What, then, is heresy? It is an error of opinion about religion, not to be corrected short of the science and philosophy of civilization. Of course, then, those that issued orders for confessions of faith proved themselves exempt from the holiest inspirations of religion in its purity. Had the dynasty of peculiar faith thus propagated its doctrines, the world had been depopulated. Where would mankind have been, but for the blaze of science? In the toils of hypocrisy, or the ruin of the world. But peculiar faith has the peculiar assurance and impudence to lay peculiar claims to science! The christian particularly, assumes this peculiar greatness. The state of science depends on the state of mind, and its facilities for civilization. This is the whole solution. Science, if to be appropriated, is indebted very much to the Pagans, who outshone all, in some things. The moderns are indebted much to the Roman law. "The equitable doctrine of Salvage, came from the Roman law," says chancellor Kent. While peculiar faith appropriates all to its peculiar monopoly and usurpation, religion diffuses to the whole world, by its agent, mind, never proscribed, but advanced in all its legitimate civilization. Where is the evidence of high principles of sound religion, but in the general benefit of the world? No form of man-worship yields the point, giving the tears and ruin of the world, instead of its blessings. The functions of the world can create its rightful possession of happiness, that peculiar faith frustrates, mars and degrades. Religion is to insure the best results of rational education or cultivation of mind, that is to make man useful and happy, and should embrace all expedients necessary. Who could stop the heresies of Millerism? None that had faith in the bible of tradition. Thus the heresies of faith are proved by rational mind, to be demoralizing. What heresies can arise but from the false positions of peculiar faith, that has disturbed the world for centuries, on this peculiar point? Its numerous votaries are ready to swear on their creed, and yet all would be antagonistical to each other, and to the only basis of God and truth. Numerous Mormons would no doubt swear that Joe Smith has been seen since his death, that he did not die till his time came, though pierced by many bullets. Their position is analogous to that of the Christian. Both are superstitious. His oracles when consulted, told as Joe Smith spoke or wished. What more could be desired, but an ignorant people in mass to propagate more successfully this peculiar faith? These are rich scenes for the world, did they not enslave and corrupt it. Is it right or honorable, to put down right by sophistry, the perversion of truth? Is peculiar faith occupation the return for constitutional religion? Shall the priests' substitutes of peculiar, prevail over universal good? There is no reason or principle, for peculiar faith. Over part of the world the voice of usurping absolutism, not of the sovereign people, is heard, and causes all its curses. The world from paramount interest, is bound to do away with all that can indoctrinate mind in the least corruption, sway or intimidation. All secret societies and peculiar faith doctrines, fail in promoting the greatest good to the greatest number, which is universal. The great struggles between peculiar faiths that have enslaved the world, must die out. On true analysis of mind passing through its gradations of relative ages of cultivation, we are necessarily convinced of the pernicious effects of superstition, engendered in the diversified theatre of natural phenomena. The tumult of natural elements, as the tornado, hurricane, earthquake, volcano and electricity, have excited ignorant ages to regard them, though the agents, for the cause. As science advances, peculiar faith and superstition recede. How many of the present systems of peculiar faith have been received by the simple, unthinking world, as the very best that could be proposed, all which the world of absolutism, at one time or another, has conspired to impose on the balance, with all devices and pretences! Peculiar faith is an act of sophistry, that misleads mind. But the advocates of peculiar faith affect that they have the only right one, orthodox or true. The followers of Christ, Mahomet, Moses, Smith, Bhud, &c. affect all this! Have they any idea of the only true God, who is to be truly adored by the best actions of mind alone? That is the first thing enlightened mind has to learn, as the Great First Cause, else the school-boy, or the Indians who believe in the Great Spirit, will outstrip it. The names, whether Hebrew or Greek, of Deity, are not material, when all convey the proper idea of the supreme Creator. All minds are naturally compelled to have ideas of religion, crude or enlightened; they should perfect them in the pure mint of mind, unadulterated with any of the sophistries or absolutism of hierarchists. All the wise and good should separate themselves from this ignoble crowd, and secure pure ideas of God all the time. What can we expect of any peculiar faith, but the legitimate fruits of deception, fraud and imposition? Analyze all peculiar faiths, and this is their correct history. The Christian is as deep, in this obnoxious quagmire. What other is the Roman, but a system of deep and peculiar faith swindling?. "Roman catholic divines had argued, in their writings, in favor of equivocation, mental reservations, perjury, and even assassination." Also, says Macauley, "The clergy were the king's worshippers, and the judges his tools." What cannot absolutism do? Charlemagne assigned to the benedictine Alwin the high office of preparing, from the various sources within his reach, a perfect codex of the holy scriptures." Peculiar faith has been a system of tything, a taxation for false pretences, and the priestocracy have been peculiar brotherhoods in all ages of mind's perversions. We can well say what corruption prevails by union of church and state, in the case of "Charles II., who refused the Eucharist from the hands of the English church, and died a Roman catholic." The advocates of peculiar faith must not expect us to believe their doctrine, unless they prove the same to universal propriety, an impossibility forever. The world may well differ about peculiar faith excitements, but if all do not improve religion on right principles, better had they never existed; for assuredly they do injure society in its most vital parts. Let none stifle inquiry respecting these principles, whether protestant, Roman, or any other. When they come to see the matter in its true light, they will adopt the position as the deepest interest to mind, and will discard their own. The world will see the right, if not trammeled. The Jesuit Journal, The Universe, says, “So long as religious unity exists, civil intolerance is the duty of government." Where would have been his peculiar faith, had it not superseded the preceding one of the country? Plenary indulgences disgrace the Roman hierarchy. What are phylacteries, but part of the superstition and its imposition? All these are the veriest trifles of mind. The power of the pope can be only upheld by liberal views, tolerated for a time, then go down, as mind marches to its elevation. In principles, mind has something to contend for. What superstition can be greater, than praying to angels and saints, all priest manufacture? What corruption can be greater, including the imposition on the people, who are to be preyed upon. The dominican and franciscan friars before the reformation, were, what the jesuits have been since. They were the most contemptible of all the different orders of the priesthood. The barbarous superstition and ignorance of the multitude, raised them to the supreme state of peculiar faith-influence. "They discovered the most barbarous aversion to the arts and sciences." The idea that converts to the creed of peculiar faith being competent to decide on its validity for the world's recognition, because they profess such faith, and are members of some church, is too absurd to be entertained. Do they actually know the definition of religion? Most do not know the difference between peculiar faith and religion! You affect much merit by songs of praise and thanks. But you pay them in words to a mixed Deity. Your prayers, as fervent as peculiar faith-devotion can make them, are not paid to the right source. All are best evinced in actions, and those are due to the God of nature, the Almighty alone. Your grace before meat, and for the reception of all blessings, can also be expressed louder and more effectually than words, by your actions rightly addressed. But of what use are prayers for the dead? Appropriate burial service should be performed by a civil commission, that the living may be benefited, and act rightly, and that relations may do proper justice to their feelings, the rights of humanity, and the proper obligations of civilization. What avails peculiar faith-phrenzy, but to aggravate her world-wrongs? What can devotees do for the world-blessings that they altogether contravene? What authority has any king or potentate to assume the title of defender of the faith, catholic majesty, any more than the popes, who assumed to depose kings from their crowns? All these are the tricks of church and state absolutism, to cement a lasting influence. What piety have any of these superior over the world? All the laws of psychology and physiology, allow of no infallibility to any mortal. There is no fatalism that has given it, as that does not exist. Libations were superstitious rites. It will not do for the moderns to claim any prerogatives for their peculiar faith over any kind of ancient superstition, all of which must succumb to universal principles and their Supreme Creator. Mind proves before any proper tribunal its own agency and superiority. After all, peculiar faith has nothing to boast of. So great was the light shed by the minds of Socrates and Plato, that the first fathers of the christian church, praised them both in some measure as christians. In what did they, and Origen, the greatest of the christian fathers differ, when he believed in the transmigration of souls? What has degraded the best institutions of mind but its perversions, and which of these can be worse than those of peculiar faith? "The most fatal wound of all to the Swiss League" was contention about peculiar faith. For this, for a long time, they had civil wars. The disturbances in India have been the worst, from the different orders of Brahmins and Bhuddists. Nothing can protect nationality and humanity, when lawless, reckless, and faithless pretences of national peculiar faith prevail. Instead of the ruins of empires, and the destruction of mighty cities, brought about by peculiar faith, and recklessness of principles, religion causes mind to rear its mighty empire over the globe, on permanent conservative principles. There can be no pure religion in peculiar faith by the nature of things. But smart people, professors of peculiar faith, affect that they certainly know. Yet how can they, as they have not investigated, nor can they know the whole circle of history and science? They cannot know intuitively, as that is impossible, therefore they must prove their position, especially messiahship, satisfactory, otherwise they are cut off from any foundation, and their mouths are effectually closed. But what tenable proof can they adduce, after deserting reason for faith? But converts rely on hearsay, which comes from interested and ignorant partisans whose oath could not be valid as interested. The errors of peculiar faith are hard to be divested of. Even Napoleon had his astrological superstition, and spoke of the star of his peculiar destiny. Numa, the great law-giver of Rome, affected to have sybilline books, to impose on the people whom the cunning world has always treated with contemptible imposition when impunity was practicable. This has been the door, for all kinds of peculiar tyranny. How much were the poor ignorant barbarians of ancient times imposed on by the necromancers, who pretended to learn of the dead? Peculiar faith presents no genuine diamond or crystal, nor similar ring. Good citizens, should have no counterfeit or any such means, for agitation of the world. All this doctrine is supported by special pleadings, sophistry, mental reservations, and the deepest pious frauds. What infamy! Peculiar faith only advances the pretences of superstition, whose doctrines must be utterly exploded by rational religion that tolerates no messiah. She has no history. The supposed history of peculiar faith, is a peculiar story-it is one of persecutions. The one that is persecuted by other species of superstition, uses persecution in return. It has the nature of the beast, never to be regenerated. A perfect hyena, it persecutes mind, its very power, and robs God whom it has always blasphemed. Peculiar faith has fought in various ways for thousands of years, with peculiar weapons of faith! What intelligent freeman is not ashamed to have peculiar faith, that should be left to the serfs of absolutism and superstition? Reason is rejected only by the ignorant, or by fools and knaves. Some Some may estimate that if peculiar faith do no good, that it can do no harm. But do we truly estimate the invaluable loss of time, the perversion of habits and vices for virtues, the future enslavement of our passions and superstitious fears? Philosophy has ever been attacked by the false pretences of sophistry and peculiar faith, the enemy of mankind and its highest right. The story of miracles is a pretended appeal to facts, and must be analyzed by philosophy that alone analyzes truth, to analyze the nature of things. Philosophy ever discards the phantoms of peculiar faith. Every system of peculiar faith is a libel on God, and an imposition on mind. Do we undertake philosophy that only deals in facts of reason with mere faith, or does it not result in experience and observation through the senses by ratiocination? Advantages will be taken in faith if yielded, forever. All peculiar faith people are bigots and egotists, of most unjust character. Sectarians! whom can you blame for opposing peculiar faith, that is sectarianism in general, yours included, when you attack all others, to protect your own? We attack all on principles, you act for self-interest. You have to be silent, or self-condemned. There can be no greater humbug than that of peculiar faith, that is dangerous and oppressive to the world, which knows so little of it in all its insidiousness. Peculiar faith disorganizes society and the world. She gives curses where she dispenses supposed blessings. Parasites, flatterers, and retainers, may descant on this topic, but all the merit is unequivocally due the real and intrinsic character of God's boons. It is on his capital that all the effect is produced. His are the magnificent institutions and prerogatives, the duty is mind's. What peculiar grace has peculiar faith of any kind imparted to the world, that she should find peculiar favor in its sight? The rites and ceremonies of peculiar faith are bad, oppressive and tyrannizing to the citizens of the world. What liberality has sectarianism, that thinks all others have not as good a faith, as they have not its faith? Sectarianism cannot decide, as it does not stand at the right point, but must transcend or fall below it. None but the right standard can give mind the qualification of right judgment. Peculiar faith is the result of dark and benighted ages of absolutism and priest imposition, whereas rational religion is that of rationally cultivated minds, elevated to and ennobled by the best blessings of civilization in all its glorious and pure excellency. We permit no short sighted policy of peculiar faith, that follows a master of absolutism, receives the dictation of sects, adheres to creeds of opinions, but violates the principles of rational religion. Any persons may change from peculiar faith, from the Roman to the protestant, or from either to the Mahometan, but no rational mind can leave rational religion, the God-gift. Who desires to know all the vices of peculiar faith? This reflects from its corruption, all the superstition and bigotry of ages thus darkened over the world. It is she that presents all messiahships, and those in antagonism with the great laws of nature. Principles cannot be excluded by peculiar faith, no more than the Creator by messiahships. But how can peculiar faiths be the policy of any, presuming on their potency? Do they blindly mislead themselves, without knowing where their own dogmas actually lead them? Peculiar and easy faith arose in an age of darkness and superstition, and has never been eradicated. Mahomet, who lived in the sixth century, considers Christians in the light of infidels and idolators throughout the koran; and, indeed, had not Christians worshipped Christ, he could have had no shadow of a pretence to reform their religion, and to bring them back to the worship of one God." Can the world begin to appreciate the amount and extent of persecutions for peculiar faith in the world? Barocaba, who pretended to be messiah, murdered heathens and Christians. In Christian countries there have been persecutions to murders without mercy. In France, multitudes of Jews were burnt. In Germany multitudes of them were murdered by the myrmidons of the eight crusades. In Persia, the Tartars murdered multitudes of the Jews. Neither paganism nor polytheism is extinct in the world of peculiar faith, that invades the sacred precincts of civil liberty, conscience and philanthropy. Will you stand by, citizen, patriot, and not aid the exigencies of the world in this essential matter? Some people have no sincerity, as their minds have become perverted; they are thankless as they have no gratitude. Can all these cultivate the right spirit in the empire of peculiar faith? How will they compass such impracticabilities? But you cleave to your faith? Of course you found it upon the bible? Now, certainly, you must unmistakably prove the last, to be honest and truthful in your consistWhat are the proofs of your bible, as to its authenticity? You do not know, nor do all your ignorant misleaders! It is astonishing to find how few do know this, as priests cannot know or prove it! ency. Are you betrayed to the loss of the genuine for the counterfeit, throwing away your soul-gifts for the shadow, what you can never reach ? Are you thus caught so stupidly, when so shrewd in business and life transactions otherwise? Do you cheat yourself, or do you permit others to do it, which amounts to the same thing? The false position of peculiar faith is always apparent on proper analysis. On the fragments of peculiar faith arise the splendor and magnificence of rational religion. At her dawn presided science and philosophy. Patients are often harassed, are deranged at times, about peculiar faith. For God's sake, let the world and souls be in peace. There is no peace in peculiar faith, that has no brains, intelligence, or magnanimity. The miserable patients who are disturbed at death, wishing for a faith, should be gratified, but enlightened too. Not only ought ministers, who come to advise, have purity of morals above reproach, but intellectual correctness too; above all other things they ought to tell the truth about the authenticity of their gospels, which, if candid, they are obliged to say cannot be done, as they are not authentic. Are freemen slaves to peculiar faith? Is that so? There has been war upon Jewry for eighteen centuries nearly, by the children that came from its womb.-How parricidal is peculiar faith, when anything opposes her selfish interest. She is created in the froth of sectarianism, and is equally meretricious as her prototype in fiction. Where is the end of all these things? One superstitious wave succeeds another. The Mormons have created theirs. Every new system does the same. are all similar, never can be vastly different. The motives Is there no money nor speculation in all this matter? There is hardly anything else when all seek power. Allow all the motives that prompt, and take away those that are not in the secret, who suppose good faith all the time, and the balance is nothing but blasphemous corruption forever. Peculiar faith will do for scary children, hysterical females, imbecile men, cunning priestocracies, and despotic autocrats, that rule the world by a devil, a very pious and religious duty! Peculiar faith is inseparable from sectarianism; both are identified. But the world must have faith. Is that a particle of virtue? Is there one particle of virtue in peculiar faith? Is not faith a necessary result of investigation, and only in proportion to the facts of the case? The sectarianism of peculiar faith keeps the world apart, and thereby clearly proves its peculiar vices. All peculiar systems of faith are imperfect from the essential nature of the materials: now mind needs a perfect system, that mind may invoke as religion —the model system of religion. The same peculiar faith that gives a devil also gives a messiah, proxies of priestocracies, all anti-god. Peculiar faith corrupts all communities. What a blood-thirsty tyrant is peculiar faith. Such mere faith stultifies its followers, blinds their senses, and brutalizes their nature. Sophistry of peculiar faith, thou hast no limit; as envy, thou hast no dignity. The system of electioneering against all principles for reasons of their temporal popularity, when it was to their disgraceful advantage, show the extreme length that peculiar faith goes. Who can doubt of the false pretences of peculiar faith? The very position implies the most blasphemous falsehoods. How can you expect less than millions of lies and liars to sustain it all over the world. Peculiar faith sides in argument just as it suits self-interest. Do we respect truth or justice when we speak of peculiar faith as a faith? Who has the orthodox, the infallible, of all such? Can its corrupt elements beget any such? Judaism and Christianity are the parents of Mormonism, as well as of Mahometanism. Which, then, is most sinful? They are all peculiar faith, which is only modified more or less in each. If Mormonism be a corrupt daughter, Christianity is a corrupt mother, as Judaism is a corrupt grandmother. As peculiar faith advances, so does a hypocritical age, then rational religion recedes. It is a false position to refuse to get out of your heresies of untruth and bigotry. If you wish the world further humbugged, let the mass still be vassal to any dema |