A Book of Gems, or, Choice selections from the writings of Benjamin FranklinFranklin, Benjamin
Religion
A Book of Gems, or, Choice selections from the writings of Benjamin Franklin
Franklin, Benjamin
Churches of Christ
But, why do not infidels make an ado about infidels falling? They never
fall! They have never attained to anything from which they can fall.
They are at the bottom and there is nothing below them to which they can
fall. We know of a case where an infidel has recently covered himself
all over with slime, but nothing of consequence is said about it. Why
not? If he had been a preacher of the gospel his case would have been
published half round the world before now. But he is _an infidel_, and
the idea of purity is not associated with infidelity, in the public
mind. There is no noise about it. His brethren, infidels, bring him
to no trial, call him to no account, appoint no committee, and have
no examination of the case! Why not? He _professed nothing_, and they
_profess nothing_. Such things do not disgrace them, or bring scandal
on them.
SPEAK PLEASANTLY.
The opponents of the truth will catch every unkind or unpleasant word;
every unlovely expression or harsh sentence, and comment on it, in the
absence of argument, and even divert attention from the main matter. We
should, then, simply study how to present the truth, in the clearest,
most agreeable and acceptable manner; how to show people the truth,
convince them and enlist their souls in it. This is the great matter to
study, and not how to avoid differences and not discuss them at all. We
are studying how to practice this, and we desire all the friends of the
Lord to study it and give the adversary no advantage.
VARIOUS KINDS OF SCEPTICISM.
Sceptics float in thin ether, if not some times in pure vacuum,
in vast, unknown and unknowable regions of pure fancy and idle
imagination. They roam in everlasting inquisitiveness in the immense
realms of intangibles and invisibles. They are variously styled in
New Testament terminology, “clouds without water,” “wandering stars,”
“filthy dreamers,” etc., etc. They spend their time, confuse themselves
and shatter their brains, in explaining “degrees in glory,” “degrees
in punishment,” “different spheres,” “the possibility of holding
converse with departed friends,” “the origin of sin,” “how God will
overrule evil for the good of man and his own glory,” “the origin of
the devil, if there be any,” or, “who made the devil,” or, “whether
he is a real being, or only a personification of evil,” “whether God
did not know, when he created man, that he would sin,” “why he created
man, knowing that he would sin,” “whether he did not know, when he made
man, who would be saved and who would be lost,” and, if he did, “why he
created those he knew would be lost,” “whether angels are a distinct
order of beings from men,” “whether we shall know each other in the
eternal state,” “with what body the dead will be raised,” “whether the
righteous and wicked will rise at the same time,” “where the spirit is
between death and the resurrection,” “whether it is conscious, or can
exist separate from the body,” “when the end of the world will be,”
etc., etc.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account