 ,it is perfectly plain1 and easily understood4 ,you are to retire into the quiet1 and turn your minds inward with a prayerful desire to know the will of ,god4 ,in this state of mind1 open your ,bible and you will learn that you are to do justly1 love mercy1 and walk humbly with ,god1 and become established in the true faith3 for the ,bible declares that1 'without faith1 it is impossible to please ,god2' that is1 faith in his beloved ,son1 whom he sent into the world to die a propitiatory offering for the sins of man4--,what6 exclaims the ,hicksite ,quaker1 do you mean to teach the dark and bloody doctrine of the atonement8 ,do you mean to say that we have to swim through blood to get to 'the house of many mansions'8 ,if you do1 you are egregiously mistaken4 ,you are teaching and preaching an old1 worn-out1 bloody1 heathen doctrine that never did and never can save a single soul4--,now1 look here1 cries the ,orthodox ,quaker1 the ,bible declares1 ',there is no other name given under ,heaven whereby men can be saved than that of ,jesus ,christ2' and you are blaspheming his name by denying the efficacy of his death and sufferings4 ,therefore your chance for salvation is a hopeless one4 ,you will be lost1 and consigned to the pit where there is eternal weeping and wailing1 and gnashing of teeth4 ,so away go both the ,quaker orders1 each booked by the other for eternal perdition4 ,but we most stop1 or we will swell this chapter on the war of conflicting creeds to a volume4 ,we have now interrogated all the leading churches relative to what it is necessary to do and believe in order to make a sure thing of salvation1 and escape the awful and dreadful fate of endless damnation4 ,and what is the result8 ,no two churches--and it could easily be shown that scarcely any two ,christians--agree upon this all-important question1 upon which they tell us is hung the salvation of the world4 ,as we have shown1 the churches all virtually shut the door of heaven against each other4 ,they are all off the track1 all on the road to eternal damnation1 according to the testimony of their own witnesses4 ,in the name of ,god1 what is the use or sense1 then1 of professing to believe in the ,bible1 or claiming to be ,christians1 when it is thus demonstrably proved that nobody knows any thing about what the ,bible teaches1 or what it takes to make a ,christian8 ,the picture we have presented is no mere fancy sketch4 ,it is not the work of mere imagination4 ,hundreds1 if not thousands1 of quotations could be furnished from the writings of eminent ,christian writers of the different churches to show that it is a solemn reality1 and that they differ in the way1 and as widely1 as we have represented4 ,and what is the solemn lesson taught by it8 ,why1 the absolute impossibility of our finding the road to heaven through the churches and it is an entire waste of time1 besides being demoralizing to the mind1 to attempt it4 ,we are often told by the orthodox ,christians1 by way of defending their creeds1 that the churches are agreed upon all the leading doctrines of the ,christian faith4 ,well1 let us see how this is1 and whether they in reality agree upon any thing4 ,we will institute another court of inquiry1 and briefly examine and compare the views of the various churches relative to the cardinal doctrines of the ,christian religion4 #a4 ,moral ,depravity4--,the first in order will be the fall and depravity of man4 ,well1 brother ,calvinist1 as you hail from the oldest ,protestant ,church1 we will first solicit your views upon this all-important question4 ,we wish to know whether you believe that man fell from a state of purity1 and became morally depraved by the fall4 ,oh1 yes6 we believe he fell so low that he became totally depraved by the fall2 so that all men are now the children of wrath1 born in sin1 and conceived in iniquity1 and covered with corruption from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot4 ,brother ,arminian1 what do you think of this view of the matter8 ,is it ,bible doctrine1 or not8 ,no3 it is neither according to the ,bible1 nor according to common sense1 but a damnable doctrine1 that will send any man's soul to hell who believes in such outrageous doctrine4 ,it is not only untrue1 but it is demoralizing to rob man so completely of his moral attributes as to make him feel like a brute1 and1 consequently1 act like one4 #b4 ,man's ,restoration4--,how is this to be effected1 brother ,calvinist8 ,why1 by the outpouring of the blood of ,christ1 the propitiatory offering4 ,brother ,arminian1 is this true ,christian doctrine8 ,no1 it is not4 ,man's salvation is effected in no such a way4 ,every man is to work out his own salvation4 ,i can prove it by the ,bible4 #c4 ,endless ,punishment4--,most ,protestant sects hold and preach that the wicked1 when they die1 are consigned to a place or state called the bottomless pit4 7,how they are kept in it with the bottom out1 the ,lord only knows1 or perhaps we should say the ,devil74 ,but the ,universalists affirm that the ,bible teaches no such doctrine1 but tells us that1 as in ,adam all die1 so in ,christ shall all be made alive2 which proves1 as they affirm1 the ultimate salvation of all the human race4 ,but the ,restorationists prove that there is a mediate place for souls1 which is neither heaven nor hell1 but a preliminary and a temporary abode for all souls1 good and bad4 ,and there is another class of ,christians who find in the same book a still different doctrine1 that of the absolute and total destruction of the wicked4 ,they quote ,phil4 #c-ai4 ,which of these four ,christian sects teach the true ,bible doctrine8 ,who can tell8 #d4 ,divinity of ,christ4--,most of the ,protestant sects tell us that the ,bible makes a belief in the supreme divinity of ,jesus ,christ essential to salvation2 but the ,parkerite ,christian1 the ,hicksite ,christian1 and the ,unitarian ,christian affirm that it does not1 that it only makes him a perfect or superior specimen of manhood4 ,which is right8 ,who can tell8 #e4 ,polygamy4--,most of the churches once believed that polygamy is a ,bible doctrine1 and practiced it for eight hundred years4 ,but now they tell us it is not4 ,the ,mormons1 however1 declare that it is sanctioned in the ,old ,testament1 and not condemned in the ,new1 and hence is a ,bible doctrine4 ,which is right8 ,how can we tell8 #f4 ,marriage4--,nearly all the sects hold that marriage is a ,bible institution4 ,but the ,shakers declare that it is not1 and quote ,christ's own words to prove it as found in ,luke #bj-ce4 ,the children of this world marry and are given in marriage2 but they who shall be counted worthy of that world1 and the resurrection1 neither marry nor are given in marriage4 ,they reasonably conclude that those who shall not be considered worthy of being saved 7which includes all married people7 will not be saved1 being cut off by ,christ's positive prohibition of marriage4 ,which is right8 ,who can tell8 ,the text1 however1 furnishes a consoling hope for old bachelors and old maids1 to say the least4 #g4 ,the ,sabbath4--,most of the churches keep the first day of the week as the ,bible sabbath4 ,but the ,seventh-day ,baptists affirm that it is not1 that the seventh day of the week is the true sabbath of the ,lord2 while other sects tell us that ,christ1 both by precept and example1 labored to do away with all sabbath observances and all holy days4 ,which is right8 ,who can tell8 #h4 ,the ,godhead4--,all ,trinitarians teach that there are three persons in the ,godhead4 ,the ,paulite ,christians say there are but two1 while the ,unitarians affirm there is but one4 ,which is right8 ,who can tell8 #i4 ,baptism4--,the churches are not agreed with regard to baptism as to what it is1 how1 and when it should be applied1 and on whom it should be administered4 ,some hold to dipping1 some to douching1 and some to sprinkling1 as the scripture mode of administering it4 ,which is right8 ,who can tell8 ,i should prefer the dipping process4 ,it would do something toward saving the body of the sinner from disease1 if not the soul from hell1 if frequently applied4 ,he should be baptized once a week1 if not once a day1 with water and soap4 ,we have now enumerated nearly all the leading doctrines of the ,christian faith1 and shown that the views of the churches1 with respect to them1 are about as different as day from night4 ,the important query then arises1 ,what progress have we made towards determining1 by the ,bible or by the churches1 what we must do and believe in order to be saved8 ,why1 about the same progress the boy had made toward reaching the schoolhouse1 who1 on being interrogated by the teacher as to the cause of his late appearance1 replied1 ,why1 master1 you see the road was so slippery1 that1 when ,i attempted to take one step forward1 ,i slipped two steps backward4--,how did you manage to get here1 then8 asked the teacher4 ,why1 replied ,tom1 ,i turned round and went the other way4 ,i would suggest that the churches try this policy of turning round1 and going the other way4 ,my conviction is they would find the true road to salvation much sooner1 and be better prepared to settle the question as to what they should do and believe in order to be saved4 ,it is a question1 however1 they never can settle4 ,the ,bible is a very old book2 and1 the farther we get away from the age in which it was written1 the more difficult it will become to understand it3 for human language1 and even human thought and the meaning of words1 are constantly changing4 ,these circumstances will constantly augment the difficulty of ever understanding any old ,bible1 or of determining what it teaches or designed to teach with respect to an important doctrine4 #aj4 ,the ,number of ,hells4--,when the disciple of the ,christian faith talks of a hell in the presence of a ,hindoo1 he tells him he don't know any thing about the matter3 that there are no less than three institutions of this kind4 ,but here the ,mahomedan rises up1 and says1 ,you1 too1 are totally ignorant on the subject2 for there are no less than seven institutions of this character4 ,one of them is set apart for ,christians who believe in the divinity and atonement of ,christ4 ,lieut4 ,lynch1 of the ,united-,states navy1 says that a ,mahomedan told him1 ,no man or woman can be saved who believes that ,god was born of a woman1 and then became a malefactor to a human tribunal2 for the doctrine is blasphemous4 ,which of all these opinions is right8 ,who can tell8 #aa4 ,bible ,doctrines constantly changing4--,the increase of intelligence1 and the growth and expansion of the human mind1 have the effect to change the views of the people generally and constantly upon almost every subject that occupies the mind2 so that the creeds of the churches are constantly changing4 ,hence the ,bible is made to teach widely different doctrines in different ages2 and what is ,christianity to-day is infidelity to-morrow1 and vice vers4 7,see ,chapter lviii47 ,and so thorough is the change wrought upon the meaning or interpretation of nearly all the important texts in ,god's perfect revelation1 that it virtually makes a new ,bible for each generation4 ,i will present some proofs and illustrations of this statement by comparing the doctrine of the churches of the last century with those of the present4 ,in the days of ,jonathan ,edwards1 a hell1 constituted of a lake of fire and brimstone1 was preached in nearly all the ,christian churches2 also the doctrine of infant damnation1 when the ,methodists sang that beautiful and charming hymn1-- ,for hell is crammed ,with infants damned1 ,without a day of grace2 also the doctrine of predestination1 the doctrine of election and reprobation1 the doctrine of purgatory1 the doctrine of ,christ's descent into hell1 c4 ,all these and other similar doctrines were preached in nearly every pulpit nearly every sabbath2 and the preacher who would have neglected to preach these doctrines would have been denounced as on the road to hell4 ,but now the clergyman who should attempt to preach these old ,calvinistic tenets would be denounced as an old fogy4 ,hence the important query arises1 ,when were the churches preaching ,bible doctrine1 then or now8 ,who can tell8 ,such changes are unceasingly going on4 ,important changes are sometimes made in the popular creed in a few years' time1 as we will cite a case to prove4 ,just before the last war the peace doctrine was becoming quite popular in nearly all the churches1 and sermons were often preached from such texts as the following3 ,nation shall not lift up sword against nation2 neither shall they learn war any more4 ,but1 when the war broke out1 new texts were hunted up1 and the preaching all ran in the opposite direction4 ,cursed be he who holseth back his sword from blood 7,jer4 xlviii4 #aj72 ,he who hath not a sword1 let him sell his coat1 and buy one1--then constituted the texts for a sound sermon4 ,now it is evident that a book which thus teaches opposite doctrines virtually teaches nothing4 ,its moral force is destroyed4 ,if a man wants to perform a certain act to-day1 and an act of an opposite character to-morrow1 and can find a warrant for both in the ,bible1 then it is evident the ,bible can have no effect whatever towards changing his course of life4 ,when every moral duty is both commanded and countermanded1 and every crime both sanctioned and condemned1 as appears to be the case with the ,christian ,bible1 then it is evident that a man with the ,bible would act exactly as the man without the ,bible2 for whatever he may naturally feel inclined to do1 or whatever he wants to do1 he finds ,bible authority for4 ,hence it is evident the ,bible can't change his conduct in the least2 for it merely tells him to do what he wishes to do1 and had made up his mind to do4 ,i will prove this position by citing several cases for illustration4 ,we will suppose a man has become convinced by observation1 or his own experience1 that it is wrong to drink intoxicating liquors1 and wants ,bible authority for preaching temperance4 ,he can find it by turning to ,isa4 v4 #bb3 ,woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine4 ,but a friend of his1 a member of the same church1 living in the city1 where there is great demand for intoxicating beverages1 wants to make some money by selling it4 ,he finds the authority for that act also in ,deut4 xiv4 #bf3 ,thou shalt spend thy money for oxen1 or for sheep1 or for wine1 or for strong drink1 or for whatever thy soul lusteth after4 ,another ,christian becomes very angry1 and filled with the spirit of a murderer towards a neighbor1 and concludes to kill him4 ,he finds ,bible authority for it in the text1 ,go ye out and slay every man his companion1 every man his brother1 and every man his neighbor 7,exod4 xxxii4 #bg74 ,another pious ,christian has become convinced1 by the logic of history1 that all war and fighting is wrong1 and hence concludes to preach the doctrine of peace4 ,he finds ,bible authority for that in the ,decalogue3 ,thou shalt not kill4 ,another devout ,christian1 whose common sense has taught him that it is wrong for one human being to enslave another1 wants ,bible authority against the practice4 ,he finds it in the text1 ,thou shalt proclaim liberty through all the land1 c4 ,another godly saint1 living in a slave-holding country1 and being both a tyrant and a mammon worshiper1 wants ,bible authority for trafficking in the blood and bones of his fellow-beings4 ,he finds it in ,lev4 xxv4 #de3 ,of the heathen round about you shall ye buy bondmen and bondmaids1 and they shall be your possession for ever2 so he knows it is all right4 ,and thus this exposition might be continued so as to show that there is no crime1 no sin1 no vice1 and no wicked deed but that is both sanctioned and condemned by ,god's ,holy ,word1 and no moral duty that is not both commanded and countermanded2 thus proving it to be absolutely impossible to follow it as a guide without being led into the commission of every species of sin1 crime1 and abomination1 as well as prompted to the practice of virtue4 ,every person who has not made shipwreck of common sense must see at once that it is utterly impossible to learn any thing about what is right and what is wrong1 what is sin and wickedness1 and what is virtue1 what is morality and what is immorality1 or what he should approve1 and what condemn1 what he should do and what leave undone1 or1 finally1 any thing about the duties of life or the rules and principles of morality1 by such a book4 ,what can such a book1 then1 be worth1 either in the cause of religion or morality8 ,where1 oh6 where is the common sense of ,christendom8 ,it is wonderful to what extent rationality and good sense have been banished from the human mind in all ,bible countries by a false and perverted education4 ,it can not be wondered at that we have so many antagonistic churches with innumerable conflicting creeds1 when we examine and learn something about the endless contradictions and confusion of the teachings of the book on which they are founded4 ,,six ,,hundred ,,roads ,,to ,,heaven4 ,we are swamped with endless difficulties in determining what to do and believe in order to be saved either by the ,bible or the churches1 when we look at the fact that there are1 as some writers have computed1 more than six hundred conflicting churches1 each one claiming to preach and to teach the only true and saving faith of the gospel and yet differing heaven-wide with respect to what constitutes that true and saving faith4 ,they point out six hundred roads to heaven1 when ,christ says there is but one1--,one ,lord1 one faith1 and one baptism4 ,the churches are simply guessing institutions1 and their creeds so many stereotyped systems of guess-work4 ,how much has been learned1 or what important questions have been settled1 either in religion or morals1 by the nearly two thousand years' reading and study of the ,christian ,bible8 ,the six hundred jarring churches1 and their constantly increasing number1 furnish a sufficient answer to this question4 ,what a ludicrous aspect would the cause of science now be in1 and what torrents of ridicule and contempt would be poured upon our institutions of learning1 if they differed in their principles1 or with respect to the principles of any branch of science1 as the churches differ with respect to the doctrine of the ,bible6 ,we will illustrate by an imaginary examination of the students of one of our institutions of learning with respect to their attainments in mathematics4 ,a class having recited1 we will interrogate each one separately4 ,well1 ,john1 as you have been studying figures several years1 can you now tell us how many are twice two8--,yes1 sir3 twice two are six4--,very well3 take your seat4 ,the next student will rise4 ,james1 can you tell us how many are twice two8--,yes1 ,i can3 twice two are eleven4--,very well3 be seated1 and let ,tommy rise4 ,tommy1 as you are a diligent student1 and have been through the arithmetic and the principal text-books1 please tell us how many are twice two4--,i will4 ,it is a plain case3 twice two are fourteen4--,very well3 stand aside4 ,that intelligent-looking boy yonder we will hear from now4 ,well1 ,moses1 can you tell us1 as the result of your five years' close study of mathematics1 how many are twice two8--,certainly ,i can4 ,to be nice and exact about the matter1 twice two are nine and a half4--,very well3 ,i am done with you4 ,there is one more student to be interrogated4 ,well1 ,solomon1 can you do any thing towards settling the disputed question1 how many are twice two8--,yes3 ,i am astonished there should be any difference of opinion about the matter1 when it is plain that no person who is really in earnest to understand it can fail to see that twice two are seventeen4 ,such an institution of learning as this would be broken up as a nuisance in less than two hours after it was known to exist2 and yet it furnishes a striking illustration of the character and condition of our theological institutions in which are professedly taught the science of ,christianity and the ,bible4 ,the difference among the professors and students of theology is as great and important as in the former supposed case2 and were not the eyes of the soul put out1 and the ,christian sectarians rendered blind by their false or mistaken teachers1 they would see that this is a true picture of their condition4 ,we will institute another illustration4 ,the ,christian churches are virtually six hundred guide-boards professedly pointing the way to heaven4 ,let us suppose a traveler1 hunting his way to the ,queen ,city of the ,west1 finds on a hill a tree or post1 to which are nailed six hundred guide-boards pointing in six hundred different directions1 and all labeled ,to ,cincinnati4 ,how much would he learn from them about the proper road to travel to reach the city8 ,the chance of striking the right course would lay within six hundred guesses2 and those guesses could be made as well without the guide-boards as with them4 ,and it is equally certain1 and most self-evidently certain1 that the road to heaven could be found as well if there were no churches and no ,bibles pointing six hundred different directions4 ,indeed1 the chances of finding it would be much better without them1 because the minds of the people are confused and confounded1 and their time wasted1 their mental and spiritual vision darkened1 and their judgments weakened1 by attempting to grope their way through such a labyrinth of chaos1 confusion1 and uncertainty1 which really incapacitates them for searching and finding the right way and the sure road to the kingdom4 ,,one ,,hundred ,,and ,,fifty ,,bible ,,translations ,,and ,,commentaries4 ,when we learn that there have been no less than one hundred and fifty different translations and commentaries upon the ,bible put in circulation1 we can see at once that this is calculated to greatly augment the difficulty of ever arriving at any thing like a unity of belief among the churches1 or of settling the question as to what it is necessary to do and believe in order to be saved1 or of finding the road to heaven through the churches4 ,translation after translation of the ,bible has been made by different churches1 each one alleging that all preceding translations were full of errors4 ,the learned ,dr4 ,robinson of ,england has estimated that some of the modern translations of the ,bible1 made for the special purpose of getting the errors out of the ,holy ,book1 contain the frightful number of one hundred and fifty thousand errors2 and the ,american ,christian ,union1 now engaged in translating the ,bible1 declare that our present popular version1 translated by fifty-four of the most learned ,christian scholars1 and which has long been an established standard authority in a large portion of ,christendom and regarded as nearly perfect1 yet contains twenty-four thousand errors4 ,how many more translations we are to have1 ,god only knows4 ,the thought occurs here1 that1 by the time all the errors are gotten out of the ,bible in this way1 there will not be much of it left1--that it will not be much larger than ,poor ,richard's ,maxims1 or a common-sized almanac4 ,now1 to show the utter impossibility of establishing any doctrine or settling any question in theology by the ,bible1 or of learning any thing about what constitutes ,christianity1 or what we are to do and believe in order to be saved1 we have only to compare some of these translations together1 and observe the wide difference in their teachings1 and the fatal contradictions in their doctrines and precepts4 ,we will cite a few examples by way of proof and illustration4 ,in our translation1 known as ,king ,james's ,bible1 a text makes ,christ say1 ,a spirit hath not flesh and bones1 as you see ,i have 7,luke xxiv4 #ci72 but1 in the most popular translation in ,europe 7the ,royal71 this text is made to read1 ,a spirit hath not flesh and blood1 as you see ,i have not4 ,here is a direct contradiction4 ,one of these ,bibles makes ,christ say he is a spirit1 and the other that he is not1 which is a flat1 and almost a fatal1 contradiction4 ,now1 where on earth is the tribunal to which we can appeal to find out which of these translations is right8 or how can the matter be settled8 ,again3 the text which in our own version is made to read1 ,there are three that bare record in heaven1--the ,father1 ,son1 and ,holy ,ghost1 reads in another translation1 ,there are three witnesses1--the water1 the blood1 and the spirit1 which knocks the trinity and divinity of ,jesus ,christ both out of the ,bible1 so far as they are founded upon this text4 ,we will cite one more example3 ,the wonderful ,messianic prophesy as it is called 7found in ,isa4 ix4 #f471--which reads in our translation1 ,unto us a child is born1 unto us a son is given1 he shall be called ,wonderful ,counselor1 the ,mighty ,god1 the ,everlasting ,father1 c41--is made in another translation to say1 instead of the ,mighty ,god1 the ,mighty ,hero1 and1 instead of the ,everlasting ,father1 the ,father of the everlasting age1 c41 which shows that the text is not a prophecy at all1 and has no more reference to ,jesus ,christ than to ,mahomet4 ,the ,mighty ,hero is not a term that is ever applied to ,god but to bloody warriors4 ,now1 who is to settle the question as to which of these translations is the right one8 ,it will be observed1 then1 that we have1 in the fifty contradictory translations of the ,bible1 no-less than fifty contradictory moral codes and fifty contradictory systems of doctrines1 which are virtually fifty assumed-to-be-perfect revelations from ,god 7of course1 all infallible74 ,now1 let us multiply the number of ,christian sects 7six hundred7 by the number of ,bible translations and commentaries 7one hundred and fifty71 and we will have indicated the number of roads marked out to heaven by the churches4 ,the result is ninety thousand 7#fjj ,x #aej #ij1jjj74 ,here1 then1 we have ninety thousand roads leading to the house of many mansions1 which suggests the conclusion that nobody can possibly miss getting there2 for we must presume that it would be impossible to travel in any direction without striking one of these numerous roads3 so that the world of sinners may be comforted with the assurance they will all be saved4 ,the broad road they are traveling must be intersected at many points by some of these many pathways to paradise2 and they have only to turn off at the last crossing to be landed safe in kingdom come4 ,they have therefore ninety thousand chances of being saved by traveling the broad road1 if they prefer that to one of the straight and narrow roads4 ,this soul-saving system may be regarded as a lottery scheme in which there are eighty-nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine blanks1 and but one prize4 ,who would risk a farthing in such an investment1 with eighty-nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine chances against drawing any thing8 ,certainly no person with common sense or any intelligence4 ,we will use an illustration4 ,we will suppose the proprietor of a brick building comprising ninety thousand1 bricks1 one of which contains a gold medal worth one thousand dollars1 says to one of his neighbors1 ,sir1 the walls of this building comprise ninety thousand bricks1 and one of them contains a gold medal worth one thousand dollars4 ,if you will step to it1 and put your finger on it1 you can have it4 ,can we suppose he would be very sanguine about winning the gold medal8 ,certainly not4 ,we will make another illustration4 ,we will suppose the ,queen of ,england sends a company of a thousand men to ,australia to dig for a treasure known to have been buried there during a war1 the locality of which she describes in writing so accurately that she presumes there can be no difficulty in finding it4 ,in a few weeks she dispatches a messenger to the island to ascertain what progress the miners are making4 ,but imagine his surprise1 on reaching the place1 to learn that the laborers are divided up into six hundred companies1 and each company stoutly insisting that the spot where they are digging answers exactly to the locality described by the written instrument4 ,now1 on the messenger reporting the case to the queen1 what would she conclude--ay1 what could she conclude--but that she had made some serious blunder or omission in her attempted description of the place8 ,it is not possible that an explicit revelation of the matter could have led to such endless confusion and disputes4 ,in like manner we are morally compelled to conclude--yes1 every principle of reasoning and common sense impels us to the conclusion--that ,god has made a serious blunder in attempting to give forth a perfect revelation to the world1 if 7as it seems7 he has left it so ambiguous1 so unintelligible1 and so contradictory in its doctrines and teachings1 that six hundred churches have risen up1 and are now disputing about what its doctrines and teachings are4 ,these six hundred churches comprise a hundred and fifty millions of guessing ,christians1 all guessing their way to heaven1 with ninety-thousand chances against their ever reaching the heavenly kingdom4 ,to the angel host looking down1 observing this infinite diversity1 demoralization1 and conflict among the disciples of the ,christian faith1 it must be regarded as a species of religious monomania2 for we may assume that no intelligent mind1 which is not blinded by religious superstition1 could be drawn into such a delusion as to conclude that such a book or such a religion or revelation is from an all-wise and all-powerful ,god1 or that it is necessary to believe it1 or that it is possible to believe it in any rational sense1 or that it can have the remotest connection with our salvation4 ,it makes ,god a fool1 man a lunatic1 religion a farce1 and the ,bible superlative nonsense4 ,revelation is defined to be the act of making known4 ,but what is made known by a book whose language is so contradictory and so ambiguous that no two persons in a million agree with respect to all it teaches8 ,every preacher and teacher simply makes known his ignorance whenever he assumes to know what the ,bible teaches2 and yet i is called a perfect revelation of ,god's will4 ,it is an assumption that makes ,god an ignoramus and a tyrant to suppose he would give forth a perfect revelation to the world1 and require us to accept it as such on pain of endless damnation1 and yet leave it in such a jumbled1 bungling1 and unintelligent condition that it is impossible to understand it4 ,such an assumption certainly borders on blasphemy4 ,we would charge him with no such driveling nonsense4 ,it is the legitimate prerogative of reason to assume that a perfect being could make a perfect revelation or ,bible1 the language of which should be so absolutely perfect and plain that no person of ordinary understanding could possibly fail to understand every text1 every word1 and every syllable of it1 and no two persons could possibly differ about the meaning of one text in the whole book4 ,such a revelation or ,bible1 and only such1 could be ascribed to an all-wise ,god4 ,even men and women can now be found who are so far master of human language that they can write books so plainly that there can be no dispute about the meaning of one sentence in them4 ,to assume1 then1 that an infinitely wise ,god could not produce such a book is to place him lower in the scale of intelligence than a common schoolboy4 ,when1 therefore1 ,i find the ,christian ,bible so far from possessing such characteristics1 ,i set it down as prima-facie evidence that an intelligent and all-wise ,god had nothing to do in originating it4 ,and if he were not superior to1 or incapable of1 such human weakness1 he would reject with contempt and disdain the honor1 or rather dishonor1 ascribed to him in the authorship of such a book1--such a medley of contradiction1 ignorance1 superstition1 and barbarism as is ascribed to him4 ,it is sometimes alleged 7as we have already observed7 in defence or mitigation of the endless disputes among ,christian professors about the teachings of the ,bible1 that this disagreement does not appertain to any of the essential doctrines of ,christianity1 but only to minor points1 or doctrines of minor importance4 ,but such an admission is fatal either to their honesty or to their good sense4 ,it concedes that the quarrels among the churches for ages has been about mere trifles1 not worth spending breath about4 ,it concedes that it is non-essentials1 or mere trifles1 that keep them apart1 and that have led them to build five or six churches1 and hire five or six priests1 in every little village throughout the country1 at an expense of many thousand dollars4 ,it is certainly a criminal waste of time and money to spend it by the million for churches and priests to propagate doctrines which they themselves admit possess no real intrinsic importance4 ,it shows they have been actuated by selfish1 dishonorable1 and ignoble motives in fighting each other for a thousand years1 and in some cases murdering each other by the thousand1 for a difference of opinion they admit to be of no importance4 ,those murdered ,christians and devout ,bible-believers were charged with preaching damnable doctrines and devilish heresies2 but now we are told it was minor and unimportant doctrines that they were quarreling about1 and for which they were tortured and killed for preaching4 ,yes1 non-essential doctrine6 ,o tempora6 ,o mores6 ,but they make a serious blunder when they talk about non-essential doctrine2 for their ,bible teaches that all doctrines are essential1--that there is no such thing as a non-essential doctrine2 for it first proclaims one ,lord1 one faith1 and one baptism1 and then declares that he who offends in the least1 offends in the whole4 ,these two declarations taken together prove 7if they prove any thing7 that there is no non-essential doctrine1 and that the slightest departure from the right faith1 or the least disregard of the most trivial doctrine of the ,christian creed1 will land the soul of the man or woman in endless perdition who is guilty of it4 ,the solemn question arises here1 then1 ,who can escape eternal damnation8 ,for1 if there is only one true faith1 then the hundred and forty thousand different and conflicting faiths cherished and propagated among ,christians must all be wrong but one1--a fact which impels us to the awful and inevitable conclusion that not one ,christian in a thousand--no1 not in ten thousand--can be saved by these terms of the gospel4 ,the thought sometimes occurs to the writer1 that no truly enlightened person1 possessing a true moral dignity of character1 could consent to hang his salvation upon a book which1 after eighteen hundred years of the most critical investigation and explanation by the most learned minds in ,christendom1 still remains a mystery with regard to all its most important doctrines1 so that more than six hundred churches are now disputing about what it teaches2 and the difficulty is still increasing by the uprising of new churches with new creeds and new interpretations of the ,bible4 ,let the reader observe the striking difference in the harmony of views which prevail in the various scientific societies throughout the country and those of the churches1 and he will discover at once that there is no science in our religion4 ,take for example the astronomical societies4 ,they are all perfectly agreed with respect to what the great ,bible of nature teaches concerning that science4 ,there is no contention and no dispute with respect to the doctrines and principles of that grand revelation of nature1 because they are all susceptible of proof and demonstration4 ,were it otherwise1--were the amateurs and students of that science divided into six hundred conflicting factions1 like the churches1 each with a different theory with respect to what it teaches1--one contending that the sun rises in the east1 another that it rises in the west2 one arguing that the sun is the revolving center of our solar system1 another contending that the earth is2 one teaching that the starry orbs which roll their massive forms through infinite space are mere wax tapers stuck in the azure vault to light this pigmy planet1 or mere peep-holes for ,gods to look out upon our world2 and one arguing that they were all knocked up in a single day out of that singular substance called nothing1 and another that they are the outgrowth of other worlds1 or have existed from all eternity4 ,had the author1 who was once a member of one of those societies1 observed such a chaos of confusion and conflict of opinion1 he would have discovered at once that nothing is realty known about the science of astronomy1--that what is called such is nothing but a jargon of conflicting dogmas and wild speculations4 ,hence he would not have remained with them a single day after making such a discovery4 ,having learned that the churches are in such a condition1 he withdrew1 and has not been a member of one of those discordant institutions for many years4 ,he considers it a waste of time to be a member of a religious body which only increases this difficulty and confusion4 ,he has but one life to live1 and does not wish to waste that in a mere wild-goose chase after religious speculations that can never be settled4 ,why fool away our lives in chasing theological butterflies that can never be caught1 when there is a hundred times as much to be learned within the domain of positive science as can be acquired in a lifetime1 that is practically useful and calculated to enlarge the boundaries of our knowledge and elevate us to a higher plane of happiness1 while the occupancy of the mind with theological dogmas is only calculated to lead to bewilder1 and dazzle to blind8 ,,chapter ,,liii4--,,the ,,three ,,plans ,,of ,,salvation4 ,yes1 we shall make more progress in learning our duties1 in learning what we must do in order to be saved1 if we would look about us and forward1 and endeavor to read the great ,bible or book of nature illuminated by the rules of science1 in which there are no contradictions1 no confusion1 and where we may learn of1 and1 in our finite measure1 grow into and partake of the attributes of the ,infinite ,father1 instead of looking backward and searching amongst the jarring contradictious1 the creeds1 dogmas1 myths1 and traditions of the past1 covered as they are with the mold and dust of ages4 ,without the shedding of blood there can be no remission for sin4 ,the doctrine of this text constitutes the basis of all the plans of salvation which various ages and nations have founded on dead ,gods and living devils4 ,nearly every religious nation known to history cherished the belief that ,god is an irritable1 irascible1 and vindictive being1 subject to fits or paroxysms of anger2 and1 when in this furious and unbalanced and ungovernable state of mind1 he frequently poured out his vengeance upon his disobedient children1 often subjecting them to the most terrible penalties in this life1 and then threatened them with a still worse doom in the next4 ,to avert this direful calamity1--at least so far as it appertained to the life beyond the grave1--most religious nations invented schemes which came to be known as systems or plans of salvation4 ,the original model seems to have been furnished by the ,hindoos1 and borrowed from them by the ,egyptians1 and thence transmitted to the ,persians and ,grecians1 and was finally incorporated into the ,christian system1 and now constitutes what is known as the ,christian plan of salvation4 ,each system was composed of three cardinal principles3 #a4 ,the primeval innocency and moral perfection of man4 #b4 ,his temptation and downfall into a state of moral depravity4 #c4 ,his restoration to the divine favor by the voluntary sacrifice and atoning offering of a ,god 7one of the three members of the trinity74 ,these three cardinal doctrines constitute what ,christians denominate the great and glorious plan of salvation1 and on which a thousand volumes have been written1 and ten thousand sermons are preached every year4 ,as it professes to point out the road1 and the only road1 to heaven1 it merits a somewhat critical examination4 ,we will therefore analyze and examine its several principles1 to see whether it has a true moral basis1 or is in strict accordance with the principles of natural justice4 ,the first proposition assumes that man primordially occupied the highest plane of moral perfection1 and that all his animal propensities were held in strict abeyance to his moral convictions1 and that he consequently led a morally pure1 perfect1 and holy life4 ,the first and most important query to which this proposition or assumption gives rise is1 ,can it be shown to be true8 ,can it be sustained by either the principles of natural or moral science1 or by the facts of history comprised in man's practical life8 ,now1 it so happens that facts have been accumulating for thousands of years1 gathered from almost every department of science and history1 to prove and demonstrate that the proposition is entirety untenable1--that it is not true4 ,geology alone demonstrates its falsity4 ,it has written its negative verdict upon a thousand rocks beneath our feet4 ,these rocks contain the fossiliferous and organic remains of the early and primitive inhabitants of the earth1 and indicate the order of man's moral and intellectual development2 for as each successive layer or stratum of fossiliferous rocks1 in which the organic remains of man are found1 marks a distinct period in his history1 and the growth of his moral and intellectual brain is found in all cases to correspond to the age and growth of these strata1 the question is thus settled and demonstrate6 by the facts of geological science4 ,as1 the older the rocks1 the more remote period they mark in man's history2 and1 the more remote the period to which it is thus traced1 the lower the position in the scale of moral and intellectual development his organic remains prove him to have occupied4 ,the question is thus reduced to a scientific problem1 which admits of no disproof or refutation4 ,it is1 then1 a settled scientific truth1 that1 the further we trace the past history of man by the footprints of geological science1 the nearer he approaches to the condition of an animal1--when he was almost totally devoid of intellectual perceptions and moral feelings1 and was consequently a victim to his lusts and animal propensities4 ,where1 then1 was his moral purity and perfection1 or his angelic holiness8 ,the doctrine is thus shown to be false and fabulous4 ,all the skulls of the primitive races that have been found by geological research show that man1 in his first rude type1 had scarcely any moral brain2 and the history of the race at that period shows that he possessed a correspondingly low1 weak1 defective moral character1 so much so that he could scarcely be considered a moral1 accountable being4 ,to talk1 then1 of his occupying a high moral plane at that early period1 is to contradict every principle of science and every page of history4 ,his animal propensities and selfish feelings must have held complete sway over the whole empire of mind for thousands1 if not for millions1 of years2 so that his moral status was but little above that of the brute4 ,the facts of science and history to prove this proposition are abundant2 but1 as we are compelled to constantly observe the most rigid rules of brevity1 we can only find space for one or two proof-illustrations4 ,human skulls have been found embedded in the rocks of ,gibraltar with retreating foreheads1 prognathous jaws1 and frontal bones an inch thick1 and the receptacles for both the moral and intellectual brain very small1--all of which denote very weak moral and intellectual minds1 and a preponderance of the animal feelings2 and geologists have decided that sixty-five thousand years must have elapsed since those bones and skulls were deposited in those rocks4 ,hundreds of similar facts have been gathered by geologists1 and might be cited3 but this one case is amply sufficient1 and furnishes as conclusive proof as a thousand could do that the primitive inhabitants of the earth were on a low mental status1 and that they were greatly inferior in morals and intellect to the least-developed minds of the present age2 and consequently man's course has been upward1 and not downward4 ,there has been no falling1 but a gradual rising1 in both the moral and intellectual scale4 ,it shows that man was at the very foot of the ladder at the commencement of his moral and intellectual career1--that he was flat on his back in the ditch2 and1 consequently1 there was no lower place to fall to4 ,the first proposition1 then1 is shown to be false1--that man originally occupied a high moral position1 and that he was in a state of moral purity and perfection4 ,the second proposition--that of man's fall and moral degeneracy--is likewise shown to be false by the same facts2 for1 if he was never in a state of moral purity and perfection1 then it is evident he never could have fallen from such a state4 ,it would be superfluous1 then1 to attempt to show that man never fell1 after having shown that he never occupied a high moral position to fall from4 ,he could only fall in the sense the ,scotchman did1 who stated he fell up a well sixty feet in a bucket4 ,it is settled1 then1 geologically1 scientifically1 and demonstrably1 that man never fell in a moral sense4 ,we will now proceed to present what is presumed and assumed to be the scriptural exposition of man's original condition and fall4 ,we are told in the first chapter of ,genesis1 that1 when ,god had completed the work of creation1 he pronounced it all1 not only good1 but very good1 which indicates a state of perfection2 but it appears the words were hardly out of his mouth till a very bad being1 called a serpent1 came crawling into the garden on his back1 to furnish practical evidence that ,moses' ,god was mistaken in having pronounced every thing so very good4 ,we have to assume that he came into the garden of paradise on his back1 because the reverse mode of traveling was not adopted until after the fall2 that is1 till after he was doomed to that mode of travel as a punishment for having tempted and beguiled ,mother ,eve to try her new molars and incisors on some fruit 7supposed to be pippins7 hanging on a tree1 which1 it appears1 underwent the rapid process of blossoming1 and bearing fruit that ripened in a few hours after it was planted4 ,and thus the serpent1 although a senseless reptile1 committed the first sin1--the first violation of moral law4 ,the first question that naturally arises here is1 ,why was not the fence around the garden of paradise made snake-proof1 so as to keep his snakeship out8 ,or shall we presume the gate was left open1 and that he entered in that way8 ,this1 however1 would indicate a blundering carelessness on the part of ,jehovah1 which we dare not assume4 ,another question arising here is1 ,why was not the angel with the flaming sword1 which1 we are told1 was placed over the door or gateway to guard it from intruders1--why was he not placed there sooner8 ,why was he not placed there before the fall1 instead of after1 so as to bruise the serpent's head1 or behead him1 on his attempting to enter8 ,to place a guard over the gate after the ,devil had entered1 and caused the effectual downfall and ruin of the human race1 and thus perpetrated all the mischief he could1 looks very much like locking the stable-door after the horse is stolen4 ,and the query also arises here1 ,are we not compelled to conclude that ,moses' ,god was a little short-sighted1 and rather hasty in his conclusion that every thing was so very good when the serpent proved to be so very bad8 ,the only way to escape this dilemma is to assume that ,god did not make him1 and that consequently he was not included in the original invoice of goods and chattels which were pronounced very good2 but1 in adopting this expedient1 we only leap from the frying-pan into the fire3 for the assumption does not do away with the difficulty1 because it is declared that ,god made every thing that was made4 ,hence it is evident that1 if he were made at all1 the ,god of ,moses made him2 and1 if he were not made1 then it follows that he is a self-created or self-existent being1 and invested with all the attributes1 powers1 and prerogatives of ,god ,almighty himself4 ,and thus we would place two omniscient1 omnipotent1 and omnipresent beings on the throne of the universe2 which is not only a moral contradiction1 but a moral impossibility4 ,we will assume1 then1 for the sake of the argument1 that ,god did create the ,devil1--an assumption1 however1 which brings us into still greater difficulty4 ,christ says1 by way of illustrating human character1 that a tree is known by its fruit4 ,a good tree can not bring forth evil fruit2 neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit4 ,in this case ,god the ,creator is the tree1 and the ,devil the fruit2 and one is good1 and the other evil4 ,here1 then1 is a good tree bearing evil fruit1 which seems to furnish the most positive proof that ,christ's moral axiom1 ,a good tree can not bear evil fruit1 is false4 ,there is evidently something wrong somewhere in this moral picture4 ,either ,christ was mistaken1 or the ,christian world is wrong in assuming the existence of this omnipotent and independent being of an opposite character4 ,it presents us with a moral paradox which no theologian in ,christendom has yet been able to solve4 ,we are compelled to assume that both beings are good1 or both evil1 and that they co-operate and act in harmony2 or that a good ,god made a wicked ,devil1--i4e41 a good tree brought forth evil fruit2 or else we must reject the ,christian system of salvation1 and assume the existence of but one invisible and ,almighty ,being1 who orders every thing for the best4 ,the absurdity we have just noticed is but one of many1 both of a moral and of a scientific nature1 equally senseless and foolish1 which we find involved in the ,christian plan of salvation4 ,we will notice a few others4 ,according to ,christian theology and ,christian logic1 all evil or sin that is committed is prompted by an evil tempter4 ,scientists and ,harmonialists account for such actions by tracing them to the abnormal or perverted action of natural faculties1 powers1 and propensities1 which1 in their healthy state1 are productive of good alone1 and not evil2 and thus making them the product of the mind itself in its unhealthy condition4 ,but ,christian theologians tell us it is a separate1 evil genius operating in the inner man which does all the mischief1 and prompts the possessor to the commission of sin4 ,but this assumption gives rise to endless difficulties1 some of which we will state in the form of questions4 ,we would ask1 then1 in the first place1 if all sin or evil is prompted by an evil tempter1 how came the original tempter himself to fall victim to sin8 ,who put him up to it1 seeing there was no tempter in existence but himself8 ,in such a dilemma1 we must either assume that ,divine ,goodness was his tempter1 or that he tempted himself4 ,to make him his own tempter would involve us in an egregious absurdity1 equal to that of ,guy ,faux lifting himself by the straps of his boots2 and to make ,god the tempter would relieve his ,satanic ,majesty of all responsibility in the case1 and make ,god alone accountable for the sin1 and also the author of sin4 ,this1 however1 they do by other assumptions4 ,books enough have been written to form a library by orthodox writers in the attempt to rescue their ,god from the odium and responsibility' of being the author of sin2 but1 under their system of theology1 he can not escape the stigma4 ,no sensible construction of any orthodox system can save ,god from the authorship and responsibility of sin4 ,they all teach that ,god created man1 and man committed sin4 ,this makes ,god the author of sin1 either directly or indirectly1 in spite of all the logic and lore that ever has been1 or ever can be1 made use of to escape the conclusion2 for even if it could be successfully shown that ,god did not implant in man the desire or inclination to commit sin1 and he derived this inclination from the ,devil1 it can not be denied that ,god is responsible for allowing the ,devil to exist1 or1 if this could be denied1 would still be responsible for leaving man so morally weak as to be overcome by the ,devil4 ,if he is infinite in goodness and infinite in power1 as they teach1 then1 if he did not fortify man with sufficient moral strength to resist all temptation to sin1 the act of sinning becomes his own4 ,no logic and no sophistry can resist this conclusion4 ,it is now a settled principle in moral ethics1 that what any being does through an agent he does himself1 and is as responsible for it as if he performed the act with his own hands de facto4 ,if1 then1 ,god created the ,devil1 and he turned out to be the agent of evil or sin1 it was only a roundabout and indirect mode of performing the act himself4 ,this is a logical syllogism which defies the ingenuity of the orthodox world to overturn4 ,the most plausible plea in the case is1 that the ,devil was originally a good being1 but fell from grace4 ,according to several ,bibles1 he is a fallen angel2 but it is evident that he could not fall unless he possessed some inherent moral weakness that caused him to fall4 ,a perfect being could not fall4 ,it is1 then1 self-evident that inherent moral weakness was implanted in him by his ,creator4 ,this would make his ,creator responsible for his moral weakness1 which caused him to fall4 ,and thus the question is settled logically1 philosophically1 and morally4 ,we will now proceed to examine the nature of the diabolical act which caused the downfall of the human race1--the original sin1 as it is called4 ,we are told it consisted in eating some fruit which grew on a tree ,god himself had planted in the ,garden of ,eden1 and forbidden to be used4 ,why it was interdicted from use is not explained in the ,christian ,bible2 but it is rendered plain by the relation of the same story in other ,bibles4 ,in the ,persian version it is stated that the tree bore the twelve apples of immortality1 and that the ,devil1 in the shape of a monkey1 guarded the tree1 to prevent the genus homo from partaking of the fruit2 as tradition had taught them1 that1 by so doing1 man would become immortal like the ,gods1 and live forever4 ,this the ,gods deprecated1 as they allowed no other beings to become equal to them1 and hence had the tree guarded to save the immortal fruit4 ,but the ,christian ,bible is entirely silent as to the purpose of planting the tree1 or forbidding its fruit to be eaten4 ,it cuts short many stories which we find more amplified and in fuller detail in older ,bibles4 ,no reflecting or unbiased mind can see any wisdom or any sense in permitting or causing a tree to bear fruit1 and then decreeing that it shall all go to waste by interdicting it from being used1 as ,jehovah is represented as having done4 ,certainly no sensible ,god would act thus4 ,and if ,adam and ,eve were very good1 as he himself declared them to be1 must we not consider it an ungodly and a tantalizing act to place fruit within their reach1 and then forbid them to touch or taste it8 ,it looks more like the act of a fiend than that of a kind and loving father1 who we would naturally suppose1 would be so pleased with his newly made children that he would do every thing possible to please them and make them happy4 ,if the fruit was an improper article of diet1 it should have been placed out of sight1 or rendered unpalatable1 so that they should not desire to eat it4 ,if ,adam and ,eve were very good beings1 and ,god both infinitely good and infinitely wise1 he could and should have placed them in a condition from which they could not fall1 and in which they would have possessed no inclination to do any thing wrong4 ,i can see no possible benefit to arise from surrounding them with temptations to commit an act that would ruin them eternally1 and their posterity after them4 ,the plea is sometimes urged that it was morally necessary for the original progenitors of the race to possess the power and liability to sin1 in order to make them free agents4 ,free agents1 indeed6 ,that is certainly a novel kind of free agency1 which not only makes a man free to commit an act which it is known will lead to his own destruction and the ruin of the entire human race1 but implants in him the inclination to do it4 ,this is free agency run mad4 ,we will illustrate the principle4 ,a mother sees her little child approaching an open well1 and turns heedlessly away1 and lets the child rush into the jaws of death2 and1 when reproved for the act1 she raises the plea1 ,oh1 ,i did not want to interfere with its free agency6 ,here is the ,christian logic of free agency put in practice4 ,god is represented as setting traps around the human family1 knowing they will be caught2 and this is called moral freedom or free agency4 ,the rat enjoys the same kind of moral freedom when he creeps beneath the deadfall in quest of food1 and takes the chance of misplacing the triggers4 ,there is no free agency in any rational sense in furnishing a man with a rope to hang himself1 knowing that it would be used for that purpose2 and this the orthodox ,god has done for the whole human family1 so that we are all now suspended on the gallows of total depravity and moral death4 ,,the ,,fall ,,and ,,curse4 ,we will now notice some of the awful consequences said to have resulted from eating the forbidden fruit1--the worldwide curse pronounced upon the human race as the penalty for that act4 ,several distinct effects are enumerated as consequences of the deed4 ,but a critical investigation of the matter in the light of the present age will show1 that instead of being curses1 they are blessings1 and have added greatly to the enjoyment and happiness of the human family2 and1 consequently1 we should now be in a more deplorable condition than we are if our primitive parents had heeded the divine interdiction1 and let the fruit alone4 ,we will look briefly at some of the consequences1 and observe whether they have really turned out to be curses1 or not4 ,the first effect produced by the act of ,father ,adam and ,mother ,eve eating the forbidden fruit appears to have been that of opening their eyes so that they could see and distinguish objects around them4 ,it certainly was a very singular way of cursing human beings to grant them the glorious boon of vision1 and thus relieve them from the necessity of groping their way through life4 ,as to the gift of sight being a curse1 there are thousands of human beings now in the world who would like to be cursed in that way--those who were born blind1 or have lost their sight4 ,the rest of mankind would consider it to be a great misfortune or curse to be placed in the original condition of ,adam and ,eve in this respect4 ,we must admit1 then1 that this curse turned out to be a blessing1 and that we are indebted to the serpent-devil for it2 and1 consequently1 he should not have been doomed to dine on dust as a penalty for conferring this blessing upon the human race4 ,the second consequence growing out of the act of eating the interdicted fruit appears to have been the acquisition of a knowledge of good and evil2 that is1 the power of distinguishing between good and evil4 ,but this1 so far from being a curse1 was an inestimable and indispensable blessing2 for1 without the attainment of this knowledge1 they could not have known that any act was evil1 and hence would have been liable to plunge into all manner of crime1 pillage1 debauchery1 murder1 c41 until they effected the entire extinction of the human race4 ,the acquisition1 then1 of the knowledge of the moral difference between good and evil was an invaluable blessing1 and no curse at all2 and1 having been brought about through the agency of the serpent-devil1 he should have the credit of it4 ,the third effect produced by plucking and eating the prescribed fruit was the discovery that they were naked4 ,why they had not made the discovery before is a mystery of godliness4 ,the people of the present age1 although presumed to be in a state of degeneracy1 if not total depravity1 do not require the use of their eyes to know when they are naked2 but it seems1 that1 before the fall in a state of moral perfection1 such knowledge could only be acquired through the optic nerves4 ,hence the perfection of our first parents1 so often spoken of and lauded by the orthodox world1 must simply have been the perfection of ignorance2 and it is true1 if their history is true1 that they were most consummately ignorant until they were enlightened by the serpent4 ,they were too ignorant to clothe themselves4 ,god ,almighty had to forsake the throne of heaven1 and come down to earth1 to make garments of goatskins for them1 before they could be sufficiently habilitated to go abroad1 or admit company4 ,their two sons1 however1 were the only company they were permitted to enjoy at that time4 ,and one of these turned out to be a murderer2 and1 having killed his only brother1 he fled to the land of ,nod1 and married a wife1 although1 according to the inspired account1 his mother was the only woman then living4 ,it seems strange1 under such circumstances1 that he should marry a wife when there were no women to make wives of4 ,after he had killed his brother1 and repented of it1 a mark was set upon him1 that whosoever found him should not slay him4 ,but how could this whosoever know what the mark meant8 ,and who was this whosoever1 when he himself had killed off the whole human race1 excepting his father and mother8 ,and we presume they would not be likely to slay their own and only son if there were no mark set upon him to prevent it4 ,up to this period the conduct of the serpent-devil had been very respectful1 and every act performed had resulted in a direct benefit to the human family4 ,even his conduct towards ,mother ,eve seems to have been marked by politeness2 for he served her with fruit before partaking of it himself4 ,for these good acts he deserved the use of his legs1 which1 we must presume1 he lost by the fall1 when he transgressed1 fell1 and was cursed2 and a part of this curse consisted in taking his legs from him1 and compelling him to crawl4 ,but it appears his legs were afterwards restored to him2 for1 when he came with the sons of ,god to attend a picnic at the house of ,job1 and was asked where he came from1 replied1 ,from walking to and fro in the earth4 ,this feat of walking he could not very well have performed without legs4 ,hence we naturally conclude they had grown out again1 or had been restored to him in some way1 notwithstanding it had been decreed he should crawl on his belly all the days of his life4 ,the whole story of the serpent1 as presented in ,genesis1 is a borrowed and laughable fiction2 and the reader will excuse us for presenting it in that light4 ,we have shown that the violation of the command of ,jehovah to ,adam and ,eve not to partake of the fruit of the tree of knowledge1 so far from being attended with any evil result1 gave rise to several important benefits1 and was therefore a praiseworthy act4 ,and if they had carried the act of disobedience a little further1 and plucked and eaten of the fruit from the tree of life also1 it would1 according to the context1 have produced results still more important1 as it would have immortalized their physical bodies1 and prevented the ingress of death into the world2 and we should have been spared that dreadful calamity4 ,but a worse calamity would have overtaken us2 for it is easily seen1 that1 in the course of a few centuries1 our planet would be overstocked with inhabitants4 ,and1 as a part of ,adam's curse consisted in being doomed to eat the ground 7see ,gen4 iii4 #ag71 it follows1 that1 if none of his posterity had died1 they would have become so numerous in the course of time as to have eaten up all the ground 7there being nothing else for them to eat71 and leave not a mole-hill of terra firma for a living being to stand upon4 ,the conception is really ludicrous1 and yet a legitimate inference from the story which presents us with a series of laughable ideas from beginning to end4 ,we will now notice the sentence pronounced upon the several participants in this fabled rebellion against the divine government1 and observe how1 or to what extent1 they were realized4 ,adam1 ,eve1 and the snake were the culprits arraigned at the bar under charge of being rebels2 and1 all being found guilty1 a sentence was pronounced upon each separately4 ,we will examine them in their order4 ,the first part of ,adam's curse consisted in being doomed to die1--,the day thou eatest thereof1 thou shalt surely die 7,gen4 ii4 #ag74 ,the serpent1 however1 took the liberty to contradict and counteract the sentence1 and told him he should not die1 but that partaking of the fruit would make him wise as the ,gods1 knowing good and evil4 ,now1 the first question which arises here is1 ,who told the truth in the case1--,jehovah1 or the father of lies8 ,in the eighth chapter of ,genesis we read1 ,all the days of ,adam were nine hundred and thirty years1 and he begat sons and daughters4 ,it will be seen1 then1 that he did not die in the day thereof1 nor the year thereof1 nor the century thereof2 so it appears the serpent told the truth and ,moses' ,god told the falsehood1 or was mistaken4 ,hundreds of ,christian writers and commentators have racked their brains to find some plausible mode of disposing of these difficulties4 ,the most specious one they have resorted to is that of assigning the text a spiritual signification1 and alleging that it was a spiritual death that was intended in this case4 ,but the text does not say so2 and the context shows it was not so3 for it is declared1 ,dust thou art1 and unto dust shalt thou return 7,gen4 iii4 #ai71 which shows it was not spiritual but physical death that was meant2 and this did not take place for more than nine hundred years after the sentence was pronounced4 ,the second part of ,adam's curse consisted in being driven out of the garden1 and compelled to engage in agricultural pursuits2 that is1 he was sentenced to earn his bread by the sweat of his face4 7,see ,gen4 iii4 #bc74 ,but the experience of nearly the whole human race1 from that period to the present time1 proves that the sweating part of the operation is no curse at all1 but a real blessing2 for no person in warm climates can enjoy good health without perspiring occasionally2 and as for labor being a curse1 because said to have been pronounced upon ,adam as a penalty for transgression1 the experience of all who have tried it1 and the present condition of the civilized world1 proclaim it to be untrue4 ,indeed1 we must consider it a very fortunate circumstance that he was driven out of the garden1 and compelled to embark in agricultural pursuits1 not only on account of such employments being conducive to health1 but because the very existence of human life depends upon it in all civilized countries4 ,it is the source whence we derive all our food1 all our clothing1 and nearly all the comforts of life4 ,no3 it is laziness1 not labor1 that curses the race2 and the most accursed set of beings are the drones1 the soft-handed gentry1 who are almost as afraid of a hoe1 axe1 or spade1 as they are of the measles or small-pox1 having been erroneously taught that labor is a curse4 ,the third item in ,adam's curse consisted in being doomed to eat the ground1--,cursed is the ground for thy sake1 and in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life 7,gen4 iii4 #ag72 but we have never seen any report of either ,adam or any of his posterity eating the ground1 or making it an article of diet4 ,it will be observed1 then1 that no part of the sentence pronounced upon ,adam turned out to be a curse1 but1 when realized at all1 was realized as a blessing4 ,the sentence pronounced upon the woman was also of a threefold character4 ,in the first place1 she was doomed to ,bring forth children in sorrow 7,gen4 iii4 #af74 ,and her posterity1 we are told1 inherited the curse1 and must suffer in this same way2 but the history of the human family shows that many individuals1 and whole nations in some cases1 have never suffered this affliction4 ,it is well known that the mothers of some of the ,african tribes1 also some of the tribes of ,americans1 never suffer in childbirth4 ,hence it will be seen that the curse in the general sense implied by the text is a failure in this case also4 ,the second punishment to which woman was to be subjected was that of being ruled over by her husband4 ,this portion of her curse1 we must confess1 has not been an entire failure4 ,many women1 even in civilized countries1 are not only ruled over1 but tyrannized over1 by their husbands4 ,yet this state of things has by no means been universal4 ,on the contrary1 in many cases1 woman has been the ruling party2 and1 in some instances1 they have not merely ruled their own husbands1 but all the husbands in the nation4 ,queen ,mary1 ,queen ,anne1 and ,queen ,victoria1 and many others1 are examples of this kind2 and then there have been thousands of women in all ages and countries who never had any husbands4 ,consequently the curse is a failure in their cases4 ,the curse of husband-dominion1 then1 has not fallen upon woman as a sex4 ,there was to be enmity between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent 7i4e41 their offspring7 as the third part of woman's curse2 but we find no evidence that this part of the curse has ever been fulfilled4 ,we observe no more enmity between men and serpents than between men and other noxious reptiles and ravenous beasts4 ,how much enmity exists between the ,hindoo juggler and the serpent that twines around his arm and neck1 and crawls through his bosom8 ,we may be told in reply that it is not the common serpent that is referred to here1 but the serpent-devil that beguiled ,eve2 but we do not learn that his ,devilish ,majesty ever had any offspring4 ,so this part of the curse1 in a general sense1 is a failure also4 ,,the ,,curse ,,of ,,the ,,serpent4 ,the curse pronounced upon the serpent was of a twofold character4 ,he was doomed to crawl upon his belly4 ,how he traveled previous to that period we have no means of knowing1 as revelation is silent on this momentous subject4 ,he must have crawled on his back1 or hopped on his head or tail1--either of which we should consider a much more difficult mode of traveling than that inflicted on him by the curse4 ,i can see no curse or punishment in an animal or reptile traveling in its natural way1 and by the easiest mode known in the whole animal kingdom4 ,to make a curse of his mode of travel1 he should have been turned the other side up1 so that1 while wiggling or wriggling along on his back1 his eyes and mouth would get full of dust and mud4 ,this would have been much more like a punishment1--a more real and sensible curse than his present mode of traveling4 ,the second mode of punishing the serpent was to compel him to eat dust as an article of diet2 but some difficulty must have arisen in attempting to comply with the injunction4 ,when the ground is saturated with water1 he would have to take a meal occasionally of mud1 which would not be more nutritious than dust1 and would not be fulfilling the law4 ,but it is needless to speculate4 ,it is evident he does not subsist in that way1 but1 like the other culprits1 escaped the penalties or punishments due to his crime4 ,i have now examined all the items of the curse--eight in number--said to have been visited upon ,adam1 ,eve1 and the serpent2 and what do they all amount to8 ,not one of them has been realized as such2 but most of those which were practically realized turned out to be real blessings4 ,and yet they have been proclaimed to the world by the clergy as the missiles of wrath hurled upon a guilty world for the sin of rebellion against the divine government2 and1 whether any of these so-called visitations of divine displeasure were designed as penalties for disobedience or not1 it is evident they have not in a moral sense been realized1 or had any beneficial effect whatever4 ,and we must conclude that it was rather short-sighted in ,moses' ,god to attempt to bring his children into obedience by pronouncing curses upon them4 ,he himself virtually acknowledges it2 for1 after having tried these expedients and found they availed nothing1 he became so discouraged1 that he said1 ,it grieved him to the heart 7see ,gen4 vi4 #f7 that he had made so rebellious a creature as man4 ,,the ,,second ,,scheme ,,of ,,redemption4 ,the ,god of ,moses1 after having tried the expedient of cursing his children1--the cunning workmanship of his hands1--and grieved over the failure for more than a thousand years1--he 7the ,god of ,moses7 came to the conclusion to try another expedient4 ,he concluded to select a few of the choicest specimens of the genus homo1 in order to preserve the race and start anew with some of the best stock or material that could be found4 ,accordingly1 old drunken ,noah--the most righteous man that could be found amongst the millions of the inhabit ants of the globe--was chosen to build a schooner1 yacht1 canoe1 or some kind of a vessel1 called an arc into which he stowed millions of birds1 bipeds1 and insects of all species and all sizes1 from the ostrich and condor down to fleas1 flies1 mosquitoes1 spiders1 and bed-bugs2 and millions of animals and reptiles of all kinds and all sizes1 from the mammoth and the mastodon down to skunks1 lizards1 snakes1 gophers1 and grasshoppers2 together with himself and family of eight persons1 and food sufficient to last them ten months while in the ark1 and several years afterwards1 as we must presume was done from the fact that it is declared that the waters destroyed every living thing upon the face of the earth4 ,and it must have required several years to restock it with grass and animals to serve as food for the granivorous1 herbivorous1 and carnivorous species2 and this would make a bulk sufficient to fill forty such vessels1 and a weight sufficient to sink the whole ,british navy4 ,and all this living mass of respiring and perspiring animals were dependent upon one little window twelve inches by fifteen for light and air1 and which had to be kept shut most of the time to keep out the rain4 ,if some giraffe or cameleopard had been disposed to monopolize the window by thrusting his head out1 we can easily imagine what would have been the fatal consequence to this living1 breathing cargo4 ,and then we have to entertain the thought that lions and lambs1 wolves and sheep1 dogs and skunks1 hawks and chickens1 owls and doves1 cats and mice1 men and monkeys1 all ate and slept together in immediate juxtaposition like a band of brothers4 ,perhaps more glorious times never were realized since the sons of ,god shouted for joy4 ,but it appears the whole thing turned out to be a failure4 ,the drowning process was no more effectual in producing the desired reformation than the first scheme that had been tried2 for1 only a few hundred years after the culmination of this world-drowning experiment1 ,moses' ,god is represented as crying out in despair1 ,the imagination of man's heart is evil1 and only evil continually4 ,this was certainly a deplorable and disheartening state of things witnessed so soon after it had been presumed that all the bad folks had been drowned2 but it appears1 that1 if all that class had been drowned1 there would have been no human beings left4 ,david1 therefore1 was probably right when he exclaims1 ,there is none that doeth good1 no not one 7,ps4 xiv4 #c74 ,,the ,,third ,,and ,,last ,,plan ,,of ,,salvation4 ,the atonement was the third and last resort4 ,the third experiment in any case generally ends the siege whether successful or unsuccessful4 ,after a few thousand years more had elapsed of grief1 anger1 and disappointment in the practical history of ,moses' ,god1 he ventured to try one more experiment in the effort to get his people in the right track1--not so much1 however1 to get them in the right way1 as to have his own wrath appeased4 ,in this way he sanctions the greatest crime ever perpetrated by the hand of man1--that of murder4 ,god the ,father1 in order to cancel the sins of his disobedient and rebellious children1 and mitigate his own wrath1 is represented as proposing to have his only-begotten son killed1--at least1 as consenting to the act4 ,this looks like doing evil that good may come of it2 which is a very objectionable principle of moral ethics1 according to ,paul4 ,how the commission of the greatest of all sins can do any thing towards reforming other sins1 or how the punishment of an innocent being can do any thing towards atoning for the sins of the guilty1 presents us with a moral problem1 shocking both to our common sense and common reason4 ,if the ,father's anger could not be appeased or his vengeance satisfied without the perpetration of a horrible murder1 and the knowledge that some victim had died a slow and agonizing death1 we are forced to the conclusion that he is a cruel and revengeful ,god1 and that his passions overrule his love of justice and his paternal regard for his son4 ,but it appears that this last experiment1 whether right or wrong1 was attended with as complete a failure as the two preceding ones2 and yet it assumes to be the best that ,infinite ,wisdom could devise4 ,and the resources of divine knowledge and skill were apparently exhausted when this scheme culminated4 ,and yet it also failed1 according to the admission of its own friends and ardent supporters 7the clergy72 for they tell us1 that1 notwithstanding all the schemes and systems that ,omniscience and ,infinite ,prescience could devise to save man1 he does not get saved3 at least but few are saved1 and they have to work out1 their own salvation with fear and trembling4 ,nineteen-twentieths of the human family1 the clergy tell us1 are still traveling the broad road1 and are finally lost1 notwithstanding all the labored experiments and expedients of omniscient or ,jehovahistic wisdom to save them4 ,with this view of the case1 the thought is suggested that it was hardly worth while to have gone to the trouble and expense of fitting up a heaven for the few that are saved4 ,it certainly doesn't pay4 ,and this conclusion is the more forcible in view of the fact that it must be rather a lonesome place1 and consequently not a very desirable home or situation to live in2 for we are told it is a house of many mansions1 and yet few there be that find the strait and narrow road leading to it4 ,hence we may conclude that many of the rooms or mansions are empty4 ,such a lonesome heaven could not be congenial or adapted to any class of saints but monks and hermits4 ,we have now briefly examined the three plans of salvation which lie at the foundation of the ,christian religion1 and shown that they are all failures according to their own witnesses4 ,in view of this fact1 we can not wonder that ,moses' ,god is represented as saying that he repented for having made man1 and that it grieved him to the heart 7,gen4 vi4 #f74 ,such a series of signal failures is enough to discourage even a saint or a ,god4 ,true religion sees ,god in every thing1 reads his scriptures on every page of ,nature's open ,bible1 and feels him in the inspiration of the soul4 ,it calls ,god father1 not king2 ,christ a brother1 not a redeemer4 ,it loves all men1 but fears no ,god4 ,its ,god is not a tyrant1 but a loving father4 ,it looks upon ,jesus ,christ as a truly good man1 but not a ,god2 as a noble1 loving1 benevolent being1 but endowed with human frailties4 ,it considers him a martyr to truth and right1 but not a just victim to his father's wrath1 or the just object of a bloody sacrifice4 ,it regards the laws of nature as sufficient1 if diligently studied and strictly observed1 to serve as a guide for man's earthly life without any special revelation4 ,it holds that man's natural love of goodness1 justice1 mercy1 and honesty is capable of endless expansion and augmentation4 ,it walks by the light of science4 ,the many grand truths of the age1 developed by the onward march of mind1 form its infallible laws1 and constitute its living virtues4 ,it uses reason for a lamp1 and an enlightened intellect for a guide4 ,it ties no martyr to the stake1 piles the faggots around no heretics4 ,it issues no dogmas1 no bulls1 no canons1 and hangs man's salvation upon no infallible revelation4 ,christians say1 ,give us a better revelation2 ,christ said1 ,cease to do evil1 and then learn to do well4 ,all wrong and hurtful institutions should be pulled down or abandoned1 and trust to finding better ones4 ,remove the weeds from the soil1 and a healthy and useful vegetation will spring up in their place4 ,the true religion grants perfect freedom to all human beings2 leaves human thought as free and unfettered as the wind1 as free as the rays of sunlight which fall upon every hill and every valley1 and rest upon the bosom of the deep4 ,,chapter ,,liv4--,,the ,,true ,,religion4 ,true religion does not regard ,god as a personal monarch1 governing the universe by the caprices of an angry and fickle mind1 but as the living1 moving1 all-pervading1 self-sustaining1 energizing1 vivifying power which moves and sustains the machinery of the whole universe1 and controls1 by a concatenation of laws1 the myriads of worlds which move in majestic grandeur through infinite space1 and causes them to act in concert and harmony without a discordant jar4 ,it does not write its inspiration and revelation in a dead language or unintelligible ,hebrew1 but in living characters1 which all can read and understand4 ,it indulges in no spirit of bigotry1 consigns no man or woman to endless torment1 never talks of total depravity or original sin4 ,it is a natural and godlike religion1 calculated to satisfy the deep1 unutterable longings of the soul1 and bring blessings and happiness to all who live up to its requirements4 ,it is a tree bearing the fruit of practical righteousness4 ,it does not teach that all of ,god's truth is shut up in a printed book4 ,it knows no sects1 no creeds1 and no thirty-nine articles4 ,it does not pilot the pilgrim through life with a dark lantern1 nor search for living truths among the religious mummies of the dark ages1 but regales itself upon the living truths of the age4 ,its devotees do not require temples made with hands in which to worship the ,father4 ,it does not require holy houses1 holy days1 or holy sacraments4 ,it recommends all to search for truth as a pearl of great price4 ,it teaches all to worship ,god by a life of practical goodness1 and by cherishing kindly feelings toward every human being4 ,this is a religion that will impart true pleasure in life1 and afford sure comfort in a dying hour4 ,,the ,,religion ,,for ,,this ,,age ,is a religion founded upon truth and goodness2--a religion freed from the old1 worn-out superstitious1 ,oriental myths4 ,the people are becoming too ,enlightened to tolerate them much longer2 they are becoming tired of being fed on the stale food of past ages2 they have been kept in a state of spiritual stagnation long enough4 ,they are becoming too intelligent to wish to listen to old mythological doctrines which have been preached by ,christians for centuries4 ,we want a religion better adapted to the wants of the age4 ,we want a religion that will furnish better nourishment for man's moral and spiritual nature1--a religion calculated to develop true manhood1 instead of repressing it2 a religion whose doctrines do not conflict with established principles of science2 a religion which our moral sense does not condemn1 and against which our reason will not rebel4 ,we want a religion that builds no walls between reason and revelation1 and forms no creeds and no barriers to the spontaneous outgrowth of every faculty of the soul4 ,we want a religion that does not require men and women to be born several times before they can be honest1 truthful1 and reliable1 or good enough to enter the kingdom of heaven4 ,we want a religion which acknowledges no law but truth and justice1--a religion that will tolerate no wrong1 and forgive no sin4 ,we want a religion whose bond is love1 whose temple is truth1 and whose altar is a guiltless conscience1 and whose creed is a life of practical righteousness4 ,we want a religion which will teach us to cherish kindly feelings toward all mankind1 and which will prompt us to labor to spread flowers instead of thorns in the pathway of every one with whom we come in contact1 and thus make them better and happier beings2 for this is the true end of all true religion and all true preaching4 ,for modes of faith let zealous bigots fight3 ,he can't be wrong whose life is in the right4 ,we want a religion which will estimate men and women for what they are1 and not for what they believe1--a religion that does not measure their moral worth by their creeds1 but by their practical lives4 ,we want a religion that will banish all creeds and mind-enslaving dogmas from the earth1 and substitute in their place brotherly love and goodness4 ,we want a religion that will do away with ignorance and poverty1 that will labor to prevent any one from suffering for the needful things of life1 and that will bind all together in the ties of universal brotherhood4 ,in fine1 we want a religion which will make truth and love and true practical righteousness the pole-star of every man and woman who embrace it4 ,this is the religion we need2 this is the religion for the age2 this is the religion that would and will banish all unrighteousness from the earth1 and elevate the race to a higher plane than they ever have or ever can attain under their soul-cramping1 creed-bound religions2 this is the religion the author is laboring for1 and has earnestly desired for twenty-three years to see established among all nations1 tongues1 kindred1 and people4 ,this religion is not derived from any ,bible1 but is an outgrowth of man's moral and religious nature1 as all true religions in all countries have been4 ,a religion derived from this source would prompt us to labor daily to promote the happiness of our neighbors and fellow-beings generally1 instead of studying every hour of our lives to practically rob them1 as do most men in civilized countries1 including nearly all ,christian professors1 who are positively for bidden by their ,bible and lawgiver 7,christ7 to lay up any treasure on earth2 yet it is their constant study how to draw all the money possible out of the pockets of their neighbors1 with but little regard to their wants1 necessities1 or even sufferings1 that they may die in the midst of wealth4 ,it is a strange1 yet almost universal1 infatuation1 that the inauguration of the true religion will banish from the earth4 ,,chapter ,,lv4--,,all ,,scripture ,,is ,,given ,,by ,,inspiration ,,of ,,god4 ,if this statement be true1 then ,god must have led a very busy life2 for the world is literally loaded down with scriptures4 ,there are not less than eleven hundred and fifty pious effusions that may come under this head1 and at least that number claiming to have originated from the fountain of divine inspiration2 but the religious sects and religious orders will tell us that but one of those eleven hundred and fifty scriptures is the product of the ,divine ,mind1 and but one of them has received the seal and sanction of ,almighty ,god4 ,then our salvation hangs by a very slender thread2 for no rule has been furnished us by ,infinite ,wisdom by which we can distinguish which is the spurious and which the genuine1 or which is the scripture given by inspiration of ,god4 ,all pious nations have had their scriptures in profusion4 ,let us hold a court1 and hear the testimony of some of the witnesses with respect to the validity of their respective claims4 ,here is a ,hindoo1 a pious soul of the ,brahmin order4 ,well1 brother1 we wish you to tell us whether you know any thing about the scriptures given by inspiration of ,god4--,most certainly ,i do4 ,well1 where and what are they8 ,why1 after existing in the mind of the great ,god ,brahma from all eternity1 they were revealed by him1 about nine thousand years ago1 to the holy richis 7prophets71 who penned them into a ,holy ,book for the instruction and salvation of the world1 now known as the ,vedas4 ,they are pure1 holy and divine1 and point out the only sure road to salvation4 ,here comes a ,chinese mandarin4 ,well1 brother1 what light can you throw upon this subject8 ,have you ever seen the scriptures given by inspiration of ,god8 ,that is a question easily answered4 ,the ,five ,volumes are the purest1 the holiest1 and the most sublime production ever given to the world4 ,there is nothing immoral1 no obscene language1 to be found in this ',holy ,book4' ,its precepts are matchless2 and it is the only book whose teachings are calculated to 'make wise unto salvation4' ,it will save all men who receive it1 and obey it4 ,take a seat3 we want now to hear from a disciple representing the land of ,iran4 ,brother ,persian1 the question is1 ,where is the scripture given by inspiration of ,god8 ,your question surprises me4 ,the ,holy ,zenda ,avesta has been circulating for thousands of years2 and have you not seen it8 ,it points out the only sure road to the kingdom of eternal bliss1 and contains the only true religion for the human race4 ,very well3 be seated4 ,there is yet another class of devout worshipers we wish to interrogate on this all-important subject4 ,brother ,mahomedan1 will you please to step forward1 and help us solve this difficult problem8 ,where are the scriptures given by inspiration of ,god8 ,have you never read that holy and inspired book1 the ,koran8 ,if so1 you ought to be able to answer the question2 and1 if not1 you are risking your eternal salvation by remaining ignorant of its beautiful truths3 for it consigns to an endless fiery hell all who disbelieve and reject its sublime teachings1 and refuse to travel the road it has marked out to paradise and eternal bliss4 ,thus we are making but little progress toward settling the question1 ,where is the scripture given by inspiration of ,god8 ,we will now question the ,christian ,church4 ,here we are met at the very threshold with two hundred answers4 ,join our church1 and beware of counterfeits1 meets us at every church-door4 ,we do not mean to say that every church has a separate ,bible1 though virtually it almost amounts to this1 as each denies to all others that use of the ,bible and construction of its doctrine and teachings which alone can insure salvation4 ,but1 in a broader sense1 there are two hundred answers to the question1 ,where are we to find the only scriptures given by inspiration of ,god8 ,the two hundred translators and four hundred commentators make out more than two hundred distinct systems of faith1 and virtually more than two hundred ,bibles4 ,when we look at the numerous and widely different translations of the ,bible1 and the numerous collection of books by different churches which have been made to constitute the ,bible at different periods1 and the numerous alterations which ,christian writers tell us have been made in all of the books of the ,bible1 and the great number of gospels and epistles floating over the world at one period and afterwards denounced as spurious1 and the constant alteration of the ,bible by adding some books and rejecting others1 we can see at once that it is impossible ever to find any way of determining which are the scriptures given by inspiration of ,god4 ,here let it be noted1 that1 for nearly three hundred years1 the ,christian world had no ,bible but the ,old ,testament1 and that1 during that period1 hundreds of gospels and epistles were written1 and thirty-six ,acts of the ,apostles1 by all kinds of scribblers1 or1 as one ,christian writer calls them1 ignorant asses4 ,these were put in circulation as constituting the only scriptures given by inspiration of ,god4 ,most of them were afterwards condemned by the ,church fathers as being the product of the ,devil1 and as being calculated to lead every soul down to hell who should read and believe them4 ,but there never was any agreement among church-leaders as to which of the three hundred gospels and epistles in circulation were spurious1 and which were genuine2 nor has there ever been any rule for distinguishing them1 or determining which was which4 ,how1 then1 was it possible to know which were the scriptures given by inspiration of ,god8 ,here arises a query of most striking import1 which should sink deep into the mind of every honest investigator of this subject4 ,should it not be set down as a moral impossibility that an all-wise ,god would inspire men to write gospels and epistles for the instruction of mankind and the salvation of the world1 and then let them get mixed up with hundreds of others inspired by the ,devil1 and calculated to lead to perdition8 ,it must have been the means of effecting the eternal ruin of thousands1 if not millions1 of immortal souls4 ,and nearly all ,christian writers admit there was no way of distinguishing the poisonous and pernicious productions from the inspired4 ,it is also admitted that the former were more read than the latter4 ,now1 we must assume that a ,god would be essentially lacking in the ingredients of good sense 7or rather would be a mere imaginary being7 who would do business in such a bungling and reckless manner as to furnish man with a revelation of his will1 hang his salvation upon it1 and then abandon the field for three hundred years1 and let every thing run to ruin4 ,such a ,god ought to repent1 and be grieved to the heart4 ,look what kind of stuff the people swallowed for gospel during that period6 ,the ,gospel of the ,infancy1 which was afterwards condemned as the work of devils and impostors1 was1 during this period1 accepted as inspired by nearly the whole ,christian world2 and see what it contains4 ,in the first chapter it is related that a woman had a son who was1 by the intervention of some witches1 turned into an ass1 when she hastened off to the mother of the young ,messiah 7,jesus71 and related her grievance to that amiable personage1 which so excited her compassion that she forthwith seized the young child ,jesus1 and set him astride the ass's neck1 when1 lo and behold6 it took all the ass properties out of the animal1 and restored him back to manhood1 or rather boyhood4 ,and all the biped asses then in ,christendom swallowed this assinine story as scripture given by inspiration of ,god1 ,the same book relates that various sick and impotent persons visited the child ,jesus1 and were cured of their diseases by having his swaddling-clothes wrapped about their heads1 necks1 or other portions of the body1 and forthwith the devils departed 7on one occasion in the shape of a dog74 ,if there is a lower plane of senseless superstition than this1 ,i pray ,god ,i may never know it4 ,and all this was gospel and inspired scripture1 for whole centuries1 with the majority of ,christendom4 ,both preachers and laymen read and believed those ,holy ,scriptures4 ,this is about as senseless as the story of some devils coming out of a woman1 and taking up their abode in a herd of swine4 ,these stories are all chips of the same block1 and all equally incredible4 ,,character ,,of ,,the ,,voters ,,who ,,decided ,,what ,,scriptures ,,should ,,be ,,considered ,,inspired4 ,it is now well known that the first authentic collection of ,gospels and ,epistles1 called the ,bible1 was made by the ,council of ,nice #cbe ,a4,d41--a body of drunken bishops and lawless bacchanalians4 ,the ,christian writer1 ,mr4 ,tyndal1 says they got drunk1 came to blows1 and kicked and cuffed each other2 and that the love of contention and ambition overcame their reason4 ,they claimed to be under the influence of the spirit4 ,undoubtedly they were2 but it was a kind of spirit that men hold intercourse with by uncorking the bottle1 and not the spirit of gentleness and peace4 ,he says1 ,they fell afoul of each other2 and such was the severity of their blows1 that one member was mortally wounded1 and died a short time after4 ,it was simply a disgusting and disgraceful row1--a scene of rowdyism of at first seventeen hundred1 and finally about three hundred1 ,christian bishops1 without a character for either virtue1 sobriety1 or honesty4 ,one-writer says1 ,they were abandoned to every species of immorality1 and addicted to the most abominable crimes3 and such was their extreme ignorance1 that but few of them could write their names4 ,their method of deciding which ,gospels ana epistles were divinely inspired was quite unique4 ,it is stated they were all placed under the communion-table2 and1 when the proper signal was given 7so says ,irenus71 the inspired ,gospels hopped on to the table1 which separated them from the spurious4 ,why the spurious ,gospels did not possess the hopping power and propensity is not stated4 ,two of the bishops1 ,crysante1 and ,musanius1 died during the council1 before the vote was taken2 but such was the importance of the occasion1 that they did not withhold their votes on that account4 ,the proper documents being prepared and carried and placed near their defunct bodies1 they mustered all the force their dead bodies could command1 and signed them2 and thus1 between the living and the dead1 we have got a ,bible which1 it is presumed1 contains all the scripture given by inspiration of ,god under the new dispensation4 ,the ,gospels and ,epistles thus voted into favor were not arranged together in the form of an authentic ,bible until nearly sixty years after4 ,this was done by the ,council of ,laodicea in the year #cfc4 ,after this1 council after council was called to vote in or vote out some of the books adopted by previous councils1 and to settle some important church dogmas4 ,the first council voted the ,acts of the ,apostles and ,revelation out of the ,bible 7i4e41 voted them down72 but the second council1 which met in #cfc1 voted them in again4 ,another council1 which met in #djf1 voted them1 with several other books1 out of the ,bible again4 ,and thus were books and dogmas voted in and voted out of the infallible and inspired word of ,god1 and altered and corrected1 time after time and century after century1 by twenty-four different councils1 composed of bigoted bishops and clergymen1 so quarrelsome and belligerent that they resorted to fisticuff fighting in several of the councils2 and thus was ,god's ,holy ,word and perfect revelation tossed to and fro like a battledore1--this book voted in1 and that one voted out1 and sometimes half a dozen at a time4 ,and where was the all scripture given by inspiration of ,god at the end of this revolutionary and demolishing clerical crusade8 ,and where was its author1 that he would suffer the whole thing to be taken out of his hands1 altered and corrupted till he could not know his own book1 and would not have been willing to father it if he had been able to recognize it8 ,william ,penn says1 that some of the scriptures which were taken in by one council as inspired were rejected by another council as uninspired2 and that which was left out by the former council as apocryphal was taken in by the latter as canonical4 ,and certain it is that they contradict each other4 ,and how do we know that the council which first collected and voted on the scriptures--voting some up1 and some down--were able to discern the true from the false8 ,here the whole thing is set in its proper light by a devout ,quaker preacher4 ,the extract contains a volume of instruction1 and shows the impossibility of our determining the all scripture given by inspiration of ,god4 ,,additions1 ,,alterations1 ,,and ,,interpolations4 ,we have a vast amount of testimony to prove that councils1 churches1 and clergymen arrogated to themselves a lawless license to change1 insert1 and leave out various texts1 chapters1 and even whole books1 from ,god's unchangeable word1 till it may now be assumed to be thoroughly changed4 ,from a large volume of testimonies we will cite a few3 ,the version of the ,old ,testament made under ,ptolemy ,philadelphus1 #bhg ,b4,c41--the most reliable version extant1--,bishop ,usher pronounces a spurious copy1 full of interpolations1 additions1 and alterations4 ,he says1 ,the translators of the ,septuagint added to1 and took from1 and changed at pleasure2 and ,st4 ,jerome says that ,origen did the same thing with the ,new ,testament4 ,bishop ,marsh testifies1 in like manner1 that ,origen1 who first collected the ,bible books together1 confessed that he made many alterations in them before they fell into the hands of the ,council of ,nice4 ,dr4 ,bentley admits that the best copy of the ,new ,testament contains hundreds of irreparable omissions1 errors1 and mistakes4 ,the ,rev4 ,dr4 ,whitby says1 ,many corruptions and interpolations were made almost in the apostolic age4 ,dupin says1 ,several authors took the liberty to add1 retrench1 correct divers things4 ,some of the clergy and churches rejected books which did not suit them1 while others altered them to suit their fancy4 ,we are told that ,lanfranc1 ,archbishop of ,canterbury1 made countless numbers of alterations in the ,bible in the sixth century for the purpose of making them suit his ,church4 ,eusebius says he found so much proof that the ,gospel of ,matthew had been altered and corrupted1 that he rejected it as being unworthy of confidence4 ,victor ,wilson informs us that a general alteration of the ,gospels took place at ,constantinople in the year #ejf by order of the ,emperor ,anastasius4 ,st4 ,jerome complains that in his time many alterations had been made in the ,bible1 and that its different translations were so essentially changed that no one copy or translation resembled another4 ,scaliger testifies that the clergy and the churches put into their scriptures whatever they thought would serve their purpose4 ,michaelis says1 ,they thrust in and thrust out as best suits fancy4 ,in the name of ,god1 we would ask how any person in his sober reason can think of finding all scripture given by inspiration of ,god in the midst of such a general wreck1 ruin1 and demolition of the original scriptures4 ,it is as impossible as to raise the dead or to find ,charlie ,ross4 ,the ,rev4 ,dr4 ,gregory says that no profane author has suffered like the ,bible by profane hands4 ,where1 then1 can we find all scripture given by inspiration of ,god8 ,,forged ,,gospels ,,and ,,epistles4 ,the ,unitarian ,bible says1 in its preface1 ,it is notorious that forged writings1 under the name of the apostles1 were in circulation almost from the apostolic age4 ,mosheim testifies that several histories of ,christ's life and doctrines1 fall of pious frauds and fabulous wonders1 were put in circulation before the meeting of the ,council of ,nice2 and he states1 like ,william ,penn1 that he had no confidence in their ability to distinguish the true from the false4 ,we will here quote another statement of ,william ,penn3 ,there are many errors in the ,bible4 ,the learned know it3 the unlearned had better not know it4 ,here is another sad proof of the blinding effect of reading and believing a book which abounds in errors4 ,he would have the unlearned and honest reader swallow all the errors of the ,bible1 and be thereby morally poisoned by them1 rather than have the book brought into discredit by having its errors exposed4 ,this circumstance of itself is sufficient to seal its condemnation4 ,belsham says1 ,the genuine books of the ,bible were but few compared with the spurious ones4 ,this would be inferred from the circumstance of only four ,gospels being adopted out of fifty1 and only seventeen ,epistles out of more than one hundred4 ,daille says1 ,the ,christian fathers forged whole books2 but neither he nor anybody else can furnish any rule for determining which they are4 ,,lost ,,books ,,found ,,or ,,re-,,written4 ,dupin says a portion of the books of the ,old ,testament were burned in wars1 and others lost by the ,jews themselves2 and in the ,second ,book of ,chronicles 7xxxiv4 #ad7 we are told that ,hilkiah found the ,book of the ,law after it had been lost eight hundred years4 ,this law appears to have constituted the most important portion of the ,jewish sacred writings4 ,the circumstance gives rise to some very strange reflections and conclusions4 ,it appears from this circumstance that the ,lord's holy people had been without any law to guide or govern them for eight long centuries4 ,now1 can we suppose for a moment that their ,god1 ,jehovah1 was a being of infinite wisdom to write or dictate a law1 and base the happiness and welfare of his people if not the world on that law1 and then1 through carelessness or otherwise1 suffer it to get lost1 and remain unfound for eight hundred years1 so that nobody could have the benefit of it during that long period8 ,the very thought is a trespass upon our good sense1 and does violence to our reason4 ,and where was the law during all that time8 and how was it preserved for so long a period of time8 ,if written on papyrus or parchment1 it would have perished in less than a century from being exposed to the weather3 for we can't assume it was preserved in a drawer or box1 as1 in that case1 it would not have been lost2 and1 if engraven on stone1 the weight would have been fifty times as much as ,hilkiah could carry4 ,we are told that when ,josiah the king heard the law read1 he rent his clothes 7#b ,chron4 xxxiv4 #ai74 ,well1 that is strange indeed4 ,it must have been a very curious law1 or he must have been a very curious man4 ,why the reading of a few plain moral precepts should drive a man to insanity1 and cause him to tear his clothes1 is something hard to understand4 ,and it is evidence that the whole ,jewish tribe had never known or read much about the law3 otherwise a knowledge of it would have been preserved by tradition1 and the king would not have been so profoundly ignorant of it4 ,if the law was the ,pentateuch1 as some writers assume1 the king would have had to stand a week to hear it all read2 and it seems strange that ,shaphan the scribe could pick up a document covered with the mold1 rust1 and dust of eight centuries1 and read it off with sufficient expertness for the king to listen to with patience4 ,but the wonder and difficulty don't stop here4 ,it was only about a quarter of a century until this great holy and divine law was lost again2 which left the ,lord's holy people again without any moral code to guide them1 or a governing law1 for six centuries longer4 ,no wonder they preferred worshiping a calf 7see ,exod4 xxxii47 to paying homage to a ,god so reckless of their welfare and happiness4 ,on this occasion it became so thoroughly lost1 that it never turned up again2 and there seemed to be no way to remedy the deplorable loss but to have it written over again4 ,at least that appears to have been the impression of ,ezra the priest1 who set himself to the onerous task of reproducing the long-lost document from memory or from a second installment of divine inspiration4 7,see ,esdras47 ,such a memory does not often fall to the lot of mortals to possess1--a memory that could enable a man to reproduce a document which neither he nor any other person had read for six hundred years4 ,if the world could be furnished with such a mental prodigy at the present day1 we might again have the benefit of the numerous books and libraries which have been destroyed by fire in modern times4 ,it would require no previous knowledge of any of those works to achieve the task of reproducing them4 ,perhaps we may be told that we are becoming wise above what is written4 ,it would require no mental effort to attain to this eminence1 and become obnoxious to such a charge4 ,in this case1 a few brief sentences1 and the whole thing is dismissed3 no details are given4 ,the story of ,hilkiah finding the ,book of the ,law sounds very much like ,joe ,smith finding the ,mormon ,bible2 and the case of ,ezra's re-writing it is matched by the story of ,vyass the ,holy finding the divine law of the ,brahmins some three thousand years before ,hilkiah was born4 ,mr4 ,higgins says that nearly all ancient religious nations had the tradition of losing and finding their holy books1 holy laws1 and holy languages4 ,the query is here suggested1 that if such an important document could be restored to the people in the manner adopted by ,ezra1 why was not this expedient resorted to a thousand years sooner1 and thus save the demoralization of the ,jews8 ,the policy adopted is too much like locking the stall after the horse is stolen4 ,,impossibility ,,of ,,possessing ,a ,,reliable ,,translation4 ,it is quite evident1 from the facts presented and from others which will hereafter be presented1 that1 if ,god ever gave forth a revelation of his will to the founders of the ,jewish and ,christian religions1 the world is not in possession of it now1 and can not find it in a book as old as the ,christian ,bible1 and written by simply stringing consonants together in a line without any vowels1 and without any distinction of words1 and which must necessarily be an enigma that would puzzle any scholar to decipher4 ,hence the learned ,le ,clere says1 ,even the learned guess at the sense in an infinity of places1 which has produced a prodigious number of discordant interpretations4 ,and ,simonton1 in his ,critical ,history1 says1 ,it is unquestionable that the greater part of the ,hebrew words of the ,old ,testament are equivocal in their signification1 and utterly uncertain2 and that even the most learned ,jews doubt almost every thing in regard to their proper meaning4 ,to talk of finding all scripture given by inspiration of ,god environed with such difficulties1 is to talk nonsense4 ,we will illustrate the nature of these difficulties by citing a case4 ,we will look at the random guessing at the meaning of a single word of a single text by the most learned students and scholars in biblical literature4 ,the word indicating the material of which ,noah's ark was com-posed1 our translation says1 was gophir-wood3 but the ,arabic translation says it was box-wood2 the ,persian translation says it was pine-wood2 another translation makes it red ebony2 and still another declares it was wicker-work2 ,davidson1 assuming to be wise above what is written the case1 says it was bulrushes cemented with pitch2 another writer translates it cedar-wood1 c4 ,and thus ,god's ,holy ,book1 designed for the guidance of man1 has been the sport and the bauble of learned guessers in all ages of ,christendom1 who evidently know as much about it1 in many cases1 as a goose does about ,greek4 ,,many ,,different ,,christian ,,bibles4 ,owing to the multiplicity of ,bible translations1 which differ widely in their doctrines1 precepts1 and the relation of general events1 making a different collection of books to constitute the word of ,god1 various churches1 and even individual professors1 have assumed the liberty to compile and make a ,bible for themselves4 ,the ,roman-,catholic ,bible differs essentially from that of the ,protestants'1 having fourteen more books4 ,the ,bible of the ,greek ,church differs from both4 ,the ,campbellites have a translation of their own4 ,the ,samaritan ,bible contains only the ,five ,books of ,moses4 ,the ,unitarians1 having found twenty-four thousand errors in the popular translation1 made another translation containing still many thousand errors4 ,the ,american ,christian ,union1 having found many thousand errors in ,king ,james's translation1 are now engaged in a new translation4 ,how many more we are to have1 ,god only knows4 ,martin ,luther condemned eleven books of the ,bible1 as we have already stated1 and thus made a ,bible for ,himself4 ,paul's ,epistle to the ,hebrews he denounced in strong terms4 ,eusebius1 the learned ecclesiastical writer1 throws eight ,bible-books overboard1 and had a ,bible to his own fancy4 ,dr4 ,lardner and ,john ,calvin each condemned five or six books1 and had a ,bible peculiar to themselves4 ,grotius places the heel of condemnation on several books of the ,bible4 ,bishop ,baxter voted down eight books as uninspired1 and unworthy of confidence4 ,swedenborg accepted only the ,four ,gospels and ,revelation as inspired4 ,the ,german fathers rejected the ,gospel of ,st4 ,matthew1 and ,i know not how many other books4 ,the ,bible of the learned ,christian writer ,evanson did not contain either ,matthew1 ,mark1 or ,john4 ,the ,unitarian ,bible does not contain ,hebrews1 ,james1 ,jude1 or ,revelation4 ,the ,catholics denounce the ,protestant ,bible1 and the ,protestants condemn the ,catholic ,bible1 as being full of errors4 ,a number of other churches and learned ,christians might be named who had ,bibles of their own selection and construction4 ,and thus every book in the ,bible has passed under the flaming sword of condemnation1 and has been voted down by some ecclesiastical body or learned and devout ,christian4 ,each church has either made out a ,bible for itself1 or accepted that which came the nearest teaching the doctrine of their own peculiar creed4 ,in the midst of this rejection1 expulsion1 and expurgation of ,bibles and ,bible-books1 where can we find the scripture given by inspiration of ,god8 ,we have it upon the authority of ,dr4 ,adam ,clark1 ,eusebius1 ,bishop ,marsh1 and other writers1 that many texts and passages contained in our ,bible can not be found in the earlier editions2 thus showing that many gross interpolations and forgeries have been practiced by the ,christian fathers4 ,christ's prayer on the cross1 ,father1 forgive them1 c41 the story of the woman taken in adultery1 the passage relative to the three that bare record in heaven1 c41 they assure us1 can not be found in any early translation of the ,bible4 ,where1 then1 are the scriptures given by inspiration of ,god8 ,who can tell8 ,,chapter ,,lvi4--,,infidels ,,under ,,the ,,oriental ,,systems1 ,it is an interesting and instructive historical fact1 that in all religious countries1--,christian1 heathen1 and ,mahomedan1--as the people become educated and enlightened1 a portion of them improve the teachings of their ,bible by new interpretations2 while another portion1 possessed of still more intelligence1 abandon the book altogether1 and become infidels to the prevailing religion of the country4 ,i have spoken of the former class in another chapter4 ,in this chapter ,i shall present a brief history of the latter class1 who are known as infidels under different systems of religion4 ,we find1 by our historical researches1 that in ,india1 ,egypt1 ,persia1 ,chaldea1 ,china1 ,mexico1 ,arabia1 c41 a portion of the people outgrow the religion of the country in which they have been educated4 ,and it is an important fact1 observable in all religious countries1 that that portion of the population who become dissatisfied with the established religion of the country are the most intellectual1 the most intelligent1 and very generally the most moral also4 ,we desire the reader to notice this1 as it tends to prove that the cause of infidelity in all countries is intelligence and intellect1 and to establish the converse proposition that the mass of people who adhere so rigidly to the religion in which they were educated are people of limited intellect1 large veneration1 and not very progressive by nature1 and very generally have but little historical or scientific knowledge4 ,they consequently have not observed the errors and defects of their religion1 or its cramping and stultifying effect upon the mind1 or its effect upon the morals of the country4 ,they prefer having somebody else to do their thinking for them4 ,this will be fully illustrated by the brief historical sketch we will now present of the practical operation of infidelity under several forms of religion4 ,i4 ,,the ,,religious ,,skeptics ,,of ,,india4 ,it is generally assumed by the disciples of the ,christian faith that the people of ,india are on a low scale of mind and intelligence1 and that this accounts for the tardy success of the missionaries in the work of converting them to the ,christian faith1 and the obstacles which lie in their pathway1 which makes the cost of conversion bear an enormous proportion to the few proselytes won over to the religion of ,jesus4 ,this matter is interestingly controverted by the ,rev4 ,david ,o4 ,allen1 who spent twenty-five years in that country as a missionary4 ,we will make an extract from his work1 ,india1 ,ancient and ,modern4 ,speaking of the obstacles the two hundred missionaries have to encounter in the work of conversion1 he says1 ,it is now some years since a spirit of infidelity and skepticism began to take strong hold of the educated native minds of ,india4 ,this spirit was first manifested in ,calcutta1 ,madras1 and ,bombay2 and it is making rapid progress in all the large cities 7p4 #ehd74 ,let the reader mark the word educated in this extract4 ,most cogently does it sustain the assumption we have several times made in this work1 that it is intellect and intelligence that cause infidelity under every form and system of religion4 ,it denotes an upward tendency from the brute creation1 which is devoid of intellectual brain4 ,mr4 ,allen says1 ,this class of persons the infidels have associations and societies for debates1 discussions1 and lectures2 and1 among the subjects which engage their attention at such times1 religion1 in some of its forms and claims1 has a prominent place4 ,their libraries are well furnished with infidel and deistical works1 which have been provided from ,europe and ,america4 ,the historical facts and doctrines of the ,bible1 the ordinances of the gospel1 and certain facts and periods of the history of ,christianity are made the subjects of inquiry1 discussion1 and lectures4 ,at such times ,christianity and all connected with it--the scriptures1 doctrines1 and characters1 as well as parts of its history--are often treated with levity1 scurrility1 and blasphemy4 ,let the reader bear in mind that it is a ,christian missionary that is speaking1 who is in the habit of styling every thing blasphemy in the shape of argument against his idolized and superstitious religion4 ,we are assured from other sources that their language1 although freighted with argument and wit1 is always respectable4 ,on such occasions1 continues ,mr4 ,allen1 they make a free use of the works of infidel writings1 and the sneers and cavils and arguments of deists in ,europe and ,america4444 ,this same class has also1 to a great extent1 the management and control of the national press of ,india4 ,this statement suggests that infidelity in ,india is becoming deep1 wide-spread1 and popular4 ,in their journals much appears of an infidel and scurrilous nature against ,christianity in perverted and distorted statements of its doctrines and duties1 of its principles and its precepts1 of the conduct and character of its professors1 and of the ways and means used for propagating it4444 ,the following facts show the state of the native mind in ,india3 ,the proprietor and editor of one of the oldest and best-supported newspapers in ,bombay some time ago expressed his views of the state of religion among all classes1 and suggested what course should be pursued4 ,after inserting two or three articles in his paper1 to prepare the minds of his readers1 he said it was obvious to all that the state of religion was very sad1 and becoming more so1 and that all classes of people appeared to have lost all confidence in their sacred books2 that ,christians do not believe in their ,bible1 or they would practice its precepts2 that the ,jews1 ,mahomedans1 ,hindoos1 and the ,zoroastrians do not believe in their sacred books1 because1 if they did1 they would not do so many things which their ,bibles forbid1 and neglect so many things which they command4 ,he then proceeds to say that the sacred books of all these different classes may have been of divine origin1 and when first given they may have been adapted to the the state and circumstances of the people1 and may have been very useful1 but that they had become unsuitable to the present advanced state of knowledge and improved state of society2 and that none of these sacred books could ever again have the confidence of the people1 and become the rule of their faith and practice4444 ,he then suggested that a religious convention be called in ,bombay1 and that each class of people send a delegation of their learned and devout men with copies of their sacred books1 and that the men of this convention should prepare from all these sacred books a ,shastra suited to the present state of the world1 and adapted to all classes of people4 ,and he expressed his belief that a ,shastra thus prepared and recommended would soon be generally adopted4 ,in his next paper he proceeded to mention some of the doctrines which such a ,shastra should contain2 and among them he said it should inculcate the existence of only one ,god1 and the worship of him without any kind of idol or material symbol4 ,and then he would have no distinction of caste1 which he thought was one of the greatest evils and absurd things in the ,hindoo religion4 ,now1 these opinions and suggestions are chiefly remarkable as exhibiting the state of the native mind4 ,do you mean to say1 ,mr4 ,allen1 that the hundred and fifty millions of the native minds in ,india are all tinctured with these doctrines8 ,if so1 it is glorious news indeed4 ,it is unnecessary to say that these views are entirely subversive of ,hindooism1 invoking the rejection of its sacred books as well as its preceptive rites and most cherished practices4 ,the writer of these articles for the public was a respectable and well-educated ,hindoo4444 ,he was proprietor as well as editor of his paper2 so he had much interest in sustaining its popularity and increasing its circulation4 ,indeed1 ,i was told he had but little property besides his paper1 and that he relied chiefly upon it for his support4 ,he knew the state of religious opinions among the ,hindoos2 and he was well assured that such opinions and suggestions would not be to the prejudice of his character1 nor to the injury of his paper4 ,glad to hear this1 ,mr4 ,allen1 on his account1 and as showing that a remarkable amount of good sense1 intelligence1 and infidelity predominate over the ,christian religion in ,india4 ,now1 this man1 the readers of his paper1 and the circle of his acquaintance1 show the state of hundreds of thousands in ,india1 who are dissatisfied with the ,hindoo religion1 and1 having no confidence in it1 would gladly embrace something better1 more reasonable1 and calculated to exert a better influence upon society and the character of their nation4 ,all hail to such intelligence as this6 ,it shows that the heathen of ,india have more reason1 sense1 and intelligence than many professors of ,christianity4 ,now1 mark the cause which ,mr4 ,allen assigns for this intellectual skepticism of ,india4 ,he says1 ,it is in part the effect of the knowledge they acquire which removes their stupidity and ignorance1 and imparts power to think1 compare1 reason1 and judge on religious subjects2 and in part from the principles and facts of modern astronomy1 history1 geography1 c41 being utterly at variance with the declarations and doctrines of the ,hindoo ,shastras3 so that no person who believes in the former can retain any confidence in the latter4 ,and1 if he had included the ,christian ,bible with the ,shastras1 the statement would have been almost equally true4 ,the natural consequence of this course of education is to produce a spirit of skepticism in respect to all religions4 ,another wonderful admission1 and more proof that infidelity1 brains1 and intelligence are correlative terms4 ,the effect is now seen in the religious1 or rather the irreligious1 views of a proportion of the young men who have been educated in ,european science and literature in the institutions established by the government of ,india4 ,they are strongly opposed to ,christianity1 and often ridicule its most sacred and solemn truths errors more probably4 ,they openly avow their skepticism and deistical sentiments2 but they have hitherto generally conformed to the popular superstitions so far as to avoid persecution1 and retain their sacred positions1 and to secure and enjoy their property rights4444 ,motives of worldly policy may lead most of the present generation of educated young men through life to show some respect to notions1 rites1 and ceremonies which they regard as false1 unmeaning1 and superstitious2 but1 should these views pervade the masses of the native population 7which they are now doing rapidly71 they may be expected to develop their genuine spirit in very painful consequence1 unless ,christianity acquires sufficient power to restrain them 7pp4 #egd and #cba74 ,the painful consequence here apprehended is simply the triumph of religious skepticism based on1 and growing out of1 a broad and thorough literary and scientific education over the senseless dogmas and superstitions of ,christianity4 ,such painful consequences will always follow in any country the enlightenment and expansion of the minds of the people by a thorough acquaintance with the principles of science and literature4 ,it is just as natural as that light should dispel darkness2 and that is exactly what is realized in such cases4 ,mr4 ,allen's statement that motives of worldly policy restrains many of the educated young men of ,india from avowing their real convictions on the subject of religion shows that the same spirit of mental surveillance and priestly despotism prevails in ,india that prevails in all ,christian countries1 and prevents thousands from letting their real sentiments be known4 ,and this mental slavery has filled the world with hypocrites2 but it will soon burst its bonds in ,india1 or would1 if the two hundred ,christian missionaries could be called home4 ,and then ,i would suggest that the tide of missionary emigration be reversed1 and that some of those highly enlightened1 educated men of ,india be sent to throw some light upon this country4 ,mr4 ,allen1 in the continuation of his subject1 states that the government councils of education in ,india are publishing various works on science and literature1--the production of the minds of its own citizens1--and that they have published a large number of works of this character within a few years past4 ,and he states that1 if this course is continued1 ,india will soon have a valuable indigenous literature 7p4 #cba74 ,this statement tends to enlighten us still further as to the cause of the recent rapid spread of infidelity in that country2 for science and literature are certain to precede infidelity4 ,but he complains that the government system of education1 which simply teaches science without superstition1 while it is destroying the confidence of the people in their own system of religion1 is also introducing speculation1 skepticism1 and deism 7p4 #cba74 ,if he were an enlightened philosopher1 he would understand that this is the legitimate operation of cause and effect4 ,mr4 ,allen1 in concluding this sketch of the rapid progress of skepticism in ,india1 says there are many thousands in ,india who have passed from conviction of the falsehood of the ,hindoo religion into a state of skepticism and indifference to all religion1 unless when the progress of ,christianity now and then rouses them to oppose it4 ,this must be cheering news to every enlightened philanthropist4 ,this whole sketch of ,mr4 ,allen's is very interesting1 as it discloses the real causes of infidelity or skepticism in all religion8 countries1 and shows that every form of superstition is giving way and sinking before the march of science1 literature1 and education in the most populous nation on the globe4 ,it is indeed a soul-cheering thought4 ,and where is there a ,christian professor who is so bigoted as not to derive the hint from these historical facts that he can find the cause of his rigid adherence to his own religion1 with all its errors1 by simply placing his hands on his head8 ,it is true4 ,there are1 however1 many persons who still believe in an erroneous system of religion1 simply because they have had no opportunity of obtaining light on the subject4 ,,ii4 ,,sects ,,and ,,infidels ,,in ,,greece ,,and ,,rome4 ,when we arrive at ,greece we find a nation possessing a mental caliber seldom equaled1 and furnishing many philosophers with brains sufficient to enable them to see through the errors and the absurdities of any system of religion4 ,hence infidels were more numerous than sectarians2 and those infidels 7better known as philosophers7 nearly succeeded1 by the force of superior logic and wisdom1 in banishing all systems of religious superstition from the nation4 ,but questions of controversy were more on philosophical subjects than on religious themes2 because the dogmas of the popular religion of ,greece1 like that of all other countries1 were so absurd that the ,grecian philosophers could dispose of them without much mental effort4 ,as a proof and illustration of this statement1 we will cite the case of ,stilpo1 who1 on being asked by ,crates 7,b4,c4 #cca7 whether he believed that ,god took any pleasure in being worshiped by mortals1 replied1 ,thou fool1 don't question me upon such absurdities in the public streets1 but wait till we are alone4 ,greece1 and also ,rome1 furnished intellectual minds of a high order2 and all their numerous philosophers were skeptical on the prevailing forms of religion in those and other nations4 ,it will be observed1 then1 that nearly all the religious orders of antiquity gave rise to numerous sects1 and also numerous infidels and skeptics1 alias philosophers4 ,,iii4 ,,sects ,,and ,,skeptics ,,in ,,egypt4 ,ancient ,egypt was characterized by a considerable amount of intellectual mind1 and no inconsiderable proficiency in the arts and sciences4 ,and hence1 as would naturally be expected1 a considerable portion of her people1 in the course of time1 broke from the trammels of the popular religious faith1 and became infidel to all the systems and sects in the nation2 while those of a secondary order of intellect abandoned some dogmas1 modified others1 and started new sects4 ,this gave offense to the parental religious order1 which resulted in one or two cases in a serious quarrel1 though not with the bloody and deadly results which have marked the religious quarrels among the sects and followers of the ,prince of peace1 which have been so sanguine1 cruel1 and bloody1 as to leave eighteen million human beings on the battle-field1 or consumed by fire1 or consigned to a watery grave4 ,religious wars among the heathen have not been half so fiendish or fatal as those waged by the disciples of the cross4 ,the number of sects in ,egypt is not known1 but they were numerous4 ,,iv4 ,,sects ,,and ,,skeptics ,,in ,,china4 ,china1 though characterized by less mental activity than most other religious nations1 has had her sects and her skeptics1 and not a very small number of the former1 though less in proportion to her religious population than either ,egypt1 ,india1 ,persia1 ,chaldea1 or ,arabia4 ,some of her sects manifested a disposition to borrow dogmas from other religions2 while others attempted an improvement on the ancient faith established by ,confucius1 although in its moral aspects it was the best system of religion extant4 ,the oldest sect known was founded by ,laotse1 and was known as ,taotse4 ,his religion differed more from that of ,confucius with respect to its ceremonies than its doctrines4 ,on the whole1 there has not been sufficient intellectual growth in ,china to produce any very marked changes in the long-established religion of the country4 ,innovation and religious improvement in ,china are checked and almost prevented by a sort of ecclesiastical tribunal1 which has existed from time immemorial1 known as the ,court of ,rites1 which is invested with authority to suppress religious innovation1 and thus put an extinguisher on infidelity4 ,v4 ,,persian ,,sects ,,and ,,skeptics4 ,persia has possessed sufficient intellectual mind to make very considerable changes in her religion4 ,according to tradition1 she was once overrun with idolatry4 ,but now1 and for at least three or four thousand years 7and before the time of ,moses71 that nation has manifested the greatest abhorrence to images1 excelling in this respect even ,moses1 who probably borrowed his antipathy to idolatry from that country4 ,sects have arisen which have condemned not only the doctrines of the primary system1 but its mode of worship4 ,there has been considerable controversy among the sects in ,persia upon the question whether ,god should be worshiped in temples made with hands1 or in the open air2 also with respect to the origin of evil1 and whether the ,devil 7,ahrimanes7 was eternal1 or co-eternal with ,god 7,ormuzd74 ,these questions of dispute1 and various others1 have given rise to more than seventy different sects2 while the most intellectual and best improved minds have outgrown and renounced them all1 and assumed the character of infidels4 ,,vi4 ,,mahomedan ,,skeptics ,,and ,,sects4 ,mahomedans have paid very particular attention to education1 and the cultivation of the arts and sciences1 and have produced and published a number of literary works4 ,a number of scientific men have arisen among them from time to time2 and schools and colleges have been established1 in which many have obtained a literary and scientific education1 ,hence there will be no difficulty in understanding why thousands of infidels or skeptics have arisen amongst them1 and avowed their disbelief in the religion of the ,koran4 ,some of them have spent much time in writing and speaking in their attempts to expose its errors and absurdities2 and a large number of sects have sprung up amongst them from time to time1 numbering1 on the whole1 not less than fifty4 ,all these sects mark the progress of religious thought2 and each sect made some improvement in the prevailing creeds and dogmas1 or some of the religious customs and ceremonials4 ,one of the oldest and principal sects was the ,sabeans1 who claim to be the original founders of the ,mahomedan religion4 ,they are very devout1 pray three times a day1--morning1 noon1 and evening4 ,they also observe three annual fasts1 offer animal sacrifices1 and practice circumcision1 and cherish other foolish customs1 and preach other superstitious doctrines1 which the cultivation of the sciences has had the effect to open the eyes of some of its devotees to see the absurdity of4 ,hence they have left1 and founded new sects with new and improved creeds4 ,in this way a great many new sects have sprung up from time to time1 as in ,christian countries1 which marks the progress of religious improvement4 ,a great amount of religious controversy has been carried on between these belligerent sects1 which has had the effect1 to some extent1 to liberalize all4 ,one of the largest ,and most important of these sects has arisen in modern times1--the anti-,ramazan sect1--which now numbers not less than forty thousand adherents4 ,they discard the feast of ,ramazan1 condemn polygamy1 and contend that no man ought to be persecuted for his religious opinions or his infidelity4 ,it will be perceived they are somewhat radical2 and this is easily accounted for4 ,their origin dates since the dawn of literature in that country2 and they number in their ranks the best educated1 most enlightened and intelligent professors of the ,mahomedan faith4 ,here is suggested again the cause of infidelity1 or the act of outgrowing the popular faith1 which has characterized a portion of the disciples of nearly every form of religion known to history4 ,some of the ,mahomedan sects rose up against one form of popular superstition1 and some another4 ,one sect opposed the prevailing belief in a physical resurrection1 and argued that the soul rises only as a spiritual entity4 ,another sect opposed and exposed the absurdity and obscenity of the rite of circumcision4 ,another argued that punishment after death would be but for a limited period4 ,another sect opposed the savage superstition of animal sacrifice1 c4 ,while the mother institution1 which worshiped in the ancient1 moss-covered mosque1 condemned them all as infidels2 but none of them seem to have possessed the amount of intellectual acumen or scientific intelligence to enable them to perceive that the whole system was defective4 ,hence they labored to improve it1 instead of laboring to destroy it1 and supply the place with something better2 though hundreds and thousands of the educated classes had their mental vision sufficiently enlightened and expanded to enable them to see truth beyond the narrow confines of creeds and dogmas4 ,hence they abandoned their long-cherished religious errors1 and have since lent their influence to expose them1 and put them down4 ,thus round and round we run2 ,and ever the truth comes uppermost1 ,and ever is justice done4 ,,chapter ,,lvii4--,,sects1 ,,schisms1 ,,and ,,skeptics ,,in ,,christian ,,countries4 ,the practical history of ,christianity1 ever since the dawn of civilization1 has been that of schisms1 sects1 and divisions1 all indicating the natural growth of the human mind1 and its thirst for knowledge1 its struggles for freedom1 and its unalterable determination to be as free as the eagle that soars above the clouds4 ,the number of church sects is estimated to be more than five hundred1 and the number is still increasing4 ,and the multiplication of infidels has kept pace with the increase of the churches2 and skeptics are now increasing much more rapidly than converts to the churches4 ,this fact accounts for the lamentations with which church organs and religious magazines an now filled with respect to the rapid falling off of church membership1 and the decline of church attendance4 ,the people are rapidly outgrowing their creeds and dogmas4 ,this causes the decline of the churches4 ,we will cite a few facts by way of illustration3 ,a recent number of ,the ,christian ,era states that there has been twenty-two thousand more deserters from the ,baptist ,church than conversions to it within the brief period of five years4 ,this does not look like converting the world1 as they have avowed their determination to do4 ,and the ,methodist ,church1 according to ,the ,watchman and ,reflector4 is losing its members still faster3 several thousand have left within the past year4 ,zion's ,watchman presents us with a still sadder picture of the evangelical churches in general4 ,it states that religion is on the decline in all those churches1 and that in some of them it is rapidly dying out4 ,it states1 that1 where one new church is erected1 two are shut up2 and concludes by saying1 ,zion indeed languisheth1 and religion is at a low ebb4 ,it means churchianity religion2 for pure religion and undefiled1 the outgrowth of modern intelligence1 is on the increase1 and increases in the ratio of the decline of the churches4 ,the cause of ,zion in old ,england appears to be in as lamentable a condition as in this country4 ,a recent number of ,the ,english ,recorder makes the solemn declaration that there are five millions of people living without the means of grace in that one province1 and that1 if arranged in a continuous line in single file1 they would reach the distance of fourteen miles4 ,this is rather a large number of immortal souls to be traveling the broad road in one nation4 ,and we are informed that in ,canada a large number of the people have no religion1 and are on the road to infidelity4 ,to return to this country3 ,a colporteur of the ,american ,bible ,society informs us that three-fourths of the citizens of ,philadelphia1 and four-fifths of those of ,new ,york and vicinity1 have no religion1 and no faith in the religion of the ,bible4 ,they must therefore be set down as infidels4 ,and the ,american ,christian ,commission1 which assembled not long since in ,new ,york1 has made some startling developments with respect to the decline of church attendance throughout the country4 ,this body1 ,i believe1 represents nearly all the evangelical churches1 and is composed principally of clergymen4 ,they have had census committees traveling the whole country over to ascertain the proportionate number of church-members and church-goers in every city1 town1 and village in the country4 ,their report is really astonishing2 and1 as figures will not lie1 these reports prove that the orthodox churches are rapidly declining4 ,as indicative of the state of the whole country1 look at the condition of some of our large cities4 ,this vigilance committee tells us that three-fourths of the citizens of ,st4 ,louis never attend church1 making about two hundred thousand out of the whole population4 ,and in ,boston1 according to their figures1 the proportion of church-members and church-goers is still smaller1 being only about one-fifth1 which leaves two hundred thousand persons out in the cold2 but it is a kind of cold that is very comfortable compared with the cold1 chilling dogmas of orthodoxy4 ,statistics similar to the above are furnished for many of the cities1 towns1 and villages throughout the country1 by which it appears that many people are forsaking these old1 obsolete institutions1 and that the credal churches are really in a dying condition4 ,the ,state of ,vermont1 taking it at large1 furnishes a moral lesson worthy of imitation4 ,it is one of the best educated1 moral1 enlightened1 and intelligent ,states in the ,union4 ,crime is but little known compared with the world at large2 and yet only about one in twenty of her citizens is a sound church-member4 ,thus we see that ,vermont is about the best educated and most moral ,state in the ,union1 and1 at the same time1 the most infidel ,state4 ,put this and that together4 ,it will be seen at once that education1 intelligence1 morality1 and infidelity go hand in hand2 and that morality grows out of infidelity1 instead of ,christianity2 and that science and infidelity1 and not the ,bible or ,christianity1 are to be the great levers and instrumentalities for reforming the world4 ,where1 then1 is the moral force of ,christianity1 so much talked of by the clergy8 ,and we have it1 upon the authority of this national body of clergymen1 that there are not a sufficient number of church edifices in the country to hold one-half of the people if they wished to attend divine service2 and that1 on an an average1 the churches are not half filled on the sabbath4 ,from this statement it is evident that only about one-fifth are church-goers2 and a large number of these are not church-members1 but attend1 as the committees state1 for mere pastime4 ,this state of things forms a striking contrast with the condition of things only eighty or a hundred years ago1 when nearly everybody attended church4 ,to sum up the thing in a few words1 the case stands about thus3 ,a hundred years ago from three-fourths to nine-tenths of the people were church-attendants1 and the most of them church-members2 but now not more than one in eight or ten is a church-adherent1 and not the half of these are sound or full believers4 ,a gentleman3 who has recently traveled in every ,state in the ,union for the purpose of critically investigating the matter1 concludes1 as the result of his inquiries2 that not one in fifteen of the entire population of the ,united ,states is a sound orthodox believer4 ,this1 contrasted with the state of the country and churches a hundred years ago1 shows the difference is great1 and that the decline of the orthodox faith is rapid1 and their approach to their final destiny swift and sure4 ,calculating from the present rates of decrease in church interest and belief in church creeds1 there will not be an orthodox church in existence sixty years from this time4 ,truly does the committee making this report say1 ,the state of the churches is alarming1 but it is only alarming to the unprogressive adherents to old1 musty1 mind-crushing creeds and dogmas4 ,to us it is not alarming1 but cause of rejoicing1 in view of the fact that the disappearance of these old soul-crushing institutions will give place to the glorious and grand truths of the ,harmonial philosophy1--a religion adapted to the true wants of the soul1 and calculated to save both soul and body from every thing which now mars their health1 beauty1 and happiness4 ,then every one can sit under his own vine and fig-tree1 where none can make him afraid of orthodox devils or an angry ,god4 ,we bring these things to notice for the purpose of showing that a religious body which persists in preaching1 from year to year and from age to age1 the same creed1 dogmas1 and catechisms1 without any improvement1 or even conceding the possibility that they can be improved1 will fall behind the times1 and finally be abandoned by all growing and intelligent minds4 ,they cease to answer the moral and spiritual wants of the people1 and become as cramping to their souls as the ,chinese wooden shoes would be to their feet4 ,excelsior1 onward and upward1 is the motto for this age4 ,and that institution1 whether moral1 religious1 or political1 which obstinately refuses to live out this motto1 will die as certainly as that the stopping the circulation of the blood will produce death4 ,having spoken of the decadence of the churches1 we will now look at the counter-picture1--the progress of infidelity4 ,and here we observe that leading church-members not only confess to the decline of the churches1 but concede1 on the other hand1 that what they are pleased to stigmatize as infidelity is rapidly increasing4 ,we will refer to some of their alarming reports4 ,a recent number of ,scribner's ,monthly says1 that at this very moment a black cloud of skepticism covers the whole moral horizon2 and the ,right ,reverend ,bishop of ,winchester corroborates the statement by exclaiming1 ,infidelity is everywhere3 it colors all our philosophy and our commonplace religion4 ,professor ,fisher1 in a warning note to ,christian professors1 says but few religious teachers are aware of the strength of the infidel party1 and the alarming prevalence of infidelity throughout the country1--that it pervades all classes of society1 and is in the very atmosphere we breathe4 ,if this be true1 that infidelity pervades the atmosphere1 then all must inhale it1 and become contaminated by it1 and thus become infidels naturally1 and in spite of any godly resistance4 ,hence they should not be blamed for what they can not help4 ,the ,rev4 ,david ,k4 ,nelson1 author of ,the ,cause and ,cure of ,infidelity1 makes some wonderful concessions in regard to the alarming prevalence of infidelity among the higher classes4 ,he tells us that three-fourths of the editors of our popular newspapers are infidels1 that nearly all our law-makers are infidels1 and that even the ,church itself is full of infidels4 ,if these statements are to be credited1 the reverend gentleman may as well abandon all efforts to arrest it2 for it evidently has the reins of government1 and can't be stopped1 and will ultimately rule the nation1 and finally the world4 ,then will we have a rational religion2 then will the millennium1 so long predicted by seers and sung of by poets1 be ushered in as an earthly paradise4 ,this statement of ,mr4 ,nelson's is corroborated by the religious magazines of the day4 ,the ,american ,quarterly ,review asserts that seventeen-twentieths or the people are tinctured with infidelity4 ,this leaves but a small handful of the faithful and zealous defenders of the faith once delivered to the saints4 ,the editor of ,the ,baptist ,examiner says that a member of the ,united-,states ,senate remarked to him1 ,there are1 ,i assure you1 but very few members of this body who believe in your evangelical religion4 ,this is confirmatory of the statement frequently made in this work1 that our current religion is not adapted to the times2 that it is practically outgrown by the better informed classes of society4 ,mr4 ,beecher says1 ,four-fifths of the educated young men of the age are infidels4 ,take notice1 the educated4 ,here is further evidence that infidelity and intelligence are almost synonymous terms1--further proof that education and intelligence alone are needed to banish ,christian superstition from the world4 ,let it be borne in mind that infidelity1 in its true sense1 simply means want of faith in the worn-out creeds and dogmas of past ages1 but no lack of faith in any thing good and true4 ,if we were to accept the orthodox definition of infidelity1--,want of faith in the precepts and practice of ,christ1--then it would apply to every ,christian professor on earth4 ,there is not one of them that is not tinctured more or less with this kind of infidelity4 ,there is not a ,christian professor who believes as ,jesus ,christ did1 or who practices the life he did4 ,for example3 no civilized ,christian in this enlightened age believes with ,christ that disease is produced by devils1 and that1 to cure the obsessed1 the diabolical intruder must be cast out of the inner man4 ,in this and other respects all enlightened ,christian professors of the present day differ from the precepts and examples of ,christ2 hence1 strictly speaking1 are not ,christians1 but infidels4 ,and we are warranted in saying that ,christ himself1 if living in this more enlightened and scientific age1 would reject some of the superstitious notions which he cherished in common with the religions professors of that dark and illiterate era4 ,he was most devoutly honest1 but very ignorant on scientific subjects4 ,here permit us to note the fact that a very great change has taken place within half a century in the practical lives1 as well as the religious views1 of those who still profess to believe in the ,christian faith4 ,the time has been when nearly all religious professors1 including even officers under the government1 kept a diary of their religious experience1 about which they talked whenever they met together2 daily engaged in vocal prayer1 and daily read their ,bibles and catechisms2 and the latter many of them committed to memory4 ,but now it is doubtful whether one-half of even the clergy themselves ever read it4 ,and as for the ,bible1 which used to be read every day by ,christian professors1 probably not one-half of them ever see inside of it once in six months1 unless it is when they wish to settle some controverted question in theology4 ,some modern works of fiction or of travel have taken the place of the ,holy ,book on the centre-table1 while the newspaper has supplanted the catechism4 ,these are some of the extraordinary changes which have recently taken place1 and are still rapidly going on1 in the practical lives of ,christian professors1 which tend to show that their faith is daily growing weaker in the soul-saving efficacy of their religion1 or in the belief that it possesses any intrinsic importance4 ,this rapid decline in practical ,christianity will land nearly all its professors on the shores of infidelity in less than half a century4 ,,chapter ,,lviii4--,,modern ,,christianity ,,one-,,half ,,infidelity4 ,when ,martin ,luther left the ,roman-,catholic ,church1 and adopted the motto1 ,liberty to investigate1 he sounded the death-knell of every orthodox church that should afterwards spring up outside the jurisdiction of the ,pope4 ,luther was bigotedly orthodox1 and something of a tyrant3 but he had more intellectual brain and mind than most men of his time2 and that intellectual ability1 though warped by education and enchained by bigotry and superstition1 struggled for freedom as minds of that character always do4 ,luther commenced reasoning 7most unfortunate for his orthodoxy72 but he had been living in the murky atmosphere of superstition all his life1 and preaching a creed that had been stereotyped for a thousand years3 so that his reasoning powers had been much weakened1 and he had not sufficient intellectual light to see his way out of the dark prison-house of superstition in which the whole ,christian ,church was then enslaved4 ,but he had intellect enough1 when exercised1 to convince him there was something wrong in the popular religion of the times2 and he commenced reasoning1 though in a very narrow circle4 ,he did not attack orthodoxy1 but only the tyranny of its misrule and the audacity of the ,pope4 ,it was only a reasoning mind beginning to feel the impulse of intellectual growth4 ,the method which he adopted--liberty to investigate--was a dangerous experiment for orthodoxy1 and will yet prove the death-warrant of all ,protestant churches4 ,the ,pope has adopted the only true policy for keeping the light of the grand truths of science and infidelity from entering the darkened doors and windows of the ,church1 and producing schisms and disputes1--that of binding the intellect in chains1 and laying it at the feet of the ,pope4 ,but ,luther1 by adopting the motto1 ,liberty to investigate1 set some orthodox minds to thinking and reasoning2 and a religious mind that is allowed to think for itself will eventually think and reason its way out of its soul-enslaving creed1 or at least make some progress in that direction4 ,hence1 ever since ,luther adopted this grand motto1 the ,christian ,church 7except that part kept in fetters by the ,pope7 has been gradually moving every hour since ,luther entered upon this hazardous experiment of allowing religionists to reason and think for themselves4 ,orthodoxy has been growing weaker4 ,it is becoming gradually diluted with the grand truths of science1 and now entertains broader and more enlightened views1 ,thus this bigoted spirit of orthodoxy is dying by inches4 ,its days are numbered2 and the last orthodox ,protestant church will die in less than a century4 ,this is no mere visionary dream or random guess-work3 it is a scientific problem1 which can be proved and demonstrated by figures4 ,the progress of the churches in the past1 in permitting the truths of science and the infidelity of the age to displace its mind-crushing dogmas1 and modify its creeds1 furnishes a certain criterion for calculating their final destiny2 and1 by this rule1 we are assured its years will be few4 ,let us look and see what progress the ,protestant churches have already made towards abandoning the faith once delivered to the saints4 ,some of them are much farther advanced in the line of progress than others2 and each new church that has sprung up since the days of ,luther dates a new era in the religious progress and onward march of infidelity2 and yet each one professed to be sound in the faith1 and forbid any one to advance beyond its landmarks4 ,every one proclaimed1 ,thus far shalt thou go1 and no farther1 in the line of religious progress4 ,we will notice them in their order4 ,the old ,romish ,church held all ,chris-tians in its iron grasp for eleven hundred years1 and hung its dark curtains in the moral heavens to exclude the light of science4 ,reason was held in chains1 and the intellect crushed beneath the foot of popish infallibility4 ,but1 after this night of intellectual darkness1 ,luther rebelled1 and broke the spell1 and set what little intellect there was left in the ,church to thinking4 ,its doctrines were heathenish4 ,it taught the infallibility of the ,pope1 and the divinity of the ,virgin ,mary4 ,in this respect they were more consistent than the ,protestant churches2 for the divinity of ,christ presupposes the divinity of both his parents1 otherwise he would be half human and half divine4 ,it also teaches the doctrine of election and reprobation1 endless punishment1 and other silly superstitions4 ,in this state of mental darkness ,greek literature made an attempt to invade its ranks and dispel its ignorance with the light of science1 but failed1--not1 however1 until it had let a few gleams of light into the intellectual brain of some of the best minds1 and set them to thinking4 ,this caused a few members to reject the infallibility of the ,pope1 and a division in the ,church was the consequence4 ,a new ,church was instituted1 which received the name of the ,greek ,church4 ,here we find a slight improvement in the ,christian creed4 ,the ,greek ,christians rejected the doctrine of the infallibility of the ,pope1 but still held to the divinity of the ,virgin ,mary1 and all the other senseless dogmas of the ,church4 ,but1 as it abandoned one of the most popular but unreasonable doctrines of the ,church1 it was an important step toward advancement4 ,they did not1 however1 look upon it in that light1 but declared it was the true doctrine of the ,bible1 and here planted their stakes1 and forbade any further improvement4 ,after gathering a ,church of seventy million souls1 another night of intellectual darkness set in1 and continued for four hundred years2 which brings us down to the fifteenth century1 when ,luther rebelled against the ,pope1 and again broke the spell of mental lethargy and intellectual darkness1 and set what little intellectual mind there was left in the ,church to thinking4 ,another slight improvement was made in the ,christian creed4 ,the ,lutherans not only rejected the doctrine of the infallibility of the ,pope but also the divinity of the ,virgin ,mary1 but here stopped1 and planted their stakes1 and issued a bull to interdict further progress2 but the ball1 once set in motion1 can not be stopped4 ,as well attempt to bind the ocean with a rope of sand as to attempt to stop the march of thought when one link is broken which binds it to the ,juggernaut of superstition4 ,this is true1 however1 of but few minds4 ,but few church-members possess thought and independence enough to advance faster than their leaders4 ,luther did not live long enough to outgrow all the superstitious dogmas in which he had been educated2 but he made such rapid progress in infidelity that he condemned the doctrines of eleven books of1 the ,bible1 and consequently rejected them2 viz41 ,chronicles1 ,job1 ,ecclesiastes1 ,proverbs1 ,esther1 ,joshua1 ,jonah1 ,hebrews1 ,james1 ,jude1 and ,revelation4 ,he was then an infidel with respect to eleven books of the ,bible2 and1 had he lived in an age of progress like the present1 he would have become an out-and-out infidel4 ,but the mass of his followers did not possess minds so susceptible of intellectual growth3 hence they lived and died in faith with the creeds he made for them4 ,there were1 however1 a few exceptions to this rule4 ,in all ages and all religious countries1 and under every form of religion1 there have been a few minds gifted with thought and reason beyond that of the multitude4 ,a few of this class figured under ,lutherism1 who eventually1 by virtue of their tendency to mental growth1 discovered some defects in his creed and system of faith4 ,among this number was ,arminius1 who rejected the doctrine of total depravity1 original sin1 the eucharist1 purgatory1 c41 and1 with this change of ,lutherism1 founded what became known as the ,arminian ,church3 but as no mind and no set of minds in any age have possessed the mental capacity to discover all error1 or to grasp all truth1 so ,arminius only outgrew a few of the erroneous dogmas of the ,christian faith1 and then stopped1 and planted his stakes1 and stereotyped his creed2 and any opinion or doctrine that advanced beyond that was infidelity4 ,he did not live quite long enough to discover the absurdity of the atonement and an endless hell1 and hence those doctrines are found in his creed2 but the change he made in the popular religion furnishes another indubitable proof of the progress of mind1 and the progressive improvement of the religion of ,christianity1 and another proof of the steady progress ,christianity has made towards infidelity4 ,so distinct and marked have been these changes1 that they furnish data for calculating proximately the period when the last dogma shall drop out of the creeds of the churches1 and bring them into conformity to the teachings of reason and science1--in other words1 when ,christianity shall merge into infidelity4 ,and what is meant by infidelity is the want of faith in the false and morally injurious dogmas of the superstitious ages4 ,another step in the road of religious progress brings us to the ,unitarian ,church4 ,here we find still longer strides in the direction of the ,christian faith towards infidelity4 ,the ,unitarians rejected the doctrine of the divinity of ,jesus ,christ4 ,and why8 ,simply because the founders of that church had expansive intellectual minds that enabled them to perceive the absurdity and logical impossibility of the truth of the doctrine4 ,their enlightened reasoning powers enabled them to discover these objections to the doctrine3 viz4 7#a7 ,the impossibility of incorporating an infinite being into a finite body or into the human body2 7#b7 the absurdity of considering any being on earth a ,god while there was acknowledged to be one in heaven1 making at least two ,gods2 7#c7 the difficulty of accepting the ,bible history of ,christ as furnishing proof of his divinity1 while it invests him with all the qualities of a human being4 ,these and numerous other absurdities1 which are treated of in ,the ,world's ,sixteen ,crucified ,saviors1 lead them to reject the doctrine of the divinity of ,christ1 while most other ,protestant churches consider a belief in the doctrine essential to salvation4 ,thus they make a long leap towards infidelity4 ,having intellectually outgrown the doctrine1 they set themselves to work to get it out of the ,bible4 ,this was no difficult task3 for as many texts as may be found in the ,new ,testament in favor of the doctrine1 a much larger number may be cited in opposition to it4 ,and a similar history may be given of the ,universalist ,church4 ,it1 too1 has run into infidelity4 ,the doctrine of ,universal salvation is a beautiful doctrine3 it had its origin in the noblest and kindest feelings of the human mind4 ,messrs4 ,murray and ,ballou1 founders of the church1 were men of broad philanthropy and human sympathy1 and possessed the kindest feelings4 ,such men could not brook the idea of endless misery for a single soul in ,god's universe4 ,they were also men of a liberal endowment of reason and logical perception1 and hence rejected the doctrine from logical considerations also4 ,being intellectual and intelligent men1 they became convinced that the doctrine was wrong4 ,they set themselves to work to get it out of the ,bible4 ,their object in doing this was more to save the credit of the ,bible than to make it an authority to sustain their own position4 ,the ,bible being a many-stringed instrument1 on which you can play any tune1 they found about as little difficulty in disproving the doctrine by the ,bible as others do in establishing the doctrine by that authority4 ,it is wonderful with what ease and facility a dozen conflicting doctrines may be drawn from the same text4 ,this is because all human language is ambiguous1 and that of the ,bible pre-eminently so2 and this fact demonstrates the absolute impossibility of settling any controverted theological question by the ,bible4 ,controversialists who should argue a question before a jury on ,bible ground1 for a week or a month1 should1 in most cases1 have a verdict given in favor of both parties2 for1 usually1 both beat1 and also get beaten4 ,universalists1 taking advantage of this ambiguity and uncertainty of ,bible language1 are now able to show that the doctrine of endless punishment is not taught in the ,book4 ,they succeeded in ruling the doctrine out of all the punitive terms to be found in ,holy ,writ4 ,the word devil1 on being traced to its origin1 was found to be a contraction of do evil4 ,with this discovery they cast the devil out of their ,bible4 ,the word hell was found to be derived from the ,saxon word hole2 and hence1 if it have any application in the case1 must mean ,symm's ,hole4 ,hell-fire originally meant a fire kindled in the vicinity of ,jerusalem to consume the offal of the city4 ,and thus1 according to ,universalism1 the doctrine of future endless torment is no longer a ,christian doctrine2 and1 whether their position is correct or not1 it is rather comforting to believe that none of us are to be eternally roasted in the future life1 and that even ,satan himself has been released from the painful duty of ruling that kingdom4 ,the history of both the ,unitarian and ,universalist ,churches furnishes evidence of the rapid advancement of ,christianity toward infidelity2 and also the conclusion that the natural desires and moral feelings1 and also the reasoning faculties1 have much to do in forming the opinions of ,christian professors as to whether certain doctrines are taught in the ,bible1--whether they are scriptural or antiscriptural4 ,the wish is often father to the belief4 ,just let a certain ,bible doctrine become repugnant to the natural feelings of some pious professor1 or at war with his enlightened reason1 or instinctively repulsive to his moral sense1 and he will find some way to convince himself that it is not a ,bible doctrine4 ,a new light springing up in the mind has1 in many cases1 led to new and improved interpretations of the ,bible4 ,it seems strange1 indeed1 that none of the two hundred millions of ,christian professors have been able to discover that it is the improvement of the moral and intellectual faculties that has done so much to improve the doctrines and general teachings of the ,bible in modern times4 ,the old absurdities and heathenish ideas of the ,bible are pumped out by the clerical force-pump1 and a new set of ideas substituted in their place4 ,this keeps it from falling immeasurably behind the times4 ,it is a work of moral necessity to keep it from being condemned and set aside1 or trampled under foot4 ,christian professors can all find abundant scripture to prove any thing they desire to prove2 but let them change their belief1 and adopt the opposite doctrine1 and they can find as much scripture to prove that also4 ,there is no difficulty in making out any kind of a creed or code of faith that may be desired4 ,hence a man may change his creed or his conduct as often as he pleases1 and still be a ,christian1 or fit least pass for one4 ,who that is not blinded by priestcraft1 or a false religious education1 can not see that it was the natural growth of the moral and intellectual faculties which gave rise to those new churches to which ,i have referred1 with their new and improved interpretation of the ,bible8 ,step by step along the pathway of human progress1 the churches are forced against all resistance to make occasional improvements in their creeds2 but so strong is their resistance to any change1 and so determined to keep their creeds and dogmas unalterably stereotyped1 that their improvements are too slow to suit the most progressive minds amongst them4 ,hence they leave the churches to which they have been tied1 and in some cases form new ones1 with new creeds1 better adapted to the improved taste and improved moral code of the times4 ,there is not a ,protestant church in existence that does not furnish incontestable proof that ,christian doctrines are perpetually changing4 ,there is not a ,protestant church that is not on the high road to infidelity4 ,they have all unconsciously broken loose from the old landmarks4 ,there is not one of them that is not now preaching doctrines which they would fifty or sixty years ago have denounced as infidelity4 ,this may be to some a startling statement1 but ,i will prove it4 ,i have pointed out numerous changes in doctrines made by all the modern churches1 and their rapid tendency to infidelity4 ,i will now show that the churches from which they emanated1 on account of their immobility and conservativeness1 have also made radical changes in their creeds1 and are moving on in the same direction1 being pushed forward by the irresistible tide of modern innovation and improvement4 ,they have made more or less change in nearly all the doctrines of their creeds4 ,then look at the numerous doctrines once regarded as the very essence of ,christianity1 which they have entirely abandoned4 ,we will enumerate some of them3 ,the doctrine of casting out devils2 the doctrine of a lake of fire and brimstone2 the doctrine of ,christ's descent into hell2 the doctrine of purgatory 7these two last-named doctrines1 ,mr4 ,sears says1 were once the doctrines of the ,church universal1 which nobody called in dispute72 the doctrine of election and reprobation1 fore-ordination2 the doctrine of infant damnation2 the doctrine of polygamy1 c4 ,these were all once regarded as prime articles of the ,christian faith2 and most of them were preached by all the churches3 and now they are all abandoned by most of the churches2 thus showing that they improve their creeds as they advance in light and knowledge4 ,thus the enlightenment of their own minds leads them to preach more enlightened doctrines1 which they erroneously suppose are the teachings of the ,book1 when they are really the product of their own minds4 ,the ,indian1 when he halloos to the distant hills and receives back the echo of his own voice1 erroneously supposes some one is responding to him4 ,in like manner1 ,christians1 when reading and interpreting their ,bible1 receive the echo of their own minds1 which they mistake for the response of the ,bible writers1 and the true meaning of the text4 ,each new church1 springing up from time to time1 is founded on some new interpretation of the ,bible1 and flatters itself1 that1 for the first time since the establishment of ,christianity1 it has found the true key for unlocking all the mysteries and explaining all the doctrines of the ,bible2 and that all the churches which preceded it were in the dark1 each of which interpreted the same texts differently1 with the same conviction that they had found the true key for laying open the hidden mysteries of the word of ,god4 ,but the probability is1 that if the ,bible writers could be called up from their graves1 and interrogated about the matter1 they would declare that not one of the churches had guessed at the real meaning of those texts which they are quarreling about the meaning of2 that they are all far from the mark2 and that they have all saddled a meaning on the texts which the writers never intended1 and never thought of1 and would make them smile to hear of1--though1 in many cases1 they have made decided improvements on the original meaning1 so as to make them more acceptable to the enlightened and thinking and intelligent minds of the age4 ,this saves the ,book from being rejected4 ,did the clergy preach the same doctrine they did fifty or a hundred years ago1 they would find themselves minus a congregation4 ,it is the improvement they are constantly making in the ,bible that keeps up its reputation1 and saves it from the ruinous criticisms and condemnations of the scientific men of the age4 ,and yet these changes are wrought unconsciously to the great mass of ,christian professors2 and many of them would have been startled had they been told in early life that the time would come when they would believe as they do now1--perhaps horrified at the thought1--and would have denounced it as the rankest infidelity4 ,the question1 then1 naturally arises here1 ,where is the use of erecting standards of faith1 when you believe one thing to-day and another to-morrow8 ,you admit you were mistaken in the belief you entertained a few years ago2 and in a few years more1 if you have a progressive mind1 you will admit that your present position is wrong1 and susceptible of improvement4 ,every ,christian professor of much intelligence makes some improvement in his creed in the course of his life4 ,hence it is impossible for him to know what he will believe to-morrow1 or how much more of an infidel he will be than he is to-day4 ,one change makes way for another4 ,the wheels of progress move steadily onward3 they never stop1 and never run backward4 ,it is impossible1 after you have made the slightest change and improvement in your religious belief1 which is a step in the direction of infidelity1 to know how many steps you will take in the future4 ,you may resolve and re-resolve1 as most religious professors do1 that there shall be no change in your present views2 but that will not prevent it4 ,one change proves not only the possibility1 but the probability1 of another change4 ,martin ,luther once believed1 like ,rev4 ,dr4 ,cheever of ,new ,york that1 ,there is not the shadow of a shade of error in the ,bible from ,genesis to ,revelation2 and yet he afterwards found eleven books of the ,bible so full of errors1 that he decided they were not divinely inspired1 and rejected them from his creed3 and1 had he lived fifty years later1 he might have rejected all the other books of the ,bible1 and become as rank an infidel as ,paine and ,voltaire4 ,they became infidel to the whole ,bible in the same way he became infidel to nearly a fourth of it4 ,the mind which loosens itself from the trammels of its early education1 and begins to think for itself1 has launched its bark on the sea of infidelity4 ,one free thought is one step toward infidelity2 that is1 a disbelief in the dogmas1 superstitions1 and traditions of the dark ages4 ,it is just as useless and just as foolish for a man to resolve he will never be an infidel1 as to resolve it shall never rain1 or that the hair on his head shall never turn gray2 for he has just as much control over one as the other4 ,we have shown that the ,protestant churches are sailing out on the ocean of infidelity1 and are making steady progress in that direction2 and it is only a question of time when they will be entirely infidel4 ,it is true1 that1 owing to the conservative character of the church creeds1 and the inveterate hostility the priests have ever manifested to changing them1 upon the assumption that they are too holy and too sacred to be criticised and too perfect to be improved1 the churches have made slow progress in the way of improving their creeds compared with what would have been witnessed in this respect under a more liberal and tolerant spirit4 ,owing to this impediment the improvement in ,christian doctrine has not kept pace with improvements in other things4 ,the progress in the arts1 science1 agriculture1 political economy1 the mechanic arts1 the fine arts1 c41 has far outstripped the improvement of our religious institutions1 and their relinquishment of the errors and superstitions of the past1 and nothing but the most absolute compulsion by the moral force of the progressive spirit of the age has induced the churches to make any improvement in their creeds and doctrines4 ,the spirit of improvement is manifested in every department of business1 and in all our numerous institutions but that of our religion4 ,when it comes to that1 it is4 ,hands off6 there shall be no changes here4 ,it must still continue to wear the same old garments it has worn for nearly two thousand years1 though they have become musty1 soiled1 and worn1 and directly opposed to the spirit of the age4 ,in view of this strongly opposing conservative spirit1 it is remarkable that so much improvement has been realized in our national religion as we now witness4 ,this improvement has been effected more by the process of changing the meaning of words and language than that of changing the text by a new translation1 as ,i have already shown4 ,this surgical operation has been inflicted upon thousands of texts2 and so frequently and so generally has this expedient been adopted by churches to get rid of the errors of the ,holy ,book1 that the meaning of some texts has been changed hundreds of times4 ,there is one text in ,galatians 7iii4 #bj71 which1 ,christian writers inform us1 has received no less than two hundred and forty interpretations at different times by different writers2 that is1 two hundred and forty guesses have been made at the meaning of this one text4 ,revelation is defined as the act of making known4 ,but what is made known by a book1 one text of which you have to guess two hundred and forty times at the meaning of1 and then don't know whether it is right or not8 ,and this is but a sample of many texts scattered through the ,book1 which have been overburdened with meanings in a similar manner in order to get a sufficient amount of science and sense into them to make them acceptable to the enlightened minds of the age4 ,this renovating and revolutionizing process makes ,christianity a mere system of guess-work1 and salvation a mere lottery-scheme2 and thousands1 in view of this ambiguity and precariousness1 have come to the conclusion that it is easier to find what is right in any question of morals1 without recourse to the ,bible1 than it is to find out what the ,bible writers desired to teach in the case4 ,why1 then1 waste such a vast amount of time in attempting to find out the meaning of thousands of texts1 as many ,christian writers have done in all ages of the ,church1 when1 if the meaning could be determined with certainty1 there would be but little accomplished by it8 ,for1 after all1 we have to test the truth of the doctrine or precept by our own experience1 in the same manner they proved it1--if they proved it at all4 ,there has been time enough wasted in this kind of speculation to build the ,pyramids2 and the world is no wiser or better for it4 ,as there is no certain rule for interpreting one text in the ,bible 7and every word originally written in ,hebrew had from four to forty meanings71 we may guess at the meanings till our heads are gray1 and then die in doubt4 ,to show how the meaning of ,bible texts has been improved by successive constructions1 ,i will cite one case4 ,for more than a thousand years the various texts which refer to casting out devils were accepted as literally true4 ,it was supposed they mean just what they say1 and that the old fellow 7,king ,beelzebub7 is to be cast out of the inner man1--body1 head1 horns1 and hoofs4 ,but1 when the age of reason dawned upon the world1 it began to be discovered that the notion of casting out devils was an old heathen tradition1 and too senseless for sensible people to believe in4 ,hence1 to save the credit of the ,book and the credit of the ,church1 casting out devils was interpreted to mean cast-ing out our evil propensities1 which1 although a perversion of the meaning of the writer1 was an improvement on the original4 ,the further acquisition of scientific knowledge1 accelerated by the invention of the printing-press1 revealed the fact that man never parts with his evil propensities1 or any other propensities1 however much they may be subdued4 ,hence ,bible-mongers set themselves to work to ferret out another meaning for the text4 ,they finally decided that casting out devils means restraining our evil propensities4 ,this1 although far from the meaning of the writer1 is another improvement on ,god's perfect revelation4 ,in this way1 step by step1 this and thousands of other texts have been improved from time to time by successive translations and interpretations1 until ,god's ,book has become partially purged of the errors it would seem he put into it2 and it may yet1 in this way1 become a sensible book4 ,the interpretation of the ,bible has been 7as already stated7 an art in all ,christian countries for ages4 ,the original object was to obtain the meaning of the ,bible writers2 but1 in modern times1 the object seems to be to obtain a meaning to suit the reader1 without much regard to the meaning of the writer4 ,this statement may be1 to some readers1 rather startling2 but there can be no question of its truth4 ,some of our most popular ,christian writers have avowed it1 though in rather an indirect way4 ,hear what the ,rev4 ,john ,pye ,smith1 the leading ,christian clergyman of ,england1 and one of the ablest and most popular in all ,christendom1 says with respect to ,bible interpretations3 ,i would advise the clergy everywhere to interpret the ,bible according to the spirit of the age4 ,most wonderful advice truly1 and a dead shot at the ,bible4 ,let it be understood1 then1 that1 according to this ,christian divine1 ,bible readers hereafter are to pay no attention to the plain and obvious meaning of the ,bible language1 or to the writer's intended meaning 7which is the only true meaning71 but force a meaning into the text which you know will be acceptable to the spirit of the age2 that is1 to men of reason and of scientific attainments4 ,the ,bible1 then1 is to be venerated henceforth1 not for what it teaches1 but for what it ought to teach1 or what the fanciful reader would have it teach4 ,verily1 verily1 we have fallen upon strange times when ,god's word1 like a nose of wax1 is to be molded into any shape to suit the spirit of the times2 but don't let it be supposed that the ,rev4 ,john ,pye ,smith is the only ,christian professor who makes ,god's infallible revelation succumb to the good sense and intelligence of the age1--the spirit of the times4 ,there is not an orthodox clergyman1 not a ,christian church1 and scarcely a ,christian professor1 who does not make the ,bible a mere tool in that way4 ,none of them1 in all cases1 accept the literal meaning of the ,bible4 ,none of them take the dictionary for a guide in all cases to determine the meaning of the words of the text4 ,as we have said1 there is not an orthodox church or clergyman who does not frequently abandon the dictionary1 and travel outside of it1 and coin a new meaning of his own for many of the words of the ,bible1 and ingraft into those words a meaning they never possessed before4 ,they thus assume a license that would not be tolerated with respect to any other book2 and yet1 notwithstanding these countless alterations and changes in ,god's unchangeable word1--changes in the language1 changes in the meaning of its words1 changes by translation1 changes in the import of its doctrine1 and changes in the teaching of its precepts2 yet millions cling to it as ,god's perfect1 unalterable revelation1 his pure and unadulterated word4 ,they seem to take the same view of it the old lady did of the carving-knife1 which1 although it had been mended sixteen times1 had had seven new blades and nine new handles1 yet it was the same old keepsake which her father had given her forty years before4 ,the ,bible1 in like manner1 has been altered and amended by fifty translations and a hundred and fifty thousand alterations1 according to the learned ,dr4 ,robinson of ,england1 and is still believed by millions to be the same old book1--just as ,god gave it to man4 ,what superstitious infatuation6 ,it is an instructive fact1 which we will note here1 that all this labor of amending and enlightening the ,bible is the work of the very best minds in the churches1--the growing1 thinking1 intellectual minds in those institutions2 minds that are in a state of unrest1 that are hungering and thirsting for something better2 minds which are unconsciously struggling to get free from the trammels of priestcraft and superstition1 and the religious creeds in which they were educated1 and are unconsciously aspiring for something better1 something higher1 holier1 and purer1 but can not give up the idolized ,book which has been so long enwrapped among their heart-strings that it has seemingly become a part and parcel of their souls4 ,hence1 rather than abandon it and leave it behind them1 they prefer to remodel and reconstruct it1 and bring it up to their own moral standard1 and thus make a better and more sensible thing of it than ,god himself did in the first place2 that is1 assuming that he had any thing to do with it4 ,and they generally put newer and better ideas into the ,book1 and better morals1 than they ever got out of it2 and finally1 in many cases1 outgrow the current theology1 and become more enlightened1 more intelligent1 and more useful members of society1 than they were in any period of their lives4 ,,chapter ,,lix4--,,character ,,of ,,the ,,christian',s ,,god4 ,the object in selecting and presenting the list of texts quoted in this chapter is to show that ,bible writers entertained a very low and dishonorable conception of the all-loving ,father1 and that1 on this account1 the reading of these caricatures of ,infinite ,wisdom must have a demoralizing effect upon those who habitually read them1 and accept them as truth4 ,even if they were all accepted as metaphors1 or mere figures of speech1 that would not prevent or destroy their injurious effect upon the mind2 for descriptions by metaphor or pictures have the same effect upon the mind as literal descriptions or representations4 ,and what must be the effect upon the mind of the ignorant heathen who read the ,book with no suspicion of its being aught but reality1 as much of it was unquestionably designed to be8 #a4 ,there went up a smoke out of his nostrils1 fire out of his mouth devoured3 coals were kindled by it 7#b ,sam4 xxil4 #i74 ,suggestion of a volcano4 #b4 ,he had horns coming out of his hand 7,hab4 ill4 #d74 #c4 ,out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword 7,rev4 #a4af74 ,rather a frightful monster to look at4 #d4 ,he shall mightily roar from his habitation 7,jer4 xxv4 #cj74 ,wonder if it frightened the saints in glory4 #f4 ,he shall give a shout1 as they that tread the grapes 7,jer4 xxv4 #cj74 #f4 ,he awaked as one out of sleep 7,ps4 lxxviii4 #fj74 ,the presumption would be he had been asleep4 #g4 ,and like a mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine 7,ps4 lxxviii4 #fe74 ,would not this lead to the conclusion he was drunk8 #h4 ,in his anger he persecuted and slew without pity 7,lam4 iii4 #dc74 ,good authority for persecuting and killing enemies4 ,no wonder all ,christendom is noted for persecution and bloodshed4 #i4 ,his fury is poured out like fire 7,nah4 i4 #j74 ,rather a frightful ,god4 #aj4 ,the rocks are thrown down by him 7,nah4 i4 #f74 ,throwing stones is rather a ludicrous business for a ,god to engage in4 #aa4 ,he became angry1 and sware 7,ps4 xcv4 #aa74 ,it is easy to see why swearing is so common in ,christian countries4 #ab4 ,he burns with anger 7,isa4 xxx4 #bg74 ,who would wish to live in heaven with such a being8 #ac4 ,his lips are full of indignation 7,isa4 xxx4 #bg74 ,who saw his lips8 and what peculiar aspect did they present to lead to this conclusion8 #ad4 ,and his tongue as a devouring fire 7,isa4 xxx4 #bg74 ,how came the writer to see his tongue8 #ae4 ,he is a jealous ,god 7,exod4 xxxiv4 #ad74 ,jealous of what8 ,jealousy is a hateful fiend 7,cato74 #af4 ,he shall stir up ,jealousy like a man of war 7,isa4 xiii4 #ac74 ,of course1 if he indulged in jealousy himself1 his example would stir up this vile passion in others4 #ag4 ,he rides upon horses 7,ilab4 iii4 #h74 ,in what part of the universe are those horses kept8 and how many does he ride at a time8 #ah4 ,he shall cry1 yea1 roar 7,isa4 xlii4 #ac74 ,rather a frightful object4 #ai4 ,he that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh3 the ,lord shall have them in derision 7,ps4 ii4 #d74 ,but thou1 ,o ,lord1 shalt laugh at them2 thou shalt have all the heathen in derision 7,ps4 iii4 #h74 ,who ever heard him laugh8 #bj4 ,the ,lord is a man of war 7,exod4 xv4 #c74 ,what kind of arms does he use8 #ba4 ,i will make mine arrows drunk with blood 7,deut4 xxx #aa4 #db74 ,a good archer4 #bb4 ,they have provoked me to anger4--,anger shows great weakness of mind 7,william ,penn74 #bc4 ,i will heap mischief upon them4--,mischief-makers are enemies to society 7,socrates74 #bd4 ,i will spend my arrows upon them 7,deut4 xxxii4 #bc74 ,arrows are the weapons of savages 7,goodrich74 #be4 ,a fire is kindled in mine anger 7,deut4 xxxii4 #bb74 ,anger resteth in the bosom of tools 7,solomon74 #bf4 ,i will also send the teeth of beasts upon them1 with the poison of serpents 7,deut4 xxxii4 #bd74 ,this exhibits a more fiendish spirit than that of ,nero4 #bg4 ,i myself will fight against you in anger and fury and great wrath 7,jer4 xxi4 #e74 ,anger and fury disclose a weak and unbalanced mind 7,publius ,syrus74 #bc4 ,i will laugh at your calamity 7,prov4 #a4 #bj74 ,only brutal savages can be happy while others are miserable 7,publius ,syrus74 #bj4 ,i frame evil against you 7,jer4 xviii4 #aa74 ,who1 then1 can deny that ,god is the author of evil8 #cj4 ,the spirit said1 ,i will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets 7#a ,kings xxii4 #bb74 ,of course1 then1 all the lies they told would be his1 and not theirs4 #ca4 ,if ,i whet my glittering sword 7,deut4 xxxii4 #da74 ,what a frightful picture for the all-loving ,father6 #cb4 ,spare them not1 but destroy both men and beasts1 infant and suckling 7#a ,sam4 xv4 #h74 ,we would neither worship such a ,god on earth1 or dwell with him in heaven4 #hc4 ,he was unto me as a bear lying in wait1 and as a lion in secret places 7,lam4 ill4 #aj74 ,think of the ,god of the universe descending from heaven1 and crouching in ambush1 like bears and lions1 to spring upon the unsuspecting traveler6 ,the tendency of such a thought is to weaken both moral and intellectual growth4 #ca4 ,he will cry like a travailing woman 7,isa4 xlii4 #ad74 #ce4 ,he is full of vengeance and wrath1 and is furious 7,nah4 #a4 #b74 ,a savage monster4 ,who would worship such a ,god8 #cf4 ,the sword without1 and terror within1 shall destroy both the young man and the virgin1 the suckling also with the man of gray hairs 7,deut4 xxxii4 #be74 #cg4 ,the sword shall devour1 and make drunk with their blood 7,jer4 #aj74 ,the language of the above is blasphemous and shocking to refined feelings1 whether accepted as literal or figurative4 ,though but just begun1 we will pursue this sickening theme no further at present4 ,it is an unpleasant task to pen these shocking pictures of ,divine ,goodness2 but the time has arrived when these evils should be fully exposed1 that ,christian professors may see the error of preaching the doctrines of the semi-barbarous ages1 which have the effect to dwarf the intellect and repress the growth of every healthy moral emotion of the mind1 and thus retard the moral and intellectual progress of society4 ,such considerations loudly call for a full exposition of the errors and evils of biblical theology1 so long concealed under the sacred garb of inspiration4 ,note4--,this chapter might easily be extended to a hundred pages of similar examples4 ,,chapter ,,lx4--,,one ,,hundred ,,and ,,fifty ,,errors ,,of ,,jesus ,,christ4 ,in ,the ,world's ,sixteen ,crucified ,saviors1 under the head of ,the ,two ,hundred ,errors of ,christ1 the author has pointed out sixty errors in his teachings and practical life4 ,it was the intention or the author to have completed the exposition in this chapter2 but he has discovered that a full and thorough elucidation of all the errors would swell this volume beyond its proper size4 ,he has therefore concluded to present a mere abstract of one hundred and fifty of those errors in this work1 and reserve a fuller exposition to be comprised in a pamphlet to be published soon1 and to contain also thirteen powerful and unanswerable arguments exposing the numerous absurdities and impossibilities of the orthodox theory that ,christ possessed two natures1 human and divine1--that he was both ,god and man4 ,this assumption is known as the hypostatic union1 or dual nature of ,christ4 ,the pamphlet1 comprising these two subjects1 can be had when published1 of the usual booksellers or the author1 for twenty-five cents4 ,the admirers and worshipers of ,jesus ,christ adore him as a being of absolute perfection1--perfect in intelligence1 perfect in wisdom8 perfect in power1 perfect in judgment1 perfect in his practical life1 and perfect in his moral inculcations4 ,we are told1 ,he spake as never man spake2 and1 finally1 that he taught a system of religion and morals so absolutely faultless as to challenge the criticism of the world1 and so perfect as to defy improvement3 and to doubt or disbelieve this dogmatic assumption is to peril our eternal salvation4 ,with this kind of teaching and preaching in the ,christian pulpit for nearly two thousand years1 it is not strange that the great mass of ,christian professors have been blinded and kept in ignorance with respect to his numerous errors1 which modern science has brought to light both in teachings and his practical life1 a portion of which will be found briefly noticed in this chapter under three heads3 viz41 7#a7 ,christ's ,moral and ,religious ,errors1 7#b7 ,christ's ,scientific ,errors1 7#c7 ,christ's ,errors of ,omission4 ,i4 ,,the ,,moral ,,and ,,religious ,,errors ,,of ,,christ4 ,in ,the ,world's ,sixteen ,crucified ,saviors we have1 under the above heading1 shown 7#a7 that ,christ possessed a very ardent religious nature2 7#b7 that he was unenlightened by scientific culture1 7#c7 and that consequently he often indulged in the most extravagant views of the duties of life2 7#d7 that he inculcated a moral and religious system carried to such extremes as to render its obligations utterly impossible to be reduced to practice2 7#e7 that his injunction1 ,take no thought for to-morrow1 is of impracticable application1 and never has been lived up to by any of his disciples in that age or since2 7#f7 that1 if reduced to practice1 it would starve the world to death in less than twelve months2 7#g7 that his injunction1 ,lay not up treasures on earth 7,matt4 vi4 #ai71 has been ignored and trampled under foot by the whole ,christian world2 7#h7 that his injunction to his disciples to part with all their property 7,matt4 xix4 #ba7 would soon fill the world with paupers2 7#i7 that his promise to supply all the necessaries of life to those who shall seek first the kingdom of heaven 7,matt4 vi4 #cc7 has never been fulfilled2 7#aj7 that his injunctions1 ,resist not evil1 7#aa7 when smitten on one cheek1 turn the other also1 are virtual invitations to personal abuse2 7#ab7 that his mandate1 ,love not the world2 7#ac7 also1 to hate father and mother1 brother and sister1 c4 7,luke xiv4 #bf72 7#ad7 also1 to give up voluntarily our garments when attacked by a robber 7,matt4 v4 #dj72 7#ae7 also1 to make no defense of our lives when they are sought by murderers 7,luke xvii4 #cc71 are all extravagant1 unnatural1 and unreasonable moral obligations2 7#af7 that his declaration to his disciples1 that they would be hated by all men 7,matt4 x4 #bb74 7#ag7 and his injunction to shake off the dust of their feet against their skeptical hearers1 7#ah7 and go and teach all nations1 7#ai7 and take nothing for your journey 7,mark4 vi4 #h71 are all indications of a mind run wild with religious fanaticism2 7#bj7 as is also the declaration1 ,he that believeth not shall be damned2 7#ba7 and ,he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved is equally unreasonable2 7#bb7 that all things asked for in prayer believing has never been realized by any person2 7#bc7 that it sets aside all natural laws4 7#bd7 ,it is calculated to encourage idleness and sloth1 7#be7 and thus bring on misery and starvation4 7#bf7 ,the commands to call no man 'father2' 7#bg7 also1 ,call no man 'a fool2' 7#bh7 also1 to pray without ceasing2 7#bi7 also1 to forgive our enemies four hundred and ninety times 7seventy times seven72 7#cj7 also1 to love your enemies 7,matt4 v4 #df72 7#ca7 also1 to pluck out our eyes and cut off our hands if they offend us2 7#cb7 and1 also1 to become eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake1 are utterances which bespeak a mind devoid of a knowledge of either natural or moral philosophy2 7#cc7 as does also the injunction to become perfect as 7,god7 our ,father in heaven 7,matt4 v4 #dh74 7#cd7 ,his belief in an angry ,god2 7#ce7 his injunction to fear ,god 7,matt4 x4 #bh72 7#cf7 his advice to his followers to live like the lilies of the field 7,matt4 vi4 #bf72 7#cg7 his statement that the meek should inherit the earth1 7#ch7 that his disciples would be hated by all men2 7#ci7 his reasons for forbidding them to swear2 7#dj7 his blessing on the poor2 7#da7 his denunciation of the rich2 7#db7 his parable of ,dives2 7#dc7 his encouragement to mourn2 7#dd7 his blessing on the pure in heart1 7#de7 and on the hungry and thirsty2 7#df7 his choosing the ignorant for companions2 7#dg7 his setting the mother against the daughter 7,matt4 x4 #cf72 7#dh7 his getting angry 7,matt1 xxi4 #ab72 7#di7 his treatment of his mother1 7#ej7 also of the money-changers1 7#ea7 and of the ,pharisees2 7#eb7 his usurpation of property 7,matt4 xxi4 #b72 7#ec7 his calling men fools and hypocrites1 7#ed7 also vipers1 7#ee7 and children of the ,devil 7,john viii4 72 7#ef7 his enjoining his disciples to shake off the dust of their feet against them1 7#eg7 and to call no man rabbi1 7#eh7 and no man master2 7#ei7 his falsehood about going to ,jerusalem 7,john vii4 #h72 7#fj7 his substituting water for wine2 7#fa7 his strong sectarianism 7,john x4 #a72 7#fb7 his treatment of the ,gentiles 7,matt4 x4 #e72 7#fc7 his threat toward ,jerusalem2 7#fd7 his calling honest men robbers 7,john x4 #h72 7#fe7 his denunciation of ,sodom and ,gomorrah1 7#ff7 and ,chorazin and ,bethsaida 7,matt1 xi4 #ba71 7#fg7 and ,capernaum2 7#fh7 his answer to the woman of ,samaria1 7#fi7 and his calling ,peter ,satan2 7#gj7 his hatred of the world1 7#ga7 and contempt of life1--all these precepts and practices1 when critically examined1 are found to be at variance with the laws of moral science as taught in this enlightened age1 which establishes the fact that ,christ was no moral philosopher4 ,,ii4 ,,scientific ,,errors ,,of ,,christ4 ,the following scientific errors of ,christ1 a portion of which are exposed in ,the ,world's ,sixteen ,crucified ,saviors1 show that he was neither a natural nor a moral philosopher3 7#a7 ,he assumed that disease is produced by demons1 or evil spirits4 7#b7 ,he generally treated disease1 not as the result of natural causes1 but as produced by evil beings4 7#c7 ,his rebuking a fever 7,luke iv4 #ci7 discloses an ignorance of the science of physiology4 7#d7 ,his declaration about the stars falling 7,matt4 xxiv4 #bi7 evinces his ignorance of astronomy2 7#e7 as does also his belief in the conflagration of the world 7,matt4 xxiv4 #cd74 7#f7 ,his belief in a personal devil 7,matt4 xvii4 #ah71 7#g7 also his belief in a literal hell 7,matt4 xviii4 #h71 7#h7 also a belief in the unphilosophical doctrine of repentance 7,mark ii4 #ag71 7#i7 and also that of divine forgiveness 7,matt4 vi4 #ab72 7#aj7 his repeated assumption that belief is a voluntary act of the mind2 7#aa7 his frequent reference to the heart as being the seat of consciousness2 7#ab7 the great importance he attaches to a right faith2 7#ac7 his unpardonable sin against the ,holy ,ghost2 7#ad7 his superstitious idea of casting out devils2 7#ae7 his comparing faith to a grain of mustard-seed 7,matt4 xi4 #bc72 7#af7 the promise of well done 7,matt4 xxv4 #ba7 as a reward for well-doing2 7#ag7 his statement about man increasing his stature1 7#ah7 and about two men joining in prayer 7,matt1 xviii4#ai72 7#ai7 his promise to come in the clouds of heaven 7,matt1 xxiv4 #cj72 7#bj7 the time that event was to take place 7,matt4 x4 #bc72 7#ba7 his penalty for wrong-doing1 or sin2 7#bb7 his penalty for falsehood 7,john viii4 #dd72 7#bc7 his superstitious belief in an undying worm2 7#bd7 his penalty for idle words2 7#be7 his statement about speaking in new tongues 7,mark xvi4 #ag71 7#bf7 about handling poisonous serpents1 7#bg7 also swallowing deadly poisons1 7#bh7 and that these acts should furnish a proof of divine power2 7#bi7 his frequent confabs with imaginary devils2 7#cj7 his views of the marriage relation 7,luke xx4 #cd72 7#ca7 why a certain man was born blind 7,matt4 vii4 #bb72 7#cb7 his ignorance of the natural causes of physical defects2 7#cc7 his conduct toward the fig-tree 7,matt4 xxi4 #bj72 7#cd7 his statement relative to the ,queen of ,sheba1 7#ce7 and relative to ,noah's flood 7,luke xvii4 #bg72 7#cf7 his frequent denunciation of unbelievers2 7#cg7 his injunction to become perfect as ,god2 7#ch7 his erroneous views of love1 7#ci7 and of the peacemakers1 7#dj7 and of the tax-gatherers1 7#da7 and of divorce2 7#db7 his views of alms2 7#dc7 his statement about ,moses 7,john v4 #df71 7#dd7 about ,nicodemus1 7#de7 about bearing witness1 7#df7 about letting our light shine1 7#dg7 about his disciples praying1 7#dh7 about praying for the kingdom of heaven1 7#di7 about the law 7,matt4 v4 #ag71 7#ej7 about his being the ,christ 7,matt1 x4 #bc71 7#ea7 about performing miracles1 7#eb7 about bringing a sword1 7#ec7 about his disciples sitting on the twelve thrones1 7#ed7 about judges in heaven1 7#ee7 about the fate of ,judas2 7#ef7 his deception by ,judas2 7#eg7 his mistake about ,peter2 7#eh7 his promise to the sons of ,zebedee 7,matt4 xx4 #bc72 7#ei7 his parable of the unjust judge2 7#fj7 his new commandment2 7#fa7 his promise of a hundred-fold reward2 7#fb7 his ideas about paying tribute1 7#fc7 also about marrying a divorced woman2 7#fd7 his promising ,peter the keys of the kingdom of heaven2 7#fe7 his declaration relative to binding things in heaven2 7#ff7 his notion of merit in religious belief1 7#fg7 and that faith is the gift of ,god2 7#fh7 his ideas of lust1 7#fi7 and about earthly treasures1 7#gj7 also treasure in heaven1 7#ga7 about tombstones1 7#gb7 and about an arbitrary personal ,god2 7#gc7 his ignorance of science and natural law4 7#gd7 ,he never spoke of a natural law1 7#ge7 nor used the word science1 7#gf7 nor natural philosophy4 7#gg7 ,and1 finally1 his spending nine-tenths of his time in idleness or obscurity is historic1 scientific1 and practical proof against his divinity4 ,from all the facts and precepts enumerated above1 we are compelled to conclude he was no philosopher1 and was ignorant of the principles of natural science4 ,and this accounts for the numerous scientific errors which abound in all his teachings and preachings and his whole practical life1 as set forth in the work of which this is a synopsis4 ,,iii4 ,,christ',s ,,errors ,,of ,,omission4 ,had ,christ been an all-wise and omniscient ,god1--the character his orthodox disciples claim for him1--he would have noticed and understood1 and consequently have condemned1 various demoralizing practices1 customs1 and institutions then existing in society4 ,he would also have discovered and taught the grand moral and scientific truths and principles which have since been brought to light1 and have proved such signal blessings to society1 so that the world could have enjoyed them two thousand years ago4 7#a7 ,he would1 in the first place1 have discovered and exposed the evils of the despotic form of government which he lived1 7#b7 and have suggested a better system4 7#c7 ,he would have taught the people the beauties and benefits of a true democracy1 7#d7 and would have exposed the evils of physical as well as mental slavery2 7#e7 also the deleterious and demoralizing effects of intoxicating drink1 instead of manufacturing it4 7,see ,john ii4 #g-i47 7#f7 ,he would also have exposed the errors and evils of the many popular religious superstitions then and there prevalent1 instead of indorsing them4 7#g7 ,he would have taught the science of anthropology as essential to human happiness1 7#h7 including the principles of mental science2 7#i7 and likewise the true principles of moral science1 7#aj7 and the necessity of mental culture1 7#aa7 and the most important lesson of all1--that of self-development4 7#ab7 ,he would have taught the people that every thing is controlled by natural law1 7#ac7 instead of by the caprices of an angry ,god4 7#ad7 ,he would have taught the people that right and wrong are natural principles2 7#ae7 that virtue contains its own reward1 7#af7 and sin or crime its own punishment4 7#ag7 ,he would have taught the science of life and the laws of health as essential to human happiness2 7#ah7 and that the violation of natural law must be attended with suffering2 7#ai7 and that every immoral act a man commits against another must injure himself1 7#bj7 and destroy his true happiness1 7#ba7 and tend to make him a victim to his own passions4 7#bb7 ,he would have taught the true principles of mental freedom1 7#bc7 and the rights of conscience in matters of belief2 7#bd7 and that man is responsible to himself alone for his belief4 7#be7 ,and1 finally1 he would have taught the modern doctrine of evolution as furnishing the true and philosophical solution of all human actions1 both good and bad4 ,certainty a being possessing infinite wisdom could have discovered and brought to light these grand practical truths1 and thus greatly augmented the sum of human happiness1 instead of leaving the world to drag on in suffering ignorance4 ,and his omitting to do it must be characterized as an error of omission4 ,for a fuller exposition1 see the pamphlet4 ,,chapter ,,lxi4--,,character ,,and ,,erroneous ,,doctrines ,,of ,,the ,,apostles4 ,christ's apostles1 although reputedly inspired1 were very far from being exemplary characters4 ,quarrels1 jealousies1 and emulations are frequently disclosed in their practical lives4 ,we are told there were envyings and jealousies and divisions among them 7#a ,cor4 iii4 #h71 and that they disputed among themselves who should be the greatest 7,mark ix4 #cd74 ,this implies that there was selfishness and worldly ambition at the bottom of their movements4 ,paul also represents them as defrauding and lawing each other 7#a ,cor4 vi4 #g1h72 and ,paul himself had a serious quarrel with ,barnabas1 as we are told3 ,the contention was so sharp that they departed asunder one from the other 7,acts xv4 #cf74 ,these incidents in the practical lives of the apostles show that they were frail and fallible mortals1 and under the control of selfish feelings like the rest of us1 and that their inspiration1 if they possessed any1 was not of a very high order4 ,such men are very unsuitable examples for the heathen to imitate1 as they are impliedly recommended to do when the ,bible is placed in their hands4 ,with respect to the doctrines taught by the apostles or ,new-,testament writers1 we will here assume the liberty to say they contain more errors than we can allow space to enumerate4 ,for those of ,paul and ,peter we shall appropriate a separate chapter1 but will only cite a few of the errors of the other ,new-,testament writers as mere samples of others4 ,james's superstitious idea of curing the sick by prayer and oil we have already noticed 7chapter xli474 ,he also indorses the foolish and incredible story of ,elijah controlling the elements so as to cause a three-years' drought 7chap4 v4 #ag74 ,he tells us we can get wisdom by simply asking it of ,god 7chap4 i4 #e74 ,then why do millions of people devote years to hard mental labor to acquire it8 ,he speaks approvingly of the practical life of ,abraham1 also of the miserable harlot ,rahab 7chap4 ii4 #bc1 #be71 and avows his belief in a devil1 c4 ,john also avows his belief in this superstition 7#a ,john ii4 #ac71 and likewise in the bloody atonement 7#a ,john i4 #g7 and the doctrine of predestination 7#a ,john v4 #ah72 and1 worse than all1 he issues the bigoted mandate1 ,receive no man into your house who does not preach the doctrine ,i do 7#b ,john i4 #aj74 ,jude indorses the foolish story of ,sodom and ,gomorrah1 the contest between ,michael and the ,devil1 the second advent1 a day of general judgment1 c4 ,these will do for specimens of apostolic errors4 ,,chapter ,,lxii4--,,character ,,of ,,paul1 ,,and ,,his ,,doctrines4 ,paul1 standing at the head of the ,church in the apostolic age1 and being the principal ,new-,testament writer and the principal teacher and doctrinal expounder of the ,new ,covenant1 or gospel dispensation1 his practical life and his doctrines must therefore be regarded as constituting a part1 if not the principal part1 of the basis of the ,christian religion4 ,we shall therefore make no apology for presenting here a brief exposition of his character and his doctrines2 and we shall show that both present numerous defects and inconsistent and contradictory features4 #a4 ,in his ,first ,epistle to ,timothy 7i4 #ac7 he states that he had been a blasphemer and persecutor1 and injurious1 and confesses that he was particeps criminis in the martyrdom of ,stephen2 yet1 in the ,acts of the ,apostles1 he declares1 ,i have lived in all good conscience before ,god unto this day 7,acts xxiii4 #a74 ,here is one specimen of his many incongruous statements4 #b4 ,he relates the account of his miraculous conversion three times1 and in three different ways4 ,in the first statement he says1 ,the men stood speechless1 hearing a voice1 but seeing no man 7,acts ix4 #g74 ,in the second account he says1 ,they heard not the voice that spake to me 7,acts xxii4 #i74 ,in the third statement1 when relating the case to ,king ,agrippa1 he says1 ,they were all fallen to the earth 7,acts xxvi4 #ad72 while1 in the first account1 he had stated1 ,the men stood speechless4 ,it is evident they could not stand speechless while they were all fallen to the earth4 #c4 ,in one account he states that ,jesus told him to stand up1 and receive his mission2 but in another place he says he was ordered to go to ,damascus to receive the message4 #d4 ,he told the king that he showed himself first at ,damascus1 and then at ,jerusalem 7,acts xxvi4 #bj72 but in his ,epistle to the ,galatians he declares that he did not go to ,jerusalem4 #e4 ,again he says he went to ,jerusalem1 and ,barnabas took him by the hand1 and brought him to the apostles 7,acts ix4 #bg74 #f4 ,and then1 again1 to the ,galatians he declares he saw none of the apostles1nsave ,james1 the ,lord's brother 7,gal4 i4 #ac74 #g4 ,in #a ,cor4 x4 #ce he says1 ,i please all men in all things2 but in ,gal4 i4 #aj he says1 ,if ,i yet pleased men1 ,i should not be the servant of ,god4 ,here1 then1 is another palpable contradiction4 #h4 ,in ,rom4 xi4 #e he speaks of the election of grace2 but in ,tit4 xi4 #i he says the grace of ,god has appeared to all4 #i4 ,in his letter to ,timothy he says1 ,god will have all men to be saved 7#a ,tim4 ii4 #d73 but in ,rom4 ix4 #bb he speaks of the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction2 and in ,rom4 ix4 #bg he says1 ,a remnant shall be saved4 ,all will not be saved if only a remnant are saved4 #aj4 ,when about embarking for ,rome he stated1 ,i perceive the voyage will be of much hurt and damage to life 7,acts xxvii4 #aj72 yet on the voyage he declared1 ,there shall be no loss of any man's life among you 7,acts xxvii4 #bb74 ,an inspired apostle and oracle of ,god should be punctiliously accurate in all cases1 or all his statements will be brought under distrust1 and it will be impossible to arrive at the truth in the case2 or1 in any case1 all will be involved in doubt and conjecture4 #aa4 ,paul's errors in doctrinal inculcations are numerous4 ,his confession to the ,corinthians1 that1 being crafty1 ,i caught you with guile 7#b ,cor4 xii4 #af71 sets forth a bad example1 and indicates a bad system of morals1 which is calculated to have a demoralizing effect upon ,bible readers and believers1 especially the heathen and the youth of ,christian countries4 #ab4 ,and his statement that the truth of ,god hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory 7,rom4 iii4 #g71 is still more demoralizing in its tendencies4 ,many have looked upon it as a justification for lying4 ,it seems to imply that lying is all right if done for the glory of ,god2 and as he states in #a ,cor4 x4 #ca1 that whatsoever we do should be done to the glory of ,god1 it logically follows that lying is justifiable in all cases4 ,and ,mr4 ,higgins states that such doctrine had the effect to reduce lying to a system among the early ,christians1 and that they considered it a duty to lie when the interest of the ,church could be promoted by it4 ,a book inculcating such bad morality should not be circulated amongst the heathen4 #ac4 ,paul's reason for recommending a life of single blessedness is deserving of notice4 ,he says the unmarried man careth for the things of the ,lord2 but the married man careth for the things of the world1--how he may please his wife 7#a ,cor4 vii4 #cc74 ,the last act he named here does not trouble men much nowadays1 at least after the honeymoon is passed2 and a man who considers ,god worthy of more attention than wives1 as ,paul did1 would not be likely to bestow a very high appreciation on the latter4 ,but the greatest objection to the doctrine is1 that1 if practically carried out in accordance with his recommendation1 there would soon be no wives to please4 #ad4 ,we must notice another objectionable doctrine of ,paul with respect to marriage4 ,instead of acknowledging an honorable and virtuous motive for marriage1 he would tolerate it as the least of two evils2 that is1 as a means of mitigating a burning lust 7#a ,cor4 vii4 #i74 ,this makes marriage a mere animal attraction1--the union of a man and woman drawn together from lustful motives4 ,paul advises bachelors not to marry or touch a woman1 but remain single like himself 7#a ,cor4 vii8 #a74 ,but such advice1 if practically complied with1 would soon depopulate the globe4 ,if not so strongly adverse to human nature1 it would doubtless ere this have filled the world1 first with ,shakers1 and then with the graves of an extinct race4 #ae4 ,paul says to the ,romans 7,rom4 vii4 #ag71 ,it is no more ,i that do it1 but sin that dwelleth in me4 ,for ,i prove444 that in my flesh dwelleth no good thing4 ,here are taught two erroneous doctrines3 7#a7 ,the essentially corrupt and sinful nature of the human body1 taught anciently by the ,hindoo ascetics2 7#b7 that sin or the ,devil operates on the mind independent of the human will or volition1 which savors of fatalism4 ,and his statement that some vessels are made to honor1 and some to dishonor 7,rom4 ix4 #ba71 seems unequivocally to set forth the same doctrine4 ,many commentators have puzzled their brains over it to make it mean something else1 but with ill success the declaration is not1 that men become vessels of honor and dishonor1 but that they are made so4 #af4 ,paul's exhortation to servants to be obedient to their masters has furnished pious ,christian slaveholders a good text to preach from throughout slaveholding ,christendom1 and has done much to rivet the chains tighter upon the limbs of the slave4 #ag4 ,when ,paul calls the ,cretans liars1 evil beasts1 c41 he descends to a low position1 both in the scale of manners and morals3 he is not only uncivil1 but exhibits bad passions4 ,they did not merit such personal abuse1 as they had never done him an injury1 at least we have no proof of it4 #ah4 ,paul tells us that ,god sends people a strong delusion1 that they may believe a lie and be damned 7#b ,thess4 ii4 #ab74 ,more fatalism4 ,to delude people with lies in order to damn them is worse than hardening ,pharaoh's heart in order to find a pretext for drowning him4 ,let it be borne in mind1 that1 if there is any spiritual signification justly assignable to1 this text1 it can only benefit the few1 as the common people always accept language with its common signification4 ,but can we assume that ,paul was such a blunderer that he frequently used language conveying exactly the opposite meaning from that intended1 and that in this way he taught fatalism and when he did not intend to do so8 ,and then1 he was inspired1 is it not a slander upon ,infinite ,wisdom to assume that ,god was so ignorant of human language that he put these pernicious doctrines in ,paul's mouth by mistake8 ,one or the other of these conclusions we are driven to accept1 in order to save ,paul from condemnation2 but this only saves his moral character at the expense of his good sense4 ,the most rational assumption appears to be1 that ,paul lived in an age and country which knew nothing of mental or moral science1 and honestly believed and taught these pernicious doctrines4 ,we will now learn something about the moral code of bachelors4 #ai4 ,i suffer not a woman to speak in the church4 ,it is a shame for a woman to speak in the church 7#a ,cor4 xiv4 #ce74 ,he says1 if they want to know any thing1 let them ask their husbands at home4 ,but this1 in some cases1 would be the blind leading the blind2 and1 in other cases1 only the leaders would be blind4 ,paul should have learned the lesson of ,o',connell1 the ,irish agitator1 who said1 ,since ,i have learned that my mother was a woman1 ,i have great respect for women1 and advocate their rights4 #bj4 ,we will now notice the reason ,paul assigns for having immoral doctrines as it is claimed wives subject to their husbands3 it is simply because man was created before woman 7#a ,tim4 ii4 #ac74 ,what profound logic6 worthy a ,locke or a ,newton6 ,but1 if there is any logical force in the argument1 then monkeys should have the preference of men in the churches1 as they came still earlier in the order of creation4 #ba4 ,paul's doctrine that all governments are ordained of ,god1 and that those who resist them shall receive to themselves damnation 7,rom4 xiii4 #a71 is a virtual condemnation of those noble philanthropists who in various ages and countries resisted the authority of tyrants4 ,it makes ,washington1 ,jefferson1 ,franklin1 and others sinners and criminals for opposing the tyranny of ,king ,george4 #bb4 ,paul evinced a very intolerant spirit when he said1 ,if any man preach any other doctrine than that which ,i declare onto you1 let him be accursed 7#a ,gal4 i4 #i74 ,this is the spirit of intolerance1 persecution1 and bigotry1--the spirit which has erected the scaffold1 piled the fiery fagots around the stake1 wielded the guillotine1 adjusted the halter around the neck of the martyr1 and crimsoned the earth with the blood of the righteous4 ,this very text has had the effect to fire up such a spirit2 and it has frequently been quoted as authority for such cruel deeds as those just cited4 #bc4 ,paul gives utterance to a very singular doctrine when he says that even nature teaches that it is a shame for a man to wear long hair1 but the glory for a woman1 because nature gave it to her for a covering4 7,see #a ,cor4 xi4 #ad47 ,he was certainly not much of a philosopher1 or he would have made the discovery that nature promotes the growth of the hair upon the heads of men and women exactly alike4 ,if nature did not permit any hair to grow upon the head of man1 or did not allow it to grow more than an inch in length1 there might be some plausibility in the assertion4 ,but1 as the case stands1 it is the shears1 and not nature1 which teaches that it is a shame for a man to wear long hair2 or rather1 if there is any shame in the case1 it consists in man cutting off his hair after nature has been so kind as to supply him with such a useful covering4 #bd4 ,paul's indorsement of the doctrine of the atonement1 and his declaration that without the shedding of blood there can be no remission for sin 7,heb4 ix4 #bb71 show that he had not advanced beyond the old ,jewish and pagan superstition of blood for blood4 ,the doctrine is a relic of heathen barbarism1 and is shocking to persons of fine moral sensibilities2 but this subject is treated in another chapter4 #be4 ,paul also indorses the old heathen tradition that ,god is an angry1 revengeful being4 7,see ,eph4 ii4 #c47 ,he lent the influence of his powerful mind and pen to perpetuate this demoralizing and blasphemous doctrine1 which has had an injurious effect upon the minds and morals of the people in all post ages4 #bf4 ,we again call attention to ,paul's declaration that ,god sent the people a strong delusion that they might believe a lie and be damned4 ,think of a just and righteous ,god deluding people in order to damn them6 ,the doctrine is certainly blasphemous4 ,it is enough to charge a demon with such acts as this4 ,some writers suppose that ,paul did not mean what is here literally expressed2 but it is probable he did1 for it is the old ,jewish idea that every thing that takes place is the achievement of a ,god4 ,we must assume that the devil who now attends to such business1 had not been sworn into office at that time4 ,hence he supposed that ,jehovah still attended to such business4 #bg4 ,one indelible stigma on ,paul's character is found in his indorsement of the pagan and ,jewish rite of circumcision1--a cruel and bloody custom1--which no truly enlightened and sensible man would lend his sanction to perpetuate1 much less perform with his own hands1 as ,paul did on ,timotheus 7,acts xvi4 #c74 ,paul also contradicts himself with respect to the matter4 ,he says1 ,if ye be circumcised1 ,christ shall profit you nothing 7,gal4 v4 #b74 ,yet he afterward performed the act on ,timotheus1 as stated above4 ,this is preaching one doctrine and practicing another4 #bh4 ,paul said that he was a ,roman citizen2 but no ,jew could be a full ,roman citizen till the reign of ,philip or ,decius1 long after4 ,he also passed for ,paul of ,tarsus2 but ,tarsus was not a ,roman city at that time1 nor until about a hundred years after ward4 ,this was being all things to all men in order to gain a few proselytes2 and truly he carries out the doctrine quite well4 ,at one time he professes to be a ,roman 7,acts xxii4 #bf72 at another time he professes to be a ,pharisee1 and says that his parents were ,pharisees 7see ,acts xxiii4 #e72 and then1 again1 he was an apostle of ,jesus ,christ 7,acts xv4 #aj74 #bi4 ,paul uses some rather doughy arguments on the subject of the resurrection4 ,he says that on the last day1 at the sound of the trumpet1 we shall all be raised1 the dead in ,christ first 7#a ,cor4 xv4 #eb74 ,we are also told that this mortal shall put on immortality4 ,we are compelled to believe1 from the language here used1 that ,paul believed in the sleep of the soul in the grave2 and the resurrection of the natural body is a ridiculous absurdity and a physical impossibility4 ,the sleep of the soul is a still worse assumption4 ,why should the soul lay in the ground covered with filth and worms8 ,what possible benefit could it derive from laying in a state of insensibility for centuries8 ,and what would become of it if some one should remove the decomposed remains of the body1 and all the earth contiguous1 to some other locality1 or toss it into a running stream8 ,and this has been done4 ,what becomes of the soul in such a case8 ,does it float down the stream with the physical debris8 ,if so1 where will it stop8 and how will it be found in the day of resurrection8 #cj4 ,and the doctrine of the resurrection is attended with still greater difficulties and logical obstructions4 ,the physical body1 according to ,paul1 is to become a spiritual body4 ,but a portion of the body is consumed by worms during the process of decomposition in the grave2 and those worms1 when they die1 are consumed by other worms4 ,will it not1 then1 require a search-warrant in the day of resurrection to find all those worms1 and to gather every minute particle of the old body together to form the spiritual body8 ,why not make the new body of a stone or a stump1 or some other material1 instead of the old1 decayed1 decomposed body8 ,it would require a miracle in either case4 ,cases have been reported of ,christian missionaries being eaten up by cannibals4 ,the flesh of the ,christian in such cases becomes a part of the physical body of the cannibal2 and the cannibal will1 according to ,christian theology1 come forth unto the resurrection of damnation1 and will take a portion of the body of the missionary with him to the bottomless pit4 ,how will it be obtained8 ,a serious difficulty1 certainly6 ,how is it to be met and surmounted8 ,many other logical difficulties lie in the way of making a practical application of the doctrine4 #ca4 ,when ,paul calls our physical tenements vile bodies 7see ,phil4 iii4 #ba71 he reveals the old pagan idea of the body being sinful4 ,they looked upon it as a kind of prison for the soul1 and a thing to be hated and contemned as you would a tyrant with a rope around your neck4 ,this error discloses great ignorance of the functions of the human body1 and its relation to the soul or mind4 ,it would be impossible to have a pure soul in a vile body4 ,here ,paul discloses still further ignorance of science4 ,there are other acts and other erroneous doctrines1 which mark the practical life of ,paul1 that are quite obnoxious to criticism2 as1 for example1 the curse he pronounced upon ,ely mas1 whom he stigmatized as a sorcerer1 though he does not prove he was one1 but says that was his name by interpretation 7,acts xiii4 #h74 ,this act1 which it is stated produced total blindness1 must be regarded as an act of bigotry and intolerance4 ,elymas is not charged with any crime or immoral conduct2 and1 so far as we can learn his history1 he was an honest1 upright man3 but he sought to turn away the deputy from the faith 7,acts xiii4 #h72 that is1 like the ,greek philosophers1 he attempted to point out the absurdity of some of ,paul's doctrines4 ,there is something very significant in the statement of ,paul1 that some of his doctrines were to the ,greeks foolishness 7#a ,cor4 i4 #bc72 for they were a learned1 intelligent1 and sensible nation of people4 ,and no such nation ever has1 or ever will1 accept as true and sound doctrine some of the theological nonsense and absurd doctrines which ,paul preached4 ,future generations will wonder that such doctrines were ever taught by people claiming to be sensible and intelligent4 ,the circumstance which ,paul relates of a viper coming out of a bundle of sticks1 and fastening on his hand without inflicting a deadly wound1 evinces a degree of superstition which no philosopher could entertain4 ,the assumption is1 that ,god1 after bestowing upon the reptile the disposition and means of defending itself1 interposed by a divine act to prevent their action4 ,christ and his apostles 7including ,paul71 instead of studying and understanding the laws of nature1 were constantly looking for something to contravene them1 and set them aside4 ,of course they were honest in this2 but it shows their want of scientific knowledge1 which was characteristic of the age4 ,the circumstance of ,paul's handkerchief and apron healing the sick1 as related in ,acts xix4 #ab1 is evidently regarded as another interposition of divine power4 ,but cases are frequently performed in this manner in various parts of this country by ,dr4 ,newton and other healers1 who impart their magnetic aura to a handkerchief1 or some article of clothing1 or a piece of paper1 and send it to the sick1 who are cured as effectually as those were by ,paul's magnetized handkerchief2 for it was undoubtedly his magnetism imparted to the handkerchief that effected the cures4 ,modern science is solving the mysteries and miracles of the past4 ,we will only observe further1 that ,paul lays down three systems of salvation1 which1 when arranged side by side1 certainly make the road broad enough to enable nearly every son and daughter of ,adam to reach the heavenly kingdom3-- ,salvation by ,faith4--,by faith ye are saved1 and not of yourselves3 it is the gift of ,god 7,eph4 ii4 #h74 ,it being the gift of ,god1 we1 of course1 can have no agency in the matter4 ,a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law 7,rom4 iii4 #bh74 ,this is a direct contradiction of ,james1 who declares1 ,faith1 if it hath not works1 is dead 7,jas4 ii4 #ag74 ,salvation by ,works1--,god will render to every man according to his deeds 7,rom4 ii4 #f74 ,the doers of the law shall be justified 7,rom4 ii4 #ac74 ,thus1 it will be observed1 ,paul1 in the above-cited texts1 not only contradicts ,james1 but contradicts himself4 ,salvation by ,divine ,predestination1--,as many as were ordained to eternal life believed 7,acts xiii4 #dh74 ,this is not given as ,paul's language2 but it is spoken with respect to his preaching4 ,and ,paul sets forth the same doctrine in ,rom4 xi4 #e when he speaks of a remnant being saved by the election of grace4 ,here1 then1 are three roads to heaven1 which so multiply the chances of being saved that but few can be lost4 ,such conflicting statements show that confusion and ambiguity characterize the ,bible1 and render it impossible to learn any thing definite from its statements4 ,note4--,how can ,christians believe ,in the immortality of the soul after reading ,paul's declaration that ,god alone hath life and immortality dwelling in the light 8 ,if so1 then man is not an immortal being 7see #a ,tim4 ri4 #af74 #b4 ,,character ,,and ,,erroneous ,,doctrines ,,of ,,peter4 ,in his practical life ,st4 ,peter was a singular and angular being4 ,he presents us with the opposite extremes of virtue and vice4 ,he appears to have been about as distinguished for wickedness as for piety4 ,he told the same falsehood repeatedly1 and backed it up with an oath 7,matt1 xxvi473 hence lying1 cursing1 and swearing are laid to his charge4 ,and then1 we are told1 he was put in possession of the keys of the kingdom of heaven 7,matt4 xvi4 #ai74 ,how a man1 guilty of such moral derelictions1 could have had a higher honor bestowed upon him than was ever bestowed upon any other human being1 or how he could have been considered a safe custodian for such an important charge1 it is difficult to see2 and then it looks too much like a bribe for immoral conduct4 ,it weakens the incentives to a virtuous life to reward the criminal1 and shows imperfection in the moral system which he was allowed to represent4 ,as for his doctrines1 they are characterized by the same moral and scientific errors and defects as those of ,st4 ,paul1 and embrace some of the same doctrines of heathen mythology4 #a4 ,he speaks of the earth as standing out of the water and in the water 7#b ,pet4 iii4 #e74 ,here is the old ,hindoo tradition which taught that the earth floated on a sea of water1 traces of which are also found in ,genesis4 #b4 ,he tells us1 also1 that the earth has been once destroyed by water1 and in the day of judgment will be destroyed by fire 7#b ,pet4 iii4 #f1 #g74 ,it has been from time immemorial a very prevalent tradition amongst the ,oriental nations that the world had been1 and would be again1 alternately destroyed by water and fire4 ,peter and ,josephus also seem to indorse this tradition4 #c4 ,peter also indorses and teaches the absurd and unphilosophical doctrine of fore-ordination 7#a ,pet4 i4 #bj74 #d4 ,he also enjoins servants to be in subjection to their masters1 not only the good1 but the froward 7#a ,pet4 ii4 #ah74 ,this is absolute tyranny4 ,there is to be no resistance to the bloody lash4 ,the motto of ,patrick ,henry is much better1--,resistance to tyrants is obedience to ,god4 #e4 ,wives are to be in subjection to their husbands 7#a ,pet4 iii4 #a71 even as ,sarah obeyed ,abraham 7verse #f74 ,there is nothing said about husbands obeying wives1 probably because1 as he says1 woman is the weaker vessel 7#a ,pet4 iii4 #g74 ,wonderful logic6 ,a sage conclusion for a ,christian moralist4 ,he thus places ,christian morality below that of the ancient ,druids1 who placed women on a level with men in both ,church and ,state4 #f4 ,peter tells us1 ,christ bore our sins in his own body on the tree 7#a ,pet4 ii4 #bd74 ,this is the old ,jewish idea of carrying away sins by scapegoats1 and the ,oriental heathen doctrine of putting innocent ,gods to death as a punishment for the sins of the people1--a doctrine which posterity will condemn as barbarous4 7,see ,the ,sixteen ,crucified ,saviors1 ,chapter xxi47 #g4 ,peter says a dumb ass spoke with man's voice 7#b ,pet4 ii4 #af74 ,he thus indorses the story of ,balaam's ass becoming endowed with human speech4 #h4 ,peter1 like ,paul and ,christ1 indorses the absurd story of ,noah and the flood 7#a ,pet4 iii4 #bj74 #i4 ,but space will not permit us to notice all the erroneous doctrines set forth by ,peter4 ,he teaches the doctrine of a general judgment 7#b ,pet4 ii4 #i71 the doctrine of election and reprobation 7#b ,pet4 i4 #aj71 the doctrine of a general conflagration of all things terrestrial 7#b ,pet4 iii4 #ab74 #aj4 ,but the most remarkable incident in the life of ,peter is his connection with the fate of ,ananias and ,sapphira4 ,we find many logical absurdities and moral errors in this story recorded in ,acts v4 #a4 ,it is very strange that ,peter1 who denied his ,lord and master three times1 and hence was repeatedly guilty of telling positive falsehoods1 should be the chosen instrument under ,christ's religion to pronounce sentence of death upon ,ananias and ,sapphira for the same sin4 #b4 ,why should ,ananias and ,sapphira be punished with death for a crime that ,peter1 ,abraham1 and ,isaac were all guilty of several times8 #c4 ,is it not strange that ,jehovah should be considered as being strongly opposed to lying1 if he himself1 as stated in #a ,kings xxii41 converted four hundred of his prophets into liars1 and then indorsed the lying ,peter8 #d4 ,is not the crime of ,ananias and ,sapphira--that of attempting to withhold a little money from the priests by lying--of less magnitude than that of ruining a whole nation by robbery1 as we are told ,god's holy people did8 ,they robbed and spoiled the ,egyptians 7,exod4 xii4 #cf74 #e4 ,is it not probable they needed it more than the priests did8 ,the moral law teaches that it is necessity1 and not might1 that makes right4 #f4 ,does it not look rather unreasonable that ,sapphira should repeat the same falsehood for which her husband had just been struck dead1 as it must have been known to her8 ,who can believe it8 #g4 ,and can we suppose that ,god would be so partial as to kill a man and woman for the first offense of lying1 and let ,abraham1 ,isaac1 and ,peter1 and others1 escape after committing the sin several times6 ,these considerations seriously damage the credibility of the story4 ,,chapter ,,lxiii4--,,idolatrous ,,veneration ,,for ,,bibles4 ,should reason1 science1 and philosophic lore ,against my faith combine1 ,i'd clasp the ,bible to my breast1 ,believing still that it's divine4 ,here ,i am told how ,christ hath died ,to save my soul from hell3 ,not all the books on earth beside ,such heavenly wonders tell4 ,this simple book ,i'd rather own ,than all the gold and gems ,that e'er in monarch's coffers shone1 ,than all their diadems4 ,nay1 were the seas one chrysolite1 ,the earth a golden ball1 ,and diadems the stars of night1 ,this book were worth them all4 ,a ,christian writer1 in attempting to portray the ,protestant view of the ,bible1 says1 ,it is a miraculous collection of miraculous books4 ,every word it contains was written by miraculous inspiration from ,god1 which was so full1 complete1 and infallible1 that the authors delivered the truth1 and nothing but the truth4 ,the ,bible contains no false statements of doctrine or faith1 but sets forth all religious and moral truth which man needs to know1 or which it is possible for him to receive1 and not a particle of error2 and therefore the ,bible is the only authoritative rule of faith and practice4 ,these two pious effusions--one in prose1 the other in poetry--exhibit the views and feelings very prevalent among the disciples of the ,christian faith only a few centuries ago2 and they are cherished yet1 to a considerable extent1 by a large portion of ,christian professors4 ,this blind1 idolatrous veneration is gradually giving way to the light of science and general intelligence2 and the thick mental gloom and darkness of superstition out of which they grow is being dispelled4 ,when the intellectual mind becomes fully developed and enlightened1 the ,bible will find its true level1 and will command no more homage than other books4 ,it will be read and estimated1 like other human productions1 according to its real merits4 ,in this enlightened and scientific age1 ,bible devotees never go to such extreme lengths in pouring fulsome adulations upon the idolized book4 ,they would be laughed at for their ignorance and superstition if they should attempt it4 ,but the time has been when every religious nation which possessed a ,iloly ,book attached extreme sacredness and exalted holiness to the book and all its contents1 and often indulged in the most extravagant language and the wildest rhapsodies in their attempts to eulogize and idolize its virtues4 ,in this respect there was but little difference between ,jews1 pagans1 and ,christians3 all idolized their ,holy ,books4 ,a sacred regard was shown not only for the book1 but often for every manuscript1 scrap of paper1 or text which it contained1 or which was supposed to contain a message or revelation from ,god4 ,but few religious nations have existed1 even in the remote past1 who have not possessed some kind of ,bible or sacred record which they treated with an enthusiastic veneration bordering on idolatry4 ,the ,hindoos1 the ,egyptians1 the ,persians1 the ,chinese1 the ,mahomedans1 and the early ,christians were all ,bible idolaters4 ,the ,hindoos1 like the ,christians1 were religiously enjoined to read and study the ,holy ,scriptures2 and the priests1 as those in ,christian countries do now1 made them a study1 and reduced the interpretation of them to an art4 ,and1 like ,christians in another respect1 they were interdicted from transcending in knowledge what was taught in their assumed-to-be divinely illuminated pages4 ,the disciple of the ,hindoo faith was not allowed to become wise above what was written in the ,vedas 7see chapter vi472 and the same solemn prohibition1 ,add not to1 or take not from1 the word of ,god1 was reverently obeyed by the devout disciple of the ,vedas4 ,the ,mahomedans believe the ,koran has been received and transmitted from generation to generation by the direct agency of ,god4 ,they claim that it is not only an infallible rule of faith and practice1 but ,god's last will and testament to man1 and that it is designed by ,god for the whole human family2 and they pray and hope for its universal extension and adoption4 ,one pious ,mussulman 7,sadak71 on being asked why the ,koran appeared to be newer every time it was read1 replied1 ,because ,god did not reveal it for any particular age or nation1 but for all mankind down to the ,judgment ,day4 ,mahomedans tell us that1 such is the innate efficacy of the ,koran1 it removes all pains of body and all sorrows of mind4 ,it annihilates what is wrong in carnal desires1 delivers us from the temptations of ,satan and from fears4 ,it removes all doubts raised by satanic influences1 sanctifies the heart1 imparts health to the soul1 and produces union with the ,lord of holiness4 ,with the ancient ,persians the great test and touchstone of all faith and all moral action was their ,holy ,word of ,god4 ,to know whether a thing was right or wrong1 they had only to inquire1 ,is it taught1 or is it forbidden1 by the ,zenda ,avesta8 ,the ,persians1 like the ,jews1 had four days set apart in each month for religious festivals1 on which occasions1 ,mr4 ,hyde informs os1 they met in their temples1 and read portions of their ,holy ,books1 and preached and inculcated morality and virtue 7chap4 xxxviii4 p4 #ceb74 ,but ,bible exaltation and adoration ran much higher than is here indicated in some countries4 ,they were not only believed to be words or the word of ,god1 but to have a portion of the spirit of ,god impressed into every chapter1 every verse1 and every word2 and hence they received a portion of that veneration and adoration usually ascribed to ,deity4 ,and here we find both ,jews and ,christians have been strict imitators of the heathen in the practical exhibition of this species of book idolatry4 ,we are told that the ancient ,budhists ascribed inherent sacredness and supernatural power to the identical ,sanscrit word of their scriptures4 ,hence it was considered sacrilegious to make any alteration in the arrangement of those words2 and1 for fear some alteration of this kind might be made1 they objected to the missionaries translating the ,holy ,book into the ,english language4 ,mr4 ,hyde informs us1 they not only read their ,bible in their temples1 but at their festivals and in their families2 and1 like the ,jews and primitive ,christians and the ,mahomedans1 they carried them in their travels1 and slept with the ,holy ,book under their pillows4 ,nearly all ,bibles in that age were treated with this kind of veneration4 ,brahmins1 ,persians1 ,jews1 ,mahomedans1 and ,christians1 in their earlier history1 were in the habit of attaching texts or detached portions of scripture to their clothes1 or inserting them into their hats or shoes1--an act prompted by the belief that they would impart some supernatural charm2 and the ,persians1 ,hindoos1 and ,mahomedans have been seen covered from head to foot with scripture texts4 ,in the days of ,st4 ,justin and ,st4 ,jerome such scenes were often witnessed among ,christians also4 ,even the handling of the ,bible was believed to impart a supernatural or miraculous power1 manifested in the cure of diseases1 driving away devils1 c4 ,several ,bibles were thus deified4 ,in some nations they were kept under lock and key1 or cloistered in a golden box1 to prevent unsanctified hands from opening them4 ,the notion was prevalent with the devotees of several ,bibles1 that they should be read differently1 if not held differently1 from other books4 ,kissing the ,holy ,book was also prevalent among the ,hindoos1 ,mahomedans1 and early ,christians1--indeed1 in nearly all religious countries4 ,bible worship knew no bounds in the days of ignorance and superstition1 when people had more piety than philosophy4 ,believing that the spirit of ,god permeated their ,bibles1 nearly all the blessings of life were ascribed to their influence4 ,such a belief1 fostered from age to age1 and transmitted from parent to child1 could but operate to blind the judgment of all ,bible believers so as to disqualify them for detecting defects or perceiving their errors1 though they may abound on every page4 ,and these ,bibles have been read by millions of their disciples with a kind of solemn awe or holy fervor1 which not only wholly incapacitates the mind for perceiving its errors1 but shuts out the possibility of a doubt of its truth4 ,indeed1 they glory in assuming it to be a perfect embodiment of divine truth1 without the shadow of a shade of error from ,genesis to ,revelation1 to use the language of ,dr4 ,cheviot with respect to the ,christian ,bible4 ,the reasoning faculties are put to sleep1 and the intellect bound fast in chains1 before ,god's ,iloly ,book is opened2 and if the reasoning faculties should by chance arouse1 and rebel against such tyranny1 and try to assert their rights by permitting a doubt to spring up in the mind that some statement or text is not true1 the ,bible devotee becomes alarmed1 and exclaims1 with trembling fear1 ,lord1 ,i believe3 help thou mine unbelief4 ,in this state of fearful and prayerful mental strife against reason1 doubt1 and disbelief1 he again sinks into the darkness of devotion1 determined still longer to hug his canonized and idolized book to his bosom with all its errors and immoralities4 ,this has been virtually the experience of thousands of ,bible believers1 to a greater or less extent1 in all ages and all countries in possession of ,holy ,books4 ,in this way ,bibles have been an obstacle to the progress of mind and the progress of society4 ,an unchangeable and infallible book must inevitably cramp the mind1 and hold it in chains4 ,hence a ,bible-believing community can make no progress in morals1 science1 or civilization1 only so far as they violate their own principles by transcending its teachings4 ,society would remain for ever in an ignorant1 uncultured state1 were there not some minds in it possessing a sufficient amount of intellect to outgrow their ,bibles2 and1 but for the publication and perusal of other books1 society would make but little progress4 ,a mind which is religiously and conscientiously bound to believe in a ,bible is bound to all its errors and all its ignorance1 and hence can make no progress while it adheres rigidly to its own principles or its own scruples2 but1 thanks to the progressive genius of the age1 the ,holy ,books which embody the moral and religious errors of the past are nearly outgrown1 so that they are seldom read now even by their professed admirers4 ,people are assuming the liberty of becoming wise above what is written in ,god's ,holy ,book4 ,even ,christians themselves often assume this liberty3 otherwise we should have a community characterized by ignorance and superstition2 and our writers would be as liable to stumble into errors and contradictions as the ,bible writers when they penned ,god's perfect revelation4 ,it requires the acquisition of but little knowledge and intelligence to become wise above that which was written in that illiterate and ignorant age4 ,,chapter ,,lxiv4--,,spiritual ,,or ,,implied ,,sense ,,of ,,bibles4 ,the practice seems to have been very early conceived and adopted in various countries by the disciples of different ,bibles1 which have been long extant in the world1 of attaching to all the offensive texts of their sacred books 7which1 when taken literally1 convey either a vulgar1 immoral1 or foolish sense7 a new and more acceptable meaning than earlier custom had sanctioned1 or more devout minds had ever thought of4 ,as the growing intelligence of the people was constantly disclosing long-unnoticed and important errors in the ,holy ,book1 this expedient was adopted to cover them up1 or put them out of sight4 ,as ,jesus1 if not ,paul1 by virtue of the growth of the moral and intellectual perceptions1 was able to distinguish some errors and moral defects in the first installment of ,bible revelation as found in the ,jewish ,old ,testament1 so the people in every age since1 in those countries where any cultivation has been bestowed upon the mind1 have been capable of bringing to light numerous errors incorporated into the sacred books of past ages2 and as some of those books called ,bibles were claimed by their disciples to be perfect1 divinely inspired1 and infallible1 and consequently free from error1 some expedient had to be devised to sustain this claim1 and show that the man of science was guilty of falsehood when he charged ,god's ,holy ,book with containing errors4 ,the expedient finally adopted was to take the long-established signification of the words of the text out1 and put in a new meaning1 coined by the prolific brain of the devout defender of the ,book for the occasion2 and this new sense was called the spiritual sense4 ,it was presumed it would be more acceptable to the intelligent minds of the age4 ,in this way1 whenever a new scientific discovery has been announced1 demonstrating some of the statements of the venerated volume to be erroneous1 the clergy have set themselves to work with their clerical force-pumps to extract the meaning which our standard dictionaries assign to the words of every text that seemed to conflict with the newly discovered scientific truth1 and ingraft into it a new meaning of their own invention4 ,this practice finally became1 and has long been1 an established practice and art in nearly every country where a ,bible has been known1 whether ,jewish1 ,pagan1 or ,christian4 ,in fact1 no nation having a ,bible has omitted to practice it4 ,no matter how vulgar1 how disgusting1 or how shocking to the better feelings1 or how immoral the literal reading of the text1 a hundred ways could be found to get rid of its offensive signification2 a hundred spiritual interpretations could be thrust under its verbal coverings4 ,the most senseless1 the most indecorous1 and the most demoralizing verbiage could thus be made to pass for great spiritual truths4 ,the pagans and the ,jews practiced this art laboriously and extensively2 and the disciples of the ,christian faith1 in all ages of the ,church have been their strict imitators4 ,that it is a very ancient heathen custom is evident from the declaration of ,the ,nineteenth ,century1 which quotes ,plutarch as saying1 ,the spiritual or allegorical mode of interpreting words and language was applied to the poems of ,orpheus1 the ,egyptian writers1 and the ,phrygian traditions 7p4 #ccg74 ,grote tells us that the plain and literal meaning would not have been listened to1 as it did not suit the mental demands of the people4 7,see ,grote's ,history of ,greece47 ,he assigns this mode of interpreting sacred books to ancient ,egypt2 and ,mr4 ,wilson says the ,christians caught the passion for spiritualizing and allegorizing their ,bible at an early date1 and of converting them on all occasions into spiritual mysteries1 from the later ,platonists1 the example of ,philo1 and the ,jewish rabbis4 ,the ,mahomedans1 ,mr4 ,kant informs us1 gave a spiritual sense to the sensual descriptions of their paradise1 and thus the ,hindoos also interpreted their ,vedas4 ,the ,mahomedans1 says another writer1 indulge in glowing allegories concerning love and intoxication1 which1 like some of the ,hindoo devotional writings1 seem sensual to those who perceive only the external sense1 while the initiated find in them an interior meaning4 ,the ,greeks and ,romans1 according to the testimony of ,mr4 ,kant1 explained away some of the silliest legends of their polytheism by spiritualizing them1 or giving them a mystical sense4 ,speaking in general terms1 ,mr4 ,taylor says1 ,an allegorical sense was the apology offered for the manifest absurdities of paganism4 ,the ,roman ,julian once remarked1 that the poetic stories concerning the ,gods1 though regarded as fables1 he supposed contained a spiritual treasury4 ,kant declares1 in like manner1 that the ancient pagans gave a mystical sense to the many vicious actions of their ,gods1 and to the wildest dreams of their poets1 in order to bring the popular faith into agreement with their doctrines of morality2 that is1 they resorted to a spiritual interpretation in order to save them from being condemned as popular intelligence advanced4 ,all the learned ancients1 says ,mr4 ,higgins1 gave their sacred writings two meanings1--one literal1 and the other spiritual4 ,philo confessed that the literal sense of the ,old ,testament is shocking3 hence a divine science1 believed by intuition1 is necessary to penetrate the hidden meaning4 ,the ,essenes declared1 the literal sense of their scriptures was devoid of all power4 ,origen1 finding ,moses' writings replete with error and immorality1 got rid of the difficulty by declaring1 ,it is all allegory4 ,he makes the remarkable confession1 that there were some things inserted in the ,bible as history which were never transacted3 hence he concludes they must be interpreted spiritually1 or set down as false4 ,and ,st4 ,hillary declares1 ,there are many historical passages in the ,new ,testament1 which1 if taken literally1 are contrary to sense and reason2 and therefore there is a necessity for a mystical interpretation4 ,not that we have any evidence that such an interpretation was ever thought of by the writer2 but this new and forced interpretation is the only alternative to save the credit of the ,book4 ,any senseless expedient or subterfuge that could be invented was dragged in1 rather than admit the ,holy ,book contained errors2 for this would prove it to be the work of man1 and not of ,god4 ,this has been the policy from time immemorial of the votaries of all sacred books4 ,origen--after declaring1 ,there is no literal truth in the story of ,christ driving out the money-changers--asserts that it is an allegory1 indicating that we are to cast out our evil propensities4 ,he says the early ,christians seldom used the literal sense of the scriptures1 because it taught something objectionable2 and1 ever since the inauguration of this mode for concealing the errors and defective moral teachings of the ,bible1 all kinds of ridiculous interpretations of scripture have been resorted to by orthodox writers to make it teach what each one desired4 ,since they arrogated to themselves the liberty to depart from the literal meaning of the text1 hundreds of meanings have been ingrafted upon the same text by as many writers and readers2 thus launching all scripture import upon the quicksands of uncertainty4 ,the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,mc,naught of ,england points to one text in ,galatians--on which1 he says1 two hundred and forty meanings have been saddled by different ,bible interpreters--as a specimen of this kind of license1 that is1 two hundred and forty guesses at the meaning3 thus making ,bible interpretation1 and the system of salvation founded on it1 an entire system of guess-work2 and ,i would suggest1 that1 if we have thus to guess our way to heaven1 we can do so as well without the ,bible as with it4 ,a ,god who is so ignorant of human language as to give forth a revelation to the world couched in such unintelligible and ambiguous terms that no two people can understand it alike1 it seems to us1 should not have attempted it4 ,all will be chaos and confusion and wild guess-work with respect to the meaning of a large portion of the ,bible1 while its readers are allowed to depart from the established meaning of words as defined by our dictionaries1 and fabricate new meanings of their own4 ,as for example3 ,st4 ,andrew tells us1 that1 when ,christ spoke of removing mountains1 he meant the ,devil2 and1 when he spoke of selling two sparrows for a farthing1 ,bishop ,hillary says he meant sinners selling themselves to the ,devil4 ,the red heifer offered by ,moses on the day of ,pentecost was spiritually ,jesus ,christ2 thus identifying ,gods with beasts4 ,the wool and hyssop used-for sprinkling the people1 we are told1 means spiritually1 the cross of ,christ4 ,christ's injunction to hate father1 mother1 brother1 and sister1 c41 we are told1 means that we must love them2 and many similar examples of manufacturing new meanings for obnoxious texts might be cited4 ,now1 we ask1 of what practical value can the ,bible be1 when there is no certain clew to its meaning1 or when any of its readers1 on finding a word or text whose literal signification does not suit their religious fancy1 can assume the liberty to renounce the dictionary1 ignore the common and established acceptation of words1 and fabricate a new meaning contrary to1 and in direct conflict with1 the common signification8 ,to get rid of some obvious error in the text1 they bestow upon it any kind of fanciful1 and sometimes ridiculous1 signification their imagination can invent1 and then insist with a godly zeal that it is the in-ten led meaning of the writer4 ,if such lawless license in the use of words is to be tolerated1 as ,bible believers are in the habit of assuming1 in order to make it teach something which they devoutly desire it should teach1 then all rules with respect to the employment of language and the use of words are at an end3 our dictionaries may be banished from the schoolroom4 ,we will no longer have use for them if words are no longer the symbols of ideas1 which must be the case if people are allowed to attach any signification to them they please1 or assign them a meaning at variance with common custom2 and a person can learn as much by casting his eyes over the blank pages of the book as by tracing its printed lines4 ,and the art and labor of printing1 so far as he is concerned1 is superseded2 for1 as he fabricates his own meaning1 this can be done as well without type as with it4 ,mr4 ,ernstein1 in his ,principles of ,biblical ,interpretation 7p4 #cg71 affirms that a proposition may be strictly true which is not contained in the words of the text2 which is tantamount to saying1 ,the meaning exists independent of the text1 and is to be found outside of it3 so the text is not needed1 and is of no practical use2 for the sentiment of the text can be traced as well on the blank page4 ,the unwarrantable license which ,bible adherents assume of ingrafting new meanings into the words of a text when its literal reading shocks their moral sense by its immodesty1 its falsity1 or its puerility1 would not be tolerated with respect to any other book2 and1 if it is just and warrantable in this case1 why not adopt it for interpreting the pagan ,bibles1 and thus spiritualize them into truth and harmony8 ,it would take every objectionable statement out of them1 and make them pure1 un-mixed truth4 ,with this kind of license a book can be made to teach any thing desired4 ,grant me the liberty that ,christians assume in deviating from the established use of language1 and coining a new meaning for words1 and ,i will take all the infidelity out of ,tom ,paine's writings1 and make them chime with the smoothest and soundest orthodoxy4 ,it should be borne in mind that the custom of spiritualizing the apparently immoral and obscene portions of the ,bible is something the common people know nothing about1 but suppose that ,bible writers1 in all cases1 mean just what they say4 ,hence it is evident the practice has been attended with no practical benefit to society2 and ,infinite ,wisdom should have foreseen 7and would if it had been his production7 that the use of such language would have a demoralizing effect upon the world1 and consequently would have made use of better language4 ,bishop ,holbrook says that the notion of an inner sense to the ,bible is a mere creation of fancy1 and will take the errors out of any book4 ,and1 as different writers differ in their mode of spiritualizing the ,bible1 it proves it is a mere invention and forced expedient to save the credit of the ,book4 ,the resort to a spiritual sense for the ,bible was simply an attempt to conceal its bad sense1--its nonsense1 its vulgarity1 its immoral teachings1 and its numerous contradictions1 which scientific and progressive minds are constantly bringing to light4 ,but it is as illusory and ineffectual as the ostrich hiding its head in the sand to evade its pursuers4 ,in both cases the danger is blinked out of sight1 but not removed4 ,any sense of a text not clearly expressed or unequivocally indicated by the language1 we claim1 is a slander and a derogation upon ,infinite ,wisdom1 as it assumes he was too ignorant of language to be able to say what he meant1 thus placing him lower in the scale of intelligence than a common schoolboy2 and assumes his priesthood are infinitely wiser1 as they are able to reveal his ,holy ,book all over again1 and thus make the numerous blunders of ,infinite ,wisdom plain and intelligible to common sense and the poorest understanding4 ,i can not conclude this chapter without bestowing my thanks upon ,emanuel ,swedenborg for the service he has rendered the cause of truth and theological reform by an improved system of theology he has made out of the ,bible1 or rather out of his own brain4 ,being a man of unusual intellect and moral aspirations1 and a man of considerable literary attainments1 he could not brook the absurd system of theology taught in the pulpits1 professedly drawn from the ,bible4 ,and whether his system is more conformable to the teachings of the ,holy ,book is a matter of no importance4 ,it is in many respects a rational and beautiful system1 and is thus far very acceptable1 and must be very beneficial as a substitute for the irrational1 and in some respects immoral1 system taught by the orthodox churches2 and1 were it universally adopted by ,christian professors1 it would be a great improvement on the popular system1 and a step toward the attainment of a true and perfect system4 ,,chapter ,,lxv4--,,what ,,shall ,,we ,,substitute ,,for ,,the ,,bible8 ,the disbelievers in ,christianity in all past time1 when objecting to it as being fraught with too many moral defects to constitute a basis or guide for the religious opinions and moral actions of men in an age more free from superstition1 and much farther advanced in a knowledge of the true science of morals and the general principles of philosophy1 have been met with the reply1 ,show us a better system before you pull down ,christianity and throw aside the ,bible4 ,let us know what you are going to substitute in their place4 ,very well1 good friend1 we will meet your objection1 and hope we can remove the difficulty4 ,we think that either of the following answers should prove satisfactory1 and1 all taken together1 more than satisfactory3-- #a4 ,we do not propose or desire to destroy or supersede any valuable truth1 precept1 principle1 or doctrine taught in the ,bible1 or to set aside any thing that can in any way prove to be practically useful4 ,we only propose to sift out the errors from the truth1 rejecting the former and retaining the latter1 and to employ as many of the old timbers in constructing the new superstructure as are not rotten or otherwise defective4 #b4 ,truth can not be pulled down or destroyed1 as it possesses an omnipotency of principle that is indestructible4 ,like gold in the refiner's crucible1 it shines the brighter for every effort to destroy it4 #c4 ,it must be presumed1 therefore1 that whatever portion of your religion is susceptible of destruction is false1 and should be destroyed4 #d4 ,it is the nature of truth to spring up voluntarily the moment error is removed1 as naturally as air or water rushes in to fill a vacuum4 ,the instant the clouds are rifted1 the sun darts down its vivifying rays4 upon the earth4 ,you want no substitute for weeds when exterminated from your garden4 ,when eradicated1 those plants which are more useful and beautiful1 and which they have been choking and repressing the growth of1 will then assume a more healthy appearance4 ,you ask no substitute for sickness or disease1 but desire it removed that you may again enjoy the blessings of health4 ,moral health will likewise ensue by the removal of noxious weeds from the mind4 ,and1 finally1 you can find a complete answer to this objection in your own ,bible3 ,cease to do evil1 and 7then7 learn to do well2 that is1 the moment you discover an error in your faith or practice1 abandon it1 and you will soon learn what its proper substitute is4 ,truth is always at hand as a substitute for error4 ,we may assume1 then1 that1 if any of the erroneous doctrines now propagated were abandoned1 they would find their own substitute immediately1 as sickness finds its substitute in health4 ,but we will not leave the pious ,christian in this negative condition1 but will furnish him with a substitute which holds out much better hopes and promises than he has anchored in his idolized system1 whether those hopes appertain to a virtuous and happy life here1 or to an ever-blessed eternity beyond the confines of time4 ,that substitute will be found fully explained in ,chapter ,,xiv41 under the head of ,the ,infidel's ,bible4 ,or1 if he desires a system in fuller detail1 and one possessing great beauty1 let him examine the principles of ,the ,harmonial ,philosophy4 ,,chapter ,,lxvi4--,,religious ,,reconstruction2 ,,or1 ,,the ,,moral ,,necessity ,,for ,a ,,scientific ,,basis ,,for ,,religion4 ,a philosophical analysis of the human mind1 viewed in connection with the practical history of man from the early morning of his existence1 fully demonstrates it as an important truth1 that individual happiness and the moral welfare of society depend essentially upon the uniform action and harmonious cooperation of all the mental faculties2 and that1 on the other hand1 their individually excessive and inharmonious action constitutes the primary source of nearly all the crime1 misery1 and discord of society4 ,and it may be well to note here1 as another important preliminary truth1 that the progressive development of the science of mental philosophy has settled the division of the mental faculties into the following classification3 viz41 #a4 ,the animal1 which imparts energy and impulsive strength to the whole character1 mental and physical4 #b4 ,the social1 which is the source of family ties and the social and co-operative institutions of society4 #c4 ,the moral1 which makes us regardful of the happiness and welfare of other beings than ourselves4 #d4 ,the intellectual1 which is the great pilot-chamber or lighthouse of the whole mind2 though it is but recently that discoveries in mental philosophy have fully disclosed this as being its natural and legitimate office4 ,it has thus demonstrated it to be the most important department of the mind4 ,its position in the cerebrum--occupying1 as it does1 the superior frontal lobe of the brain--might1 however1 have suggested this4 ,now this is no fanciful delineation1 no mere ideal mapping of the mind1 but has been demonstrated thousands of times1 since the discoveries of ,gall1 to be the true condition and classified analysis of the mental faculties4 ,the religious faculties constituting that department of the mind which often controls our actions anil conduct toward others1 and being situated at the apex of the brain1--the point where the most intensified feelings and impulses are supposed to concentrate their misdirection or abnormal exercise1 is consequently attended with more direful consequences to society than that of any other portion of the mind4 ,all history demonstrates this as a tragical fact2 for religion1 more especially1 is always born blind4 ,this being a tenable fact1 and the religious faculties being awakened to action at an early period of human society1--before the intellectual chambers of the mind were lighted up by the illuminating rays of science1 or supplied by a philosophical education and a thorough and untrammeled study of nature's laws1--their natural intensity of feeling1 thus uncurbed and unenlightened1 drove their honest but dark-minded possessors into the most senseless and childish superstitions1 the most absurd doctrines1 the most relentless intolerance of belief1 and the most bloody and murderous persecutions2 thus proving that conscience unenlightened is a very unsafe and a very dangerous moral and religions guide4 ,the popular ,christian proverb1 that man can not be too religious1 comprehends a very fatal error in moral ethics3 for the man who possesses more religion than intellect1 or more devotional piety than intellectual cultivation and philosophical enlightenment1 is sometimes a more dangerous man to society than the highway robber or the midnight assassin2 because1 always finding many accomplices to aid him in his direful deeds of bloody persecutions1 and frequently being able1 also1 to invoke the strong arm of the law1 his work of defamation and spoliation1 if not of open persecution and bloodshed1 is wider spread than that of the burglar or the stealthy assassin4 ,a review of history shows us3 #a4 ,that1 up to the installation of the era of science1 which dates back less than three centuries ago1 the world--that is1 the ,christian world--was literally a vast prison-house of chains1 and a theater of butchery and blood1--the result of a practical effort of men1 devoutly pious1 to promote the glory of ,god1 and the establishment of a supposed-to-be-true religion4 #b4 ,the perpetrators of those tragical deeds upon men and women were1 many of them1 as religiously honest and conscientious as ever breathed the breath of life2 and they verily believed they were doing ,god service in thus punishing and exterminating dissenters and heretics4 ,the very fact that some of these pious persecutors perished themselves at the fiery stake in the conscientious and unflinching maintenance of their principles1 shouting ,hallelujah while the burning fagots consumed their bodies1 leaves no possible ground for doubt that a deep religious conviction had actuated them in the work of persecuting and punishing the enemies of their religion1 and in attempting to convert the world to its saving truth by the sword4 ,much is said about conscience1 the internal monitor1 the still1 small voice1 c41 as a guide for man's moral actions2 but1 if experience and history ever proved or can prove any thing1 they demonstrate most conclusively that conscience unenlightened by the intellectual department of the mind1 or a conscience grown up amid the weeds of scientific ignorance1 is as dangerous a pilot upon the moral ocean as the helmsman of a ship1 in midnight darkness1 surrounded by dangerous shoals and resistless whirlpools4 ,conscience without science or philosophy is a lamp without oil1 which consequently1 being without light1 is more likely to lead us astray than to guide us to the temple of truth4 ,science is the pilot-lamp by which we discern our way on the pilgrim-voyage of life2 while religion is the feeling1 the motive-power1 which impels us onward4 ,hence the latter should at all times be subservient to the former1 and should be checked and restrained from spontaneous development and exercise until the former is duly installed upon the mental throne as ruler of the moral empire4 ,it is as dangerous to cultivate and stimulate the religious feelings1 until the fires of science or practical philosophy have been kindled up in the intellectual chambers to furnish the light necessary to guide them in their impulsive course1 as it would be to steam up the boilers of a boat when approaching a precipice in the night1 with the pilot asleep upon his hammock1 and all the lights extinguished in his chamber4 ,neither religion nor conscience possesses primordially any light of its own4 ,both are born blind2 and all the light they ever possess is by reflection from the intellectual light-house4 ,prolific1 indeed1 of the proof of this statement1 are human nature1 human experience1 and universal history4 ,let the policy1 then1 be1 in all cases1 to cultivate science before religion4 ,the intellectual mind1 we repeat1 should be thoroughly cultivated and enlightened before the religious feelings are called into action4 ,query4 ,reader1 what do you now think of ,dr4 ,cheviot's statement1 ,the ,bible does not contain the shadow of a shade of error from ,genesis to ,revelation4 ,,conclusion4--,,several ,,important ,,points4 #a4 ,as this work was announced several years ago1 it seems proper to explain the causes of the long delay in its publication4 ,want of health for completing it1 and want of means for publishing it1 furnish the true explanation4 ,but by the practical application of a remedy constituting a new and extraordinary discovery in the healing art1 the author's health has so far improved as to enable him to resume the work1 and re-write nearly the whole of it in a few weeks time4 ,the work advertised embraced but forty pages4 ,the present volume comprises nearly eleven times that number of pages1 and includes only two chapters of the original1 except the small portion which has been re-written4 #b4 ,while ,the ,world's ,sixteen ,crucified ,saviors was designed principally to trace the doctrines1 traditions1 and miraculous events of the ,christian ,bible to their primary pagan or ,oriental origin1 the main object of ,the ,bible of ,bibles is to expose their logical absurdity1 and the evils resulting from their propagation and practical application4 #c4 ,the objection is frequently raised in this work against placing the ,bible in the hands of children1 and also in possession of the heathen4 ,this would1 of course1 keep it out of our common schools2 and the author rejoices in knowing1 that1 although the ,bible was used as a regular school-book in his youthful days1 it has been banished as a text-book from nearly every schoolroom throughout the country4 ,this denotes progress4 #d4 ,christian professors regard it as a sufficient refutation of all the arguments and facts designed to prove and demonstrate the immoral influence of the ,bible upon society1 to assert that ,christian countries are superior in morals to those not in possession of their ,bible4 ,but many facts cited in this work tend to prove1 that1 if the assumption were correct1 it could not with any show of reason or sense be attributed to the influence of the ,bible4 ,it is clearly1 if not self-evidently1 impossible that such moral or immoral lessons as are derived from the history of such characters as the father and founder of the ,jewish nation 7,abraham71 who is represented as living up to all the commands1 all the statutes1 and all the laws of ,god 7see ,gen4 xxvi4 #e71 while practicing the abominable crimes of treachery1 deceit1 falsehood1 incest or adultery1 and polygamy1 c1--,i say it is morally impossible for such examples and such lessons to exert other than a demoralizing influence upon society2 or that of ,david1 pronounced the man after ,god's own heart1 while practicing a long catalogue of the most shocking crimes 7see chap4 xxx74 ,such cases blasphemously represent ,god as sanctioning the most atrocious crimes and the most revolting deeds1 which is a virtual licence to the whole human race to practice them4 ,if a book containing such lessons does not exert an immoral influence upon society1 then human language1 when employed in writing ,bibles1 fails to make its ordinary impression upon the mind4 ,but we will here cite three cogent and incontrovertible historical facts1 which will settle the matter at once and for ever1 by proving the truth of our oft-repeated proposition1 that the ,christian ,bible1 notwithstanding the apparent improvement in morals of most ,christian countries in modern times1 has1 on the whole1 tended to demoralize every nation where it has been generally read1 believed1 and practiced4 ,first1 look at the moral condition of the whole ,christian world during the period known as the ,dark ,ages1 and you will see the proof in overwhelming torrents4 ,during that long night of moral darkness and human depravity1 which lasted nearly a thousand years1 all ,christendom was reeking with moral corruption1 and practicing the most abominable crimes4 ,lying1 deceit1 hypocrisy1 moral treason1 licentiousness1 adultery1 fornication1 fighting1 and drunkenness were the order of the day among all classes1 including the clergy and the deacons1 simply because the light of science had not reached them1 and the ,bible was their sole guide in morals and religion4 ,this state of things continued until the introduction of ,greek literature dispelled the thick clouds of mental darkness1 and arrested the swift tide of moral corruption4 ,second1 the ,greeks without our ,bible were both morally and intellectually superior to any ,christian nation4 ,third1 the ,dark ,ages were brought to a close by the introduction of ,greek learning and ,greek morals into ,christian nations4 ,this dates their first tendency to rise out of the sloughs of heathen barbarism1 and their first appearance of moral improvement4 ,and thus the proposition is proved and demonstrated by the facts of history that the ,bible continued to demoralize society till its influence was arrested by the dawn of moral and physical science4 ,in no nation has there been any marked improvement in morals with the use of the ,bible alone4 #e4 ,it will doubtless be regarded as an extraordinary circumstance that so many thousand biblical errors as are disclosed in this work should have passed from age to age unnoticed by the millions of disciples of the ,christian faith1 and more especially the startling fact that all the cardinal doctrines of the ,christian religion are founded in error4 ,but it should be borne in mind that it was regarded and taught as a religious duty to suppress and conceal all such errors1 and absolutely wicked1 sinful1 and dangerous to admit the possibility that the ,holy ,book can con-tain errors4 ,and this negative policy alone was sufficient to keep them concealed and out of sight4 #f4 ,it is stated in chapter thirty that none of #ast4 ,old ,testament writers teach the doctrine of immortality or the doctrine of future rewards and punishments4 ,the proof and a full elucidation of this subject will be found in ,the ,biography of ,satan4 #g4 ,it is stated in chapter fifty-five that all human language is more or less ambiguous and uncertain1 and in chapter fifty-two that skillful linguists of this age can construct language whose meaning can not be misunderstood2 and hence ,god should have been able to do so when the ,bible was written4 ,the first statement refers to language as ordinarily used when the ,bible was written1 and especially the imperfect ,hebrew of the ,bible4 ,the last statement implies that with the modern improvements language can be so employed as to leave no doubt of its meaning in any case4 ,both statements1 then1 are correct4 #h3 ,the author1 in abridging citations from history and the ,bible1 has in some cases deviated from custom in using quotation-marks4 ,this is especially true of chapter twenty-two 7on ,bible contradictions74 #i4 ,it is believed that no errors of any importance can be found in this work1 unless some mistakes have been committed in making scriptural references4 #aj4 ,each reader of this work is desired to examine carefully and critically the author's exposition of ,the ,twelve ,cardinal ,doctrines of the ,christian ,faith1 and report to him his views of that exposition4 ,those twelve leading doctrines are embraced in the twelve chapters commencing at chapter #cc 7on revelation7 and ending at chapter #dd 7on a personal ,god74