Questions on Chapter 2.

thousands of infants. The sunny plains of Africa have been dyed with the blood of millions offered in sacrifice to devils. On our own continent, it is said, Montezuma offered annually a sacrifice to the sun of twenty thousand human victims. In India, it is well known that millions have been cast to the crocodiles of the Ganges, or crushed beneath the wheels of Juggernaut. And even learned Greece and Rome, with all their boasted statesmen, philosophers, poets, and orators, have left upon the monuments of their greatness the stain of human blood poured in sacrifice to idols. And what has been the character of the temple service among pagans generally? It has been but a school of vice, where drunkenness and revelry, lasciviousness and impurity, and all manner of abomination, have been practiced and encouraged. The heathen mysteries, which probably originated in the worship of Isis and Osiris with the Egyptians, and were afterward adopted in Persia, as well as in Greece and Rome, were not exempt from impurities and crimes of the most shameful character. Even the Eleusinian mysteries practiced at Athens, whatever may have been their original design, were but a canopy of darkness, covering from the public gaze the most atrocious impurities which were “done in secret.” Their evident tendency was to increase superstition and licentiousness. And this evil machinery was strengthened in its influence by the fact that the gods whom they worshiped were celebrated for the very crimes they here encouraged and learned to imitate. What could be the effect of such a religious service, but to degrade the intellect, imbrute the moral sensibilities, and steep the soul in iniquity? If this be the religion which man, left to himself, will follow, how necessary must be divine revelation to scatter by its beams these Cimmerian clouds, and pour into these waters of bitterness its healing streams! Does not reason proclaim that a wise and merciful Creator will be led, by his attributes, to rescue from such a state his creature man, by conferring upon him a revelation of his will? QUESTIONS ON CHAPTER 2.

QUESTION 1. What is the general definition given of a divine revelation?

2. In what respect are we in danger of erring in reference to reason, as connected with revelation?

3. To what extent should reason be used in investigating the evidences of Christianity?

4. When satisfied that God has given us a revelation, how should reason farther be employed?

5. Does revelation contain anything contrary to reason?

6. Does it contain any thing beyond the comprehension of reason?

7. How may we account for apparent discrepancies between reason and revelation?

8. Is the prima facie evidence for or against revelation?

9. With what generally-admitted fact does the author begin?

10. To what does he appeal for the establishment of that fact?

11. What is the second argument in favor of moral agency?

12. Can man by nature gain the knowledge necessary for him as a moral agent?

13. With what class of skeptics does the author propose to argue?

14. What knowledge of God and his attributes did the ancient pagans possess?

15. From what source was it derived?

16. How does the character of their worship show their ignorance of God?

17. Among what nations have human sacrifices been offered?

18. What was the character of the heathen mysteries?

19. What was their natural result?