Correspondence.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3746, 29 December 1880, Page 3

Correspondence.

(To the Editor of the Evening Stab.) Sir,—Troth is the seal of God, and should be received from whatever quarter it hails. It is a duty to doubt, investigate, and if possible to discover truth, learning furnishes the discoveries upon which doubt is exercised. Judgment and experience analyze and examine, while reason directs and determines. Thought is the principal agent of reason, which is not to be stifled. God is reason in the purest degree, for knowledge and reason most resemble Deity, and constitute the touchstone of truth and falsehood. Men are now beginning to think, and theologiical truth will be much sooner discovered by religiously uneducated minds than by learned bigots. The assumed superiority and talents of priests are regarded with derision, for merely learned mind 3 are frequently contracted' by superstition. Wisdom relies not on others, but itself. " Minuth " is ever a constituent of wellregulated minds. Adam was a sceptic, whose heresy Job's drama attempts to solve. Neither Moses or any other prophet has discovered the moral government of the world. This grand secret vill ever remain the ," crux" of life. Religion tells us very little of hidden things. Christianity is rather an attempt to reconcile man to Deity, and to explain of evil by human intercession. Nature manifests no definite purpose, ancPlll final causes, or human fictions rather disposses deity of perfection. If the Creator acted as supposed, it would imply desire or need. The rejection of such opinions and prejudices, *and the desire to ascertain natural causes has subjected the greatest philosophers to the brand of infidelity from those who derive their bread from the blind wonderment of the ignorant. People are best pleased with that which causes least mental fatigue, and who, talung truth upon trust, accept explanations of Nature and the arrangement of the world which priests for sinister purposes choose to invent. Previous to the invention of religion man followed the dictates of reason. Divisions were then rare, although the bond of union was simply instinct. Intensified fear and terror of gods and invisible agencies originated the erection of altars to them, and despite nature and reason they loaded themselves with idle ceremonies and superstitions, worship of phantoms by themselves created. Religion, which has brought so much bloodshed, oppression, crime, and noise into the world, was thus originated. Having conceived their invisible agencies, and made their gods, they must of course worship them, to deprecate anger and propitiate favour. Nature's supposed subjection to these imaginary powers followed very early upon their invention,; ] which of course engendered a base regard of nature and an exalted esteem of the gods who they believed controlled and absolutely governed them. The ignorance of nations has sprung from this source, from which, however, true philosophy would have freed them if priestly selfishness and sinister imposition had not held them bound in a bondages of darkness. My sympathy with the deceived prompts me to the exposure of falsehood; Ido not desire to excite the approbation of the thoughtless, and I know I shall incur the bitter hatred of the sectarians. While permitted, however, I am fully prepared and well determined ito continue the discussion of this curious subject, until the public receive a satisfactory reply to the questions which are now agitating the religious world. The people may esteem themselves fortunate in having, in the Evening Star, an organ bold, wise, and independent enough to admit all opinions to a fair and free discussion, antl a cominanity able and willing fairly and impartially to avail themselves of such advantages.—l ana, &c, SCEPIC.