The Spirit of God As Fire Part 2

Examine the Nautical Almanac, published by the British Government, a chart found on every sea-going vessel. On the trackless ocean it is the mariner's guide, his trusted friend and counsellor. He may embark upon a long voyage over the trackless ocean, to be absent for years, yet through all this time, and in any part of the world he has his truthful friend to consult, who will warn him of dangers, and direct his s.h.i.+p in safety in every changeful clime. He left his native land years ago, yet now far out amid ocean's waves, in a different hemisphere, he consults this little chart of astronomers. He knows in any and every lat.i.tude the time of eclipses of the Sun and Moon, and of Jupiter's satellites, their sidereal positions, distances, etc. It seems charged with messages from the skies for his guidance and safety.

"When we consider the acquisition of such rare and precious knowledge--this mapping out beforehand, almost to a hair's-breadth, the exact order and track in which the heavenly bodies will run their course through s.p.a.ce, and the precise relative position they will occupy at any given moment, when they can be seen in any part of the world--is not this convincing evidence of the correctness and truthfulness of the science of astronomy?"

But we have on record a more startling demonstration of its correctness--we say "startling" because of its magnitude and importance, and because when we come to examine suns, planets, and worlds, through the lights of this science, when we contemplate their distances, magnitudes, and numbers, we shall be startled by their immensity, and exclaim:

"How wonderful are Thy works, O Lord of Hosts!"

"The year 1846 will ever be memorable for having witnessed one of the most striking ill.u.s.trations of the truth of Astronomy. Few can have forgotten the astonishment with which the discovery of the planet Neptune was then received, or the fact that it was due _not_ to a lucky or accidental pointing of the telescope toward a particular quarter of the heavens, but to positive calculations worked out in the closet; thus proving that before the planet was seen by the eye, it had already been grasped by the mind. The theory of its finding was a triumph of human intellect. The distant Ura.n.u.s--a planet hitherto orderly and correct--begins to show unusual movements in its...o...b..t. It is, somehow, not exactly in the spot where, according to the best calculations, it ought to have been, and the whole astronomical world is thrown into perplexity. Two mathematicians, as yet but little known to fame, living far apart in different countries, and acting independently of each other, concentrate the force of their penetrating intellects to find out the cause. The most obvious way of accounting for the event, was to have inferred that some error in previous computations had occurred; and in a matter so difficult, so abstruse, and so far off, what could have been more probable or more pardonable? But these astronomers knew that the laws of gravity were fixed and sure, and that figures truly based on them could not deceive. By profound calculations, each arrives at the conclusion that nothing can account for the "perturbation" except the disturbing influence of some hitherto unknown ma.s.s of matter, exerting its attraction in a certain quarter of the Heavens. So implicit, so undoubting is the faith of the French astronomer Leverrier, in the truth of his deductions, that he requests a brother astronomer in Berlin, Prussia, to look out for this ma.s.s at a special point in s.p.a.ce, on a particular night; and there, sure enough, the disturber immediately discloses himself, and soon shows his t.i.tle to be admitted into the steady and orderly rank of his fellow-planets. The coincidence of the two astronomers--Leverrier, of France, and Adams, of England, arriving at this discovery through scientific calculations, based upon knowledge derived from physical observation, precludes every idea of guess-work, while such was the agreement between their final deductions, that the point of the Heavens fixed upon by both as the spot where the disturber lay, was almost identical." "Such a discovery" says Arago, "is one of the most brilliant manifestations of the exact.i.tude of the system of modern astronomy."

Child continues: "Astronomy is without question, the grandest of sciences. It deals with ma.s.ses, distances, and velocities, which in their immensity belong specially to itself alone, and of which the mere conception transcends the utmost stretch of our finite faculties.

In no other branch of science is the limited grasp of our intellect more forcibly brought home to us, yet, though baffled in the effort to rise to the level of its requirements, our strivings are by no means profitless. Is it not truly a precious privilege to be able to trace, imperfect though it may be, the hand of the Almighty Architect in these, His grandest works, and to obtain by this means a broader consciousness of His Omnipotence?

"Could each one be privileged to look through Herschel's telescope on a clear night, and visibly behold the wonders of the Heavens, our faith in the realities of astronomy would pa.s.s with a sudden bound from theory into practice; planets and stars would become henceforth distinct and solid existences in our minds, our doubts vanish, and our belief settle into conviction. We should behold the mysterious moon of our childhood, mapped into brilliant mountain-peaks, and dark precipices, and softly lighted plains; we should see Jupiter s.h.i.+ning like another fair Luna, with attendant satellites moving round him in their well-known paths; or turn with admiration to Saturn encircled by his famous ring, with outlines as distinct as if that glorious creation lay but a few miles distant. Perhaps we may behold the beauteous Venus s.h.i.+ning with resplendent circular disk, or curiously pa.s.sing through her many phases in mimic rivalry of the Moon. Or, leaving these near neighbors far behind, we may penetrate more deeply into s.p.a.ce, and mark how the bright flas.h.i.+ng stars are reduced to a small, round, unmagnifiable point. Such a privilege would give us a more realizing sense of the power of the great Creator."

_THE DISCOVERY OF THE MOTION OF THE EARTH AND HEAVENLY BODIES_.

The science of Astronomy is one of the oldest that has occupied the human mind. That the belief in Astrology was its forerunner, we cannot doubt. Professor Olmsted tells us, that, "At a period of very remote antiquity, Astronomy was cultivated in China, India, Chaldea, and Egypt." Three several schools were established, ranging from three to six hundred years before the Christian era. Anaximander, in the school of Miletus, taught the sublime doctrine that the planets are inhabited, and that the stars are suns of other systems. Pythagoras was the founder of the celebrated school of Crotona, upon the south-eastern coast of Italy, some five hundred years before the Christian era. He held that the Sun was the centre of the solar system, around which all the planets revolve, and that the stars are so many suns, each the centre of a system like our own. He also held that the Earth revolves daily on its axis, and yearly around the sun.

Although many of his opinions were founded in mere conjecture, and were erroneous, yet we see that some important ones were founded on truth.

He also held that the planets were inhabited, that the earth and planets were ever revolving in regular order, "keeping up a loud and grand celestial concert, inaudible to man, but, as the 'music of the spheres,' audible to the G.o.ds."

But the mind of man was not then prepared to grasp the feeble rays of light, and add thereto, by the power of expanding intellect. Although many succeeded Pythagoras, whose scientific attainments proved a blessing to the world, and whose names will go down to all succeeding generations, as the learned, the good, and the great of their time; yet prejudice and superst.i.tion again prevailed, and the true lights of this science were lost sight of, and, for near two thousand years, ages of darkness prevailed, until Copernicus appeared about the fifteenth century of the Christian era. He again revived the idea advanced by Pythagoras, that the earth and planets moved regularly in their orbits, and that the sun was the centre of the solar system. Yet with him, as with the former, it was little more than mere conjecture.

We quote again Prof. Olmsted, in regard to these earlier astronomers, who were struggling after light, and truth, in this grandest of sciences: "Although, therefore, Pythagoras fathomed the profound doctrine, that the Sun is the centre around which the earth and all the planets revolve; yet we have no evidence that he ever solved the irregular motions of the planets, in conformity with his hypothesis, although the explanation of the diurnal revolution of the heavens, by that hypothesis, involved no difficulty."

Again he says, "Ignorant as Copernicus was of the principle of gravitation, and of most of the laws of motion, he could go but little way in following out the consequences of his own hypothesis; and all that can be claimed for him is, that he solved, by means of it, most of the common phenomena of the celestial motions. He was indeed upon the road to truth, and advanced some way in its sure path; but he was able to adduce but few independent proofs, to show that it was truth.

It was only near the close of his life that he published his system to the world, and that only at the urgent request of friends; antic.i.p.ating, perhaps, the opposition of a bigoted priesthood, whose fury was afterwards poured upon the head of Galileo, for maintaining the same doctrines."

The bigotry and superst.i.tion of the priesthood of the Church of Rome again crushed out the lights of this science, and forbade further investigations, and all was resolved back again into the doctrine first taught by Eudoxus, who lived more than three hundred years before Christ. This doctrine was the system of _crystalline spheres_; "the earth the centre of the world, and all heavenly bodies set like gems in hollow, solid orbs, composed of crystal so transparent, that no anterior orb could obstruct in the least, the view of any of the orbs lying behind it," that the heavens revolved or rolled round from East to West, performing the circuit every twenty-four hours, carrying along the sun, planets, orbs, &c., and that "above the whole were spread the _grand empyrean_, or 'third heavens,' the abode of perpetual serenity."

"To account for the planetary motions, it was supposed that the planetary bodies, as also the stars, and sun, each had a motion of its own from East to West, while all partook of the common diurnal motion of the starry sphere."

"Aristotle taught that these motions were effected by a tutelary genius of each planet, residing in it, and directing its motions, even as the mind of man directs his own movements."

Thus, from the time of Copernicus, until Galileo appeared in the sixteenth century, the lights of this science were again extinguished by the superst.i.tion, bigotry, and intolerance of the priesthood, who would make no proper advance with intellect beyond the established dogmas of the church; even to ascertain truths which G.o.d himself had made plainly perceptible in His wondrous works.

Galileo, born in Pisa, Italy, in the year 1564, evinced in early life, a fondness for the study of philosophy, and the higher order of sciences, and proved himself also a genius in mechanical inventions.

Fortune favored him in his day, and, enjoying all the greater advantages of the best schools of his time, he studied well all the old masters, who had preceded him, and became perfectly familiar with every theory of philosophy and astronomy then known, and prepared himself for an advance in the sciences. He invented the first telescope, with which to survey the heavenly bodies, and the result of his experiments proved conclusively the correctness of the theory advanced by the conjectures of Copernicus.

He pursued his investigations for years, and established the truth, in his own mind, of the constant movements of the earth and planets, each revolving in its own orbit, with the Sun as the common centre of all; of the truth of which he could never more entertain a single doubt.

But the laws which governed and controlled their movements--the power and force of attraction and gravitation--he could not yet fully comprehend. This great work of discovery was left for Sir Isaac Newton. Knowing the bigotry and intolerance of the ruling powers of Rome, he, Galileo, resorted to subterfuge in order to obtain permission to publish his opinions to the world. Yet, when published, these drew down upon his head the stern persecution of the Pope and Cardinals, and also opposition and accusations from all other philosophers and astronomers of his time. At length, hearing the distant muttering "thunders of the Vatican," he resorted to Rome, to reason with the powers that then held universal sway. But, like all other lights of reason--from time immemorial to the present hour--the fiat of the Romish Church would ever obscure, or crush out light, chain down the intellect, become the arbiter of the consciences of men, and permit no advance, save as she might lead; and even then binding all to her dogmas, and decrees, by the power of force, and threatenings of her Inquisitions. She has ever stood ready, where she had the power, to crush with her iron heel every one who dared to oppose, or sought to lead the mind of man to light and liberty. And it has been the force of circ.u.mstances alone, that has, in part, broken this chain of bondage, emanc.i.p.ated the mind, given freedom to thought, and permitted the advance of human intellect.

Galileo seemed, indeed, as Nature's philosopher of his time. "He interrogated the laws of nature by experiments and observations, and we have to ascribe to him the first true investigation of the laws of terrestrial gravity." Had he stood firm and maintained the truths which G.o.d had permitted him to comprehend, the lights of a true science would then have shone forth, and it is possible that our knowledge to-day would be far in advance of what it is. We judge thus, because of the rapid advance made during the last century, especially since Dr. William Herschel first pointed his telescope toward the heavens.

But on Galileo's arrival at Rome, neither his venerable age, his enlightened mind, his acknowledged comprehensive and brilliant intellect, nor even his honorable and eloquent appeals for a full and scientific investigation as to the correctness of his theory, could gain a generous response. The powers that ruled had not made the advance, and it was dangerous to them to permit any one outside to do so. Hence, all new doctrines were held as heretical, and must be crushed at once. He was placed in confinement, charged with treason and conspiracy against the Church; his views heretical, such as demanded the most rigorous punishment;--even after he should renounce them before the cardinals sitting as Inquisitors in his case. The charges against him were those of his published views, which he freely acknowledged, and, while he knew them to be _truths_, yet so controlling was the influence of his belief in the dogmas of that church--even as it is with all its adherents--that he bowed to its fiat, and, on bended knees laid his hand upon the Holy Gospels, and swore by them and the Roman Catholic Church, before G.o.d, and the Inquisition of Cardinals, that the _truths he had published_ were _false_, abjuring, cursing, and detesting them as heresies; and swore a life allegiance to the Church, and received submissively, his sentence to a dungeon in the Inquisition for life.

Says Prof. Olmsted, "We cannot approve of his employing artifice in the promulgation of truth; and we are compelled to lament that his lofty spirit bowed in the final conflict. How far, therefore, he sinks below the dignity of a Christian martyr!"

Says Dr. Brewster, "At the age of seventy, on his bended knees, and with his right hand resting on the Holy Evangelists, did this patriarch of science avow his present and past belief in the Romish Church; abandon as false and heretical the doctrine of the earth's motion, and of the sun's immobility, and pledge himself to denounce to the Inquisition, any other person who was even suspected of like heresy. He abjured, cursed, and detested, those eternal and immutable truths which the Almighty had permitted him to be the first to establish. Had Galileo but added the courage of a martyr, to the wisdom of the sage; had he carried the glance of his indignant eye round the circle of his Judges; had he lifted his hands to heaven, and called the living G.o.d to witness the truth and immutability of his opinions; the bigotry of his enemies would have been disarmed, and science would have enjoyed a memorable triumph."

THE ROMISH CHURCH.

It is impossible for the mind to contemplate the scene presented to the world, by the history of that trial and unjust condemnation, without a shudder, if not a premonition of what may yet be in the future.

Religious bigotry is more intolerant than any other power of dominion, and where the mind and conscience is trammelled, and brought under the subjection of superior intellect, the ma.s.ses become almost as menials, ready to do their masters' bidding. We hold to a system of religion, one which leaves the mind untrammelled, and permits free intercourse with the spirit of G.o.d; that which casts aside all that might obstruct or intervene, and which enables the soul to commune with its Maker and Redeemer; that which enables each "to know for himself and not another." This is the Protestant faith and doctrine, contra-distinguished from the Roman Catholic faith, whose Popes, Bishops, and Priests, become, as it were, the arbiters of the minds and consciences of their adherents; stand between them and their Maker, and trifle with the souls of men, as implements and matters of commerce. It is time that the days of superst.i.tion were ended.

It is fast losing ground in the old world, where, for long centuries past, it has held the ma.s.ses in ignorance. But, of late years, it has been rapidly gaining ground on our own continent, and its progress of late has been fearful, and may well alarm the Protestants of our own country. We hold that Catholicism is little else than a complete system of superst.i.tion. The minds of the ma.s.ses of its votaries are trained and educated to it from childhood. Hence, there is no possibility of ever eradicating it from the minds of those thus educated. The priests, cardinals, and Pope, can, at any moment, trammel free thought by their own edicts, and bring their subjects to their own terms. Their subjects are taught to believe them to possess superior power; to be able to stand between them and heaven, or h.e.l.l, to lock, or unlock at pleasure; and so ingenious is their system of religion taught, that it ensnares the mind and holds it ever subservient.

We have seen with what submission that mighty man of learning and towering intellect, Galileo, bowed to this imperial power. By arduous study, labor and experiments, he had gained a knowledge of his Creators wonderful works, far transcending all that was known of it by the ruling powers of Rome. He knew this knowledge was truth, as immutable as G.o.d himself, yet, if _cursed_ by the Pope of Rome, he, doubtless, believed this curse would place him in perdition, and no one would pray his soul out of purgatory. Therefore, he perjured himself (for when he had sworn it false, he still believed it true) in order to reconcile the rulers, and secure their intercession. This is only an isolated case out of, doubtless, thousands of others, where mind and conscience is brought fully under their subjection.

Rome to-day, and the Romish Church, is the same in spirit and ambition of universal sway, as in the days of Galileo. Give her but the power, and rather than lose it again, she would bind humanity in chains of perpetual ignorance as to the source and lights of eternal truth, save that which she alone might graciously promulgate; and this to a favored few, whose trainings were such that their consciences were securely chained to her car, more ponderous and destructive, than that of Juggernaut.

Some, perhaps, are ready to say we have borne down too severely upon the Roman Catholics, that they, too, are now more enlightened, and more liberal in their views than formerly, that they have founded schools and inst.i.tutions of learning, equal--perhaps superior, to those of any other denomination in our country. Grant all this; but why, and for what purpose? _Answer._ The force of circ.u.mstances; the enlightenment of the age has compelled them to move forward. They are ever wily and on the alert; the philosophy of science was marching onward; the millions could no longer be held in the old beaten track of ignorance to pander to the few, and Rome, comprehending all this, foresees her impending downfall, unless she, too, steps forward with her _gilded robe_. She therefore, takes a new tack, with her ponderous s.h.i.+p, upon the sea of mind. She has in store her mines of wealth, gathered daily from the poor sons and daughters of toil, some of whom almost starve themselves in order to pay penance to the Priests for sins laid to their charge, committed--if sins they be, in ignorance.

These priests--some of whom are besotted--still stand forth as the arbiters of the consciences of their deluded followers; pretend to bar the gates of heaven; admitting none, save for the _s.h.i.+llings_ or the _pounds_, showing plainly that the continued organization of this church, in this enlightened age, is but the force of early education.

Yes, they have erected their school and college edifices, and also their _convents_ and _monasteries_. They have ample material for efficient teachers: but mark you, these have all been well trained from infancy in the "_lap of the Church_." They are obedient, efficient and orderly, and, at proper times, are ready to make advantageous displays. They take charge of all the youth of _their_ flock, and, alas, by their seductive insinuations, are now making rapid progress against Protestantism in our own country. They are educating tens of thousands of Protestant youth.

Do they ever exhibit to, or instruct them in your Protestant Bible?

No, never! but on the other hand; are they not constantly trying to instruct, charm, and fascinate them with their own system of religious wors.h.i.+p? They are partial to your children--especially to your _daughters_, who will, in time, be among the mothers of the succeeding generation, and who, of course, will train up their offspring in the same faith. Just let them secure a majority of mothers as firm believers in the Romish faith, and they will bid defiance to all opposing influences. How long since one of their Archbishops said, in a public address, in one of our leading cities: _Let us once control the children, the youth of the land, and we can soon control the nation_; or words of this import? See their indefatigable exertions; their complete system of organization; their primary schools, their Seminaries, Academies, Colleges, Convents, and Monasteries, already established, and to which they are adding, annually, many more, while Protestants seem to be slumbering over the kindling fires of a volcano, which may in time break forth in all its destructive fury, as it oft-times has during past centuries.

Is it not high time that Protestants of our own country, were waking up in regard to their present, and eternal interests? Let a preponderance of power be centered in any one man, and you may then bid a final adieu to a republican form of government, and must, perhaps, bow to infamous and oppressive "decrees" emanating from an iron will.

In our own country, this cannot yet be, unless the usurper is backed by a soldiery, who are hired, and paid, out of a controlled treasury.

This could not long maintain, in this, or any country, where there is freedom of mind and thought, and where conscience remains untrammelled. But let the ma.s.ses be thus controlled by one superior intellect, and feel that their ETERNAL interests are subject to his will, and they will be ever ready to do his bidding.

The Popes of Rome have--successively--held this power over a portion of Europe, even as the history of the dark days of the "Inquisitions"

and martyrdoms attest. Thus it has been, and thus we believe it ever will be, where Roman Catholics gain universal sway: for we believe there is scarcely a member of that organization living to-day, who would not--at the Pope's command--make every desired sacrifice; not only of worldly goods and interests, but even of life itself--if required.

We do not condemn--collectively, nor individually, the ma.s.ses, and members of that faith. Far be this from us. We believe that a very large majority of them are honest, and truly devotional. No other cla.s.s of people on the globe have been more self-sacrificing than many of them, in performing acts of kindness, charity and mercy, and these offices have been performed in a true spirit of Christian benevolence.

Would that all other professed Christian organizations would equal them in this respect. All should render relief, when within their power, to suffering humanity. We believe that all such efforts upon the part of any one, will merit, and obtain, individual reward. What we condemn is the spirit of the ruling powers of the Romish Church; its bigotry, and intolerance; and because they--by educating into their system of religion--trammel the mind, and control the conscience, rendering them subservient to the dictation and will of the rulers. The Pope, bishops, and priests, claim to be the mediums through which their adherents are saved, as, also we believe mediums, whose "curses" p.r.o.nounced against any, will consign the soul to perdition, while they chain the mind to superst.i.tion.

The Bible teaches that Christ is our only mediator, that all may come to G.o.d through faith in His Son; every soul is held alike responsible, and is alike accountable to its Creator. That life and salvation are freely offered alike to all, the requirement being, to forsake the ways of sin, and through faith in Jesus Christ, "return unto the Lord who will have mercy, and to our G.o.d who will abundantly pardon."

It will be perceived that our princ.i.p.al objections to that sect are their superst.i.tions, bigotry, arrogance and intolerance; the chaining down the mind, and controlling the conscience, and using all for temporal sway. The antecedents of this power are sufficient to warn all Protestants against its encroachments, and stimulate them to say, "Thus far shalt thou go and no farther," and in order to this, let every Protestant denomination see to the educating of their own children.

"But," say some of our Protestant mothers, "they have the best schools, and I want my daughters to be well educated, and accomplished; and I do not fear their making Catholics of them." So, likewise, have said thousands of others, and yet, trying the experiment, they have been mistaken. Their daughters have returned home fascinated with show and tinsel, and firm adherents to that doctrine, which, when educated into the mind, can never thence be eradicated.

Few are aware of the rapid advance the Catholics are making against Protestantism, at the present time. It is safe to say, that not less than from fifteen to twenty thousand daughters, belonging to Protestant families, are baptized into that church annually, in the United States. On the other hand, few, if any, Catholics ever become Protestants; and nine out of every ten who do, will--if sick and fearing the approach of death, send for Catholic Priests; make confession, and implore their intercession, to rescue their souls from purgatory, where they feel sure of going for this great sin of apostasy.

Now we ask, how long will it take, with so large and ever increasing accessions of our Protestant daughters, for that organization to gain the ascendancy in our country? Their motto is _eternal vigilance_, while they wage eternal warfare _against the Protestant faith, and Christian religion_. The time was, when they held almost universal sway throughout a large portion of Europe. The edicts of the Pope, and Roman Catholic rulers, must be obeyed by _all_. Curses, torture, imprisonment, and _death_--where they had the power--was the portion of all who disregarded their mandates. And then, as now, their hatred and persecutions were against those whom they termed "_heretical Protestants_;" against your ancestors, and your religion. Kings, and Emperors, trembled on their thrones, and lent willing obedience, lest a "Bull" should be issued against them from the "Vatican" by the ruling Pope. Those were dark days for poor Protestants; they had to wors.h.i.+p G.o.d in _secret_, or in dens and caves. Even only a few centuries ago, terror and darkness reigned; multiplied thousands were slaughtered, or dragged to the "stake" and consumed by fiery f.a.ggots; grey hairs, age or decrepitude, were no s.h.i.+elds against their bigoted fury. The priests then, as now, controlled and directed the consciences of their followers. No compa.s.sion, could be shown--even to purity and innocence of defenceless females, or helpless children.