AND

CHRISTIAN INQUIRER.

EDITED BY REV. ABNER KNEELAND, PROPRIETOR AND PUBLISHER.

VOL. I.

NEW-YORK, MAY 24, 1828.

ORIGINAL.

WHAT IS SIN ?

No. 2.

If we go to the Scriptures of truth for an answer to the questionWhat is Sin? we find it readily at hand. Sin is the transgression of the law.' But then, another question naturally arises in our minds-transgression of what law? It will be said, the law of God, of course; but what do we mean by the law of God? Do we mean that law by which God governs the universe? Certainly not. Do we mean the law of his providence? No. Any law in the planetary system? No. Of summer and winter, seed time and harvest, day and night? No. These laws so far as we can know, are all immutable, and not liable to be transgressed. What law, then, is transgressed in the commission of Sin? Answer: The law of love; which is the only law which God enjoins on moral beings. The whole law is fulfilled by one word, even by this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.' But these expressions are so often repeated,and have become so perfectly familiar to almost every one, that they seem to make but little impression on the mind, and they therefore almost entirely lose their effect. People have so long been accustomed to have the idea of eternal woe-of endless misery, attached to sin, that any thing short of that seems to be of but little consequence in their minds. But this is what no one ever yet realized, neither can it be realized by any one. The words may be repeated; but to realize such an event is impossible. It exists only in the imagination. It has something the effect of profanity-while it may awe the minds of the weak, the timid, and the vulgar, it is disgusting to every man of sense. Sir is the violation of conscience, particularly, in a religious point of view, a violation of what the individual conceives to be the love of God, and of course binding on his conscience. It differs therefore from evil, that is in general, as it exists only, in the mind or heart. Every individual should do what God requires,abiding all consequences. But then,as the requirements of God are only to be known through the medium of moral principle, we should not hastily make up our minds as to the propriety or impropriety of any act whatever, lest we should mistake our own imagination, or the impulse of present feelings for the mandate of heaven. There are many things in relation to right and wrong, that are self-evident; concerning which, there can be but one mind on the subject. For instance, a just weight, an even balance, a full measure, are circumstances about which there is no dispute, however prone maukind may be to deviate from what they believe to be right in those cases. But there are other cases in which it is more difficult to come to a correct decision. And the difficulty is increased because no precise rules can be given. Much must be left, after all that can be said, to the

judgment and understanding of the individual. We shall therefore lay down the following general rule, which, whatever priests and bigots may say to the contrary, we believe to be a safe one in all cases.

In the first place, we trust, it will be admitted, that happiness is the grand and ultimate object of all rational beings; and every good man takes a pleasure in promoting the happiness of others, so far as he can without militating essentially against his own. The further therefore we take into consideration, and weigh the consequences of our actions, or what probably will be the consequences, the more likely we shall be to judge correctly; and this should be done in every instance, before any action is performed. And when all the consequences are taken into view, any act which will be productive of more happiness than misery, on the whole, is right; whether it be expedient, all circumstances considered, is another consideration. But whether expedient or not, there can be no sin in such an act. While, on the other hand, any act, which in its consequences, will produce more misery than happiness, is wrong, and ought not to be done.

It may be objected here, that the correction of a child, produces no pleasure, either to the parent or child, but pain. Granted: but if that correction, will be likely to prevent the child from doing other things, which in their consequences would be more painful, both to the parent and child than the correction itself, then the child should be corrected, however painful the duty may be. So, on the other hand, acts which may produce momentary pleasure, or pleasure ever so lasting, if on the whole, when the final consequences are taken into consideration, the misery and distress occasioned by such an act, overballances the pleasure, such an act should be avoided, notwithstanding all the pleasure it may produce. The vulgar and uninformed, act from immediate consequences only, that is, as it were, from the impulse of the moment: but the philosopher will regard all the known conquences, and anticipate them as though they were present. And between these two extremes, we may imagine every possible shade of difference, which constitutes the moral character of man. Some men's passions and propensities are so strong, that they get the better of their reason, judgment, and understanding; in this case man becomes a slave to his passions. He is to be pitied, as well as blamed. Others indulge in those things, which make them very unhappy, wholly for the want of a proper cultivation.Those are to be pitied; but not blamed, unless they have neglected opportunities for obtaining information, which might have been improved; and than they are to be blamed for the neglect only, but not for being ignorant of what they do not know. A drunken man is not to be blamed for not walking when he can no longer stand; but he is to blame for taking the poisonous draught which took away the use of his limbs.

The philosopher will never indulge himself in any unreasonable passion whatever. His mind is so far raised above those things which irritate little minds, that it would be acting altogether beneath the dignity of his character, to suffer any thing to throw him off his guard, or into a passion.All his acts are prospective, and not retrospective. Whatever he says, or does, is to obtain future good, or to prevent future evil, or else for the sake of present gratification; but he has neither the madness, nor the folly, to think that time once past can ever return, or that that which is once done, can ever be made any less true that it is done; that is, can ever be true that it is not done. Were these things to be duly considered, it would bring the hu-. man mind into a different mode of thinking altogether. Mankind would

possess the same confidence in God, in regard to a future world, or state of being, as they have in regard to the present world. The husbandman repairs his fences, breaks up his fallow ground &c. in the proper season, not doubting in the least degree, the goodness of divine providence; and should he be visited with an untimely frost, his buildings unroofed by at whirlwind, or his crops destroyed by a storm of hail; he repairs the injury as well as he can, and submits to the loss without a murmuring word.Should he be told that all this is designed by the Almighty, as a punishment for his sins, he sees no discrimination in such punishment; for it is as often that the bad escapes, and the good are thus punished, as otherwise.He will be more likely to believe with Soloman, namely, that in this respect, "all things come alike to all". Now if no man by taking thought can add one cubit to his statue, or make one hair white or black, why should it be supposed that it is possible for us to alter our nature or state in relation to a future world? Here, it is true, we may injure our health, by excess, whether it be excessive labor, or excess of any other kind; but there, "the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick-the people shall be forgiven their iniquities."

We have therefore come to a conclusion; let the Clergy disprove the fact if they can; that Sin, whatever it be, can injure mankind, mentally, only for the time being, that is while the person harbors Sin in his heart; but physically, or circumstantially, the consequences produced by every act are inevitable, and inseparably connected. It is all folly to talk about saving a person from the consequences of any act when once committed. For when it is supposed that a person is saved from the inevitable consequences of an act, it is by varying the circumstances or condition of the person.For instance, a man by accident falls into a river, or by design throws himself in; the consequence is, he is in the water. We will suppose he remains till he becomes senseless; he is then taken out, and his life preserved. Now it may be said, that he is saved from the consequence of falling, or jumping ing into the river. Not so. He is only saved from what might have been the consequence if another cause had not intervened. We will say, he lay in the water ten minutes. Now must he not experience the consequence of being so long under water? Most assuredly. But when a new cause intervenes, he is as inseparably connected with this new cause, as he was with the other. Cause, therefore, strictly speaking, only exists at the present time; for the moment any circumstance is varied so as to change the effect, the cause is not exactly the same.

We might extend these ideas, but we must take another opportunity.— Although all causes and effects may be connected in a certain sense, yet we know that causes may arise from certain circumstances which operate but for a short time only. Witness earthquakes, lightning, the discharge of a cannon, &c. &c. Why, then, should any one suppose that the effects of Sin, the cause of which arises in the human mind, should continue always?

SELECTED.

RELIGION.

Religion is one of the most prolific subjects in the world. It has so many changes, assuming so many varied hues, and presenting itself in so many different lights, that it becomes an inexhaustible and untiring theme of speculation to the human mind. If you take a survey of the human family, you will find that each man has his religion, and that he hugs it as closely to his heart, as he does his worldly pos

sessions. You will find that each one adheres to every minutia of individual opinion and is as jealous of its being called in question, as though he were incapable of a mistake. Yet, when you examine the subject critically, what do you find him, in general, but a mere creature of circumstances? Is not the fact abundantly evident, that so few take the trouble to think for themselves, that a vast majority of men have embraced a religion, that circumstances of providence, interest, fashion, or habit and education have thrown in their way? Go among the Heathen and you shall find them worshipping God, according to the institutions of idols-Among the Turks, Moors, Arabs, and Egyptians, and you will find them, Mahomitans-In China, Persia, Hindostan, &c. Pagans, and Idolators of various orders, and in Europe and America, Christians. And if we inqutre of them the reasons why each of these tribes of men, calls itself by its particular name, we will receive for answer, "Such was the religion of our fathers; and its truth is unquestionable." And so certain is each one, of this fact, that he never fails to brand as infidels,and finally to damn all that reject it. Still, if you search through the pages of history, ten to one, but you will find their fathers to have been driven into their religion by force and arms-to have discarded one, more congenial with their views and feelings, and subscribed to another, in obedience to the mandate of arbitrary power. Again, you will find interest, together with the love of novelty, of change, and of the marvellous, with impetuous force, beating down all before it, and subjecting minds that are controlled by such feelings, to their mighty sway. In such cases men may as easily put off one religion and assume another, as they can exchange the habiliments of the body; and any religion, forced on man, by either of the causes above named, becomes, by education, habit, and long established usage, as sacred and inviolable, as though they knew the fact of its having been written by the finger of God. It is true, changes are sometimes effected, but where these changes receive the sanction and consent of the converts, they are controlled by new views and motives that outweigh their veneration for the old religion, and prepare them to receive the new. Though it is believed, that no nation has changed entirely, its religious character, without the aid of the civil or military power, or both; and by which, the religions of most nations, are still sustained.

Again, you will find in every community, a great variety of opinion on certain minor points, that affect not, materially the general system. These opinions, classed in different forms, split the body into sects, each composed of men who subscribe to nearly, if not precisely, the same views with each other. Though this does not exactly increase the variety or number of religions, it increases their modifications, and sub-divides the religious world into almost innumerable sects or denominations, each known, by some characteristic appellation, prefixed or appended to the name of the great body of which it constitutes a component member. Now, if you go into either or all these various sects, you will find each individual just as tenacious of his opinion on minor, as the whole collective body is, of its major, of most material points; and if you presume to question the validity of any one, he esteems you guilty of heresy, as much as though you rejected his general system of doctrine. Yet after all; nine times in ten, you will find that these views are hereditary in the family; have descended from father to son, through so many generations, that, however questionable at first, like an old title deed, their validity has been established by antiquity, and their legality confirm ed, by long and quiet possession of the premises.

But when we trace the subject back to its origin, we shall generally learn that even these sacred and inviolable opinions, owe their birth to some other cause, than the action of real principle, or the force of conviction. For instance, the Romish Church originated in the exercise of the arbitrary power of Constantine; and her dogmas and ceremonies, in the fanciful caprice, and the lust of wealth and power, that have characterized its popes and bishops. The Greek Church, formerly a part of the Romish, sprung into existence as a distinct body from the division of the Roman Empire. The Protestant Episcopal Church owes its birth