St Joseph College of Engineering

Cclendenen

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St Joseph College of Engineering Plus Two - Model Question Papers ENGLISH- Paper I General Instruction: i. In your answer-book, use the Arabic numerals (1 to 69) of the question you answer. Section - A (Vocabulary - Lexical Competencies) (30 Marks) I. A. Choose the most accurate of the four given contexts which equates with that of the underlined lexical item in each of the following sentences: 5 × 1 = 5 1.

• name of the bird
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• Publié par: unnu
• Nombre de lectures: 8
• Langue: English

Extrait

REASON,

THE

ONLY ORACLE OF MAN;

OR A COMPENDIOUS

SYSTEM OF NATURAL RELIGION.

BY COL. ETHAN ALLEN



BOSTON:
J.P. MENDUM, CORNHILL.
1854

Modernization to contemporary English Copyright © 2008-2009 by Charles Clendenen

Reason, the Only Oracle of Man Col. Ethan Allen, 1784


INTRODUCTION.

COLONEL ETHAN ALLEN, the author of Oracles of Reason, was the son of
Joseph Allen, a native of Coventry, Connecticut, a farmer in moderate circumstances.
He afterwards resided in Litchfield, where Ethan was born in the year 1739. The family
consisted of eight children, of whom our author was the eldest. But few incidents
connected with his early life are known. We are apprised, however, that notwith-
standing his education was very limited, his ambition to prove himself worthy of that
attention which superior intellect ever commands, induced him diligently to explore
every subject that came under his notice. A stranger to fear, his opinions were ever
given without disguise or hesitation; and an enemy to oppression, he sought every
opportunity to redress the wrongs of the oppressed.
At the breaking out of the Revolutionary War, he raised in Vermont, where he
had resided, a company of volunteers, consisting of two hundred and thirty, with which
he surprised the fortress of Ticonderoga, May 10, 1775, containing about forty men, and
one hundred pieces of cannon. He was unfortunately taken prisoner in September
following, in an attempt on Montreal, and suffered a cruel imprisonment for several
years. For an account of which, the reader is referred to his narrative, contained in a
memoir of the author, by Mr. Hugh Moore, Plattsburg, 1834.
Soon after the close of the revolution, Col. Allen composed following work; which,
on account of the bold and unusual manner, particularly in this country, that the subject
of religion is treated, he had great difficulty to get published. It lay a long time in the
hands of a printer at Hartford, who had not the moral courage to print it.
It was finally printed by a Mr. Haswell, of Bennington, Vt. in 1784. Not long
after its publication, a part of the edition, comprising the entire of several signatures,
was accidentally consumed by fire. Whether Mr. H. deemed this fire a judgment upon
him for having printed the work or not, is unknown -- but, the fact is, he soon after
committed the remainder of the edition to the flames, and joined the Methodist
Connection; so that but few copies were circulated.
COL. ALLEN died in the town of Burlington, Vt., on the 12th of February, 1789,
of apoplexy.
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Reason, the Only Oracle of Man Col. Ethan Allen, 1784


PREFACE

I see no reason to apologize for this work. It would be better to simply never
publish in the first place rather than apologize. Instead, since I feel I have as much a
right to publish my thoughts as a service to mankind as anyone else does, I offer this
work for honest public criticism without apology. I expect no mercy from my critics, and
because I would not wish to pervert the truth, I hope they will point out any errors that
I may have inadvertently introduced.

Of the great number of people who know me, most have called me a Deist. I have
never disputed this label. I am not a Christian, unless being baptized as an infant makes
you one. I would not know if I am a Deist or not, since I have never studied any Deist
writings. I will let my work speak for itself and let others decide. I have written openly
and honestly, without prejudice towards any man, sect or party, and I wish only to
promote good sense, truth and virtue, while pointing out deluded thinking, superstition
and false religion. I will gladly correct any errors that may be brought to my attention.

Your most obedient and humble servant,

ETHAN ALLEN

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Reason, the Only Oracle of Man Col. Ethan Allen, 1784


Table of Contents

Editor's Notes .................................................................................................................................. 7 
CHAPTER I .................................................................................................................................... 8 
SECTION I – THE POSITIVE ASPECTS OF TURNING MAN AWAY FROM
SUPERSTITION AND ERROR ................................................................................................. 8 
SECTION II – ON THE NATURE OF GOD ............................................................................. 8 
SECTION III – DISCOVERING THE MORAL PERFECTIONS AND ATTRIBUTES OF
GOD .......................................................................................................................................... 10 
SECTION IV – THE CAUSE AND CURE FOR IDOLATRY ............................................... 11 
CHAPTER II ................................................................................................................................. 14 
SECTION I – THE ETERNITY OF CREATION .................................................................... 14 
SECTION II –OBSERVATIONS ON MOSES’ ACCOUNT OF CREATION ....................... 14 
SECTION III –THE ETERNITY AND INFINITUDE OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE ............. 15 
SECTION IV –GOD’S PROVIDENCE DOES NOT INTERFERE WITH THE AGENCY OF
MAN ......................................................................................................................................... 17 
CHAPTER III ............................................................................................................................... 18 
SECTION I – CONSIDERING THE DOCTRINE OF INFINITE EVIL AND SIN ............... 18 
SECTION II – GOD’S MORAL GOVERNANCE IS INCOMPATIBLE WITH ETERNAL
PUNISHMENT ......................................................................................................................... 19 
SECTION III - HUMAN LIBERTY, ACTIONS AND ACCOUNTABILITY CANNOT
RESULT IN ETERNAL CONSEQUENCES, EITHER GOOD OR EVIL ............................. 20 
SECTION IV – PHYSICAL EVILS ......................................................................................... 20 
CHAPTER IV ............................................................................................................................... 22 
SECTION I - SPECULATION ON THE DEPRAVITY OF HUMAN REASON .................. 22 
SECTION II - A DISCOURSE ON THE LAW OF NATURE AND THE MORAL SYSTEM
WITH OBSERVATIONS ON SUBSEQUENT RELIGIONS ..................................................... 24 
CHAPTER V ................................................................................................................................ 28 
SECTION I – A GENERAL CRITIQUE OF SUPERNATURAL AND MYSTERIOUS
REVELATION ......................................................................................................................... 28 
SECTION II - COMMENTS ON THE PROVIDENCE AND AGENCY OF GOD IN THE
NATURAL AND MORAL WORLD WITH GENERAL CRITIQUES OF REVELATION .. 29 
CHAPTER VI ............................................................................................................................... 34 
SECTION I - MIRACLES ........................................................................................................ 34 
SECTION II –GOD’S OMNISCIENCE AND OMNIPOTENCE INCOMPATIBLE WITH
THE CONCEPT OF MIRACLES ............................................................................................ 35 
SECTION III – ANCIENT MIRACLES: RARE AND WONDERFUL PHENOMENA NOT
PROOF OF THEM, DIABOLICAL SPIRITS CANNOT PERFORM THEM,
SUPERSTITIOUS TRADITIONS CANNOT CONFIRM THEM, ANCIENT MIRACLES
CANNOT PROVE RECENT REVELATIONS ....................................................................... 36 
SECTION IV - PRAYER CANNOT BRING MIRACULOUS RESULTS ............................. 39 
CHAPTER VII .............................................................................................................................. 43 
SECTION I - PROPHECIES TOO VAGUE AND UNINTELLIGIBLE TO PROVE
REVELATION ......................................................................................................................... 43 
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Reason, the Only Oracle of Man Col. Ethan Allen, 1784


SECTION II - THE DISPUTES BETWEEN THE PROPHETS OVER THE TRUTH, THE
INCONSISTENCIES BETWEEN THE PROPHETS AND WITH THE NATURE OF
THINGS, AND THE OMISSIONS OF THE PROPHETS IN TEACHING THE DOCTRINE
OF IMMORTALITY, THUS PRECLUDING THE DIVINITY OF THEIR PROPHECIES .. 46 
SECTION III - DREAMS OR VISIONS – UNCERTAIN AND FANCIFUL CHANNELS
FOR CONVEYING REVELATION (WITH REMARKS ON THE COMMUNICATION OF
THE HOLY GHOST TO THE DISCIPLES, THE PRAYERS AND LAYING ON OF THE
APOSTLES HANDS, WITH OBSERVATIONS ON THE DIVINE PRONOUNCEMENTS
OF THE FIRST PREACHERS OF THE GOSPEL, AND AN ACCOUNT OF THE CHOSEN
LADY AND HER NEW SECT OF SHAKERS) ..................................................................... 52 
CHAPTER VIII ..............................................