Part 20

do not seem consistent with infinite goodness. But when one has been "born again," when "the love "of God has been shed abroad in his heart," when he loves all mankind, when he "overcomes evil with "good," when he "prays for those who despite- "fully use him and persecute him,"--to such a man, the extermination of the Canaanites, the violation of women, the slaughter of babes, and the destruc- tion of countless thousands, is the highest evidence of the goodness, the mercy, and the long-suffering of God. When a man has been "born again," all the passages of the Old Testament that appear so horrible and so unjust to one in his natural state, become the dearest, the most consoling, and the most beautiful of truths. The real Christian reads the accounts of these ancient battles with the greatest possible satisfaction. To one who really loves his enemies, the groans of men, the shrieks of women, and the cries of babes, make music sweeter than the zephyr's breath.

_Question_. In your judgment, why did God destroy the Canaanites?

_Answer_. To prevent their contaminating his chosen people. He knew that if the Jews were allowed to live with such neighbors, they would

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finally become as bad as the Canaanites themselves. He wished to civilize his chosen people, and it was therefore necessary for him to destroy the heathen.

_Question_. Did God succeed in civilizing the Jews after he had "removed" the Canaanites?

_Answer_. Well, not entirely. He had to allow the heathen he had not destroyed to overrun the whole land and make captives of the Jews. This was done for the good of his chosen people.

_Question_. Did he then succeed in civilizing them?

_Answer_. Not quite.

_Question_. Did he ever quite succeed in civilizing them?

_Answer_. Well, we must admit that the experi- ment never was a conspicuous success. The Jews were chosen by the Almighty 430 years before he appeared to Moses on Mount Sinai. He was their direct Governor. He attended personally to their religion and politics, and gave up a great part of his valuable time for about two thousand years, to the management of their affairs; and yet, such was the condition of the Jewish people, after they had had all these advantages, that when there arose among them a perfectly kind, just, generous and honest man, these people, with whom God had been laboring for so

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many centuries, deliberately put to death that good and loving man.

_Question_. Do you think that God really endeav- ored to civilize the Jews?

_Answer_. This is an exceedingly hard question. If he had really tried to do it, of course he could have done it. We must not think of limiting the power of the infinite. But you must remember that if he had succeeded in civilizing the Jews, if he had educated them up to the plane of intellectual liberty, and made them just and kind and merciful, like him- self, they would not have crucified Christ, and you can see at once the awful condition in which we would all be to-day. No atonement could have been made; and if no atonement had been made, then, according to the Christian system, the whole world would have been lost. We must admit that there was no time in the history of the Jews from Sinai to Jerusalem, that they would not have put a man like Christ to death.

_Question_. So you think that, after all, it was not God's intention that the Jews should become civilized?

_Answer_. We do not know. We can only say that "God's ways are not our ways." It may be that God took them in his special charge, for the

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purpose of keeping them bad enough to make the necessary sacrifice. That may have been the divine plan. In any event, it is safer to believe the explana- tion that is the most unreasonable.

_Question_. Do you think that Christ knew the Jews would crucify him?

_Answer_. Certainly.

_Question_. Do you think that when he chose Judas he knew that he would betray him?

_Answer_. Certainly.

_Question_. Did he know when Judas went to the chief priest and made the bargain for the delivery of Christ?

_Answer_. Certainly.

_Question_. Why did he allow himself to be be- trayed, if he knew the plot?

_Answer_. Infidelity is a very good doctrine to live by, but you should read the last words of Paine and Voltaire.

_Question_. If Christ knew that Judas would betray him, why did he choose him?

_Answer_. Nothing can exceed the atrocities of the French Revolution--when they carried a woman through the streets and worshiped her as the goddess of Reason.

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_Question_. Would not the mission of Christ have been a failure had no one betrayed him?

_Answer_. Thomas Paine was a drunkard, and re- canted on his death-bed, and died a blaspheming infidel besides.

_Question_. Is it not clear that an atonement was necessary; and is it not equally clear that the atone- ment could not have been made unless somebody had betrayed Christ; and unless the Jews had been wicked and orthodox enough to crucify him?

_Answer_. Of course the atonement had to be made. It was a part of the "divine plan" that Christ should be betrayed, and that the Jews should be wicked enough to kill him. Otherwise, the world would have been lost.

_Question_. Suppose Judas had understood the divine plan, what ought he to have done? Should he have betrayed Christ, or let somebody else do it; or should he have allowed the world to perish, in- cluding his own soul?

_Answer_. If you take the Bible away from the world, "how would it be possible to have witnesses "sworn in courts;" how would it be possible to ad- minister justice?

_Question_. If Christ had not been betrayed and

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crucified, is it true that his own mother would be in perdition to-day?

_Answer_. Most assuredly. There was but one way by which she could be saved, and that was by the death of her son--through the blood of the atonement. She was totally depraved through the sin of Adam, and deserved eternal death. Even her love for the infant Christ was, in the sight of God,-- that is to say, of her babe,--wickedness. It can not be repeated too often that there is only one way to be saved, and that is, to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.

_Question_. Could Christ have prevented the Jews from crucifying him?

_Answer_. He could.

_Question_. If he could have saved his life and did not, was he not guilty of suicide?

_Answer_. No one can understand these questions who has not read the prophecies of Daniel, and has not a clear conception of what is meant by "the full- "ness of time."

_Question_. What became of all the Canaanites, the Egyptians, the Hindus, the Greeks and Romans and Chinese? What became of the billions who died before the promise was made to Abraham; of the

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billions and billions who never heard of the Bible, who never heard the name, even, of Jesus Christ-- never knew of "the scheme of salvation"? What became of the millions and billions who lived in this hemisphere, and of whose existence Jehovah himself seemed perfectly ignorant?

_Answer_. They were undoubtedly lost. God having made them, had a right to do with them as he pleased. They are probably all in hell to-day, and the fact that they are damned, only adds to the joy of the redeemed. It is by contrast that we are able to perceive the infinite kindness with which God has treated us.

_Question_. Is it not possible that something can be done for a human soul in another world as well as in this?

_Answer_. No; this is the only world in which God even attempts to reform anybody. In the other world, nothing is done for the purpose of making anybody better. Here in this world, where man lives but a few days, is the only opportunity for moral improvement. A minister can do a thou- sand times more for a soul than its creator; and this country is much better adapted to moral growth than heaven itself. A person who lived on this earth a

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few years, and died without having been converted, has no hope in another world. The moment he arrives at the judgment seat, nothing remains but to damn him. Neither God, nor the Holy Ghost, nor Jesus Christ, can have the least possible influence with him there.

_Question_. When God created each human being, did he know exactly what would be his eternal fate?

_Answer_. Most assuredly he did.

_Question_. Did he know that hundreds and millions and billions would suffer eternal pain?

_Answer_. Certainly. But he gave them freedom of choice between good and evil.

_Question_. Did he know exactly how they would use that freedom?

_Answer_. Yes.

_Question_. Did he know that billions would use it wrong?

_Answer_. Yes.

_Question_. Was it optional with him whether he should make such people or not?

_Answer_. Certainly.

_Question_. Had these people any option as to whether they would be made or not?

_Answer_, No.

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_Question_. Would it not have been far better to leave them unconscious dust?

_Answer_. These questions show how foolish it is to judge God according to a human standard. What to us seems just and merciful, God may regard in an exactly opposite light; and we may hereafter be developed to such a degree that we will regard the agonies of the damned as the highest possible evi- dence of the goodness and mercy of God.

_Question_. How do you account for the fact that God did not make himself known except to Abra- ham and his descendants? Why did he fail to reveal himself to the other nations--nations that, compared with the Jews, were learned, cultivated and powerful? Would you regard a revelation now made to the Esquimaux as intended for us; and would it be a revelation of which we would be obliged to take notice?

_Answer_. Of course, God could have revealed him- self, not only to all the great nations, but to each individual. He could have had the Ten Command- ments engraved on every heart and brain; or he could have raised up prophets in every land; but he chose, rather, to allow countless millions of his children to wander in the darkness and blackness of

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Nature; chose, rather, that they should redden their hands in each other's blood; chose, rather, that they should live without light, and die without hope; chose, rather, that they should suffer, not only in this world, but forever in the next. Of course we have no right to find fault with the choice of God.

_Question_. Now you can tell a sinner to "believe "on the Lord Jesus Christ;" what could a sinner have been told in Egypt, three thousand years ago; and in what language would you have addressed a Hindu in the days of Buddha--the "divine scheme" at that time being a secret in the divine breast?

_Answer_. It is not for us to think upon these questions. The moment we examine the Christian system, we begin to doubt. In a little while, we shall be infidels, and shall lose the respect of those who refuse to think. It is better to go with the majority. These doctrines are too sacred to be touched. You should be satisfied with the religion of your father and your mother. "You want some book on the "centre-table," in the parlor; it is extremely handy to have a Family Record; and what book, other than the Bible, could a mother give a son as he leaves the old homestead?

_Question_. Is it not wonderful that all the writers

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of the four gospels do not give an account of the ascension of Jesus Christ?

_Answer_. This question has been answered long ago, time and time again.

_Question_. Perhaps it has, but would it not be well enough to answer it once more? Some may not have seen the answer?

_Answer_. Show me the hospitals that infidels have built; show me the asylums that infidels have founded.

_Question_. I know you have given the usual an- swer; but after all, is it not singular that a miracle so wonderful as the bodily ascension of a man, should not have been mentioned by all the writers of that man's life? Is it not wonderful that some of them said that he did ascend, and others that he agreed to stay with his disciples always?

_Answer_. People unacquainted with the Hebrew, can have no conception of these things. A story in plain English, does not sound as it does in Hebrew. Miracles seem altogether more credible, when told in a dead language.

_Question_. What, in your judgment, became of the dead who were raised by Christ? Is it not singular that they were never mentioned afterward?

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Would not a man who had been raised from the dead naturally be an object of considerable interest, especially to his friends and acquaintances? And is it not also wonderful that Christ, after having wrought so many miracles, cured so many lame and halt and blind, fed so many thousands miraculously, and after having entered Jerusalem in triumph as a conqueror and king, had to be pointed out by one of his own disciples who was bribed for the purpose?

_Answer_. Of course, all these things are exceed- ingly wonderful, and if found in any other book, would be absolutely incredible; but we have no right to apply the same kind of reasoning to the Bible that we apply to the Koran or to the sacred books of the Hindus. For the ordinary affairs of this world, God has given us reason; but in the examination of religious questions, we should de- pend upon credulity and faith.

_Question_. If Christ came to offer himself a sacri- fice, for the purpose of making atonement for the sins of such as might believe on him, why did he not make this fact known to all of his disciples?

_Answer_. He did. This was, and is, the gospel.

_Question_. How is it that Matthew says nothing about "salvation by faith," but simply says that God

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will be merciful to the merciful, that he will forgive the forgiving, and says not one word about the necessity of believing anything?

_Answer_. But you will remember that Mark says, in the last chapter of his gospel, that "whoso be- "lieveth not shall be damned."

_Question_. Do you admit that Matthew says nothing on the subject?

_Answer_. Yes, I suppose I must.

_Question_. Is not that passage in Mark generally admitted to be an interpolation?

_Answer_. Some biblical scholars say that it is.

_Question_. Is that portion of the last chapter of Mark found in the Syriac version of the Bible?

_Answer_. It is not.

_Question_. If it was necessary to believe on Jesus Christ, in order to be saved, how is it that Matthew failed to say so?

_Answer_. "There are more copies of the Bible "printed to-day, than of any other book in the world, "and it is printed in more languages than any other "book."

_Question_. Do you consider it necessary to be "regenerated"--to be "born again"--in order to be saved?

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_Answer_. Certainly.

_Question_. Did Matthew say anything on the sub- ject of "regeneration"?

_Answer_. No.

_Question_. Did Mark?

_Answer_. No.

_Question_. Did Luke?

_Answer_. No.

_Question_. Is Saint John the only one who speaks of the necessity of being "born again"?

_Answer_. He is.

_Question_. Do you think that Matthew, Mark and Luke knew anything about the necessity of "regen- "eration"?

_Answer_. Of course they did.

_Question_. Why did they fail to speak of it?

_Answer_. There is no civilization without the Bible. The moment you throw away the sacred Scriptures, you are all at sea--you are without an anchor and without a compass.

_Question_. You will remember that, according to Mark, Christ said to his disciples: "Go ye into all "the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." Did he refer to the gospel set forth by Mark?

_Answer_. Of course he did.

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_Question_. Well, in the gospel set forth by Mark, there is not a word about "regeneration," and no word about the necessity of believing anything--ex- cept in an interpolated passage. Would it not seem from this, that "regeneration" and a "belief in the "Lord Jesus Christ," are no part of the gospel?

_Answer_. Nothing can exceed in horror the last moments of the infidel; nothing can be more ter- rible than the death of the doubter. When the glories of this world fade from the vision; when am- bition becomes an empty name; when wealth turns to dust in the palsied hand of death, of what use is philosophy then? Who cares then for the pride of intellect? In that dread moment, man needs some- thing to rely on, whether it is true or not.

_Question_. Would it not have been more con- vincing if Christ, after his resurrection, had shown himself to his enemies as well as to his friends? Would it not have greatly strengthened the evidence in the case, if he had visited Pilate; had presented himself before Caiaphas, the high priest; if he had again entered the temple, and again walked the streets of Jerusalem?

_Answer_. If the evidence had been complete and overwhelming, there would have been no praise-

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worthiness in belief; even publicans and sinners would have believed, if the evidence had been suffi- cient. The amount of evidence required is the test of the true Christian spirit.

_Question_. Would it not also have been better had the ascension taken place in the presence of unbelieving thousands; it seems such a pity to have wasted such a demonstration upon those already convinced?

_Answer_. These questions are the natural fruit of the carnal mind, and can be accounted for only by the doctrine of total depravity. Nothing has given the church more trouble than just such questions. Unholy curiosity, a disposition to pry into the divine mysteries, a desire to know, to investigate, to explain --in short, to understand, are all evidences of a re- probate mind.

_Question_. How can we account for the fact that Matthew alone speaks of the wise men of the East coming with gifts to the infant Christ; that he alone speaks of the little babes being killed by Herod? Is it possible that the other writers never heard of these things?

_Answer_. Nobody can get any good out of the Bible by reading it in a critical spirit. The contra-

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dictions and discrepancies are only apparent, and melt away before the light of faith. That which in other books would be absolute and palpable contradiction, is, in the Bible, when spiritually discerned, a perfect and beautiful harmony. My own opinion is, that seeming contradictions are in the Bible for the pur- pose of testing and strengthening the faith of Chris- tians, and for the further purpose of ensnaring infidels, "that they might believe a lie and be damned." _Question_. Is it possible that a good God would take pains to deceive his children?

_Answer_. The Bible is filled with instances of that kind, and all orthodox ministers now know that fossil animals--that is, representations of animals in stone, were placed in the rocks on purpose to mis- lead men like Darwin and Humboldt, Huxley and Tyndall. It is also now known that God, for the purpose of misleading the so-called men of science, had hairy elephants preserved in ice, made stomachs for them, and allowed twigs of trees to be found in these stomachs, when, as a matter of fact, no such elephants ever lived or ever died. These men who are endeavoring to overturn the Scriptures with the lever of science will find that they have been de- ceived. Through all eternity they will regret their

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philosophy. They will wish, in the next world, that they had thrown away geology and physiology and all other "ologies" except theology. The time is coming when Jehovah will "mock at their fears and "laugh at their calamity."

_Question_. If Joseph was not the father of Christ, why was his genealogy given to show that Christ was of the blood of David; why would not the genealogy of any other Jew have done as well?

_Answer_. That objection was raised and answered hundreds of years ago.

_Question_. If they wanted to show that Christ was of the blood of David, why did they not give the gene- alogy of his mother if Joseph was not his father?

_Answer_. That objection was answered hundreds of years ago.

_Question_. How was it answered?

_Answer_. When Voltaire was dying, he sent for a priest.

_Question_. How does it happen that the two gene- alogies given do not agree?

_Answer_. Perhaps they were written by different persons.

_Question_. Were both these persons inspired by the same God?

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_Answer_. Of course.

_Question_. Why were the miracles recorded in the New Testament performed?

_Answer_. The miracles were the evidence relied on to prove the supernatural origin and the divine mission of Jesus Christ.

_Question_. Aside from the miracles, is there any evidence to show the supernatural origin or character of Jesus Christ?

_Answer_. Some have considered that his moral precepts are sufficient, of themselves, to show that he was divine.

_Question_. Had all of his moral precepts been taught before he lived?

_Answer_. The same things had been said, but they did not have the same meaning.

_Question_. Does the fact that Buddha taught the same tend to show that he was of divine origin?

_Answer_. Certainly not. The rules of evidence applicable to the Bible are not applicable to other books. We examine other books in the light of reason; the Bible is the only exception. So, we should not judge of Christ as we do of any other man.

_Question_. Do you think that Christ wrought

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many of his miracles because he was good, charitable, and filled with pity?

_Answer_. Certainly

_Question_. Has he as much power now as he had when on earth?

_Answer_. Most assuredly.

_Question_. Is he as charitable and pitiful now, as he was then?

_Answer_. Yes.

_Question_. Why does he not now cure the lame and the halt and the blind?

_Answer_. It is well known that, when Julian the Apostate was dying, catching some of his own blood in his hand and throwing it into the air he exclaimed: "Galileean, thou hast conquered!"

_Question_. Do you consider it our duty to love our neighbor?

_Answer_. Certainly.

_Question_. Is virtue the same in all worlds?

_Answer_. Most assuredly.

_Question_. Are we under obligation to render good for evil, and to "pray for those who despitefully use us"?

_Answer_. Yes.

_Question_. Will Christians in heaven love their neighbors?

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_Answer_. Y es; if their neighbors are not in hell.

_Question_. Do good Christians pity sinners in this world?

_Answer_. Yes.

_Question_. Why?

_Answer_. Because they regard them as being in great danger of the eternal wrath of God.

_Question_. After these sinners have died, and been sent to hell, will the Christians in heaven then pity them?

_Answer_. No. Angels have no pity.

_Question_. If we are under obligation to love our enemies, is not God under obligation to love his? If we forgive our enemies, ought not God to forgive his? If we forgive those who injure us, ought not God to forgive those who have not injured him?

_Answer_. God made us, and he has therefore the right to do with us as he pleases. Justice demands that he should damn all of us, and the few that he will save will be saved through mercy and without the slightest respect to anything they may have done themselves. Such is the justice of God, that those in hell will have no right to complain, and those in heaven will have no right to be there. Hell is justice, and salvation is charity.

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_Question_. Do you consider it possible for a law to be jusdy satisfied by the punishment of an innocent person?

_Answer_. Such is the scheme of the atonement. As man is held responsible for the sin of Adam, so he will be credited with the virtues of Christ; and you can readily see that one is exactly as reasonable as the other.

_Question_. Suppose a man honestly reads the New Testament, and honestly concludes that it is not an inspired book; suppose he honestly makes up his mind that the miracles are not true; that the devil never really carried Christ to the pinnacle of the temple; that devils were really never cast out of a man and allowed to take refuge in swine;--I say, suppose that he is honestly convinced that these things are not true, what ought he to say?

_Answer_. He ought to say nothing.