IN the preceding chapter we have endeavored to ascertain the object of
Christ's coming into the world, but without being able to arrive at any
positive conclusion. As it respected the Jews, they did, and they had a
right to expect, that his, coming would be to them a blessing; and not,
by any means, that it would prove disastrous in its consequences. It is,
by Christians, contended that the primary object of the Messiah's advent
was, to die for sinners; by which death he would make an atonement for
the sins of the world. In this view of the case, (and the Scriptures
seem to bear it out,) the Jews were altogether deceived, and are
therefore objects of pity. The kingdom of heaven being opened to the
world at large, to both Jew and Gentile, the Jews were unsuspectingly
shut out. That Christ did not intend to convince the Jews that he was
the Messiah, seems to be warranted from the manner of his preaching to
them; his violence, and the abusive language he used, being calculated
to prejudice them against him. And again, if Christ was to become a
sacrifice for sin by expiring On the cross, somebody must put him to
death, and the Jews are said to have been his executioners. The Jews,
therefore, did that which the divine mind intended they should do. But
such double-dealing and deception, in order to entrap the Jews, could
never have originated with the Great Eternal, the unchangeable ruler of
all things.
In reading the history of Jesus, (written nobody knows by whom, or
whether by his authority or not,) we must judge of him by the account as
it stands. It certainly appears strange that we have no intimation that
Jesus gave any orders to his Apostles to write, or in any way to
transmit to posterity an account of his life or doctrines. And it
appears more singular, when we consider in how particular a manner the
laws of Moses were written, which, without doubt, is what kept the Jews
from being divided into a number of sects. But so neglected were the
sayings and doings of Jesus, that, soon after his death, forty or fifty
Gospels were abroad; an equal number of sects sprang up, and the various
religious dogmas were introduced, which, till the present day, have
divided the Christian world, and, at times, have produced wars,
persecutions, and blood. On so important a subject as the salvation of
the human race, it might reasonably be expected that the founder of
Christianity would have left some documents to guard against so
destructive an evil. This entire neglect, if not positive proof against
the divine mission of Jesus, must create doubts leading to the
conclusion that the Christian religion is deficient as to the evidence
of its divine origin. It appears from the Gospels that Jesus was a moral
reformer; that the priests and rulers were proud, haughty, and of wicked
dispositions; that the founder of the Christian religion exposed their
hypocritical pretensions, and that, by thus exciting their malice, he
fell a victim. This has been the fate of hundreds of moral reformers, in
different ages and nations.
Christians, of all sects, could they be brought to reason impartially on
the mission of Jesus, would have their faith shaken, from the following
considerations:--Admitting, as all Christians do, that the Jewish
religion is of divine authority, and had for ages been by the Jews
considered as such, to set that aside and introduce another, required
authority from heaven, but such authority was never given. The bare word
of Jesus, that he was the sum and substance of the law of Moses both
moral and ceremonial, seems to be insufficient. The Jews, however base
or immoral they were, as a nation never showed a want of faithfulness
when their religion was assailed. So that it appears, that to do away
with the form of worship, and introduce a new order of things, required
something more than the obscure sayings of Jesus, who was but little
known at the time of his death. If, by the coming of Christ, a new
dispensation was to supersede the old, then the highest and the most
incontrovertible authority should be produced. But this was not the
case, for Jesus often charged those whom he had cured of some disease,
"to tell no man" how they were made whole: as much as to say, "Keep
secret with respect to the person who restored you to your former
state." We need not wonder that the Jews rejected Jesus, seeing that he
assumed an authority higher than that of Moses; for, at the giving of
the law on the mountain, it was Jehovah himself who spake to them. The
Jews, then, considered that the same God who gave the law, and he alone,
must change it, or introduce another, and not a person whose object in
coming they could not comprehend, and who taught doctrines, a very great
portion of which, were of a threatening and menacing character.
And, finally, so little did Christ's disciples understand of his divine
mission, that, when he was betrayed, Peter, the boldest of them all,
became alarmed, and denied any knowledge of him. This was very strange
in Peter, if it was a fact that he heard Moses and Elias, at a former
time, conversing with his Divine Master. But be that as it may, Jesus is
reported to have suffered death on the cross, one of his disciples
informing against him to the rulers, for the paltry sum of thirty pieces
of silver, and another swearing he never knew him. This has often
happened, when a bold reformer has been taken into custody; his
followers would disown and forsake him; but it is not likely that Peter
would thus have acted, had he witnessed the mighty deeds said to have
been done by Jesus. I remember hearing an Unitarian minister remark,
that "If Moses could return from the dead, how he would be surprised to
read what was written of him after his death; and that he would say that
the wonderful things reported of him, he knew nothing about." This, no
doubt, would be the case with Jesus, as all his mighty works are
recorded _of_ him, but none were recorded _by_ him.
As his resurrection was the key-stone of the Christian arch, some
observations on that all-important event will be made. Whatever Jesus
communicated to his disciples respecting his rising from the dead,
during his life, is not recorded; but it appears that his death entirely
frustrated their expectations. The resurrection of Jesus presented the
most favorable opportunity to dispel all doubts of the Messiahship of
him whom the Jews had put to death as an impostor. It will be in order,
then, to observe what steps were taken by Jesus, after his resurrection,
to convince the Jews, and the world at large, that his mission was from
heaven. This, of all times, was the fittest to convince the Jews of
their unfortunate mistake. The short account given in the Gospels, does
not afford much light on that subject. But if the Jews, as a nation, had
still retained their unbelief, such incredulity must soon have given way
by his continuing among them.
If the Jews, from mistaken convictions, did put Jesus to death, it seems
but just that they should have had a chance to rectify their unfortunate
error. But owing to the short stay of Jesus on earth, after his
resurrection, and he being the most of that time in company with his
disciples, the Jews had not an opportunity of fully investigating the
reality of his death and re-appearance, and his deportment after it was
said he was returned to life. The greatest difficulty experienced by
Christians in defending the divine authority of the New Testament
Dispensation, is, to account for the sudden departure of Jesus, who,
according to the Scripture record, was taken up into heaven in a few
weeks after his resurrection. To an inquiring mind, there are many
objections which deserve notice. The writer does not pretend to say that
the thing is impossible, because to deny the possibility of it would be
to set limits to the power that governs the universe.
We will examine the account of Jesus's leaving this world so soon, to
discover if possible, what end was to be obtained by his sudden
departure from the scene of his suffering and degradation. It seems
reasonable to suppose that it was of the highest importance for Jesus to
stay on earth to establish Christianity on a sure foundation. It is
written that he told his disciples that it was for their good that
things were so arranged that he should leave them, for if he went away,
he would send the comforter to them, who was to be their guide, and to
bring to their remembrance the things he had told them; and also that
the Holy Ghost, the comforter, would, to make up for his absence, lead
them into the way of truth. This is, in substance, what they were to
expect. But unfortunately it did not take place, but the reverse; for,
from the accounts which have come down to us, a great number of sects
sprang up in a few years after Jesus left the world, and numerous
gospels were extant, which, for a number of years were quoted by the
early Fathers of the Church, and were considered authentic; but were
afterwards rejected, and are now bound up together and called "The
Rejected Gospels."
In the beginning of the fourth century, the Christian sects were not
only numerous, but began to assume a spirit of intolerance and
persecution, and when that monster, Constantine, became a convert to
Christianity, religious quarrels were of the most violent character. Not
to dwell on the particulars of these religious differences, we may ask,
what did they quarrel about? The answer is at hand. They quarrelled
about something that Jesus was reported to have said or taught. Their
disputes were not of a moral, but of a theological description. In these
disputed subjects no standard of reference could be set up. Jesus was at
the right hand of his Father, and their differences could not be settled
by him. Quarrel after quarrel followed in quick succession; the strong
persecuted the weak; and the earth was deluged with blood. Constantine,
the Roman Emperor, hoisted the banner of the cross; and after having
murdered nearly the whole of his own family, he sought consolation from
that religion which says, that "the blood of Jesus cleanses from all
sin."
The history of Jesus, including his doctrines, and also what the
apostles taught concerning him, and the belief in his second coming; the
different opinions that have arisen concerning the person of Christ; and
also, the various dogmas collected from the writers of the gospels, all
taken from what is called divine revelation, have never ceased to
generate quarrels among the different churches professing to be
Christian. Ever since the commencement of Christianity, there has been
little else but religious animosity among the different sects--each of
them professing to have the truth, to the exclusion of all the rest; all
of them appealing to the same word of God to support their various
dogmas. We may then ask, has that proclamation ever been fulfilled, that
was made by _multitude of the "heavenly host_" namely,--"_Peace on earth
and good-will towards men"?_ But no doubt its fulfilment is, in point of
truth, equal to its ever having been given; for angels are airy
nothings, and have no existence but in the imagination.
From what has been stated, it will be seen that the religious quarrels
which have taken place from the commencement of the Christian era, arose
from the uncertain standard appealed to by the various sects. They all
referred to some particular passage or passages recorded, either by
Christ or his apostles. Every sect had a portion of truth supported by
Scripture authority; and it has at times happened, that whole
congregations, as well as individuals, have changed their opinions
concerning what the Scriptures taught. For instance: a Church, believing
that the Scriptures taught the doctrine of the Trinity, have given up
that doctrine, and embraced Unitarianism. The Scriptures remained the
same; it was their opinions that underwent the change. In fact, every
sect has Scripture for its support; so that it is plain to be seen, that
the New Testament is not, nor ever can be, a true and certain rule to
which a reference can be made, whereby disputes can be ended. The Old
Testament was superior in this respect to the New. And now, after
eighteen hundred years' fighting; in which time, tens of thousands have
been victims, and the earth has been drenched by human blood, nothing is
certain as to what Christianity really is. Can it then be possible, that
the God of the Universe would have left that religion (to establish
which, his Son expired on the cross,) in such a wretched state of
uncertainty, by calling him so early to his holy habitation? Impossible.
If Christ was taken from this earth, he has now a local habitation, and,
also, he must be actively employed. Can Christians conceive where he is,
and what he is doing? Is it possible he would have remained so long
absent, knowing, as he must, that the cause for which he suffered would
be so wretchedly carried on? The absence of Christ, if not the entire
cause, is one cause of all the religious wars and bloodshed among
nations, and, also, of the hostile feelings of one sect against another.
Had he remained on earth, there would have been but "_one Lord, and his
name one_." If Jesus died for the salvation of the world, common sense
would dictate, that, after his resurrection, he would dwell in that
world for whose salvation he came, and not have been taken into heaven
before his plan of redemption was arranged; so that, instead of union
and harmony prevailing in his absence, by disunion, persecution, and
religious warfare, the different churches exhibited a complete confusion
of tongues.
If Jesus had remained on earth, all religious persecution would have
been prevented; for if his laws and regulations had been written, and to
each church a copy had been sent, it would not have been possible for
any difference of opinion to have brought on disorder so as materially
to have disturbed the peace of his church. And if any dispute had taken
place, Jesus, dwelling on any particular spot on earth, his authority
could, in such a case, have been appealed to, and the matter would have
been peaceably settled. But, after his death and resurrection, there was
nothing to which a reference could eb made, but certain Gospels written
by unknown persons.
In summing up this matter, the following remarks may safely and truly be
made:--In a short time after Jesus arose from the dead, it was declared
by his apostles, that he had ascended into heaven, and had left orders
for the Gospel, or good news, to be proclaimed throughout the world; and
that after remaining with his disciples a few weeks, when on a journey
with some of them, a cloud intervened, and they lost sight of him.
Before his death, Jesus had told them to watch for his second coming,
for that it would be sudden and unexpected; and he also added, that
there were those standing among them that would live to see it, and that
he should then appear in glory, attended by angels, judge the world, and
reward every man acccording to his deeds. The apostles taught this,
doctrine, and the early Christians looked for that event with eager
expectation. But a long and dreary night of religious intolerance has
nearly passed away, and Jesus has not yet arrived; during which night,
the world has witnessed scenes of horror unknown to the most savage ages
of antiquity.
All this confusion and wretchedness must have been known by Jesus, and
also by his Father, at whose right hand it is recorded that he is
sitting. Now can Christians conceive where Christ has been, or what he
has been doing? Strange, indeed, does it apppear, that, during the
disorder and violence in which the Christian Church was involved for
ages, when thousands of honest, pious, and sincere Christians were put
to death, their Redeemer could sit quietly in heaven and not interfere
in their behalf! Perhaps it ought to be more strange, that it was the
will of God that Jesus should ever have left that world which was the
scene of his suffering.
Looking at the plan of human redemption, from the time of the birth of
Jesus, and the incomplete finish made of it by his being taken up into
heaven, leaving his followers ignorant of what he meant during his
preaching on earth;--knowing, too, that the various sects have kept the
world in an uproar, destroying each other by thousands, and that all
these evils have taken place in consequence of Jesus being quietly
seated by the right hand of God,--these considerations, and many others
not noticed in this work, convince me, that the mission of Christ was
not of Divine authority.
The following remarks will contain, in substance, the strongest
objection against the divinity of Christ's mission; and are given by the
author as presenting his final conclusions on that subject And here he
would ask--If the God of the Bible is, as Christians believe, the Author
of the universe, what are we to understand by the assertion, "_That
Jesus is seated at his right hand?_" God is a spirit pervading all
space, of whom one of the Scripture writers says, "_In him we live, and
move, and have our being._" The same idea was expressed by the Greeks in
reference to their supreme God,--"All things are full of Jupiter." How,
then, can it be believed that the unknown power who is the God of all
creation has a local dwelling place?
Jesus, after his resurrection, declared that he had "_flesh and bone._"
How, then, he can be located with an universal spirit, is beyond human
conception As Jesus is a being possessed of a tangible form, he must
have a place of residence; and it is impossible that he can dwell with
_his God and Father_ in any other than a local habitation. The
supposition, then, that the Almighty Ruler of all worlds has a palace on
some fixed star, or planet, where Jesus has for eighteen hundred years
resided in company with the Infinite Creator, surrounded by angels
conversing and singing; the Devil, during the same time, "_going about
like a roaring lion seeking whom he might devour_" while Christians were
cutting each other's throats in consequence of their disputes about the
meaning of what Christ said, or the object of his performances on earth,
is very unlikely, to say the least of it.
It seems astonishing that men, possessed of the noble faculty of reason,
can believe that Jesus is now alive in some unknown world, and in
company with the Sovereign Ruler of nature. In conclusion, the author of
this work (over whose head seventy-three summers' suns have passed,)
would say that he does not, _cannot_ believe that the Jesus of the
Christians has any existence but in the imagination of his followers.
REMARKS ON THE MORALITY OF NATURE
HAVING concluded my remarks on the Old and New Testaments, I have
thought it proper to give a chapter on Morality. I do this to prevent
the reader from concluding that, because I am not a believer in the
Divine authority of the Old and New Testaments, I disregard all moral
obligation, and do not hold myself accountable to God, Nature, or my
fellow beings. Nothing can be further from truth than such a conclusion.
If no such being as God exists, who will judge every man at the final
day of accounts; and if no such judgment will ever take place, admitting
all this, even then should I stand in the same relation to my fellow
beings in a moral point of view.
Christian preachers, generally, teach their hearers the entire
worthlessness of good works, without they are connected with faith in
the Gospel. This mode of treating unbelievers has a bad effect on the
minds of church members, who, giving full credit to the pastor of the
flock, are taught to consider that the person, or persons (however just,
humane and virtuous they may be in all their actions,) who do not come
up to the standard of their faith, are wicked, and will, at the day of
judgment, be condemned, and their sentence will be, "_Go, ye cursed,
into everlasting fire._" &c. We need not wonder, therefore, at the
intolerant spirit which is so active among all professing the Christian
name. Notwithstanding the moral precepts taught by Jesus, his followers,
at the present day, pay but little regard to them. To believe in the
Saviour, and consider him as the endorser of their sins, and presenting
their claims at the throne of the Eternal, form an easy way for
expiating a life of wickedness and cant. If we compare the moral
character of professing Christians with the precepts taught by Jesus, we
shall be surprised at the vast discordance between their profession and
their practice. We find that, in practice, Christianity is hostile to
justice and humanity.
This is easy to be accounted for. It is because the Scriptures represent
our most virtuous actions as worthless in the sight of God, and without
faith we are told it is impossible to please him; and this is not all:
much depends on what kind of faith it is. The followers of John Calvin
think the faith of the disciples of John Wesley but little better than
the faith of devils, "_who believe and tremble._" It has been because
men have judged by their faith, and not by moral rectitude, that one
Christian sect has persecuted even to death, others who have borne the
Christian name. It was this spirit of intolerance that propelled John
Calvin to cause Servetus to be burnt by a slow fire, not because he was
a wicked man, nor was it for want of faith in the Christian religion,
but because the faith of Servetus did not agree with the faith of John
Calvin. Had moral excellence been the standard of their friendship, and
virtue the bond of their union, Servetus would have died in peace, and
Calvin would not have been handed down to posterity as a cold-hearted
murderer.
It is the common practice of Christians, when in conversation with
Infidels, to boast of the purity of Christ's moral precepts; but in all
their sayings and doings with Infidels, the want of faith is the
unpardonable crime which induces them to fix the badge of infamy on the
head of the unbeliever. No doubt cruel Calvin would very good-naturedly
shake hands with a brother of his own church and creed, and love him for
Christ's sake; but at the same time torment poor Servetus to death, as
the enemy of God, for God's sake. Oh! ye persecuting Christians! your
prayers ought ever to be opposed to a day of judgment, and your constant
hope should be, that it will never take place, for "_how can you escape
the damnation of hell?_"
It is the high estimation of faith, enforced by Christ, and also
insisted on (as the sure passport to glory) by his followers, that
compels them to consider virtue as worthless, when it is not in
connection with what is called saving faith, which makes it clear to be
seen that Christianity in its practice is not favorable to morality; for
as the Scriptures truly say that "_no man can serve two masters,_" so
faith will be always uppermost, and justice and humanity be placed in
the background. On this principle, hard-hearted Calvin acted towards
Servetus. Christians are commanded to do good for evil. "_If your enemy
hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink._" This is pure morality.
Thus we see that morality has no chance of justice when faith is the
prosecutor. The moral precepts of the New Testament have never been
strong enough to neutralize the violent and intolerant spirit that runs
throughout the Scriptures, and which is the very life of the Christian
faith. Had Servetus been a criminal of the worst kind, condemned to die
by the laws of Geneva, Calvin, no doubt, would have had feelings of pity
for him; but his crime came under the dominion of faith, which will not,
which cannot admit of one grain of mercy.
On the contrary, Infidel morality has no alloy. It is unadulterated.
Like pure gold, it is current at all times, and in all places. Like the
bright orb of day, it shines by its own native brightness. Its principal
attribute is humanity, which, in its exercise, is not confined to
creeds, or professions; but like the bountiful hand of nature, it
dispenses its blessings even to the unthankful and unworthy. If justice
demands its aid, the balance is held even without regard to color or
clime. I have often been reminded, that if we did not take the
Scriptures for our guide, we should then have no rule to regulate our
actions. This remark would be more conclusive, if Christians generally
acted up to what they profess; but this is not the case; nor will it
ever be, so long as faith is the only sure passport to the Christian
heaven, for it is a fact that many preachers of the Gospel are the worst
characters in society. At the same time that they are preaching up
holiness of life, it is discovered that they for years have been living
in the indulgence of the most filthy of vices; and thus while they are
thundering against the Devil as the enemy of souls, they are only
abusing their betters.
This being the truth, it is time that morality should be dissevered from
all religious creeds, and stand on its own intrinsic merits. Religion
has taught man that he is poor and helpless; that he has no power to
act; that he has no desire to perform virtuous actions, and that he
himself and his fellow beings are, by some (to him unaccountable)
destiny, thrown at so vast a distance from his Creator, that he can
approach him only by the means of kneeling and prostration, and that he
is so far indebted to his Maker, who will have full payment to the last
cent. Being ignorant of his real situation in the universe, and also of
the resources of his mind, he overlooks or undervalues the strength he
possesses, and neglects the means which God or nature puts within his
reach to be both virtuous and happy.
In this state of mind, he seeks for happiness in a religion the author
of which is depicted as a being like himself. It is, then, the vast
importance which has been attached to faith in the Redeemer, which has
made the path to heaven so smooth, and easy for the Christian traveller,
that moral rectitude has been thought of but little consideration in his
road to glory. Let me, says the Christian, make sure of my interest in
Christ, and my salvation is sure. Hence, we often find, that even Gospel
ministers are men of the basest description; at the same time their
hearers are consoled, with believing that their immoral pastor is sound
in the faith, resting firmly on the "_rock of ages_."
The importance of faith is not the abuse of Christianity; it is the
thing itself. Jesus taught it to his disciples, and blames them for
having so little. But when Peter, his trusty servant, in a passion, cut
off a man's ear, his divine Master only gave him a gentle rebuke,
telling him to be careful how he used the sword, for he might have to go
in mourning for his own ears.
The consistent Infidel, who renounces all religious creeds, and who
views the whole human family as beings possessing the same faculties,
subject to the same wants, and liable to the same misfortunes as
himself, can, by the use of his reason, without the aid of revelation,
discover the duties which he owes to himself, and also the true relation
in which he stands to his fellow mortals. He, by what he observes around
him, and by what he feels within himself, can see clearly the correct
line of duty, and can, at any time, draw a just conclusion as to his
moral standing in society. But it is far otherwise with the Christian,
whose whole dependence is on what his Saviour has done for him. He is
alternately disturbed with doubts and fears as to the ground on which he
stands; and being taught, that his best efforts to attain a moral
elevation by a steady course of virtuous actions, is considered by his
Maker worse than nothing, he loses sight of the high responsibility he
stands in, in relation to his fellow man.
In proportion, then, as faith is considered superior to moral virtue,
the first is sought after, and highly valued, and the latter is
neglected as of little consideration in securing happiness in this life
or in that which is to come. We need not, therefore, be surprised that
Christians, as a class, fall far below Infidels in point of moral
rectitude. Christianity, at best, is a cold-hearted system; its
followers are generally unsocial. They are taught to "_love not the
world nor the things of the world._" Jesus himself says to his
disciples, "_Ye are not of the world, even as I am not of the world; but
because I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth
you._" Pride and intolerance are leading features in the conduct of
Christians generally. These defects among professors of religion, arise
from the belief that faith in Christ, as their Redeemer, secures them
heaven; and as it respects the duties of life, they hold them very
lightly, regarding them as, matters of little or no weight in the
article of salvation.
Professors of the Christian religion, at the same time that they
consider that faith in the divine mission of Jesus secures them an
acceptance with God, and that moral rectitude without faith in the
Redeemer, is worthless in the sight of God, are compelled to admit, that
where good works and virtuous conduct are wanting, the faith of the
individual not being supported by Justice, Humanity, and Chastity, with
all the virtues which adorn human nature, the damnation of such an one
is doubly sure. So that, after all, this thing called faith borrows all
its brightness and real value from moral rectitude. Faith, like a
planet, is in itself a dark body, and has no light but what it receives
from the bright sun of moral excellency.
The very nature and spirit of the Christian religion, is intolerant. It
says, "_Whosoever believes, shall be saved; and he that believeth not,
shall be damned._" This is the firm ground on which the Christian
stands, and where he must continue to stand. If he quits this strong
hold, he ceases to be a Christian, and, of necessity, becomes an
Infidel. It follows, then, that believers in the Divine authority of the
Bible must continue to be, what they always have been, intolerant and
persecuting. How differently do those feel who have given up all ideas
of Divine Revelation! They attach no consequence to faith, whatever.
They have no disposition even to blame, much less to injure persons who
believe in the most absurd inconsistencies. They, on the contrary, feel
the most lively interest in their happiness, knowing that no one can
control the honest convictions of the mind.
The Infidel, then, has the advantage, in a moral point of view, over the
Christian, for the following reasons:--The Infidel has not to defend the
character nor the actions of any God or Gods, particularly of a God
"partial, vengeful, and unjust." He imbibes no angry feelings, by
believing in a God of cruelty and carnage. The Infidel has divested his
mind of the nonsense and inconsistency of considering unbelief as a
crime; and, also, of the fallacy that men can credit absurdities on
insufficient evidence. He perceives that every man's religion is, to a
very large extent, a consequence of the circumstances of his situation
in early life, and the influences which surrounded him at his birth. The
Infidel, therefore, has no inducement whatever to injure those who
differ from him in opinion; for, by detaching all importance from faith,
and referring entirely to good and virtuous actions, he escapes all
those angry theological quarrels in which Christians are more or less
involved. So that the mind of an unbeliever is in a sound and calm
state, not harrowed up by the terrors of an avenging God, and the
thoughts of endless damnation.
These evils, and many more, the Infidel is not exposed to; consequently
his mind is at rest; his sense of degradation is not because he is
taught to believe that he is a poor lost sinner; he feels degraded only
in proportion as he neglects the duties which he owes to his fellow men.
The unbeliever, then, being free from the terror of doubting that which
he feels it is impossible for him to credit, commences to walk in the
path of moral rectitude, considering his own nature, and the connection
he occupies in relation to society, composed of beings like himself. He
listens to the voice of reason, and clearly understands that which God
or nature has done for him, and also that which remains for him to do
for himself. Leaving forever all religious dogmas, calculated to
bewilder his mind, his moral path is as clear as light. No longer
standing on the fearful precipice of faith, trembling at every step, or
chain-bound in a state of inaction, the Infidel cheerfully travels on in
the practice of justice and humanity with a calmness of mind to which
the Christian is a stranger. He has no angry God to dread, nor any
tempting Devil, against whom the Christian must forever be on the watch.
All human beings on arriving at maturity, find themselves placed by an
unknown power in a world, in which they will have to enjoy pleasure or
happiness, and also to endure pain. This is the destiny of all, without
exception. The same power which propelled us into existence, has made it
a law of our nature to dread or shrink from pain, and also to desire and
love ease and pleasure. And here we can at once discover what God or
nature has done for us, and likewise what is left for us to perform for
ourselves. This, then, is the stock of moral material with which mortals
commence a life of pleasure and pain. The same unknown power has also
given man and woman reason, by the exercise of which they can augment
their pleasure, and reduce their pain. By the use of man's rational
powers, he can plainly discover his duty towards beings like himself. He
loves happiness, ease, and every thing which makes life worth having; so
also, do his fellow beings. He hates and retreats from positive pain; so
does every being which has life, animals not excepted. What revelation,
then, but this, does man want to teach him that which he owes to
himself, and likewise those things he ought to practise to every being
that has life and feeling?
And the voice of God, or nature, calls to every rational being in
language which, but for false religion, all would understand. Mortals!
attend to what is done for your permanent happiness. Ignorance and
neglect are the causes of most of the evils which, torment you. You are
made to love happiness; you are also made to shrink from and hate pain.
Every human being is subject to the same laws; only attend to the moral
this contains. You have no excuse for inflicting pain on any living
creature, because you know that every being possessing life is governed
by the same feelings as yourself. God, or nature, has so arranged things
as to induce mortals to practise virtue, and to be kind to every thing
that possesses life and feeling; because, by acting agreeably to the
laws of your own organization, you become happy in yourself, and have
the additional pleasure of making others happy also. What excuse, then,
can men have for neglecting the duties they owe to every thing that has
life and feeling? Do they need a revelation to inform them that they
ought to be just and humane? Do they require information from heaven to
inform them that cruelty to man or animals is wicked? Let them but
consult their own feelings; full information is at hand calling on them
to practise kindness and compassion.
Do men and women need the Bible to learn the duty incumbent on them
toward their offspring? Must we read the pretended word of God in order
to discover that the husband ought to be kind and in every way faithful
to his wife, (making allowance for her weakness, either of body or
mind,) and perform every duty connected with her permanent happiness?
Man requires no Divine aid, beyond the exercise of his reason, to inform
him that, in order to be happy in this life, he must be _just,
peaceable, sober, and temperate in all things; chaste, a lover of truth,
kind, and humane_ to all beings who possess life. Let every human being,
then, turn to the laws of his own organization, namely, to his love of
happiness, and aversion to pain. These laws will give him unerring
instruction as to the duties which he has to perform, and also as to
what evils he is to avoid.
This is indeed a Divine revelation, which will never deceive or lead
astray. Man carries it within himself. It differs from all pretended
Divine revelation. It is suitable at all times, and in all places. It
requires no priest to explain it. It changes not with times and
circumstances. These laws of our nature (the love of happiness and
aversion to pain) are a never-failing revelation, to which we can always
refer with entire confidence, as a true revelation of God or nature.
Away, then, with the childish question, "If you take away the Bible,
what will you give us in its stead"? The short and final answer to which
is, study the laws of your organization, and direct your reason to their
interpretation, and let the priest read his Bible, and exclaim against
unbelief. The reader will now understand the views the Infidels have of
moral rectitude; and if the principles are faithfully carried out in our
journey through life, the end of all will be peace. These moral
principles were enforced (for upwards of eight years) in Tammany Hall.
They are now spreading far and wide, and instead of producing evil in
society, they are calculated to ensure "_peace on earth and good-will
towards men._"
It is because the Christian world have been taught to depend on a
Saviour for the pardon of the worst of crimes, believing that the price
was paid by Christ as a ransom from the captivity of the Devil, that it
is destructive of pure morality. The apostles maintained this doctrine;
and from them, till now, the true and Orthodox faith is, that moral
rectitude has nothing to do, abstractly considered, with the salvation
of the soul, but faith in what Christ has done and suffered. This
doctrine is not only unfavorable to virtue, but it places the basest of
mankind in a superior point of view to those whose whole lives have been
distinguished by the practice of correct moral actions. That divines
view and act on the vicarious sacrifice of Christ as being alone
sufficient in the last hour to save sinners, we need but to refer to the
attention paid by them to criminals up to the last moments of their
lives. It is faith in the Redeemer, which gives a passport to glory to a
wretch, who but a few days before had murdered perhaps a good father and
mother. No matter what his crimes, or how large the number, only let him
believe in the Saviour, and, although the guilty criminal is considered
unworthy to live one hour longer on earth, yet according to the Gospel
plan of salvation, he is promised, and induced to believe that he will
in the evening of the same day join in the song of angels and chant the
praises of the Great Eternal.
If the doctrine of saving faith be true, the thief or murderer, if the
law lays hold of him, and the fear of the gallows induces him to rely on
Jesus, goes directly to heaven; whereas, if he had been honest and
virtuous, but had not faith in Christ, he might have died in his sins
and gone to hell! Oh! how consistent is Orthodox salvation with justice
and truth! In one case, the Orthodox Christian is in truth consistent.
It is this: that in this life, even in New York, a man will not be
admitted as a church member, however virtuous. He must be a sinner, or
he cannot be admitted. So, also, in heaven, a good man must not enter.
It would be no injustice to say that every religious society should have
it written in large capitals over the door-way of its building--"_No
honest men admitted as members here--sinners are always welcome._" The
same should be posted at the gate of heaven. Although this statement may
to some appear wicked and untrue, it is correct in the Christian spirit,
and also true to the letter. Honest men have no business in Christian
churches, as they will also be rejected in heaven. The worst of
characters make the best Christians, if they can bring one grain of
mustard-seed faith to the altar of Jehovah.
The Christian who depends for salvation and acceptance, in a future
life, is never at rest in this. He has no correct standard whereby to
judge whether he has saving faith. His hopes and his fears are regulated
by his feelings, not by his conduct. If, for instance, his animal
spirits are depressed, he desponds, and considers that the Lord has
withdrawn from him the light of his countenance. He trembles, and in the
agony of his mind, cries out, "_I believe, O Lord, help thou mine
unbelief._" Let him become cheerful, and his mind become buoyant, he
then considers himself sure that he has, what is called, an interest in
Christ.
Moral rectitude is out of the question. All the moral virtues combined,
and brought into action, are as nothing, in the sight of the Christian's
God. The sinner's debt is paid, by the sufferings of Jesus on the cross.
So that, according to the plan of human redemption, if Jesus had been
acquitted on his trial, the whole human race would die (as the Scripture
phrase is) in their sins. It then follows, that, as man's acceptance
with God, and the salvation of his soul, is in consequence of the
sacrifice made by Christ on the cross, his moral rectitude is of little
consequence. The all-important state of the believer is, not the
soundness of his morals, but the relying by faith on Jesus for what he
has done by his suffering on the "accursed tree." This doctrine is the
consolation of the murderer at the gallows; and the same reliance on
what Jesus has suffered for the human race, was what consoled and
supported Andrew Jackson in his last moments, as reported by the
newspapers.
The Christian religion, by teaching believers to trust in a Saviour for
the pardon of crimes of the worst description, has been an obstacle in
the way of attaining to that moral excellence which is calculated to
dignify human nature.. Faith, the "_pearl of great price,_" has, ever
since the introduction of Christian theology, obscured the path of
virtue, and invested its haughty possessor with an intolerant
disposition, accountable only to the tribunal of faith; and, having
broken loose from the restraints of moral obligation, has, as it were,
laughed to scorn the principles of justice, of chastity and humanity.
And yet, one and all, who profess Christianity, charge those who
consider moral worth superior to faith, with demoralizing youth, and
corrupting the manners of the age in which they live.
Before concluding this chapter, it will be useful to inquire, in what
way the world has been benefitted by propagating the heaven-born
doctrine of faith in the Redeemer's kingdom? The page of history bears
witness, that, for eighteen hundred years, with but short intervals of
rest, a large portion of the earth has been the theatre of _crime and
war, cruelty and murder_; and this state of things has been brought
about by the uncertainty of what Christianity is. When the reputed
Founder of the Christian faith was about to leave this world, to sit at
the right hand of his Father, he told them that his absence would be to
his followers a real blessing; for it is recorded, that he said to them
that "_the Comforter_" would abundantly supply his place--that is, or
was to be, the Holy Ghost, who would "_lead them into alt truth, and
bring to their remembrance all things which he had told them._" But this
promise, if ever made, proved a total failure; for soon after Christ,
their Divine Master, left this earth, upwards of forty different sects
arose, and began to dispute and quarrel about what Jesus, while on
earth, taught, concerning the kingdom of heaven. Sect opposed sect,
party opposed party, and Christianity became involved in mystery.
Conventions were formed, and the worst passions soon gave proof that the
multitude of angels, who, at the birth of Christ proclaimed, that
"_peace on earth, and good-will towards men_" would be realized, were
sadly mistaken. Nothing but one continual scene of war, destruction, and
slaughter, between Christian nations, and in society, and and even in
families, ensued; peace and harmony were unknown. The Holy Ghost, that
was to be the comforter, soon made them any thing but comfortable!
This good news, or Gospel, proved to be most unfortunate news to the
inhabitants of this world. Thousands and tens of thousands of human
beings came to a premature or violent death by rack and torture; the
fires of martyrdom were lighted up, and millions of madmen gave glory to
God. This is but a mere outline of the horrors arising from faith in the
glorious plan of human redemption; and thus mortals when they became
believers in the Redeemer's kingdom, ceased to act as men, and became
downright devils. If, instead of teaching him the doctrines of the
Christian religion, the laws which God or nature had stamped on every
human being (which are always present, and which, at every moment of his
existence, call on him to attend to the lessons which they teach) had
been pointed out to him, man would have learned how to live in peace and
happiness, in a society of beings organized like himself, and governed
by the same laws, always loving happiness and dreading pain.
To the reader, then, I recommend attention to the hints here given; and
in order to form a correct judgment how he should perform the duties
which he owes to himself, and also to his fellow mortals, to study and
always appeal to the laws of his organization. Let him bring every
action to that never-failing index of his nature, the love of happiness
and the aversion to pain. Let him sum up every day his moral accounts by
this unerring rule, and this mode will never fail to make his moral path
as clear as light; for as he knows that, according to the laws of his
nature, he is compelled to love happiness, and to shrink from pain, so
also, is every one that has life, governed by the laws of pleasure and
pain. The laws of our organization, and the voice of reason united,
proclaim to every human being, that the whole of man's duty towards his
fellow man consists at all times, and in all places, in increasing his
happiness, and reducing his pain.
To know this, so easy to be known, and strictly to practise it, is all
the revelation which man requires. But pretended revelation has either
obscured moral light, or held out lights that are false and delusive.
The false light presented to man, called revealed religion, instead of
conducting him safely into the haven of happiness, has continually
tossed him, without rudder or compass, on the roaring billows of
theology, on which troubled ocean he has met with little else than
robbers and pirates.
Never, then, let us forget, that the best men or women are they, whose
whole lives are directed to the promotion of the permanent happiness of
every thing having life and feeling, and to the reduction of misery
wherever it may be found; and that whoever shall thus act, will be not
only the best, but also the happiest, of the human race.
THE END.
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