It is alleged by the orthodox world that man's moral nature and reasoning faculties, both became depraved by the fall. "Totally depraved" has been the doctrine; but the gradual expansion and enlightenment of the mind by progressive science have modified the doctrine with some of the churches, and they have substituted "moral depravity" for "total depravity." But neither assumption can be scientifically or logically sustained. The assumption that our reason is depraved is made the pretext for urging the superiority of revelation, and making reason subordinate to it. We are told, that, as our reason is depraved, we can not safely rely upon it to judge and criticise the Bible or the doctrine of the churches. Mr. Moody recently exclaimed, in a religious controversy, "I never reason on religion. None but the disciples of devils reason. It is dangerous to reason on religion." Unconscious of his ignorance, Mr. Moody assumed a very ludicrous position.--By the _exercise_ of his reason on religion, Mr. Moody came to the conclusion that it is _wrong_ to reason on religion, thus committing the very sin he condemns in others. He _reasons_ on religion to convince people that it is _wrong_ to reason on religion, and thus violates his own principles. His case is analogous to that of the town council which attempted to keep the prisoners of the county in the old jail while they erected a new jail with the timbers of the old one,--rather a difficult task to achieve, but not more so than Mr. Moody's attempt to keep his reason in chains while he is trying to exercise it. Or, rather, he insults his auditors by saying to them virtually, "I will use my reason on matters of religion, but you must not use _yours_." As a reasoning being he reasons with reasonable beings, and addresses their reason to convince them they ought not to reason on certain subjects. He uses logic to prove that logic is dangerous, and should not be used. By reasoning against reason he pulls _both ways_, like the Scotchman who attempted to lift himself by his ears. He commits logical suicide when he attempts to show there is any case in which reason should not be used. The truth is, a person can not _think_ on the subject of religion without beginning to _reason_ on it, because his _reasoning faculties and his thinking faculties are both one_. He _thinks_ with his intellect, and he _reasons_ with his intellect; and, the very moment _he begins to think, he begins to reason_. And therefore, if it is _wrong to reason on religion, it is wrong to have any religion_. We should not allow it to occupy our thoughts for a single moment, and thus we would banish religion from the world; which, however, would be no great loss if it is too absurd to bear the test of reason. And, if it is wrong to _reason on religion_, it is wrong to _reason on any subject_. The more _important_ the subject, the more _necessary_ to use reason upon it, that we may make no mistakes in regard to it.