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

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ON THE MORALS OF CHRISTIANS. 213Tiulin, and Aniorioa, <strong>the</strong>y have always been aggressive, always rewarding<strong>the</strong> hospitality <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> natives with fraud and violence, and <strong>the</strong>ir conducttoward eacli o<strong>the</strong>r is <strong>the</strong> inverse <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> ultra precept <strong>of</strong> Christ— " Returngood for evil." They not unfrcquently return evil for good.1118. There is, as I think, nothing more injurious than <strong>the</strong> habitualviolation <strong>of</strong> acknowledged pr<strong>of</strong>essions. If <strong>the</strong> violator be aware <strong>of</strong> hisinconsistency, it involves <strong>the</strong> incessant perpetration <strong>of</strong> manifest wickedness;and if his mind be so cramped by education that he commits suchviolations unconsciously, it must degrade <strong>the</strong> all-important power <strong>of</strong> distinguishinggood from evil. Thus, in <strong>the</strong> garb <strong>of</strong> truth.Dark error leads"With best intentTo evil deeds,The bigot to ensnare.1119. It is this nominal devotion to <strong>the</strong> doctrines <strong>of</strong> Christ, with ademeanour diametrically in teeth <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>m, which causes that anti-Christianmorality which Bosanquet portrays.1120. But I am conscientiously <strong>of</strong> opinion that <strong>the</strong> respect paid toAbraham, Jacob, Moses, Samuel, David, &c., by which one fivehundredmillionth<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> blood <strong>of</strong> Abraham is made an honour to Jesus Christ,is among <strong>the</strong> reasons <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> low state <strong>of</strong> morality among those whoconsider <strong>the</strong> Bible as <strong>the</strong> Word <strong>of</strong> God, and are thus led to view withindulgence, prostitution, murder, massacre, rape, cheating, and fraud.Agreeably to <strong>the</strong> opinion <strong>of</strong> a champion <strong>of</strong> Christianity, already quoted,^'The worshipper is assimilated to <strong>the</strong> imaginary deity whom he worships.'^1121. With <strong>the</strong> exchange <strong>of</strong> two words for two o<strong>the</strong>r words, <strong>the</strong> verseswhich Pope ascribes to Eloisa, might well be uttered by many self-calledChristians, who in defending <strong>the</strong> gospel from any conscientious attack, hesitatenot at any intemperance <strong>of</strong> language, and yet think that <strong>the</strong> marriageceremony is all that is called for.1122.** Ah ! wretch, believed <strong>the</strong> spouse <strong>of</strong> God in vain,Confessed within <strong>the</strong> slave <strong>of</strong> love and man."1123. Although <strong>the</strong> substitution <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> words wealth ^ndi power iov\o\Qand man would spoil <strong>the</strong> rythm, it would not lessen <strong>the</strong> applicability to<strong>the</strong> great mass <strong>of</strong> those who call <strong>the</strong>mselves Christians, while not onlyneglecting, but positively violating <strong>the</strong> precepts <strong>of</strong> Him by whose blood<strong>the</strong>y stillhope, by a due degree oi faith, to wash away <strong>the</strong>ir transgressions.1124. The universe, as it is presented to my mind, induces a belief thatit must have a presiding deity <strong>of</strong> commensurate power. As <strong>the</strong>re aremillions <strong>of</strong> suns, each having its planets; as <strong>the</strong> space which it occupiesappears to us little short <strong>of</strong> infinity; as it must have endured from eternity,and must endure eternally,— <strong>the</strong> power and glory <strong>of</strong> this presiding

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