Experimental investigation of the spirit manifestations, [electronic ...

210 INFLUENCE OF SCRIPTUREIS coupled not only ic'illi tlic ncjlcct, bat ivith the violation 0/ those jjrcc^jjtswhich the gospel inculcates.1102. Diogenes took a lantern to sec if lie could find an honest man inGreece. Were any one to employ a linic-light, he would not in Christendomfind a Christian who carries out in practice the precepts of his divineMaster. If those who know their Master's will, yet do it not, arc to bebeaten with many stripes, while the ignorant pagan is to bear but few,were itnot better to be a pagan than such a Christian as those are, for themost part, who exist in Christendom ? Unless our missionaries can makebetter Christians, is it not inhumane to add to the number 'i1103. On calling on a bigoted, self-styled disciple of Christ to show meany one who put the precepts of Christ into practice, the reply was, " We relyon his merits." " That is all you do," said I. " In common with othersof your tenets, you make the blood of Christ a fund on which every sinnermay draw in proportion as liellO-Jr.has confidence in its detersive influence,"I am supported in some of the views above presented, by a communicationfrom a believer in revelation, under the signature of Bosanquetjto the Baltimore Church Times, for June 15, 1848. I will quote a portionof this communication, which is as follows :1105. "But the want of faith is more open and direct than this, and it is the more obviousand pointed upon religious suhjccts. Tlie Bible is boldly and practically denied inevery particular. No class or body of men believe and obey it, and strange as it mayseem, it is by no nation, or people, or churches, or sects of men, less implicitly believedand followed than by those very people and sections of the church who talk so muchabout it. There are no persons less obedient to the plain sense and mandates of thewritten word of God, than those who most speak of and uphold it as the sole authorityand standard, and reject all assistance from the history of the church and what is spokenagainst as tradition. Every class of persons reject some portion or other of the sacredScriptures. If you talk to some of temporal honour and rewards, and the observance ofa day of rest, and the patriarchs, they will say, Oh ! that is the Old Testament, and is abrogated.If you speak to others of good works, they will say, Oh ! that is only in the Gospels,and the Epistles carry us much beyond that, and are sujicrior to it. Unitarians,again, receive a Bible of their own ; that is, just so many jiassages are excluded as will suittheir own belief and purpose. Others, of numerous sects, dwell each uj)on some halfdozen cliapters, or passages, or phrases, or words of Scripture, of the Epistles especially,and dwell upon them idolatrously and devotedly, to the exclusion of all the rest, so far asthe authority of Scripture is concerned, from belief and practice.llOfi. "This is even in the religious world—the thinking and reasoning world. Let usnow turn our ol)servation to the world itself; to the working and practical.1107. " The Bible is denied in every particular. ^len do not believe that we are really tobe Christians; that we arc to imitate our Lord. They do not believe that the world couldpossibly go on if all men Avere to act upon pure Christian motives, and up to a perfectChristian rule: if they were to forgive and forget injuries; if they were not to resent anaffront; if they were to give to people because they asked them: if they were to lendmoney without looking for interest; if we were all to give up luxuries, and style, andcostly furniture and equipage; if we, our cattle and servants, were strictly to observe theday of rest. IIow many are there among us who believe that ' tlie tree of knowledge' isnot an absolute good? or that we ought to receive the gospel Avith the simplicity of littlechildren. Who believes that we ought to honour our father and mothei', and our sorereign? Who is there that acts up to the precept that we ought not to judge others intheir character? IIow many are there who appear to believe that it is not right to beanxious about the future; that riches are not a good thing; that the entrance into heavenis easier to the poor man; that we ought to return a tenth to (Jod; that we would bring ablessing to give freely and largely to the poor; that children are a blessing and a giftfrom the Lord, and that the nuin is happy who has his quiver full of them? It is evidentthat in all these points the Bible is disbelieved and is practically denied, and doesnot control or guide us in our habits and principles of life and society.IIOS. '' Still less do we believe that the public measures, the laws, and government of