Christianity literally subverts everything else, sets aside all
isms, doctrines and commandments of men of every grade, as the most
insignificant childish play. It comes to men, claiming the right to
have the attention of all as though all beside were undeserving of
any note or any regard whatever. Not only so, but it gives no chance
to assail, expose and refute, for it maintains nothing but the Bible,
but Christianity, but what God has given by inspiration and proved by
supernatural signs and wonders, accompanied with gifts of the Holy
Spirit, which all its assailants have to admit true! Can we expect to
present the only true religion; the religion of Jesus Christ itself;
the only true system; Christianity itself; the only revelation from
God; that contained in the Bible; the only authority of God; the
authority of the Word of God; the only true doctrine; the Gospel
of Christ itself; and declare everything else unauthorized—null
and void; hindrances to the progress of truth and righteousness; to
the edification of saints and the conversion of the world, and meet
no opposition? Not rationally. The watchmen on the old party walls
of their little Zions will see the tendency of all this. They will
see—they can not help seeing—that precisely in proportion as we
succeed in fixing the attention of the people upon God, his authority,
his Son, our gracious Redeemer and Savior, his word, his law, his
religion, as a distinct, complete and perfect system, with all the
power, grace, wisdom, mercy, benevolence, and authority of the Almighty
in it, calling the attention of man to it as the only medium of
salvation, all their systems must necessarily lose their attraction,
their command and influence, and hasten to ruin. Many of these watchmen
are pledged for life, too bigoted to look if they may be mistaken, too
obstinate, and self-willed to yield, and will oppose to the last.