There can be no works of supererogation to attain for others, the bounties of providence in grace absolute, universal and eternal, especially by a set of creatures most amenable for their sins. Trace out the different peculiar faiths, and priesteraft is predominant. Where can we find in the priestocracy, the least particle of rational religion? During the crusades, when men were martyrs in the holy wars? "The army of the cross pillaged the very churches, and officers, it is related, danced in the church of St. Sophia, after having robbed the altar and drenched the city of Constantinople in blood, sacked by christians, who had made a vow to fight only against infidels."-Jones' Church History. Shall we look for it, in the persecution of the Albigenses, for many years of their difficulties? Shall we find it in wars, the pests of the world? No matter for individual persecutions, when peculiar faith has swept the world. The layman knew at first, as much as the best inspired, then all extraordinary sophistries had to be united, else their vocation might be gone. All arts and devices were used in various forms. Romanism presents one undivided whole, but her faith is propagated with a singleness of purpose. She is not only united in church to state, by all emoluments, powers and preferments, but she, no doubt, subsidizes the press and authors of the tory stamp, especially to carry out her views. Money and power are at her bidding, at the expense of the rights of the people, who have to pay for the military despotism now over them. The world has to get rid of all the imposition; then reformation must not stop short of conservative revolution. Now in governments of absolutism, the emoluments are so varied, that peculiar faith is preferred to purity of rational religion. When peculiar faith ceases to be profitable, in trade, speculation and profession, then religion that is rational, will be universal. Surely in purchasing a fee-simple title to an estate, we would only purchase of the lord of the mansion, not of his retainers, and only pure, not counterfeit coin can be used in payment. Of this, the mind in its best light, can only take cognizance. Religion has no hierarchy, no priestocracy. There can be no means ordained legitimately on this earth, whereby one class of mankind can be more elevated in personal worth, in the sight of God, than others pursuing the true issue, the only path of virtue, and excellence of mind. There then can be no division of society into castes, in that respect, no orders of hierarchy. All such is the work of absolutism, in collusion with priestocracy. As science and philosophy advance, priest faith wanes; no wonder that the last hates the first, with a bitter and relentless hatred. When we speak of the first, we include all the rays of light reflective, on the bigotry of the priestocracy. All things are possible with God, except nonsense and falsehood, all the peculiar bibles of tradition. He that resorts to by-ways when the way is open, has no respect for himself, and the truth is not in him. He that resorts to false pretences or perjury, about sacred things, has no justice in his cause. He that offers bribes through peculiar faith, will not be protected in the days of science, when rational religion shall gather up her jewels, for then all such profligates are degraded. All corrupt priestocracies shall be scouted before the people, that look in the light of philosophy, as all corrupt governments shall be corrected for the true government, that exalteth and blesseth mind. The corner and keystones of religion, are honesty, truth, sincerity, fidelity, and integrity of mind, enlightened by reason, that prophecies only by analogy and analysis through the inspiration of wisdom. Do we know what priestcraft is? We have seen some of its effects from the first age of man, through the inquisition, wars and contentions of the world, more extensive than mind can conceive, investing all the relations of society and country. Whether we turn to the East or the West, we see the condition of human nature in its diversified positions, affected by this world-invader. The living principle of rational mind is to be presented the present day before the Lord, that supersedes the sacrifices of superstition and the worship of idolatry. Mind that improves on mind, if conservative principles be advanced all the time, will exclude the priestocracy. Mind must firmly sustain its proper exalted position above all priest-faith, and hold up its dignity before the world. What fee simple have they to their pretended heavenly kingdom? Did God invest them? No: by truth. Then we all have an equal right through mind, that entitles us all alone by its divine rights, to the choicest attainments of the universe. On the statute book of nature, an appeal is made to patriots and philanthropists, not to surrender principle, but to hold to cardinal rights unconditionally, as the most auspicious benefit to mind. This brings us to the full point at once for all. It is high time that the world acted rightly on its own rights, not affirm, craven to pretences, else absolutism will override liberal justice, ungrateful to mind, irreverent to God. Enthusiasm, not fanaticism, is to act or rule in matters of exalted interest, though it arouses the liveliest sympathies. Mind would be simple to admit that. In how many points of the world's interest, is authority of supposed great men the standard? What can be the standard of the world, before all powers, money, or people? What confidence can be put in anything or man, than in the true merits of the question, principle? But what shall we do with the mighty army of preachers and priests, the hundreds of thousands of retainers, who are supported by contributions, payment of churches, and tithes of the people? They can elevate themselves to something better, and more useful for God's people. Cannot we organize something better? The proper institutions for rational instruction of mind, when generally diffused, will be the best lights of the world. Truly, we can have days of thanksgiving, to be rid of all others as useless incumbrances, especially, to be rid of all the odious contingency of the inquisitors, that would still tyrannize over the world if they had the power. But what shall we do for children's sunday schools, to keep them exempt from transgressions? We will give them a better position for the world. We can keep them there still, and better direct the first and early impressions of their minds to the nobler principles of science and philosophy, than to grovellings of peculiar faith-a nullity. We will direct their pure thoughts to the pure fountain, the God of science and philosophy, and have correspondent pure words and actions. We will pay lecturers, those of talent and worth, of both sexes, who can give us the best views of natural and moral science, and can reward mind, instead of exhausting our means in gorgeous palaces, for stupid superstition, sophists, and bigots. Let all rational minds seek still more at right, instead of gambling, drinking, and vices, let all proper means for rational religious discussion be established, and let all learn the graceful and ornamental accomplishment of society; let them study all science and literature that are sacred, or any of the noblest subjects. In this, lovely woman can participate, lovely in the graces of virtue, and who teaches man when she should be treated with the best appreciation. Who can be more concerned than she, in all the mind-ennobling rationality of action? Do preachers labor for the good of souls, when their very faith and doctrine deprive God of his exclusive power? But, cut loose from all the idolized bibles and their expounders, what shall we do for safety in this and the future state? Rely on God alone, and a proper rational education. Seek the wise tuition of good parents, friends, and guardians, whose minds have been expanded by the rich treasures that a wise constitutional government bestows, all the legitimate purposes of rational mind. Seek all the benefits of legislation, a good and true government, a well-balanced head to escape the wiles of the world, the torrent of evil passions, the crash and crush of feelings when avoidable, the intricacies of temptation, the sins that make more and end the victim. Attend to the monitions of wisdom, sympathy, benevolence, the avoidance of the numerous victimizations of vice, publicly unknown till the suicide arouses our sympathy. Fly all the vices as evils, seek all virtues as good of permanent happiness, and uphold friendship on this basis. Most paramount points can be effectually met by wise legislation. Do not cause the world to be corrupt, but exert your benevolence as expansive as the world, and your mind as generous as the universe. Resolve never to be in the wrong, for life, for ever. Let the mental remedy be equal to the evil. Such code and doctrine will engender no strife, possess no ruinous elements, but promote universal blessings. All peculiar faith codes necessarily unsuccessful, must yield to the elements of rational mind. Religion is not only an inalienable right, but an indispensable duty, as guardain of all, expelling all the elements of injury. Rational religion is due to a free and enlightened people. All minds have parallel and applicable basis, and need to be risked on no contingency of acting well, and doing no wrong knowingly. Hierarchies or dynasties of priests of different gods, governed Egypt at least thirty centuries before Christ; they had the third of the uncultivated land. The system of castes in Egypt and India, has ruined the people, overrun by priests and soldiers, and rendered them in Egypt very abject. In India, the merchants are forbidden to read the vedas. They can be regenerate or "twice born." All castes can be degraded by non-compliance with their absurd etiquette, but the priests can be bribed to recover caste. Among Christians, there are many sects that have bitterly persecuted each other. Various sects of Brahmins exist, have often persecuted each other with wars of extermination, and "to this day discover a perfect hatred for each other's gods. In regard to priests, there is nothing new under the sun. The Jews, as well as other nations of antiquity, had their peculiar faiths and gods; they were selected by the priestoperators, to carry out the full imposture, and if any people are cursed, it is in aiding and abetting. All the nations of antiquity fell in the lapse of time, and no doubt suffered their share from priestocracy, that oppressed the people, and carried compulsion over them. The ancient nations had no permanent principles. What have the moderns? How can systems of faith other than rational, be built up than by irrational faith and peculiar means? What is now presented the world, has cost that world much of its richest blessings. All adherents are deeply interested in building up their peculiar faith, by which absurd imposition is practiced. It is imposition all the time, as long as an audience gullible enough to be used up can be got. Would you select ministers, above all others, for legal, medical, agricultural, and commercial advice? Are they wiser and more successful than mankind, to be entitled to the distinction of divine? Are they entitled to usurp the province of mind? Is it analysis when we are told that science and philosophy do not preside over the whole subject, and that when none can do it better in the department of rational mind? Clearly proving the whole corps unworthy of confidence, as incompetent to analyze mind; of course, we must rely on analysis of mind, if we have mind that is sound. We hold all to analysis and proof. If now the books of tradition are impeachable, what are those who advocate their false pretences? Many systems of various peculiar faith have flourished for a season, their founder priests referring to auguries, divinations, oracles, and all that could impose on the senses of the people, subverting their rightful appreciation of God and due adoration. Such systems interested governments, and reared military power and the aristocracy of the people, churches and temples. What good will it all do to God's true representation, the sovereign people? God must abominate the execrable pretences of priestocracy, that are at enmity to the unity and attributes of the Supreme Being. Why seek to uphold the corruptions of a rickety priestocracy, that have conspired for thousands of years in their various orders, against the happiness and well being of the people? Much of the world is enthusiast and credulous, misled by their priests, whom as preachers, they stupidly believe inspired of God, and the whole batch use all the false pretences to keep up that idea, for their very position bespeaks the height of imposition upon the public. Why does mind yield its sovereign rights on this question any sooner than any other, except from superstitious fear? If truth had to be obtained from mere assertion or tradition, the question had been decided in the negative in the absence of all necessary proof. When we unmask the world, we shall expose the exploded priestocracy that have triumphed over mind, that vassal to sectarianism, makes cattle of the people. Priest policy united to state policy, tyrannizes over the world in all its forms, no matter the pretensions or name. It is all the same, tyranny first and last. The laws against heretics, prove conclusively, the difficulty of propagating peculiar faith, while rational religion propagates itself by civilization. There is no need of priests to do that. What a horrible thing it would be, if only part of mankind, the priests, should be the holy keepers of the religion of the world, when all rational minds are constituted when sound for that very principle. Now all the works of the priests of every age, country, and pretension, can be most satisfactorily exposed as false pretences, whether the auguries of the old heathen mythologies assuming to utter responses of oracular wisdom to the inquiries of the superstitious, or the inspirations of subsequent pretensions affecting to be divine; we must regard all as the fictions of superstition" harassing the ignorant and deluded ancients Much of the injury to the world is by doctrines that are brutal and degrading, whether of ambition, avarice, bigotry, fanaticism, lust for power, usurpation, and monopoly, and sophistry. Who were the best of ancient nations but idolators, ignorant and debased murderers ; land pirates and repudiators? What were the priestocracy, that made them so? Then no nation could truthfully assume any peculiar prerogatives before God Almighty, otherwise the greatest good of most is in abeyance to that of one nation of a small country, an absurdity. All nations sin more or less before God, and they are the worst that sin most in the face of light and law. Who were better than the great nations, the Greeks and Romans? The Jews? In what? In excess of priest superstition ? The priests look for support to absolutism, where tyranny of the government comes to the aid of the church-despotism. The Romans did not wish the Pope, whom they expelled; yet even a so-called sister republic, comes to the aid of church tyranny, no matter the pretence or excuse. Let us not overlook the miseries of the human race, enslaved by this abomination, totally useless and worthless. Do not let mind enlightened be divested of its noblest rights, the proper trust in its sole trustee, the Maker and Preserver, Almighty and Omnipotent, to do all that mind needs. Mind tells of the ignoble pretence of those assuming, what they more than all others need, for their great sin of blasphemy. Theology ought to be wise, liberal and enlightened for all future demands; never should be defective or destitute of proof most authentic and satisfactory. All present systems as emanating from priests' pretences, are sadly behind the wants of the people, and the light and spirit of the age, placing dark mysteries of ignorance where plain wisdom ought to abide. Theology ought to fulfil the world-wide demands for its social wants and morals. All such systems imbued with peculiar faith, began in fraud, and will end in infamy. A pure press is most needed in a priestly government; is it there ever free in substance? The people may be excluded in some hierarchies from reading their bibles, which is not of any consequence, if they had the ability to discuss their demerits, impeach and discard them. All the bibles' miracles are lying wonders, and saints are impostors and knaves. In some countries where the Roman faith prevails, too many are wofully ignorant, or only taught the poorest elements of common rudiments, and the slavery of mind. What is the patronage of priestly pretences worth, when it introduces vassalage of mind? Are you, citizen of the world, adding to the imposition of the world, so degrading to the divine rights of mind? Would you enslave the world ostensibly for a false bible, in reality for the power of false government? You must be aware of the downward tendency of all such malign influence, the bad effects of all such policy of all peculiar faith, Protestant, Greek, Roman, or any supposed better. God's principles vindicate retributive justice above all for blasphemy of peculiar faith. There is but one sure principle to all this matter: to have all our actions so protected that no injury by bad faith or character can result. Disguise superstition as sophistry will, still the delusion and perversion cannot escape enlightened mind. Intellectual freemen must see, that conservative revolution is the antagonistic to the follies and vices of those interested in peculiar faith, too much so, to yield readily to the justice of mankind. Priestcraft has been imposing on all ages of the world-its pretensions, promises, and curses, pretences and conspiracies; its power and influences, its means and devices, All have created a fascination and a tyranny, too formidable for the unsuspecting world in most of past circumstances, without a free and enlightened discussion, by inquiring minds, taught to the proper limits of enlightened philosophy. Who can tell all its insidiousness, faithlessness? Priestcraft has exercised all her forces of absolutism, herself the right arm and often the body, to enslave and debase mind with her thousand oppressions. She has resorted to all violence and butcheries; has silenced all independence, and destroyed all opposition to her assumptions as far as practicable. She has taught mind, by sophistry, to yield up its rights to usurpation. She burns and lays waste, without hearing reason, that never gave her authority. She disregards all justice, prejudices before right, and blinds when seen. After her grand failure in all ages, that she has darkened by her bigotry and usurpation, she tells that the world cannot be governed but by her church influences. Where are the conservative principles of an all-wise Almighty, that claim the paramount respect of all wise citizens' minds? Priestcraft invents and manufactures a thousand fictions, and as many books to support them. She maligns the authors that advance rational religion, and libels them on their deathbed, though they are countless. She intrigues with despotism and absolutism, against the divine rights of the people, when she feigns to create the people's good-warring upon, and butchering them. That is peaceful faith, with a vengeance! When mind is to be forced to divide its fealty to its Creator and irresponsible bodies, we must look upon all that are concerned as traitors to their God and his supreme rights, as they do not stickle at anything to promote the temporal interests of the priestocracy over all the rights of the people. Give us, then, God's conservative principles, not perverted mind's degraded tyrants, that enslave. No one can well appreciate the corruption of mind, until he sees the peculiar faith man tyrannize over his citizens; like the pettifogger, turn politician. When pulpit preachings are analyzed, they are found full of sophistry and deceit. Their time is come, if mind be heard. The Egyptians acknowledged the Supreme in secret, but had a priest-worship of another faith, to carry out the self-interest of the priests, who had one-third of all the cultivated lands, enough to satisfy these rapacious tyrants of the world. Men that will humbug in one thing, will do it any number of times, if expedient for their self-interests; the humbuggery of this priestocracy is a fair specimen of all the rest in the world, at any age. As for priestcraft, always read humbuggery and imposition. And it was from such caste of men that Moses is well considered to have emanated, as having been a priest at Heliopolis. In his hierarchy, he did not forget the absolutism of the priests, to which he sacrificed the people to the death. What system of superstition could be imposed successfully on the world, or continued, but for a hell machinery, a picture drawn from volcanoes, with its sulphur and brimstone. The warring and infidel priests of the world may affect to pour out their malignant vituperation on infidels, but fidelity and reverence to God above, will prevent us from permitting any interlopers. Infidels! Who are they, but the priestocracy! We have no individual conflict, and respect all honest minds. We design to treat priests as other people, on their merits, and respect to principles. |