EFFECTS OF DISCARDING CHRISTIANITY. 



153 



render i unworthy of the patronage of every one 

 who has a regard to the happiness of his species. 

 That philosopny which truly deserves the name 

 will at once admit, that concerns of the highest 

 moment ought not to be set aside for matters of 

 inferior consideration ; but that every thing 

 should be attended to in its proper order, and ac 

 cording to its relative importance. If such con 

 siderations have any weight, they prove, beyond 

 dispute, that there is a glaring deficiency in our 

 methods of education, where a foundation is not 

 laid in the truths of Christianity, and where 

 its authority is overlooked, and its claims disre 

 garded. 



Lf t us consider for a moment what would be 

 the natural effects of a complete separation be 

 tween science and religion between the general 

 diffusion of knowledge and the great objects ol 

 the Christian faith. Science might still continue 

 to prosecute discoveries, to enlarge its bounda 

 ries, and to apply its principles to the cultivation 

 of new arts, and to the improvement of those 

 which have hitherto been practised. Its studies 

 might give a certain degree of polish to the mind, 

 might prevent certain characters from running 

 the rounds of fashionable dissipation, and, in every 

 gradation in society, might counteract, to a certain 

 degree, the tendency to indulgence in those mean 

 and ignoble vices to which the lower ranks in 

 every age have been addict**}. But, although 

 the standard of morals would be somewhat raised, 

 and the exterior of life polished and improved, the 

 latent principles of moral evil might still remain 

 rankling in the breast. Pride, ambition, avarice, 

 and revenge, receiving no counteraction from re 

 ligious principle, might be secretly harboured and 

 nourished in the heart, and ready to hurst forth, 

 on every excitement, in all the diabolical energies 

 in which they have so frequently appeared amidst 

 the contests of communities and nations. The 

 recognition of a Supreme intelligence, to whom 

 we are accountable, would soon be considered as 

 unnecessary in scientific investigations, and his 

 natural perfections overlooked; and, consequent 

 ly, all the delightful affections of love, gratitude, 

 admiration, and reverence, which are inspired by 

 the view of his moral attributes, and the trans 

 cendent excellence of his nature, would be under 

 mined and annihilated. There would be no 

 reliance on the superintending care of an un 

 erring Providence, ordaining and directing 

 every event to the most beneficial purposes, and 

 no consolation derived, amidst the ills of life, 

 from a view of the rectitude and benevolence of 

 the Divine government. The present world 

 would be considered as the only scene of action 

 and enjoyment; the hope of immortality, which 

 supports and gladdens the pious mind, would be 

 exterminated, and every thing beyond the shadow 

 of death involved in gloom and uncertainty. The 

 onlf true principles of moral action, which reveal 

 ed religion inculcates, being overlooked or dis 



carded, every one would consider himself AS at 

 liberty to act according as his humour and pas 

 sions might dictate ; and, in such a case, a scene 

 of selfishness, rapacity, and horror, would quickly 

 ensue, which would sap the foundation of social 

 order, and banish happiness from the abodes of 

 men. 



Such would be the necessary effects of a com 

 plete renunciation of revealed religion, and such 

 a state of things our literary and scientific mode 

 cf education has a natural tendency to produce, 

 in wfar as the truths of Christianity are set aside , 

 or overlooked, incur plans of instruction. Where 

 should our youths receive impressions of the De 

 ity, and of the truth of religion, unless in those 

 seminaries where they are taught the elements of 

 general knowledge? Shall they be left to infer, 

 that religion is a matter of trivial importance, 

 from tne circumstance, that it is completely over 

 looked throughout the whole range of their instruc 

 tions ? 1 may be said, that they have opportuni 

 ties of revolving Christian instruction elsewhere, 

 particularly from the ministers of religion; but 

 will their minds be better prepared for relishing 

 such instructions, because the religion of the 

 Bible has been carefully kept out of view in the 

 other departments of tuition / Will they not ra 

 ther come to such instructions, with their minds 

 biassed against the truths of revelation ; espe 

 cially when we consider, that, in almost every in 

 stance, wlere religion is discarded in the process 

 of secular instruction, Pagan maxims are intro 

 duced, and insinuations occasionally thrown out 

 hostile to ihe interests of genuine Christianity ? 

 Notwithstanding a l that I have stated in the pre 

 ceding pages, respecting the beneficial effects 

 of a universal diffusion of knowledge, lam fully 

 persuaded, that, unless it be accompanied with a 

 diffusion of the spirit of the Christian religion, 

 and a corresponding practice, it will completely 

 fail in promoting the best interests of mankind. 

 If scriptural views of the character of the Dtity 

 if the promotion of love to God and to man if 

 the cultivation of heavenly tempers and disposi 

 tions, and the practice of Christian mon ity, be 

 entirely overlooked in seminaries devoted to the 

 instruction of the great body of the community- 

 such institutions, instead of being a blessing, 

 would ultimately become a curse to the human 

 species ; and we should soon behold a vast as 

 semblage of intelligent demons, furnished with 

 powers and instruments of mischief superior to 

 any that have hitherto been wielded, and which 

 might, ere long, produce anarchy, injustice, and 

 horror throughout every department of the moral 

 world. 



That these are not mere imaginary forebodings, 

 might be illustrated from the scenes which were 

 lately exhibited in a neighbouring nation. The 

 first revolution in France in 1789, was a revolu 

 tion not merely in politics and government, but in 

 religion, in manners, Ln moral principle, and in 



