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

ON THE MORALS OF CHRISTIANS. 219conclutiiun be that if a field upon his farm were occupied by that objectionableweed, it must have been the spontaneous production of the soil,not of a mistake so gross on his part? Yet our prescient God is representedas so much inferior in foresight to an ordinary farmer, that whilethe religious soil of Christendom was for ages occupied with crops of Catholicism,in the Grecian or lloman modification, the seed of Protestantismwas sown by God through his son and vicegerent, Christ, intending tohave the soil occupied by Protestantism. Manifestly, either it was intendedthat Catholicism should prevail, as above described., or anomnipotent,omniscient, and prescient God did not preside over the seeding.1154. Yet notwithstanding this diversity as to the true import of Christianitybetween the most distinguished Christian sectarians, each sect conceivesitself justified in propagating its own peculiar opinions amongignorant pagans. The principle being thus sanctioned, that those whobelieve themselves to have become acquainted with religious truth, arejustified in propagating a knowledge of it, wherefore should not that privilegebe exercised by a spiritualist as well as a Christian ?1155. Humility is one of the virtues inculcated by Christ; but if his disciplesassume to themselves a peculiar capacity to know what is true, andan exclusive right to teach what they thus assume to be truth, there willbe no humility in their practice, however itprofessions.may be blazoned among their115G. The view which I have presented in the preceding pages is corroboratedby a personage of no less authority than William Pitt, afterwardthe Earl of Chatham, and prime minister of England. His opinions,alleged to have been originally published in the London Journal for 1733,are as followsLetter of William Pitt."Pure lieligion and nndejiled be/ore God and the Father, is this: to visit the Fatherlessand Widows in their ajjlictions, and to heep one's self unspotted from the World."1157. ^^ Gentlemen: Whoever takes a view of the world, will find, thatwhat the greatest part of mankind have agreed to call religion, has been onlysome outward exercise esteemed sufficient to work a reconciliation with God.It has moved them to build temples, flay victims, offer up sacrifices, to fastand feast, to petition and thank, to laugh and cry, to sing and sigh byturns; but it has not yet been found sufficient to induce them to breakoff an amour, to make a restitution of ill-gotten wealth, or to bring thepassions and appetites to a reasonable subjection. Differ as much as theymay in opinion concerning what they ought to believe, or after what mannerthey are to serve God, as they call it, yet they all agree in gratifyingtheir appetites. The same passions reign eternally in all countries and inall ages, Jew and Mohammedan, the Christian and the Pagan, the Tartarand the Indian, all kinds of men who differ in almost every thing else,universally agree with regard to their passions.If there be any difference