AND
BY
PHILADELPHIA:
PRESBYTERIAN BOARD OF PUBLICATION
AND SABBATH-SCHOOL WORK,
No. 1334 CHESTNUT STREET
COPYRIGHT, 1888, BY
THE TRUSTEES OF THE
PRESBYTERIAN BOARD OF PUBLICATION
AND SABBATH-SCHOOL WORK.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Westcott & Thomson,
Stereotypers and Electrotypers, Philada.
| LETTER I. |
| LETTER II. |
| LETTER III. |
| LETTER IV. |
| DIFFICULTIES OF THE BIBLE AS TESTED BY THE LAWS OF EVIDENCE. |
Some of the most pathetic cases of the spiritualunrest and skepticism of the day are foundamong the children of Christian parents. Theyhave been brought up to believe the Bible, butunder the influences that have met them as theyhave gone out from the old home into the worldtheir early faith has been shaken, and not unfrequentlydestroyed. To such as these, and, beyondthese, to all who have come to believe that ourage has passed beyond the Bible, it is hoped thatthe incidents and arguments of this little book maybe of service.
Washington, D. C., June, 1888.
My Dear C——: It is useless for you to write tome on the subject of your last letter. I appreciateyour motives, but with me the question is settled.I have given up the beliefs of my childhood; theyhad long been a burden to me, and the writingsand lectures of Mr. —— did the rest. Have youheard him? Can he be fairly answered? I amnot, indeed, as confident as he is that there is nopersonal God, though I do not believe it can beproved, and I entirely agree with him in abhorringand rejecting the doctrine of future suffering.This was the horrible nightmare of my childhood,and you cannot conceive the relief that the rejection[8]of the doctrine has given me. I am frank tosay, from my own experience and that of others,that this is the point that gives Mr. —— his holdon so many. The doctrine of endless suffering forthe sins of this life is abhorrent to them, and theywelcome his views almost as a first truth of reason.This, at least, is my position. The existence ofGod cannot be proved, nor can any immortalityfor man except in the influence he may leave behindhim. But a truce to this. Come to me soonif you are not afraid of my "infidelity," and letus live over the days of our boyhood. Most ofthe dear old friends are gone; we are nearly alone,and I am not inclined to drop the last links ofbrighter, and perhaps better, days than these nowupon us. You