The Christian Foundation, Or, Scientific and Religious Journal, April, 1880

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The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Christian Foundation, April, 1880 This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at http://www.gutenberg.org/license Title: The Christian Foundation, April, 1880 Release Date: February 19, 2009 [Ebook 28126] Language: English ***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CHRISTIAN FOUNDATION, APRIL, 1880*** The Christian Foundation, Or, Scientific and Religious Journal Vol. 1. No 4. April, 1880. Contents Is There A Counterfeit Without A Genuine? . . . . . . . . 2 Design In Nature. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 An Atheist Is A Fool. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Blunder On And Blunder On—It Is Human To Blunder. . . 21 Draper's Conflict Between Religion And Science. . . . . . 26 Facts Speak Louder Than Words, Or What Christianity Has Done For Cannibals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Are We Simply Animals? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Our Relations To The Ancient Law And Prophets—What Are They? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 The Funeral Services Of The National Liberal League. . . 43 Huxley's Paradox. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 The Triumphing Reign Of Light. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 [121] Is There A Counterfeit Without A Genuine?

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• Publié par: nushing
• Publié le: 08 décembre 2010
• Nombre de lectures: 39
• Langue: English

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TheProjectGutenbergEBookofTheChristianFoundation, April,1880 ThiseBookisfortheuseofanyoneanywhereatnocost andwithalmostnorestrictionswhatsoever.Youmaycopy it,giveitawayorre-useitunderthetermsoftheProject GutenbergLicenseincludedwiththiseBookoronlineat http://www.gutenberg.org/license Title:TheChristianFoundation,April,1880 ReleaseDate:February19,2009[Ebook28126] Language:English * T * H * E ST C A H R R T IS O TI F A T N H F E O P U R N O D JE A C TI T ON G , UT A E P N RI B L E , R 1 G 880 E * B * O * OK

ehTChristianFoundation, ,rO ScientificandReligious Vol.1.No4. April,81.08 Journal

Contents IsThereACounterfeitWithoutAGenuine?........ DesignInNature....................... AnAtheistIsAFool..................... BlunderOnAndBlunderOnItIsHumanToBlunder... Draper'sConflictBetweenReligionAndScience...... FactsSpeakLouderThanWords,OrWhatChristianity HasDoneForCannibals................. AreWeSimplyAnimals?.................. OurRelationsToTheAncientLawAndProphetsWhat AreThey?........................ TheFuneralServicesOfTheNationalLiberalLeague... Huxley'sParadox....................... TheTriumphingReignOfLight............... 2 13 91 12 62 92 33 04 34 44 64

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]221[ IsThereACounterfeitWithoutA Genuine? Myobjectinthislessonistopresentthemyths,theancient, fictitiousandfancifulnarrativesconcerningthegods,insucha mannerastoenableyoutoseetheutterabsurdityoftheideathat thereligionoftheBibleisofmythicalorigin.Mythsarefictitious narratives,havingananalogymoreorlessremotetosomething real.Fromthisdefinitionyoudiscoverthatamythisalwaysa counterfeit,andassuchalwaysappearsinevidenceinfavorof somethingmoreorlessremote,thatistrue.Now,iftheBiblehad amythicalorigin,itsustainssomeanalogytosomethingfound inthemythicalorfictitiousandfancifulnarrativesconcerning thegods,andisthereforethemythofamyth;thecounterfeitofa counterfeit.Ifsuchbethetruthinthecase,wheredowefindthe originofthemythsfromwhichBiblemythshavedescended? IsitfoundinthetrueGodpresidingovertheelementsofnature andthedestiniesofmen,aswellastheeventsofcreationand providence?Or,canitbepossiblethatwehavemanycounterfeits withoutagenuine?Manymythssustainingnoanalogy,either nearorremote,toanythingreal?Itisanabsurdity,destructive ofthetermemployed,becausemythsceasetobemythswithout somenearorremoterelationtorealities.Theymustsustain someanalogytosomethingreal.Andcounterfeitsalsoceaseto becounterfeitswhenitisshownthattheysustainnorelation, throughanalogyorlikeness,toanythingthatisgenuine.Inthe mythicalsystemsofoldentimeswehave,inthemidstofavast dealoffalseandfancifulnarrativeconcerningsubordinateand secondarygods,evidenceofasupremeGodpresidingoverall things;andthesecondarygodsperformingmanythingswhich

IsThereACounterfeitWithoutAGenuine?3 belongedtotheprovinceoftheAlmightyOne,withmany degrading,vileandcorruptinghabits. AletterwrittenbyMaximus,aNumidian,toAugustin,reads thus:Now,thatthereisasovereignGod,whoiswithout beginning,andwho,withouthavingbegottenanythinglike untoHimself,is,nevertheless,theFatherandtheformerofall things,whatmancanbegrossandstupidenoughtodoubt? Heitisofwhom,underdifferentnames,weadoretheeternal powerextendingthrougheverypartoftheworld,thushonoring separatelybydifferentsortsofworshipwhatmaybecalledHis severalmembers,weadoreHimentirely.Maythosesubordinate godspreserveyouunderwhosenames,andbywhomallwe mortalsuponearthadorethecommonFatherofgodsandmen. Inthisletterwehaveaclearpresentationofthemythicalsystem concerningtheancientgods,andalsotheanalagousrelation totheMasterGod.Eachgodhavinghisparticulardominion overplaceorpassion,appearsbeforeusasarepresentativeof thesupreme,orMasterGod;andbyworshipingeachmember orGodtheyclaimedtoadoreentirelythecommonFatherof godsandmen.Augustinanswers,Inyourpublicsquarethere aretwostatuesofMars,onenaked,theotherarmed;andclose bythefigureofamanwho,withthreefingersadvancedtowards Mars,holdsincheckthatdivinitysodangeroustothewhole town.Withregardtowhatyousayofsuchgodsbeingportions oftheonlytrueGod,Itakethelibertyyougavemetowarn younottofallintosuchasacrilege;forthatonlyGod,ofwhom youspeak,isdoubtlessHewhoisacknowledgedbythewhole world,andconcerningwhom,assomeoftheancientshavesaid, theignorantagreewiththelearned.Now,willyousaythatMars, whosestrengthisrepresentedbyaninanimateman,isaportion ofthatGod?Thatistosay,thedeadstatuecontrolsMars,and MarsisasubordinategodrepresentingtheinfiniteGod,andis, therefore,apartofthatGod.Augustinadds,NotthePantheon andallthetemplesconsecratedtotheinferiorgods,noreven []321

]421[ 4TheChristianFoundation,April,1880 thetemplesconsecratedtothetwelvegreatergodsprevented DeusOptimusMaximus,Godmostgood,mostgreat,from beingacknowledgedthroughouttheempire.Voltairesays,In spiteofallthefolliesofthepeoplewhoveneratedsecondaryand ridiculousgods,andinspiteoftheEpicurians,whoinreality acknowledgednone,itisverifiedthatinalltimesthemagistrates andwiseadoredonesovereignGod.Secondarygodswere myths,counterfeits,sustainingtherelationofcounterfeits.The ancientsattributedtheirownpassionstotheMasterGod,and hadsubordinategodsrepresentingpassions.Theyalsohada godforeachpartofHisdominion;andthesegodstheycalled membersofthetrueGod,andclaimedtoworshipHim,by worshipingallthemembersorgods.Marswasthegodofwar; Bacchuswasthegodofdrunkenness.Theyhadagodforthisand agodforthat.Theancientpagansseemedtothinkthatinfinite divisibilitybelongedtothetrueGod,fortheydistinguished betweenpassions,anddivideduptheuniverseamongthegods untiltheyhaditcrammedfullofsubordinateandridiculousgods, eachoneamemberofJehovah,andeachmemberapartofthe greatmythicalsystem. Now,inordertoestablishthepropositionthatourreligionis ofmythicalorigin,itisnecessarytoshow,first,thattheBible waswrittenthissideoforduringtheageofmyths,and,having donethis,itisnecessarytoshowthattheHebrewpeoplewerea mythicalpeople;neitherofwhichcanbeaccomplished.Itwill notbeamisstopresentinthisconnectionastatementgivenby JustintotheGreeks.Hesays:Ofallyourteachers,whether sages,poets,historians,philosophers,orlaw-givers,byfarthe oldest,astheGreekhistoriansshowus,wasMoses....Forinthe timesofOgygesandInachus,whomsomeofyourpoetshave supposedtohavebeenearth-bornthatis,tohavesprungfrom thesoil,andhenceoneoftheoldestinhabitantstheaborigines, MosesismentionedastheleaderandruleroftheJewishnation. Heismentionedasaveryancientandtime-honoredprincein

IsThereACounterfeitWithoutAGenuine?5 theAthenian,AtticandGrecianhistories.Polemon,inhisfirst bookofHellenics,mentionsMosesastheleaderandrulerof theJewishnation.Ptolemæus,inhishistoryofEgypt,bearsthe sametestimony.Apion,anEgyptianwriter,inhisbookagainst theJews,saysMosesledthem.Dr.Shaw,amoderntraveler, saystheinhabitantsofCorondel,ontheeasternsideoftheRed Sea,tothisdaypreservetheremembranceofthedeliveranceof thechildrenofIsraelfromtheirbondageinEgypt.Diodorus, themostrenownedGreekhistorian,whoemployedthirtyyears epitomizingthelibraries,andtraveledoverAsiaandEuropefor thesakeofgreataccuracy,whowrotefortyvolumesofhistory, sayshelearnedfromtheEgyptianprieststhatMoseswasan ancientlaw-giver. Itseemstousthat,nosaneman,whoisacquaintedwith theancientmythicals,canregardthereligionoftheBibleasa childofmythicaldescent.Itisasdeadlyinitsinfluenceupon thosemyths,andallmythicalworship,asitcouldbemadebyan infinitemind. Voltairesaysthecharacterofthemythicalgodsisridiculous; wewilladd,itisridiculousintheextreme.ListenHesiod,in histheogony,says:Chronos,thesonofOuranos,orSaturn, sonofHeaven,inthebeginningslewhisfather,andpossessed himselfofhisrule,and,beingseizedwithapaniclestheshould sufferinthesameway,hepreferreddevouringhischildren,but Curetes,asubordinategod,bycraft,conveyedJupiterawayin secretandafterwardsboundhisbrotherwithchains,anddivided theempire,Jupiterreceivingtheair,andNeptunethedeep,and PlutoHades. Pros-er-pi-ne,Mella-nip-pe,Neptune,PlutoandJupiterare allsetforthinthemythicalwritingsasadulterers.Jupiterwas regardedasmorefrequentlyinvolvedinthatcrime,beingset downasguiltyinmanyinstances.FortheloveofSem-e-le,it issaidthatheassumedwingsandprovedhisownunchastity andherjealousy.Thesearesomeoftheexploitsofthesonsof 21[]5

]621[ 6TheChristianFoundation,April,1880 Saturn.Herculeswascelebratedbyhisthreenights,sungbythe poetsforhissuccessfullabors. ThesonofJupiterslewtheLion,anddestroyedthemany- headedHydra;wasabletokillthefleetman-eatingbirds, andbroughtupfromhadesthethree-headeddog,Cerberus; effectuallycleansedtheAugeanstablefromitsrefuse;killedthe bullsandstagwhosenostrilsbreathedfire;slewthepoisonous serpentandkilledAch-e-lò-us.Theguest-slayingBu-sí-riswas delightedwithbeingstunnedbythecymbalsoftheSat-yrs,and tobeconqueredwiththeloveofwomen;andatlast,being unabletotakethecloakoffofNessus,hekindledhisown funeralpileanddied.Sucharespecimensoftheancientmyths. Theircharacterissuchastoleaveanimpassiblegulfbetween themandthecharacteroftheGodrevealedinourreligion.No developmenttheory,seekingtheoriginofourreligionintheold mythicalsystem,canbridgeacrossthischasm.Itisasdeepand broadasthedistancebetweentheantipodes.Thereisnoanalogy betweenthesecounterfeitsormythsandthetrueGod,save thatremotepowerofGodwhichisdividedupandparceledout amongthem.Theirmoralsweretheworst.Thewholemythical systemissimplyonegranddemonstrationofhumanapostacy fromthetrueGod.HomerintroducesZeusinlove,andbitterly complainingandbewailinghimself,andplottedagainstbythe othergods.Herepresentsthegodsassufferingatthehandsof men.MarsandVenuswerewoundedbyDi-o-me-de.Hesays, GreatPluto'sselfthestingingarrowfeltwhenthatsameson ofJupiterassailedhimintheverygatesofhell,andwrought himkeenestanguish.Piercedwithpain,tothehighOlympus, tothecourtsofJupitergroaninghecame.Thebittershaft remaineddeepinhisshoulderfixed,andgrievedhissoul.Inthe mythicalsystemthegodsarenotpresentedascreatorsorfirst causes.Homersays,Theywereinthebeginninggeneratedfrom thewatersoftheocean,andthousandswereaddedbydeifying departedheroesandphilosophers.Thethoughtofonesupreme

IsThereACounterfeitWithoutAGenuine?7 Intelligence,theGodofGods,,runsthroughallthesystemof myths.Itisfoundanteriortothemyths,and,therefore,couldnot havehaditsoriginwiththem.ThecharacterascribedtoourGod, inourscriptures,hasnoplaceamongtheancientmyths.They holdtheMasterGodbeforeusonlyinconnectionwithpower, beingaltogetherignorantofHistruecharacter.Theyevenwent sofarastoattributemuchtoHimthatwasridiculous.Oneofthe ancientssaid,Theutmostthatamancandoistoattributetothe beingheworshipshisimperfectionsandimpurities,magnifiedto infinity,itmaybe,andthenbecomeworsebytheirreflexaction uponhisownnature.Thiswasverifiedintheancientmythical religion,withoutexception,andwithoutdoubt. Thecharacterofallthegodswassimplyhumancharacter extendedinallitspowers,appetites,lustsandpassions.Scholars saythereisnolanguagecontainingwordsthatexpressthe Scripturalideasofholinessandabhorrenceofsin,exceptthose inwhichtheScripturesweregiven,orintowhichtheyhavebeen translated.Theseattributesmustbeknowninordertosalvation fromsin,soGodrevealedHimselfandgavetheworldapure religion,asastandardofrightandwrong,andguideinduty,and ruleoflife. Thehistoryoftheancientnationsoftheearthgivesaunited testimonythattheiroriginalprogenitorspossessedaknowledge oftheonetrueandlivingGod,whowasworshipedbythem,and believedtobeaninfinite,self-existentandinvisiblespirit.This notionwasneverentirelyextinguishedevenamongtheidolatrous worshipers.GreekandLatinpoetsweregreatcorruptersof theology,yetinthemidstofalltheirGodsthereisstilltobe found,intheirwritings,thenotionofonesupremeinpowerand rule,whomtheyconfoundwithJupiter. Theageofmythsbeganwiththetenthgenerationafterthe flood.TheevidenceofthisisgivenbyPlatofromoneofthe ancientpoetsinthesewords:Itwasthegenerationthenthetenth, ofmenendowedwithspeech,sinceforththefloodhadburst ]721[