Feeling, as we do, the deep solemnity of the present time, and the danger which besets the Christian's path, on every side, we press upon our readers the immense importance of the Word of God, and implicit subjection to its holy authority, in all things. We do not exactly feel called upon to take formal notice of such attacks as the " Essays and Reviews," or the more recent attempt to cast a slur upon the five books of Moses. The former has, in our judgment, been thoroughly exposed by more than one able hand; and we have no doubt but that the latter monstrous production will meet with similar handling. We look upon all such attacks as the direct and positive work of Satan, who is seeking, in every possible way, to shake the foundations of our most holy faith, and to pave the way for the march of infidelity and blasphemy, which, as we believe, will, ere long, darken the whole civilized world. It is surely most appalling to think that the professed pastors and teachers of Christianity should be the very men to rise up and lay impious hands upon the pillars upon which that Christianity reposes. May the Lord have mercy upon them, and open their eyes, that they may see their folly, guilt, and danger, and flee for refuge to that precious blood which cleanseth from all sin!
Still, though we do not deem it our place, as the conductors of this little serial, to review or expose infidel books, we cannot refrain from raising a warning cry against the influence of infidel principles. We sec, in all directions, an effort to humanize everything divine and sacred—to bring everything down to the level of man's blind and perverted reason—to exclude all that is mysterious—all that is heavenly and divine—to exalt reason and insult revelation—to shut out God. Yes, beloved reader, this is the enemy's grand effort—to shut out God, and upset God's Revelation. We look in one direction and we see professedly Christian teachers seeking to undermine Christianity. We turn our eyes to another quarter, and we behold a so-called Christian bishop sitting in judgment upon the Pentateuch, and audaciously denying its divine inspiration. We look again, and we see some, daring to approach the profound mystery of the cross, to speculate, as medical men, upon the causes of the death of Christ!
We confess we shudder at the contemplation, and ask, where are we? What will come next? Is God to be shut out, in everything? Must He not speak at all? Is He to be refused a hearing, if He utters a word which man's stupid reason cannot understand? Does faith come by reason, and reason by the word of man? It would seem so. The rare and exquisite touches of the pen of inspiration must be tried by the clumsy rules of arithmetic, or the far more clumsy rules of the infidel's moral sense; and the precious sacrifice of the Son of God must be treated more as a subject for a doctor's case-book than as a holy mystery revealed in the pages of the book of God.
May God preserve His saints in these awfully perilous times! May he fill our hearts with a very deep sense of the solemnity of the present moment, and lead us to keep close to Himself and to His word! Then shall we be safe from every hostile influence. Then shall we not regard the sneer of the skeptic or the arguments of the infidel. We shall know whence all such things come and whither they tend. Christ will be our enjoyed portion, His word and Spirit our guide, His coming the hope of our hearts.