Religion and the Bible

Introduction

In presenting this volume to the public it seems proper to state that it is the result of the accumulations of years of thought and honest examination. How early in life the writer first commenced to take interest in matters pertaining to religion and the Bible may not be fixed with exactitude, but such interest began at a very early date ; and, with an everincreasing power, has remained until to-day. To me it seems obvious that all men should give attention to these matters. Any man who believes that the grave is not the end of existence, in which is buried life as well as body — spirit as well as physical form — is in duty bound to examine those things within his reach which may throw light upon a subject the truth regarding which is of incalculable importance to mankind. And he who does not believe in the continuation of life beyond the grave has even greater need to learn. Mind you, I do not say to accept, but to learn, for upon this subject there seems to be but little individual learning, and a great deal of accepting what someone else has said was true, simply because he said it. Thousands of men have doubtless read the Bible more than I, but simple reading is of very little consequence ; since to read and to examine are such different things. Many men can repeat " scripture " by the yard, who cannot, or do not, examine it by the inch. A parrot can repeat what it has heard, but never constructs new sentences from new thoughts, and this is the manner of most Bible study. The next method is a study for a specific purpose (but not the true purpose), or to fortify some creed. The Baptist has his special line of thought to demonstrate as the '' truth of the Bible," and the Methodist his, and the Universalist his, and so on throughout the list. Each has his commentary upon certain scripture, different from what is had by his neighbor of another creed, and theology has become only another name for sophistry, the tenets and teachings of which are assiduously instilled into the brains of the student in preparation to "preach the gospel." A prime object of the various schools of theology is to instill into the minds of their victims the assumed fact of the inerrancy of their creed and the particular interpretations and meanderings by which they claim to maintain them, coupled with, whatever schooling they may deem essential to enable them to properly present their especial dogma to the minds of men in a way that will enable them to win others to the same belief. All this is prejudgment. No man would be allowed to sit upon a jury who had already a dogmatic theory of his own and whose avowed purpose was to find something in the evidence with

INTRODUCTION. 5

which to bolster up his belief, but this is the way they make ministers ; and, for the most part, the ministers disseminate ideas which are accepted by the members. The only school of theology that ought to be attended, is one which at present has only the universe for a class-room and truth for a teacher, the sole object of whose students should be to learn what this teacher can show them, in utter disregard of its effect upon former opinions and beliefs. Such an investigation of the Bible I have made to the best of my ability, and the result is before you. When I commenced, I believed the Bible to be true from Genesis to Revelation. The story of the creation, fall, redemption, miraculous birth, miracle, Jonah and the whale — all were true. And then I commenced to think — and then I read and thought a good deal more ; and little by little, one by one, the myths of old have vanished and their place is filled by the ideas I try to present to you in this book. I well remember when I first began to question the statement that Jesus was the son of God and not the son of Joseph. Perhaps all who once held the belief in the miraculous birth and have discarded it, may have been through a similar experience. My reason told me it was not true, and with a somewhat startled feeling at the thought of doubting so important a fact in Bible authority, I instantly dropped the thought that had flashed like a ray of light upon my mind, as a man would drop a hot iron. But I was not so made that it could be long cast aside, and back it came with renewed force, or to find a more willing entertainer. Doubts and fears, presumably.

were the names of tlie mental attitudes whicli for a time ruled my mind, and then plain common sense would have its unhindered way, and reason took the place of superstition as truth came to reign where falsehood formerly held sway. Let this one briefly mentioned instance suffice for an example of the whole. Slowly, year by year, grew the new conception. One by one came the new truths in place of the old fables. One by one fell the idols of darkness, as broader and more perfect became the light. My writing comes from an earnest desire of my own, which has grown and strengthened with my conceptions. I can only think that it is the same desire which calls men to preach what they believe to be the gospel of truth. I am ready and willing to allow that such are teaching that which they believe to be the truth, and that they deem it important that men should likewise believe. I give them credit for all the conscientiousness to which they may lay claim, and ask of them to repay me in kind. The things which I believe to be true are of as much importance to me as their dogmas are to them, although I may hold them with less tenacity against the possible presenting of evidence and reason. I hold no ideas which I fear to have questioned, no belief which I fear to have scanned. Nothing but truth, to me, is sacred, and a truth that cannot stand thorough ex-' amination and the most searching inquiry without the loss of a single ray, is a light that is yet dim, although it may be brighter than the one whose place it came to fill. My wish in this matter is to know the truth, which is of like importance to each

IKTROPUCTION. 7

of US, and in the search for which we should have one common and unprejudiced desire. If I am wrong, show me my error. If you are wrong, accept of truth where you find it. Any man who holds a belief that he fears to have tested by all the investigation that the modern searchlights can turn upon it, who fears to compare his religion or his conceptions with the religions and conceptions of others and of all, is a coward, and has no confidence in that which he professes to possess and to believe. Preeminent in this respect are the Roman Catholics, and with ^11 the bravery which may be possessed by a Catholic in other things, in matters of religion he is an arrant coward from pope to layman. They dare not come out openly and discuss the truth or falsity of their faith and practice — dare not show their hand and meet the criticism of the day ; and so, under the pretense of infallibility, they stand with a front of conceit, which is accepted by their fellows through their credulity as authority, in defiance of what they dare not fairly meet — the true position of a moral coward. This same principle runs in varying strength not only through all religions based in a near or remote connection upon the Bible, but through all religions making the pretense of having in their possession the perfect and all-compassing truth of God. There is a falsehood at the bottom of it, and even though the men cling to it, it seems to carry with it a weakness inherent in itself, but which by its followers is denned as power. Claiming no perfections, welcoming examination, believing that truth is immortal and that error is weakness which must surely die, I present these pages to the reader with the earnest hope that he may accept all which is good and true, and reject every line which is the reverse. Many things which this book contains will seem harsh and unkind to those who read and believe what is here subjected to criticism. This feeling I regret and wish I could prevent. Perhaps I express myself as I ought not to, but I trust all will try to look upon my words as applying not to individuals, but to ideas ; not to men, but to systems ; not to persons, but to things. Among my own friends and kindred, the ideas against which I speak, the beliefs against which I war, are strongly held. The only sadness connected with this work is the thought of tbe probable effect upon some of them when they read these pages.

I know of no reason why anyone should impugn my motive, and therefore I assume that the correct one will be accepted ; but those who believe the Bible to be true and without error, and who are honest and kind and do not realize the unkindness in the things they believe of God, will say, " Oh ! how could he do it ? I would never have thought he could write such a book." To them I can only say I believe it to be true. No unkindness is intended to any of you, and though you hold the ideas which I detest, and that I have long detested, I have the same feelings of friendship that I have ever had, though in matters of belief I think you are greatly in error. To those who stand on their dignity, as they think it is, and with a feeling of anger condemn me for what I have done, who call me an ** infidel," an "un-

INTRODUCTION. 9

believer," a knave, or a fool, I will tell you in advance that I do not care the snap of my finger for your thunder. Such men as you may be near the church, but you are far from the kingdom. This is in no sense a personal attack, and those who make it so are making their own selection.

The things written must in no wise be construed to mean that church people are in my sight a mass of hypocrites or evil-doers with intent. I am not unmindful of the fact that there are many men and women — good, earnest souls — who are working diligently and conscientiously, teaching what they believe to be the true way, and showing men, as they think, " the one thing needful," without which life is a failure and death is a tomb. I am not unmindful of the fact that they lead many into the way of a better life than the one in which they found them, and so help in the upbuilding of mankind. Whatever association or organization they may create that brings a single man nearer to the living of a true life and does not in anywise hinder others from advancing, is commendable, and my wish is for its prosperity. My objections are raised only against what I believe to be false and harmful. I am not condemning the intent of men, whether Christian, Mohammedan, Jew, or Heathen ; whatever good they have done I am glad has been accomplished, but I am condemning that which I believe to be false ainl therefore harmful. Not believing that "where ignorance is bliss 'tis folly to be wise," but that where ignorance exists *tis better to be wise, I object to the assumed infallibility of the past, and believe that in the present mixture of good and evil which it is taught is the perfect and inerrant ** Word of God," lurks many an evil principle, many a false teaching, the acceptance and defense of which have brought great misery to man and still hold him chained to darkness by links which were forged by the hands of those who, whatever their intent, had neither perfect truth nor perfect wisdom. I regard church people a good deal as I regard non-church people — some good, some bad, and some indifferent. There are members of orthodox churches who lead as good lives as any led by men, for aught that I can say to the contrary, and men that are not members of any church who do likewise. The only measure that I would apply to men is what they are, and not what they profess to be, and if any man stands up under that mark and reaches the stature of a man, I care not what church he attends, or if he attends any. Believing that the true temple is within, that man cannot serve God except by serving man, and that it is a worthy object and desire of man to know the truth, which he should ever diligently seek and be ever ready to receive, I trust the reader will go with me in the same spirit. It is not with a feeling of one who thinks he possesses all truth, and the ability to perfectly express it, that I take up the pen. While the impulse to write is, like my conviction of the truth of my conceptions, strong, I do not expect to be able to convince the world of the truths which I afl&rm. Those things come about by no sudden revolution of opinion among minds in general, but are, like all grow^th, of

INTRODUCTION. 11

gradual development. Some there are to-day who will agree with me, and there will be many more by and by. This book, therefore, the author does not expect to unlock every door and reveal all truth, but he hopes it may be a light on the way — that it may help. I once read the following account of '* The Small and the Great :" " One night a man took a little taper out of a drawer and lighted it, and began to ascend a long, winding stair. * Where are you going?' said the taper. * Away high up,' said the man, * higher than the top of the house where we sleep.' 'And what are you going to do there?' said the taper. 'I am going to show the ships out at sea where the harbor is,' said the man. 'For we stand here at the entrance to the harbor, and some ship far out on the stormy sea may be looking for our light even now.' 'Alas ! no ship could ever see my light,' said the taper, 'it is so small.' 'If your light is small,' said the man, ' keep it burning bright and leave the rest to me.' Well, when the man got up to the top of the lighthouse— for it was a lighthouse they were in — he took the little taper and, with it, he lighted the great lamps that stood ready there with their polished reflectors behind them. And soon they were burning steady and clear, throwing a great, strong beam of light across the sea. By this time the lighthouse keeper had blown out the taper and laid it aside. But it had done its work. Though its own light had been so small, it had been the means of kindling the great lights in the top of the lighthouse, and these were now shining brightly over the sea, so that the ships far out

12 RELiaiON AND THE BIBLE.

knew by it where tbey were, and were guided safely into the harbor."

Perhaps my efforts may likewise be of use, and while in this work I desire to present to you pictures new and pictures old, some of which are only new or different views of old characters, ever mindful that this transfer of thought is done by the picture upon the mind presented by the words wiiich the eye beholds, I shall ask you to examine them carefully and honestly and see if they are not more true to life than many that hang in your homes and that have been worshiped as idols for ages. Knowing that the end of man's attainments is a long way off, it would indeed be presuming in me to expect great results from my efforts, yet I have a hope that while I cannot expect to usher man into the inner sanctuary of truth, this may be to him, as it were, the outer door to the inner temple, the key of which God gave him when he gave him reason and understanding, and which he has long neglected to use. And if this could be said of it, I should indeed be well content. Believing that the earnest desire of every honest heart is, in matters of faith and religion, as well as upon other themes, to know the truth regardless of former convictions, to each and every one who so desires, this work is dedicated by the author.