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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TheProjectGutenbergEBookofTheChristianFoundation,April,1880ThiseBookisfortheuseofanyoneanywhereatnocostandwithalmostnorestrictionswhatsoever.Youmaycopyit,giveitawayorre-useitunderthetermsoftheProjectGutenbergLicenseincludedwiththiseBookoronlineathttp://www.gutenberg.org/licenseTitle:TheChristianFoundation,April,1880ReleaseDate:February19,2009[Ebook28126]Language:English*T*H*ESTCAHRRTISOTIFATNHFEOPURNODJEACTITONG,UTAEPNRIBLE,R1G880E*B*O*OK
ehTChristianFoundation,,rOScientificandReligiousVol.1.No4.April,81.08Journal
ContentsIsThereACounterfeitWithoutAGenuine?........DesignInNature.......................AnAtheistIsAFool.....................BlunderOnAndBlunderOnItIsHumanToBlunder...Draper'sConflictBetweenReligionAndScience......FactsSpeakLouderThanWords,OrWhatChristianityHasDoneForCannibals.................AreWeSimplyAnimals?..................OurRelationsToTheAncientLawAndProphetsWhatAreThey?........................TheFuneralServicesOfTheNationalLiberalLeague...Huxley'sParadox.......................TheTriumphingReignOfLight...............213911262923304344464
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]221[IsThereACounterfeitWithoutAGenuine?Myobjectinthislessonistopresentthemyths,theancient,fictitiousandfancifulnarrativesconcerningthegods,insuchamannerastoenableyoutoseetheutterabsurdityoftheideathatthereligionoftheBibleisofmythicalorigin.Mythsarefictitiousnarratives,havingananalogymoreorlessremotetosomethingreal.Fromthisdefinitionyoudiscoverthatamythisalwaysacounterfeit,andassuchalwaysappearsinevidenceinfavorofsomethingmoreorlessremote,thatistrue.Now,iftheBiblehadamythicalorigin,itsustainssomeanalogytosomethingfoundinthemythicalorfictitiousandfancifulnarrativesconcerningthegods,andisthereforethemythofamyth;thecounterfeitofacounterfeit.Ifsuchbethetruthinthecase,wheredowefindtheoriginofthemythsfromwhich Biblemyths havedescended?IsitfoundinthetrueGodpresidingovertheelementsofnatureandthedestiniesofmen,aswellastheeventsofcreationandprovidence?Or,canitbepossiblethatwehavemanycounterfeitswithoutagenuine?Manymythssustainingnoanalogy,eithernearorremote,toanythingreal?Itisanabsurdity,destructiveofthetermemployed,becausemythsceasetobemythswithoutsomenearorremoterelationtorealities.Theymustsustainsomeanalogytosomethingreal.Andcounterfeitsalsoceasetobecounterfeitswhenitisshownthattheysustainnorelation,throughanalogyorlikeness,toanythingthatisgenuine.Inthemythicalsystemsofoldentimeswehave,inthemidstofavastdealoffalseandfancifulnarrativeconcerningsubordinateandsecondarygods,evidenceofasupremeGodpresidingoverallthings;andthesecondarygodsperformingmanythingswhich
IsThereACounterfeitWithoutAGenuine?3belongedtotheprovinceofthe AlmightyOne, withmanydegrading,vileandcorruptinghabits.AletterwrittenbyMaximus,aNumidian,toAugustin,readsthus: Now,thatthereisasovereignGod,whoiswithoutbeginning,andwho,withouthavingbegottenanythinglikeuntoHimself,is,nevertheless,theFatherandtheformerofallthings,whatmancanbegrossandstupidenoughtodoubt?Heitisofwhom,underdifferentnames,weadoretheeternalpowerextendingthrougheverypartoftheworld,thushonoringseparatelybydifferentsortsofworshipwhatmaybecalledHisseveralmembers,weadoreHimentirely.Maythosesubordinategodspreserveyouunderwhosenames,andbywhomallwemortalsuponearthadorethecommonFatherofgodsandmen. Inthisletterwehaveaclearpresentationofthemythicalsystemconcerningtheancientgods,andalsothe analagousrelation tothe MasterGod. Eachgodhavinghisparticulardominionoverplaceorpassion,appearsbeforeusasarepresentativeofthesupreme,or MasterGod; andbyworshipingeachmemberorGodtheyclaimedtoadoreentirelythe commonFatherofgodsandmen. Augustinanswers,InyourpublicsquaretherearetwostatuesofMars,onenaked,theotherarmed;andclosebythefigureofamanwho,withthreefingersadvancedtowardsMars,holdsincheckthatdivinitysodangeroustothewholetown.Withregardtowhatyousayofsuchgodsbeingportionsoftheonly trueGod, Itakethelibertyyougavemetowarnyounottofallintosuchasacrilege;forthatonlyGod,ofwhomyouspeak,isdoubtlessHewhoisacknowledgedbythewholeworld,andconcerningwhom,assomeoftheancientshavesaid,theignorantagreewiththelearned.Now,willyousaythatMars,whosestrengthisrepresentedbyaninanimateman,isaportionofthatGod?Thatistosay,thedeadstatuecontrolsMars,andMarsisasubordinategodrepresentingtheinfiniteGod,andis,therefore,apartofthatGod.Augustinadds,NotthePantheonandallthetemplesconsecratedtotheinferiorgods,noreven[]321
]421[4TheChristianFoundation,April,1880thetemplesconsecratedtothetwelvegreatergodsprevented DeusOptimusMaximus, Godmostgood,mostgreat,frombeingacknowledgedthroughouttheempire.Voltairesays, Inspiteofallthefolliesofthepeoplewhoveneratedsecondaryandridiculousgods,andinspiteoftheEpicurians,whoinrealityacknowledgednone,itisverifiedthatinalltimesthemagistratesandwiseadoredonesovereignGod. Secondarygodsweremyths,counterfeits,sustainingtherelationofcounterfeits.Theancientsattributedtheirownpassionstothe MasterGod, andhadsubordinategodsrepresentingpassions.TheyalsohadagodforeachpartofHisdominion;andthesegodstheycalledmembersofthetrueGod,andclaimedtoworshipHim,byworshipingallthemembersorgods.Marswasthegodofwar;Bacchuswasthegodofdrunkenness.Theyhadagodforthisandagodforthat.Theancientpagansseemedtothinkthatinfinitedivisibilitybelongedtothe trueGod, fortheydistinguishedbetweenpassions,anddivideduptheuniverseamongthegodsuntiltheyhaditcrammedfullofsubordinateandridiculousgods,eachoneamemberofJehovah,andeachmemberapartofthegreatmythicalsystem.Now,inordertoestablishthepropositionthatourreligionisofmythicalorigin,itisnecessarytoshow,first,thattheBiblewaswrittenthissideoforduringtheageofmyths,and,havingdonethis,itisnecessarytoshowthattheHebrewpeoplewereamythicalpeople;neitherofwhichcanbeaccomplished.ItwillnotbeamisstopresentinthisconnectionastatementgivenbyJustintotheGreeks.Hesays: Ofallyourteachers,whethersages,poets,historians,philosophers,orlaw-givers,byfartheoldest,astheGreekhistoriansshowus,wasMoses....ForinthetimesofOgygesandInachus,whomsomeofyourpoetshavesupposedtohavebeenearth-bornthatis,tohavesprungfromthesoil,andhenceoneoftheoldestinhabitantstheaborigines,MosesismentionedastheleaderandruleroftheJewishnation. Heismentionedasaveryancientandtime-honoredprincein
IsThereACounterfeitWithoutAGenuine?5theAthenian,AtticandGrecianhistories.Polemon,inhisfirstbookofHellenics,mentionsMosesastheleaderandruleroftheJewishnation.Ptolemæus,inhishistoryofEgypt,bearsthesametestimony.Apion,anEgyptianwriter,inhisbookagainsttheJews,says Mosesledthem. Dr.Shaw,amoderntraveler,saystheinhabitantsofCorondel,ontheeasternsideoftheRedSea,tothisdaypreservetheremembranceofthedeliveranceofthechildrenofIsraelfromtheirbondageinEgypt.Diodorus,themostrenownedGreekhistorian,whoemployedthirtyyearsepitomizingthelibraries,andtraveledoverAsiaandEuropeforthesakeofgreataccuracy,whowrotefortyvolumesofhistory,sayshelearnedfromtheEgyptianprieststhatMoseswasanancientlaw-giver.Itseemstousthat,nosaneman,whoisacquaintedwiththeancientmythicals,canregardthereligionoftheBibleasachildofmythicaldescent.Itisasdeadlyinitsinfluenceuponthosemyths,andallmythicalworship,asitcouldbemadebyaninfinitemind.Voltairesays thecharacterofthemythicalgodsisridiculous; wewilladd,itisridiculousintheextreme.ListenHesiod,inhistheogony,says: Chronos,thesonofOuranos,orSaturn,sonofHeaven,inthebeginningslewhisfather,andpossessedhimselfofhisrule,and,beingseizedwithapaniclestheshouldsufferinthesameway,hepreferreddevouringhischildren,butCuretes,asubordinategod,bycraft,conveyedJupiterawayinsecretandafterwardsboundhisbrotherwithchains,anddividedtheempire,Jupiterreceivingtheair,andNeptunethedeep,andPlutoHades. Pros-er-pi-ne,Mella-nip-pe,Neptune,PlutoandJupiterareallsetforthinthemythicalwritingsasadulterers.Jupiterwasregardedasmorefrequentlyinvolvedinthatcrime,beingsetdownasguiltyinmanyinstances.FortheloveofSem-e-le,itissaidthatheassumedwingsandprovedhisownunchastityandherjealousy.Thesearesomeoftheexploitsofthesonsof21[]5
]621[6TheChristianFoundation,April,1880Saturn.Herculeswascelebratedbyhisthreenights,sungbythepoetsforhissuccessfullabors.ThesonofJupiterslewtheLion,anddestroyedthemany-headedHydra;wasabletokillthefleetman-eatingbirds,andbroughtupfromhadesthethree-headeddog,Cerberus;effectuallycleansedtheAugeanstablefromitsrefuse;killedthebullsandstagwhosenostrilsbreathedfire;slewthepoisonousserpentandkilledAch-e-lò-us.Theguest-slayingBu-sí-riswasdelightedwithbeingstunnedbythecymbalsoftheSat-yrs,andtobeconqueredwiththeloveofwomen;andatlast,beingunabletotakethecloakoffofNessus,hekindledhisownfuneralpileanddied.Sucharespecimensoftheancientmyths.TheircharacterissuchastoleaveanimpassiblegulfbetweenthemandthecharacteroftheGodrevealedinourreligion.Nodevelopmenttheory,seekingtheoriginofourreligionintheoldmythicalsystem,canbridgeacrossthischasm.Itisasdeepandbroadasthedistancebetweentheantipodes.Thereisnoanalogybetweenthesecounterfeitsormythsandthe trueGod, savethatremotepowerofGodwhichisdividedupandparceledoutamongthem.Theirmoralsweretheworst.Thewholemythicalsystemissimplyonegranddemonstrationofhumanapostacyfromthe trueGod. HomerintroducesZeusinlove,andbitterlycomplainingandbewailinghimself,andplottedagainstbytheothergods.Herepresentsthegodsassufferingatthehandsofmen.MarsandVenuswerewoundedbyDi-o-me-de.Hesays, GreatPluto'sselfthestingingarrowfeltwhenthatsamesonofJupiterassailedhimintheverygatesofhell,andwroughthimkeenestanguish.Piercedwithpain,tothehighOlympus,tothecourtsofJupitergroaninghecame.Thebittershaftremaineddeepinhisshoulderfixed,andgrievedhissoul. Inthemythicalsystemthegodsarenotpresentedascreatorsorfirstcauses.Homersays,Theywereinthebeginninggeneratedfromthewatersoftheocean,andthousandswereaddedbydeifyingdepartedheroesandphilosophers.Thethoughtofonesupreme
IsThereACounterfeitWithoutAGenuine?7Intelligence,the GodofGods, ,runsthroughallthesystemofmyths.Itisfoundanteriortothemyths,and,therefore,couldnothavehaditsoriginwiththem.ThecharacterascribedtoourGod,inourscriptures,hasnoplaceamongtheancientmyths.Theyholdthe MasterGod beforeusonlyinconnectionwithpower,beingaltogetherignorantofHistruecharacter.TheyevenwentsofarastoattributemuchtoHimthatwasridiculous.Oneoftheancientssaid, Theutmostthatamancandoistoattributetothebeingheworshipshisimperfectionsandimpurities,magnifiedtoinfinity,itmaybe,andthenbecomeworsebytheirreflexactionuponhisownnature. Thiswasverifiedintheancientmythicalreligion,withoutexception,andwithoutdoubt. Thecharacterofallthegodswassimplyhumancharacterextendedinallitspowers,appetites,lustsandpassions.ScholarssaythereisnolanguagecontainingwordsthatexpresstheScripturalideasofholinessandabhorrenceofsin,exceptthoseinwhichtheScripturesweregiven,orintowhichtheyhavebeentranslated.Theseattributesmustbeknowninordertosalvationfromsin,soGodrevealedHimselfandgavetheworldapurereligion,asastandardofrightandwrong,andguideinduty,andruleoflife. ThehistoryoftheancientnationsoftheearthgivesaunitedtestimonythattheiroriginalprogenitorspossessedaknowledgeoftheonetrueandlivingGod,whowasworshipedbythem,andbelievedtobeaninfinite,self-existentandinvisiblespirit.Thisnotionwasneverentirelyextinguishedevenamongtheidolatrousworshipers.GreekandLatinpoetsweregreatcorruptersoftheology,yetinthemidstofalltheirGodsthereisstilltobefound,intheirwritings,thenotionofonesupremeinpowerandrule,whomtheyconfoundwithJupiter.Theageofmythsbeganwiththetenthgenerationaftertheflood.TheevidenceofthisisgivenbyPlatofromoneoftheancientpoetsinthesewords: Itwasthegenerationthenthetenth,ofmenendowedwithspeech,sinceforththefloodhadburst]721[
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