The facts
that came to my knowledge with regard to the morals of the Secularists
contributed to my deliverance from the thraldom of unbelief.
The honor awarded to Christ, and the infamy attached to infidelity, are
no mistakes. Jesus has never been exalted beyond His merits, and
infidelity has never been hated or dreaded beyond its deserts.
Christianity is the sum and perfection of all that is good, and true,
and glorious; and atheism is the sum and aggravation of all that is
vile, and mischievous, and miserable. It would be sad for the world if
men should lose their instinctive dread of infidelity, and begin to
speak of it as an error of little moment. It is a monster
conglomeration of all evil, and it has no redeeming quality.
8. Among the lectures which I delivered in my transition state was one
in answer to the question; "What do you offer as a substitute for the
Bible? Can you give us anything better?" I said that I had no desire to
_do away_ with the Bible; that I wished them to read it, study it, and
reduce the better part of its precepts to practice. I said: "With those
who would destroy the Bible, or prevent its circulation, I have no
sympathy and no connexion. The Bible is a book of great interest and
value; to say the least, it presents us with the thoughts of the best
and wisest of men, on subjects of the greatest interest and importance;
it gives us the best picture of the life and manners of the nations and
institutions of the ancient world; it is a wonderful revelation of human
nature; it tells the most interesting stories; it contains the grandest
and most beautiful poetry, the wisest proverbs, the most faithful
denunciations of vice and crime, the most earnest exhortations to duty,
the best examples of virtue, the most instructive and touching
narratives of people of distinguished worth, the most rational and
practical definitions of religion, the worthiest representations of God
and the universe, the greatest encouragement to fidelity under reproach
and persecution, the richest consolations under afflictions and trials,
and the most cheering exhibitions of future blessedness.
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