I would not attack the faith of a heathen without being sure I had a
better one to put in its place, because, such as it is, it is better
than nothing. I notice in Mr. Parker's sermons a very eloquent passage
on the uses and influences of the Bible. He considers it to embody
absolute and perfect religion, and that no better mode for securing
present and eternal happiness can be found than in the obedience to
certain religious precepts therein recorded. He would have it read and
circulated, and considers it, as I infer, a Christian duty to send it
to the heathen, the slave, etc. I presume you agree with him.
These things being supposed about the Bible would certainly make it
appear that, if any man deems it his duty to lessen its standing in
the eyes of the community, he ought at least to do so in a cautious
and reverential spirit, with humility and prayer.
My objection to the mode in which these things are handled in the
"Liberator" is that the general tone and spirit seem to me the reverse
of this. If your paper circulated only among those of disciplined and
cultivated minds, skilled to separate truth from falsehood, knowing
where to go for evidence and how to satisfy the doubts you raise, I
should feel less regret. But your name and benevolent labors have
given your paper a circulation among the poor and lowly. They have no
means of investigating, no habits of reasoning.
Pages:
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299