| 108 secrecy, by a mutual consciousness of guilt. It was as confidently affirmed, that this inhuman sacrifice was succeeded by a suitable entertainment, in which intemperance served as a provocative to brutal lust; till, at the appointed moment, the lights were suddenly extinguished, shame was banished, nature was forgotten; and, as accident might direct, the darkness of the night was polluted by the incestuous commerce of sisters and brothers, of sons and of mothers."'-Ibid., vol. 2, pp. 10, 11.
These things are almost too shocking to relate, yet such were the stories related of the early Christians by their persecutors. Satisfied as we are that these things are untrue, and slanders upon an innocent and virtuous people, we should not be deterred from an honest and thorough investigation by reports of similar nature told against other professed followers of the meek and lowly One.
Nor is this disposition to abuse, slander, and violently maltreat, confined to past ages. We are all historically acquainted with cruelties practiced under Puritan rules in our own boasted land of freedom. And subsequently men have maliciously misrepresented their coreligionists. As late as 1837 the Baptist Banner had this to say of Alexander Campbell:-
"But to be serious, we cannot believe that any good will follow this debate. But too much excitement is attempted to be gotten up against the Roman Catholics-an excitement bordering on intolerance. Could we feel assured, either from his course in this instance or from a retrospect of his past life, that Mr. Campbell sought this discussion solely to vindicate truth and expose error, and not ostentatiously to exhibit his tact in debate and to reap a pecuniary harvest by a new publication, we might feel less distrust of consequences, and should have some faint hope that probably good would ensue; but credulous, nay, stupid must be the man, who in looking over the circumstances which have concurred in originating this debate, can suppose that any religious or commendable motive prompted him to throw the gauntlet and provoke the controversy. In looking over his past career, a love of truth and a desire to promote the
(page 108) |
