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

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RELIGIOUS ERRORS OF MR. MAIIAN. 413Evidence <strong>of</strong> Josrplms and Gihhon vs.Mr. Maluni.2013. The fcilcucc <strong>of</strong> Joscphus respecting Clirist induced some Christiansto concoct <strong>the</strong> pious fraud <strong>of</strong> intcrpohiting in his history a notice<strong>the</strong> c'tirocr and cruci(ixion <strong>of</strong> Christ, but subsequent Christian writers havedetected and exposed <strong>the</strong> interpolation ; so that <strong>the</strong> history alluded to,written soon after Christ's death by <strong>the</strong> distinguished Hebrew, contains nonotice <strong>of</strong> those events; and, from <strong>the</strong> following passage in Gibbon, it appearsthat it did not awaken much attention among <strong>the</strong> Romans. Yet Muhan,assuming <strong>the</strong> opposite to be true, urges it as evidence <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> evangelicalaccount, that <strong>the</strong> phenomena drew universal attention.2014. ^' IIow shall we excuse/' says Gibbon, ^Hhe supine inattention <strong>of</strong><strong>the</strong> pagan and philosophic world to those evidences which were presentedby <strong>the</strong> hand <strong>of</strong> Omnipotence, not to <strong>the</strong>ir reason, but to <strong>the</strong>ir senses ?This miraculous event, which ought to have excited <strong>the</strong> wonder, <strong>the</strong> curiosity,and <strong>the</strong> devotion <strong>of</strong> mankind, passed without notice in an age <strong>of</strong>science and history. It happened during <strong>the</strong> lifetime <strong>of</strong> Seneca and <strong>the</strong>elder Pliny, who must have experienced <strong>the</strong> immediate effects or received<strong>the</strong> earliest intelligence <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> prodigy. Each <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se philosophers, in alaborious work, has recorded all <strong>the</strong> great phenomena <strong>of</strong> nature—earthquakes,meteors, comets, and eclipses—which his indefatigable curiositycould collect; both one and <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r have omitted to mention <strong>the</strong> greatestphenomenon to which <strong>the</strong> mortal eye has been witness since <strong>the</strong> creation<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> globe." (Gibbon, vol. ii. chap. xv. p. 379.)<strong>of</strong>Tlie Worshippers <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Golden Calf more righteous than <strong>the</strong>ir Assassins.2015. The example is set in <strong>the</strong> Old Testament <strong>of</strong> attributing <strong>the</strong> worstmotives to every one who does not concur with <strong>the</strong> accusers in religiousopinions. I conscientiously believe that <strong>the</strong> Israelites who made <strong>the</strong>golden calf were at least as righteous in <strong>the</strong>ir worship as those who treacherouslyand cruelly massacred <strong>the</strong>m in obedience to an order strangelyrepresented as sanctioned by Jehovah : ^^Put every man his sword hi/ hissidcj and go in and out <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> camp), and slay every man his bro<strong>the</strong>r,every man his companion, and every man his neighbour ; and <strong>the</strong> children<strong>of</strong> Levi did according to <strong>the</strong> icords <strong>of</strong> 3Ioses, and <strong>the</strong>re fell <strong>of</strong> thipeople on that day about three thousand men.''2016. Obviously, <strong>the</strong> only way in which those who, with Mr. Mahan,can find any pretence for ascribing this horrible sanguinary order to <strong>the</strong>inspiration <strong>of</strong> God, is by treating idolatry as so wicked as to bepunished,not only in <strong>the</strong> immediate transgressor, but in his <strong>of</strong>fspring to <strong>the</strong> thirdand fourth generation. Is it not a fairer way <strong>of</strong> viewing this affair toinfer that Moses and his partisans were covetous, unprincipled men, whodid not hesitate at swindling, lying, massacre, or any measures requisiteto give him and <strong>the</strong>m ascendency ? Was <strong>the</strong>re ever a greater analogybetween <strong>the</strong> measures <strong>of</strong> any two evil-doers than those <strong>of</strong> Mohammed and

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