Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, February 19, 1876, Page 11

RELIGIOUS. Fhe Suniday-School Lesson for. To-Morrow. David Becomes King of All Israel— Dofent of the Philistines, Criticisms of the Rev. Dr. Fallows’ Sermon on Sunday Tlheatres. A Plea for Free Churches and the Aho- lition of Pow-Rents, The Doctrine of Substitation--Habits of Polish Jews, MOODY's FICTIONS, TNE DOCTRINK OF BUBATITUTION o the Editor of The Chicago Trivune : Keokuk, In., Feb. 16,~To eome of your read- ers this may sound strango, especially =a Mr, Moody ls exerting o wondorfu! inflnonce, ap- perontly, whorever bo goes, Ilia ioflnenco, it may be nssorted, cannot bo based upon mere fic- tionn. It muat hiave somowhore o molid substrate um of truth. I do not sitogothor deny thin, 1t would bo jmpossible, indeed, for any mau to away aa ho does sach vast multitudes with vo roality, no solid truth whatevor in what hio sald, Nor do I dony that ho exorts a tomporary benofi- clal influenco over cortalu claszea of Lils hoarers. snd yot I maintain that bo Is doiog barm also, and believo that I can provo, that ouo of the most potont facts (as Lo calld it) which ho uses to Influenco othera is o mere fictlon. Bofore I attompt this proof, however, lot mo jmpress upon all minda tho vory familinr fact to some, that this world's. life, in tho past at least, has been molded largely by tho inilnenco of what have been provod to bo mere fictious. Tho profoundest boliofs of men, ibdeed, which exerted for thoussuds of years a vast influence over their thoughts, and feolings, and aciions, camo matnly frum thoir senses, and tho play of thelr imaginations, their fears, and thoir hopes, and wore mero fictions. Alltho pictures, or ideas, which lay io thelr minda, of the oxtent, the form, and tho motions of thin phvsical uni- veran weore mero fictiona, Al their idoas of the nnscon epiritnal uoiverse woré mero fictions. There was no corrosponding outward roality. And yet, how vantly theso tictlons influoncad tho lives and actions of myriads of mon and womon! To what an oxtont, borond calcula- tion, did tho slugla flctlon of suporpaturalism pervading all nature influonco human lifa! How much has this fiction nlono gained reveronco for persans, roveroncs for governmenis, and rovereuce for laws nnd religious, which woro purely natural and buman! Wo neod not par~ tienlatize. Wa koow that litezary fiction to-day in tho hand of a master can movo tho soul of n continont, can connulss with laugbter or molt into tears. LoBuge, Cervoantes, Uickens, Thackersy, Georzo Eliott, can make fiction living power Lo amune or instruct. Now, i literary flctiond can ba made & potent fnetrumontality for good or evil, and if tho iifa of tho world for untold ages waa absolutely fed and shaped by mero ficifons, is it any wondor that mon to-day, Jike ir, Moody sbould exort & vast influenco with thoological fictions, conpied atthe snme timo with an infectious enthusiasm and oarncstuess equal $o thoso of Poter the Hermit? I say thoological fictlons. And I tnink that It cau bo shown that the central ductrima of tho wholo of Moody's system of thought, tho doc- trine which he miost especislly emphasizas, tho dootrino on which be relios for offect moro than sy other, {s gimply and purely » creation of the Imaginaticn, having 1o raality in fact, but being absolutely impossible in the vory nature of thioga. I refer to bis doctrine of Bubatitution. Tho etorn fact of all oxperionca aud all humsn biatory is this: that evory man sball- boar bls own burdens and therefore that avery mnn shatl wtfer for his own ains, Thare has been no pos- sible esoapo from this fact from tho commeuco~ mont of tuno, aud thero can bo none from tho naturo of things. Iftho divine laws woro in- ecribed merely in o book, and tho penalties wore eternal, thon it might bo poseible that somo sub- stitnte, human or divino, might bo found to Lear thoe ponalties duo to tho crimos of one sin- ner at lsast. But con any man, with the morest epark of intelligence, form such a rude and in- faztilo concoption of God's moral and spiritual laws and thelr peoaltica? Does not every man oo in tho oxperienco of others, and know posi-, tively from his own experionces, that tho law which requires justice, mercy, truth, and lovo {8 infinitely moro & law of his nature than a mero book euactment ? And does lie not oo and Imow that the consequences of violating that law aro individual, mental, and moral, and that no being Lumon or divine can posubly bear thoss consn- fquouces but himsolt ? This whole theory of aubstitution 1s based up- on such couceptions of tho moral governmeut cf the univorae, so literal, 80 lagal, aud so matoerial- lstio, and so outirely in conilict with sound phils psophiy and with tho world's whole history, snd, what 18 etill more, with the overy-day obsorva- tlona and experiencos of mon and women, that wo ehould declaro it to bo ineredible, if we did oot kuow it to bo a fact,—that anybody of good sonno accoptod it. And if thoir doctrine wore not somewhat mystified, and wore not anp‘!msed %o be in tho Bible, every ous would regard it ns oo grossly absurd to Lo belioved for s moment. \Wa sliould ses, withont any difiiculty whatever, that it s inut a8 possible to find n subatitute for »broken leg and its pain as s broken charac- tor with its degradation and montal suffering. We sliould aco that it was just ag onay Lo finda a substitute for profound Ignorance, with all ita loug chain of fearful coussquoncos, as for moral corruption, with {ts terniblo offocts. Doth nro absolutely impossible. And {f wo woro not Llinded hn tueological miats, It sronld bo as clear 0 us a8 the day that Josus could no moro take the placo of the slunor beforo tha violated moral Iaw than Ho could take the place of the drunk- rd, or tho dyspoptic, before tho violated phy- sical law, Buppose, then, it could bo proved boyond the sbadow of a doubi—ne it cannot—that the' Dible taught this doctriue of sub. stitution, woull It therefors bo truo? No . amount of Scripture can _make that truo which Ia not true 1n itaclf, and which caunot Le true from tho vory nature of things., No Serlp- turo declarations can msko tho earth flat, or ajuare, or stationary, or prove Its recent oroa- tion, The plain facts of paturo and tho experi- «ucou of dally lifo aro far boforo all Lho bare statomenta of eliler Mosos, or Josus, or Peul. 1f ol throe, then, should declare, asthey donot, that the montal uud moral conacquonces of hu- man dishooesty, avarico, meanness, violont pi Bious, cruolty, vaultin Prldn aod ambition, had beon botua by some dfv no substitute thougands ©f yoara ago, oither on ourth orin lleaven, wo should eny: ¢ I {sall a fiction, Wo Lnow bot- ter, Wa both seo and feel tho offccts of theso vices evory'day, \Wo koow ‘That thero is no peaco for the wicked.! We Lnow. that the way of transgressors is bard, And we kuow that this 13 tho toatimony of all experienco and all history the world over, and to talk of aubstitution for &in ja Just as senalblo aa to talk of substitution for Iguorance, or substitution for small-pox.” 2 T, HasiALi. ———, THE SABBATH AND DR, FALLOWS, rmo, Tothe Eiitor of The Chicago Tribune ¢ Cuicaao, Feb. 18,—I was glad to gos in Tne Tarsune of the 14th lost, the ablo discourss of ko Rov, Dr. Fallows, delivered at his church on the ovening provious, from the toxt, **Remom- bor the Babbath-day to keop It holy," Exouus 3x.; 8, Those who have watchod tho discusslon of thinsnbject in Tue TribuNe, and have any desire that the Sabbath shall be vindicatod Ly Divino authority, will rojolce that heso ably es- tablishos the Iaw, and saves it from the unjust Imputation of being in ita origin Jewish. T wish to call sttontion of * Moses™ and * Bo- guin,” who have written so loosely upon the Babbath question for Tux Trinuxeg, to tha fol- lowing extracts from the Doctor’s sermon ¢ 1 bellove that the lawof the Sabbath was given o Our common ancestors at the begluning of the race. Tha resson asaignod for keeping Loly the Babbath day 13 that *Goa b the Eatbath day, sud ballowed (tanctined) ity bocauso 1hat 1a b Ho bid rested from ull iiis work,? This reason did not occur when tha sonouncoment was tirat forwially msdo kuown by M«c-‘hbm ut the very Legiuning of man's wxistenca Nron the earth. It 19 uot, therefore, a uarrow, local, Lut & undversal instution, that 1s to Lo obaerved, ¢ o o lalsobaifoye that the law of the Ballath, so far o4 4t re upos & ‘positive ensctment, 1 peculiar ‘ho ud unive on given, *God reated, can Baver become obkolete, o o . The Bablath is no Btype, 1t ia & pouitive fustitation with relation to the L and the uoseat, and not 1o the future. Tha Bab- {x ok w ceremonial law. 'T0a commana to keep 44ia qus of the ten commandments,—commandments THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE: SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 187%—~TWELVE PAGES. fi'“ i the moat solemn feircumatances, written 1 jad Mimasif on tables of stone, Thoss command. ‘ments Cliriat came not Lo sbrogats, but to despen and Titen, thelr meaning, and lo tmipress the tolri achings upon hiuman souls, It is of theso Lie Tam come not o destroy but to fulll" Notwithetanding all that has boon said against the origin and porpotuity of the Babbath iaw it Beoms to mo tharo is not much danger of undor. mining tho truth as ot forth in theabove qnota~ tions, The Sabvath law s s part of the moral law, which {a the baais of all elvilized &nd Chris- tian Governments. This moral law s summod up in tho ten commandments, and rellorated in the Sormon on tho Mount by Chriat imself pro- claiming them to continue in force '*till Heaven and oarth pass,” addivg penalty for disobedience In * ono of these least commandmonta.” While I am porfactly aatiatiod with the origin and perpotuity of the Bablbath law ss sot forth by tho Doctor, 1 wish to eatl attention to a polut ihat does not seom cloarly establishod., Ihave sevaral times asked tho quostion through Tue ‘Prinung, * Whob and by what authority was the dny of tho Babbath changed? " aud it remalna unanswored, Thero acem to bs plonty of wiltera to plead for no Sabbath and no-lawism, but none toshow the change of day. I trusc that Dr. Fallons will take up this point and give tho truo anawer. That ho recognizon the change of dayin common with orthodox Christians 18 clearly sliown by his practice. Thus, Dr. Fallows calla Bunday the ' firat day of the woels,” and asks us all to ** ro-onact it in & publio sentiment which ahall bo hardly less omnipotent in onr city than the origiual uni- verunl, irrepaalable Iaw given amid the awful apleudors of Binall” Thoreforo the Doctor's toxt, ** Remember tho Babbath-day to keep 1t holy,” emphsaized by tho * awful’ splendora of Sioni," are transferrod to Bunday, giving It all tbo ercrodness, Divine sanction, and oxample, that reated formorly on tho seventh day, It Is not any dasy of tho weok wo may choose, but " a spocific day, the firet day of tho week. It is not roasonablo that Divine wisdom would leave men to keep any day thoy might chooso, any more than o wonld loavo thom without a Subbath, Nor would Ho allow men to change & law whon all tho roagons for which Ilo made It romain in forco, DBut if, on account of the rosurrection of Christ, or any good and sufiicient roason for change of the dey of the Sablath, God or tho Son naw fit 1o make the change, it would bo re- bellion, indecd, on cur part not to submlt Lo it. 'Will Dr. Fallows givo the reasons for the change which is taken for granted iu his sermon, th by establishing tho practice of tho_Clristian world 1 koeping Sunday ? LATaay, bow to reach non-church-goors, and how to gather in the fruits of that effort, Why, there 18 notbing to do but to open our houses'of wor- ship to thom, If it boeald that, woro the churchos mads fres, tha poopla would mnot nttend, nor could expensos bo maintalned, it can bo naid in reply, tlat the firat is a libel upon our faliow. worshipors. and the second is a libel upon the Groat Head of the Church, 1f it bo naid that froochuralies bava been st apart for much, snd thoy do not attond, #o it ean bo eald that thero aro poor-houses in every connty to which thaso in nood can ;‘n. But peoplo do nat go thiers witle fugly, nor will thoy go when it Ia possiblo to avold it. Aro such poople going to attond a pauper church ? Now many—parhaps tha most—of onr church- Roora do not renlizo tho oxistoncs of thia stato of afMalrs; but to those inconerultios, (o this great wrong in our churches, wo must be awakened, ~ Thors must bLe o raform, Lot ~this ewil contlnug, let nono but those who are able to pay largoly onjoy the minlstration of ihe Gospel in our churches, and the rovivat will come far sliort of what It might accomplisb—In fact thera can beno *'great work," ut it cannot continue. It fsa porversion of the right ways of the Lord ; it {4 afalse tastimonv by God'achosen witnesscsconcerning divino things 3 itis ulultll{lnq the ministry, deatroying their in- fluenco with tho poapls; it is cansing epiritual decllne In our churchos, ‘Chaerefore, tho timo 18 at hand whon wo must Lave freo houses of wor- ship ot no accoptanlo worship, WATCHMAN, = SUNDAY.SCHOOL LESSON. DAVID RISO OF ALL TUE TRIDES. David was living at Ziklag, attonded by his truaty 600 mon, when he hoard of the death of Haul and his sons, This diasster to tho Israel- ites put a new face upon his future, and inclined Lim to considor his possibilities. Ishboaheth was not a strong or popular man, David decply and sincorely mourned the death of Jonathan, and aald, '*Tho boanty of Israol ia slaln upon thy Ligh placos—how aro the mighty fallen!" Innfowdays s man camo from Baul's camp, liis clothes ront and ashes upon his head, and eald, *I happonea by chance upon Mount Gil- boa, and sas Baul. Tlo calied ma and requested me to slay him, 8o L did. I took his crown and Lis bracolets aod have bronght tham to sou.' David roplied, **Waora you not afraid to slay the Lord's anointed ?* This Amalekite Loped to obtain somo roward. David did reward him by ordering him to bo slain at once, David inquirod what ko ought to do, Nis eyoa wero upon tho throno of ‘Israel, Judah was bis own tribe, to winch also Liis faithful friends bolonged, with them were his love and his hopos. At God'sdlrectioh, ho wont to ITebrou, ons of tho moat auciant citios of thoworld and gituated in a parrow valley, encireled by rocky hills, and mom- orable for mavy Intorosting events, It was a strong citv and "vory friendly to David, 8o the officlal men of Judsh sssomblod and auointed him in Hebron—his second anointing—and in- formod_kim, that tho -gratefal mon of Jabosl had deliverod tho morts! ramains of tho royal slain from the ill-usngo of the Philistines. Davld, fall of gratitude for their kind and ten- der services, af onca oxpreaeed his aiucore thanks to tho mon of Jabosh and said, ** God bleea you for your kiudness to tho royal family in having, at 8o groat a risk of life, "soized thoir romains aud sodisposed of them, that they can novor again be abuscd. May God be 'kind to you, May Ho confirm and strangthen you io all good- nees. Be hopalul for tho future. B8aul is dead, and tho men of Judah havo anointed me King of Judsh.” David is now nearly 80 years of age, The only son of Saul, yet living, was Ishboshoth, 40 yoars of ago. Abmner, cousin of Sanl, was commander of his army—was liold in bigh regard by sll Teraol, and had vory grest influence with ail the tribes, Ho uphold the Iouso of Saul, CON. Zo the Editor of the Clidzago Tribune: Curcaao, Feb, 16.—In common with s largo number of thoroadora of your traly catholic pa- por, T sm doeply intorsatod in tho rocons disous- sions In the religious department, eapacially thono portaining 1o the natura and perpotuity of the Sabbath law, Iamnot ambitious to ontor the arena for the Buko of enatchiog away any of the honors due thoso who have boen striving so valiantly for tho truth. Bat if you will allow a littls space, 1 would liko to call attoption to certaln rathor anomalous fosturea in the sormon of tho Rov. Dr, Fallows, on last Bunday ovening, a8 pub- lished in Tug Trmose of Monday, Fob. 11, Tho Doctor takes radical grounda respeoting tho orign, moral character, and perpotuity of tha Sabbath, No ndvocate of the Sabbath of the fourth commandment could ask for a better statemont of its roral and oochangeable cature than bo bas given while laying the foundation for his aubequent oarnoat. appeals for the cloa- ing of Sunday thoatres. He boldiy affirms his beliof that *“tho Babbath was Institutod at tho creatlon ;" that ** tho law of tho Babbath was given to our common ancestors at the boginoiog ot the raco;” thot it was ropoated to tho 4+ Israelites at tho beginning of their history an a distinct people ;" tuat **tho Babbath is nota ceremontal law, ‘Tho command to keep 1t is one of the ten commandmonts, given in the most solemn circuinstances, writtun by God Hirmsolf on tables of stono, T'hoso commandmunts Christ camo not to abrogate. 1tisof this Ile msys ‘I cama not to destroy but to fulilil.'" 1t wonld thue appear to Lo the oploion of the Doctor that Ged, in His wisdom, had given to man ono unchangeable Sabbatl, to bo porpatu- ally observed in commemoration of God as Cro- ator, and {n imitatiou of Hia exampla ; for, says the Doctor, * The resson given, * God rested, ' can pever bocomo obsolete,” Now mark the conalstency of suoh atatomants with what fol- lows, " Ths first day of tho week lias been ob- sorved by Christians in genoral aa tho Sabbath, day. A fow keep tho esvouth day of tho wook, In supposed_conformity to tho aociont Jawish Habbath.” YWhat achange Las suddenly‘coms overtlio spiritof our brather'sdreams ] Allatonco wohavean *anclent Jowish Sabbath " Buta faw gontences pravious there was no Jewish Sabbath admitted.. 1t was then, for the purposo of an srgument, or_ 88 & -falcrum upon which to rost tho levor of appesl to tip over Bunday theatres, rogarded as tho Babbath **of tho race,” which tho Jews woro commandoed to ob- sorve In common with ail mon bofore sad after thoir national existence, but which they coutd in o sonse call thelr own. But now nll the good toglo of provious reasoning s thrown away, aud woaro treated ton strango vocabulary of Sab- baths, such ss **Jewlsh Babbath," * Ohrlstian Babbath,” German Sabbath,” ‘*English Bab- bath," *Puritan Sabbath,” ** American Bab- bath!” Dut pray what has bocomo of Qod' Sabbath? 2 The Daoctor avers that '* Tho Sabbath is ours Dby right. Our forelgu friends have no business to change it.” Which one of thesa Habbaths doos the Doctor moan now 7 Alittlo while ago ,we ghould have lisd no difficulty in undorstand- ing him, for ho then maintnined that the Sab- bath of tho fourth commandmont,—the seventh day of tho woek, tho day on which ** God rest- od,” and which *‘can never bocome obeolota™,— waad tho Sabbath to bo universally aud perpot- ually observed. But now wo find him stoutly contouding for tho closing of theatros on Bun- day, on tho grouud of {ts boing tho Babbath! 1t ** our foreign frionda have no right to change it," pray, toll me who has ? If Chirist camo uot to abrogato the BSabbath, by what author- ity haa it .been changed ? "Tho Heripturca sfo ag esilont as the -grave sbout auy chonge. Clrist - nevor iotimated that thore was t0 bo any cliango iu {ts observance, Thora is no evidence that the Aposties evor rogarded Suuday a8 s eacred day, whils thers s abun- dauce of ovidonce that thoy continued to obsotva the Sablath * according to tho commandment." 1 fear that sll arguments aud appeals for tho moro sacred obsorvance of tho first day of the week will only increaso the ovils which so much noed correcting. xmllgfloun poople aro always ready to Bolzo every absurd position or “argu- ment of zoalous aud well-intentioned teschers and uso it agaivet truth and morality., Great vantage-ground will bo gained whon men ceaso # teaching for doctrine the commandments of men.” L.E. L, —_— FREE HOUSES OF WORSHIP. ABOLITION OF FPEW-HENTING, To the Edtor of The Chéxapo Tribune ; Citicaao, Feb, 18,—Wo offer a strango exposl- tlon of our American Christisnity in Philadol- plila, whore reprosontatives {rom all parts of tho world are oxpocted to assemblo, thore to behald and consider our aystom of religlon, and mako roport accordingly, in that while st times by an oxtraordinary effort an opportunity {8 afforded for tho *common peoplo "' to worship God, ss ls shown by tho proparatlon of an fmmouse depot building a8 o tomporary place of worehip, whore servicos are conducted by esrnost and faitbful meo, but, who " have never beon Bt apart to that work by any compotent autherity to which thoy aro amonable, and by which thoy can bo kopt ordorly,—in fact, Loing only a conventiclo,—and while buch placo of worslup ia constantly orowded with slucero worshipers, that within tho range of sight nutorous, costly, and spacious liouses of wor- uhip, consecrated to the ssme Qod, and well sppoiated to sll requirements of worahip, whara everything can * bo done deceutly and in order,” each having its compsuy of Christian bLotievars, united in & common profossion of faith, snd ench its pastor or priest, set spart by layiog oo of handy to tministor at ita altor, thicss temples, to whick the poopla are commanded to coma aud do rovorence ss tho sanctuary of God, stand eilent, and vacant, or when oponod are at- tended by » seloct few of tho well-to-do onl; » clags which at most cannot be numerous in auy community. Now wbat will bo the improssion ivon concorniug our roligion to these assem- lod peoplo of varloua religivus? Aud why I8 itgo? Tho firat question & loave unsnswered; ihe othier X auswer by the sswertion that this wcon- gruous, this snti-Chrlatian situation, 1 brought about by the system of pow-rontiog, Dut for tho probiition which this systom eatorcos, tho poople would more gladly resort to the churches thian to rinks, or hippodromos, or sy other con- vouticles. Bul they caniot attend upon tho ap- ointments of God's house while this systeul 1a Pu force without rontiug seats, which the mavy aro uot able to do, aud those_who throogh theso extraordinary sorvices are induced to entor us)ou & new lito, muss, if blo to rent powe, be loft an sheep without s shepherd, and uodoubtedly mauy will consoquently turn back to Lrreligion aud dessruction. There bas recently beon an assembly of Chrla- tiznw in Philsdelphis discussivg the queations of Abnor and bis friends escorted this son to Mabhansim, whore Jacob saw tha angola of God, snd loaugurated him King of all lsrnol. He reigned anlfi two yoars. A sovere battle occurred between David aod brother of Jacob and nophow of David, ecola- Lrated for his awiftness of foot,- ran directly 1o Abner, Baul's cousin, - who' bastily said ‘¢ Asnhel, do not foltow rmo,"—nnd atill Asaliel porsisted in following him, Abnor again cried out: ‘‘Assbel, do you wish me to siey you 7" Abner could not resist pursuing his enomy. Abner turnod and forced . his spexr through hia Lieart. Joab and Abishali, brothers of tha elain. at once ruahied after tho slayer, and thoy all ran rapidly until sundown, whon the fight ceasod. But it was continned botween tho families of Haul aod David. ‘The latter constantly gained in strougth. As timo flew, David grow. Abner, through all adversitios, romained firmly attachod to his royal master, One day, howaver, Ish~ boshoth censurod bim very severely for gross im- morality, and brought on, unwittingly, & quarsol {atal to his own proapects ns King of Isrnel. Ilo was o weak Prince and vory indiacreot in his Larsh talk 7ith Abner. Love and kindness will moro readily convert a bad men than pevero cen- suro. Atany rato, tho commander of the Ierael- itish army ahortly sent a commisalon to the King of Judali at Hobron, offering to make nn ar- rangement by which all the tribes should be brought under one governmont. David was very willing and even very oarneat to accapt the propoeal, and o advised Abuer that ho sliould be iappy to comply on oue condition, —namely, that o shonld sond to him Michal, tho loving wifo of his youth. 8aul roaily etole Lior from Lim ond gavo hor to auothor, "David could mot farget hor. Early mpreesious aro always lasting. The man of three scoro yoara and ten has fresh in mind tho joys of his early davs, whilat those of middle lifo aro forgot- ten, A mother's kind words are heard when ola ago brings on deafnoss. Ho Michal was brought 10 tho palaco and groat Jog filled all boarts, Abaer addressed tho peoplo of Israel and said : "You once wished David to bo your King, Now is your timo to accopt him, Jehovab, the King of Kings, saya, *L will -savo my poopla out of the hands of all their ongmies by my servant, David) Accept him and your fond hopes will bo more thau realized. A glorious futuro is bo- fore you. Obey God &ad honor_David, a8 King of all Isracl. May God bless and keep you from all harm aud doliver you from all who would infure vyou." 'Tho “poople said **Amon." Abner weat into all the larger towns, addressed and porsuaded the intluontial men, that David— anointed by Samuel and by tho tribe of Judah— wos the men whom God had chosen, whon he was Lut s youth tonding his father's sheep on tho beautiful hills and rich plains of Hothlchom, and st night, singing and bharping so swootly that angols stoppad to listen a3 they woro on their way willh some sweet messago of lovo aud peaco. Dayid had rulod at Hebron eovon years and ahbalk A largo concourss from all tho tribos want up to ses Lim aod to offor him tho crown. Thoy miado a covenant with David, and formed o now govornmout. Thoy inatituted a limitod mouarchy, Thoy choso to rotaln certain rightn at their own disposal, It was & constitutionnl mouarchy. Tho Kivg had rights aud powois, and Bo had tho pooplo. David was now 33 yoars of age, in the vigor of manhood. God had trainod Lim from bis youth for thia very pur- pose, Insuguration day dawned upon an im- weuse multitude~—280,000 mon, Tho crown was presonted, snd the pooplo could not utter thelr flrut‘jo,y; words wero inadequato, ‘he very oavens rejoiced, Tho promisn of the Great Jehovab, spokon yoars before, was now fulifled. When Joab heard what a kind and welcome ro- coption the King of Judah Lad jiven Abuer. ho was very much provokod, aud uaid to tha Xis “Abuer is a 6py and s traitor.” Without ad {og David, ho sont for Abner (o return liomo at ooce, Abner huried Lonis to Hebron. Josb mot him at the eity gate in o qaiet way, but plunged a weapon through lua lheart. Mo foll dosd, and was buned at Ilebroo. Tho King wept and doeply mourned for hini. David fastad all day. Lis sincere griof pleassd the peoplo, for thoy all loved Abper, oud felt waro that the King had no hand in bis death, ‘They eaid to omch other, A great man hus follen thue doy io Israel, May the Lord reward thioss wicked men who have ulaln our beloved Abner."” Bome aons of Remmou came at midday to the bouse of Ishlosheth, who lsy on his bad, aud Btabbed bim through the Leart, cut off his head, and brought 1t to Hobron aud presentod 1t to vavid, who said, **Whon that Amalekito told me that ho killod Saul, I elew bim. You wicked men bave slain a rightoous pereon in hls owa bomo and 1 hisown bed. I roguire your blood, \'ouuq meu, slay theso murdetore.” 'Tho youog men tlow them and Lung thew uo in Hebron, but they burfed the hesd of Isbbosheth iu Ab- ner's tomb at Hebron, ‘e first outorprisc in which David was on- Raged, after lua coronation, was his auccosuful effort in taking Zion from the Jebusites. Zion moanssunny. The mount was iu the southwost- eru part of the high fand on which Jerusalam was bulit, and was tho higheut of tho many hifly. ‘fhe Jebusitea deemod it to Lo ko strongly foru- tled by nature and art, that a weak force was suftieiout 10 rapol any atlack, Even this fesblo force shouted insuitingly, ** David canuot take this stronghold. Try It, vo men of Iuraal.” David, who had never failed, did 113 it, and took it, apa called it ‘*‘I'ho City of David.” Tho Jebusltes wero natives of thia territory, snd con- siuuod to resido iu tuo lower part of the clty, Tuoy etill wore firmly attactiod to tho howes of their ancestors and their own early days, David prosperod wonderfully. ‘Ino Lord way withhim, He increasod his wealth aud {ufluence among the nstions. His frionds becamo aumar- now roprosented by tho only surviving: son.e] Ishibosbeth, and tho Iatier was beaton, Asshel, | ousand etrong. The many and long wara of tho nations hind demoralized 'tho poople, ~ Arti- sansand mechanics wers (nso great demand that others cnme from Tyre. King Hiram waa ahrewd nnd wiso coougli to aliow good will to tho King of a largo people, snd thereby securs his favor and help, should enemlce attack hin city, Ho sont carpontors, masons, ahd Inmbor to David. They bullt for him a largs Louse, vo that he had room onough and to "P"" He took moto wives and concublnes that he might fill i, sud 6o Lo lad other wsoos and daughtors. In_doing o ho broks this Iaw, “Tho Ring of Israel shaill not maftiply wives (Dout. xvil., ). Icbos in. creaso the sources of rin and misery. Astime flow, David grow. Ifo wan now seated firmly on his throne, and ho folt that tho grest King in- dorsed Lim, snd wna‘wmlamly ozalting lus Lingdom, Tho Philistines after a while Loard of David's prosperity, They had bosn {mmdnl thoir douds of hrumg Baul and demoralizing the army of their foo, They carad very littls about David so long ra he Jived quiotly at Hoblron, but thoy be- cama snapicious and jealous ms woon as “thoy lieard of lua fucreasing favar amoog tho nuo[:la of Jarrel, Ho thoy wora resolved 10 leeson bils influenze. Thoy Jhrepm’od for an onset, and noon wont to 800 Davld, who heard that theso old aud relontless foos were mbout to mttack lim, They spread thomselves in the Valley of Nlophaim. David inquired In his wonted way. 1o felt the need of Divino wisdom and strength, and 80 ho sought it, and found that ho, trusting in God, would routa the Philiatines, The Valloy of Iephalm extonds from Bothlchem to Jorusa- lom. The Philistinos, chagrined and deeply asbamed at thoir defeat, firmly reeolved tl thoy would try again. Bo they incressed and rocruited their forcos, gave thoir men timo ooough for renowing their atrongth and per- fecting tholr disciphine, Tho nost yoar the apread themaolvos over tho same ey in whic| thov Lid lost so much credit aud gatnod so much vozation sud shame. David called the battle~ flold ¢ Daalperazim,” ‘Lho fact wos that the oosmy wore 89 euddenly and completely routod that thoy had no timo to pack their images or domeatio doities, in which thoy truated in sevorn omergoocien, and yet fu wbich they Implicitly trusted even on tho battle-field, Yo'the Philis- tings loft them on tho battle-gronnd, end their conquerora collected them and burned them ac- cording Lo law (Deut., vil., 56). Again David inquired of the Lord, who ad- vised bim to flank thom over agsioet & grove of trecs, * Whon you hoir o rusthng of the leaves, thon bestir yourselves, for tho Lord will he with you—rill load you, and you shall suraly win tho day.” Dasid followed closely these directions, and drovo tbem from Goba un- {o Gazer. —_— POLISH JEWS, BOME OF THEIR PECULIARITIES, The New York J¥orld bad iecontly s very in- toreating arilclo on tho Potish Jow sa bo flour- 1shes in New York, priocivally in Daxter and tho strocts noar by, From this sccount are taken tho following paseagess Tho Polah-Jewish chilldron raroly attend tho publle schiaols, Locaumo their parents aro averse to thelr miz- i with Ocntiles, and tha consequenco would be their fotal deprivation of secular education but for the work of a fow conversfonisia who have opened & school in Baxter ntreet, whora thoy give frao instruction to Jow- ishy chilldren, hoping 1o find their racompenso in tho converalon of some of thelr puplls to Clirtstianily, This institution lixs vory recoutly aitracted the attenis tion of tha respectable part of the Juwlsh communlty, who, after haviug for years gnored the lamentably yosition of thelr poor Lrétren, aro now tardily taking stopa looking to sn smelioration of thelr condition. Another conacquence of tho pecullar custor of tue iaxtor strost Jawe i tho frequeat unauthorized grant- ing of divorces by tho * Leth Diu ¥ and the perfore ‘Townco of marriages bigamous in the eyes of Amarican Iaw. 1t {1 8 common thing for the Jowa of Polsnd to matry at the early ago of 15, girla of 13 and 14, and, on comiig to this couniry, they Iaave their vives belind sud enter nto new alliancen here, and tho facllity with which divorces may bo obtained and marriages per- formed sendera it impossiblo to appose wny. ofactul barrler to this custom, About tila matier tho ey, T'rof, Marks, of London, in & course of lectures deliv- erod’ threo yoarsago Liofore tha Philosophical Tustitu- tion of Edinburg, said of tho Pollah Jews : * Tacir suner lifo §8 not 80 poaseful anil boppy as that of their brethiren of other countries, by reason of their adop- tion of tho old Vastern practice of prematuro mar- riage, without talaug inta account the difference of time cnd place, It s not not an uncommen thing for bays of 18 years of age to marry pirls o( 10, , , . Diapuites arlsc that grow into scrious qusrrals, which ultimately lead to_divorce, rendored far too asay by abues of tho Itabbinical law ; or, as {s mote fequantl tho caso, the boy-husband Icaves hia country 1o s his fortune Iu Gormny, Franpe, Euglsnd, of America, and thinka Uittlo of and probatily cares leas for tus girl- wifo whom Lo lioa feft boblnd. i Tho Polish Jowa, an alroady reld, are ultFa-rabbnieal in sentiment and’ practico—that’in, they ottach 84 much imyportanice ta the laws of the Talmud as thay do o tions contalned [n tho Dille. heyaccoyt s Io terprotations put by tho rabLis upon Biblical laws, and consider {liem of binding force, This loads to ths ob- sccvance of many grotesque customs which, whils they may be in keoplug with the letler, aro often in opposition o the apirit of the Mosals law, The Polish Jows beliove that all Jaws given to thelr raca wera - tendod for all timen and places, wheresa the pro. grosaiva Ieraclites olaim that oortain lawa w @l 1o ba oporative in Palestino only, Ifer of tho oustoma and practices poculiar to t; binical Jews, same of which have siiracted 1n the caso of Rubensteia, They are extremoly patticuisr in regard ta the ob- servanice of tho diotary laws ond the distinction be- twoen * kosher ' (cloan) and “torefs” (unclesn), eat- ing only thie fiesh of animals killed sccording to Jewtsh Iaw nud by an_authorized Jowiah * shocket * or killor, They will not eat hutter or cheess and meat together. accopting the rablinieal futarpretation of the Mosala ordinance againt a custom, prevalent among nastions which observed the sacrinoial rites, “ thou shalt not acotlio o kid in its mothor's milk” tho only authority for this observance. Thoy ava blesning or “ berocho ™ ou gottiug up, on lying down, or gouz out or coming in, on wasliing thelr banda of sating bread, on seolug & rainbow or hearing bad nows, or seeing ot hearing of a death, birth or marriage, ey sny prayera thiree thines a day, alwsya tarning to the cast duriug thelr dovations, ' 'They do no manner of work ou Sabbaths, festivals, or fast-day, and consider it wrong to walk ovar a cértain distance on those occaaions, Their servi- cea in Aynagoguo ara extremoly long and tedious, being chanted aloud by tho whole_congregstion without any musicsl accompanimont, The ritual in uss by thees poaplo i1 the same na Luat adopted by thelr aucentors centuries ngo, and broathos ulterances of mourning and despair ' which originated during times of oppression and persccution mow passed, Wien a Polfah Jewess marrica sho han to shove heér head and ‘wear o Wi for tho Test of nor lifo, in obodienze to tha commandment in Deuteronomy, xxl,, 12: “ Thou shalt bring her homa to thy hauso, uiid, shava ber hoad and pive hicr nafls Ona of the evils'smoug this class of copln 3 Lliat of promature intermonts, which aro ¢ julned by the Taltoud, and ara of frequent occurren partieularly whou deatha occur on the ove of Sabbai sitention knowledgs of m ru langusges, and speak, write, and koown a8 ¢ Judlich. gr tealivali, oy have, ax & sule, vory importect ¢ " row and worso Gorman, fnvariably written in lle- characters, They publish_ono or two Judisch- Deuteca papers {n thit elty. Thoy will not smoke, +ldv, or touch fire on tho Habbith; many of them will nut ovon toar a ploce of paper or open s letter on that dy, 'Tas ortliodox Polo never shayes, and if ha wishes to reduco tho lengsh of Lis beard hio cuts {8 short with sciraors, and sometimes pulla out the hairs wi tweozers, Wheu & death occurs in a Lolish-Jewish family the 1nslu rolativos cut tholr coats, and mt for seven daya on a low stoal, noglecting thelr businoas, and takiug only such nourlsument sa {s absolutely nocersary to keup body and soul fogethier, THL CHOLITZA. Oue of {ha strangest of all tho cuistoma kept up by o peopl 14 onp Kiown ay # Cagllize,” aud it by a Hibiicad Lants, According to tho Momic law a may {s_bound, if single, to marry bis dead brothor's widow, provided hor husband lias died without izaue. Amonj tuy Foliah Jews, when' o mian refuses ta conis ply with this law, be. coremony of * Cholltza," or spitting, (s gone through in this fuskion : Ths womun and hor brother-in-faw go beforo the * Heth Iame- dravh," and, fu the proswncoof the whole congrega- tion, tho woman unlaces silk slipper on tho men's fout'(0n0 sed apeclally for the occaston and made Uika s Jady’s Heawdau boot) aud spits thros timed in hin faco, aying s * Bo ehull by dous uniy the i that will hot build up Lis Lrather's Lousn” Tho wuthority for this unique practico ia found in Deuterunomy,zav., 510 10, and unless (¢ 4 obsurved no orikodux Loiisly Tabbi would uiarty eithor of tho purtioy, ‘The Pollai Juws kexp up o old Oriental custom of viearing & head-covering contiuually, and would, under po_circulnstances, uttor tho namo of Gud, rosd’ Uebraw, of enter & synagozus with & bare hioad, faud s dividod iuto two yarts,—tue A tho “Gomera,” of cotne Jews clum that tho Jaw ihua aro of Divine orlgin, and were deliver ed orally fo Moses and by bim tranumitted through Avron, Eicazur, aud Jusbs, and the sien of the Ureat Syuas goguo o tho doctors of the Talmud, by whom ihey wera roduced to writing, Habbi Johuda ihe Huly 1s crodited with having collated these laws and put them into shape after forty years' work, towards the cloko of e second century of the Chriatiauors, Ths * o= oara,” of which thera kra two versions, the Jeruas. fem Gemura and the Labyloulan Gemars, W.s com« pited between the third nud 0ith centurios and le full of remarkable atorfos and discussions of no particular siguiticanco, with an occastonal graiu of pure sud valuabis thoughit smoug busheta of the chafl of smpty words, The Mlisbua and tho Jerusalem Gemars arg kuown ss the Jerusalem Talmud, aud the Allshus sod the Babylouian Gmars are knows as the Babylonian Talmud. Tuis work i ono of giguntio proportions, Alilug ten envrmous volumes, und 16 serves tho Russos Tolish Juws lu place of Fodoraland Stato constitutions, Suprems Court decislony, and corporation undinaucos, ‘[ley atiach to it the mamo ymportsuco &4 they do to {be Scrlptures,and reguluta thcle livas Lyitd toach :'m(l. Ilcags, they sro somottes callod Talmudical o, “T0 YOURSELF.” 161 coutd ouly know you as you Uould read the motlves of your beart to-night; Couldl &6 you oven a8 that far-oif atar Reveals itaelf unto my yoarulog aight; 1£ X could kuow thiat, sometimes i your life, You think of e, and tbat the theughis Lring rest Unto your Leart 1rous Wosky, Weanivg wiride, g life's Fough patis Bwooth snd Lleat; 1f ws could brldge the upace betwaon us now, ‘Aud you could pledgo zauranco swict for all, Qod's Lisud, I kiiow, woulil regiuter the Yow, Aud angea ocho 3t wisa atlvury cally Eaxa, SCIENCE AND RELIGION, Mr. Hodgman aml the Nebular ypothesis. A Question of * Nothing" : Space, Time, and Matter v, a Creator, A Question of Welght---Tiletonism and Odfule Forcot Water-Witchery, and Every Man Ilis Owa Pockels HODGMAN AND THE NEBULAR HYPOTHESIS. To the Editor of The Chicaga Trioune: Cmicaan, Fob, 11.—TIt is very wrongz of Mr. Hodgmau to attack Prof. Proctor, who loctures to the public on Natural Philosophy, becauso (and this Is my aincors beliet) oue good lecture on this ucioncs advauces tho csuso of real hne manity ton times moro than a sermon ever can do. ‘Tho progress of huwanity and the enlight- ening of our conntry ars mostly due to Natural Philosophy, and not {o Religlon'as the Orthodox clalm. What has Religion and what has Beienco done. Read tho bistory of tho most pious and religious country,—this I say to you, Mr. Hodg- mau,~read the dark times of Philip IL of Bpain, only a plons & good man, tho devilieh and most bratal cruelty committed ““ad majorem Dei gloriam." will smell tho odor of burnt human flesh, and hear the frantio crios of pain of hundreds of thourands of poor -victima. Then, amidat sll this darkoess, you will mee, 11lluminated by tho Liorrible fnues of faners! piles, a book in which each sentonco [a stalned with the blood of & buman life. On the othor hand, 1f yon read tho bistory of Scienco, you hava to bow down in ad- miration before tho glorious, pure, and modeat way in which Hcience, on its path of progress, benofits mankind. Each step beams forth mare light, and brings us nearar to perfection. There is o blood-stain on the path of Heience, rancs is our inherited avil, and S:ence our savior, The true worstup of God is the study It ia ot my “doplorable ignorance on re- liglous questions ™ which mado me a dishelisver I read and examined this book soveral times; but it failed to * forco convic- tion on my mind,” because I thiok the word of God must, at all times, bo tho same for all hu- man boings, and froe of contradjctions, snd in conformity with the law of Nature; but I found that each roliglon Lias another word of God, full of contradictions and impossibilitica. There ia only one boek of God free of all defects, and thia book is Nature with its laws, book should be the highest ambition of man- 1 do not beliove that true Science can go hand in hand with our prosent Religion without being s hypoerite; bat I do beliove, aud history shows it, thiat Sclence goes Liand i hand with Moralicy. It Science wero sapported with a8 much money, nod taught from a8 many pulpits, as Retigion is mnd has been through thousands of yoars, how high would our morality and intelligeuce be elo- vated above tholr present standing | In oy firat lettor, I used the word Roran in- stead of Biblo, bocsue I theught it more appro- priato, aa Mr, Hodgman seems to think tuat what contain is untrae and not worth knowing, ms orthodox Mohammedsns think with rogard to their Koran, As to what Mr. Hodzman says about the loose and vaguo way in which I omploy the word Sei- once, 1 will stato to bim that a hypothesis whieh, o4 suoh, does not como in conflict with tho law of Nature, and whick, in substance, is a ecien- tific fact, bas a right to cotor the domain of Boi- euce, even if somo parta of {t aro not proved facts yot; othorwise Geology would not have baoen permitted to ontor this domain, When Mr. Hodgman says: wero originally hot, avd hot from s bygono eternity, why, and bow, and when, did they bo- gin to grow cool 7" and calla those questions n doath-blow o, and s gauge-tost of, the Nebular Hrpothesis, bo suraly did not conceive tlhio great iden of Kautand Laplaco, a8 io {ntends to test fs on questions of secondary importance, tho first place, tho hypothonia doos not claim that the atoms were, dnring & bygune etornity, in tho samo stato of lieat; it says thoy were Liot, but how and when thoy becume Lo, will boyond more conjectures; and it doom not mattor cither, bocaurs tempera~ ture is relativo, and 50,000,000 degrces above zaro i just aw natural an 60 degroos below. Each period of tho evolution' has a temporature patural to ita state. When CGod onginally creatod tho elomants, It waa necessary, in order to prevent & univorsal smash-up, to have thom in » atate of temperature higu enough to koep them in dlasocistion, and to pormit their aescciation Tho temperature of any subsiance ia eithior coustant, or increasing, or dimmishing. Coustant, i£ tho supply of host ia loss by radintion ; iucroauing, if the supply is more ; and diminisuing, if the supply 18 than tho loss by radiation. the Bible does not *If tho atoms never be anawered 8. In bearmg this in ou will ensior understand that nebulw of such immenso oxtent 28 we find quito numerous in the universo, temperatara for millions of years, and again can grow cool throogh millions and willions of years to tho tempera. yor only know rcoourcea of tho supply Theso resources wo iind in the formation of chomicsl combinations of the ditferout elemonts, and in the mechanical work dono by the atoms iu gravitating toward a con- tral point. Tho nobula out of wlich tha sun aud planets resulted commenced to grow cool tho woment the supply of beat becamo Icns than tho loss by radiation, “Tho exact event took placo I do not know, but it was * Wby thoy Legan to grow cool?" becwuse heatis not a natural proporty of all matter, like gravity, and woa loat by radistion. Temporaturo is a propoerty of sll matter, but not heat,—a certain dogree of tom- “ yow thoy Logan to cool?” by lost by radistion. year whon thet millions of years sgo. But it 18 quite Immaterial for the Lypotheais liow, when, aud why, tho atoma began to grow cool,—just a3 immaterial as tho question would be for the theory of guavitation, Why does gravity oxist, and how nud when did it become ropor:y of all matter. OF {mpartanco to prove s, ‘whothior there oxist in tho universe such nobulr a8 this hypotheels adopts to oxplain tho ovolution of tlo sun and its pistuets, apoctroscope solved this question, which s tho greatost triumph of modern Beieace. year 1364, Huggins examined tho spectrum of n Bnall but very bright nebuls, and found that it consisted of threo bright lines, and consequaatly that thils nebula {s not composod of numorous etars, but that 1t {4 o real nobula,—a gasous- glowing substance. Ono of theso bright linca colneided with the epeetrum of mitrogen, the th that of bydrogen, winie tho third spectrum, The spectral ouniysis establishos the corroctness of Laplaco's bypothesis in two wasa: by proving (1) that the substances of which tho bods of the sun consist are identical with thoso of which the earth is composed ; aud (2) that a groat many of tho numerous nebulw are glowing massos’ of gas, in which nitrogen sud hydrogen are prominent, Mr, Hodgman, tbego ara not mero apec Iations, conjecturas, but facts, cstablisnod chen proof of tha corructness of Li * brilliaut and graud iden,"—at loast of at part of it which iy in dispute botwoen nu ; and still you say : ** It dooa 110t come in my way now to natice what you say about the epectrum viawa of the sun, ete. | 1 matter, not pertinent to any question in dispute I do wot think it nocos. add any romark that is irrelovaut Letweon us." you want to got rid of strong praofs, in order t> get out of & tight placo. gard_tomy asdortion that tho euir fa still say: “Eithor you must t Tar FrisuNe sl so glowing-gadoous ka thiok that tho reador iguorsnt that they don't kuow whnt you don't koow yourselt whatit is.'" you that, lu stating the gasegus stato of the sun, bolieved tho readems of koow what gas fu; but now, iureading your remark, I found an cxcoption in you. would know, a4 you pretond, tho nature of gas, you would bo aware of (Lo face that, 1f wo com- press a gag in order to dinuuish ita volume sud toweaicase ite density, we will, nuder orulnary circumstances, and at o low teraperat irv, obtain the sams «oouer or lator iu a lxquid state. wa caunot ubtaio the samn rosuls, no matier how greal » prassure we spply, q of the gas 18 increasod to a cortain poitk, critical temuperaturo. which for carbowic acid id 81 dog. C. abova zero, must be for permunout as hydrogen or nitrogen, 0 nest tempazature which wo can produce, we liavo in the sun, at loast iu its lowor rogious, 1gb pressuro sod o vory bigh townperas thetefore the was, though of grest deasity, canuok assume s liguid stuto, ‘Tue TIBUNE it the tomparature the critical potas or crudeal tewmporaturo, more, If the sun ie liqutd or solid, Itx dlamater must beaconstant ona; butcereful observations show that this {8 not the case. Now you sco, Mr. Hodgman, the assertion that tho eun |4 still in & glowing-gaseous utato is not #o stupid ea you think, ovonif we Liad not the proofs furnislied by spectroacople obsorvations. Ot7orAs Homtaxs, NOTHING. To the Eilitor of Th8 Chicagn Tribune: Cutoaao, Feb, 18.—Hero Is a put for Mr. Hodgman and tho faitbful to crack, whiol, I think, will bother somowhat thelr mental molars o manticate; for, Ihave no doubt, thoy will be puzzled not s littla when they altempt to demol- ish—Normxa, *'In tho begioning God croated the heavon and the carth,” Now, to croate, aa I understand it in thls particular case, and a8 I have heard many religionists clalm, {s to make from noth- ing. The question then arlsos; What 18 noth- ing? Notuino is the absenco of overything. \¥hat, then, s God? Is Ho something. or la Ho wothing ? 1f Ho ia sonicthing, o could not be present o create, overvthing belng abaent; and, If evorythlog was not absent, thoro could bo no creation, and houcs no God or Creator, bacause, to admit tho eoxistanco of & point of BPACE, & moment of TIME, OF an atom of MATTER, is to admit the eternal and infinite existence of all the throe ; for, in order to bave one point of BPACE prescat, all of sPAcE munt o present; for thero cen Lo nothing finite wilhout an outside to0it, and the outside in Infinito; that is, tho space that surrounds oy given point Is influite : and, in order to have one alom Of MATTER prep- ent, all of MATTER must be present; for ong ntum requirea all BPACEto oxist in, aud all of srAcE contains all of MATTER : aud TIMR i¥ imply the presence or existence of space and matier, and to admit of its exisience for one wowent ts to admit of its exiatence always, unless it can ba explained bow space and matter can be annihil- lated. Hrace in distanco or room; MATTER s mnbe stanco ; Tr¥g Is presence. They are all here; that is, they oxist. Can any one oxplain how thaoy could bo away, or out of oxistenca? It not, what rezson has any one for assering that they did not oxiat aud wero created ? Marren, space, and TIaE coustitute existence, Taks thesa away, what is loft? Notaixo, 1f there is anything left, I should like to have somo ono explain what1t ig, It miphc bo asserted thint they conld not bo taken swav; but, if any one 80 nssorts, how does ho account for a beo- mnning to their existence ? Can be offer or produce soy evidonce. outside of moro ogotisti- cal assertion,—which is no ewidenco,—to show that thoy were over sheent? And, 1f they wero always boro, Low, in the pamo of common sense, could they ever come? They did not bave to come; thoy alwass exisied; aud 1 defy any one to show otherwise who aseerts otherwise, * How snd whers did it all coms from, if it was not created?” 18 & question fro~ quently asked by beltevers in & creation, The very question {8 o poaitive probf that it slwnys existed. Ia it possible to pay, ** Whoro did it all come from #* without implying the preseuce of ali of spaco, and tho presenco in that apaco of all .of mattor? * Where" implies location,— simply another patt of epace frum the part with which we are at presant immediatelv connectod, ~aud “all” means something; thercfore, to put the question in & moro simple form, it is just thig: What part of space did overything come from when it catna to this part, i it way not created 7 The tnconuistency of such a ques- tion ouglit to be spparent to tho dalleat compre- Lenston. 'I'o deny the existence of & point of space, s moment of time, or an atom of matter, is to deny the existeuce of everything; for, in order to ennibilate any one of them, everytlung would Lave to be annitiilated. A poiut of space can- not be moved,—it ox1st8 the Bamo in & solid as in a yacuum : ap atom of motter can bo moved trom ooo location to another, but it cannot bo taken out of apace, for epace is everywhere; a moment of time csnnot be denied,—for to do 80 is to deny presonco, which meaus tho existauce of apace and matter. If God 18 nothing, Uedoca not oxiat ; conse~ quantly, on that bLypothesis, tnero could be no creation, nothing would oxiet, wo woald not be Lero, and here alao wonld bo absent. 1f Qod is infinite, Ho lixe no fotelligence ; for intolligenca i only possiblo whore comparison is possible, ana that which is infinite can never come togethor to ‘be compared. 1 loave the faithfal to imagios what Mind of an All-Wiso Ruter He would make without intelligenco. Fire your big gune, ye Christians; thoy aro nothing agalpst Xormixa! You must either ad- mit your Uod to bo something or nothing, nod either admigston denios both Him and tho cres- tion. 1f you are inclined to dispute it, burry on your countor-demoustrations. Your mssertions amount to nothing ; they havo nathing to stand on, You pin your faith tonathing. You wor- ehip nmofhing. ~‘Take matter, space, and timo away, and nothing is left ; heuco, nofhing must be your God, for you claita His prionty to mat- ter, space, and time; theao require and ad- mit of no creator. Why, then, should tuey require & ruler. The idoa is absurd ; you cannot oven imagina a God that would not bo depend- ont on sPACE {0 eXist In, MATTZI o oxiat of, and Tie for His presonce. Anything that oxists must bo subordinato to these ; nothing can oxist without them,—Norn1: J. Eceronp, VARIOUS POINTS. Decoxam, Ia., Fob, 18, To the Editor of the Chicago Tribunr i And wider 5ot those billows of war ‘Thunderea along the Lorizon's bar, Aud louder yet futo Obicago rolted "Ik rosr of that red ssa unicontrolled; M:king the blood of the reader cold ‘As Lo thought of tue stako in that lery fray, ‘Awl Hodgrizn many miled away, Tho diecussion now boing carried on {n your columns soems to grow warmer avery week, aud 1notico that AMr. Hodgman Las o supporter in ‘Pie TrinuNe for tho 12thinet. Well, ** Hoep the ball rolling.” In bis lotter of the Oth inst., Mr. McCormiok gave bis idea of Nebular Hypoth- osls, and my idea is snbustantially the asme, Dut 1 tiink that, fostoad of gascous riugs baing sep- arated from tho nobula, tho mass cooled to a liquid ntate, and thon, by centrifugal force, por- tiona wore throwa off, which now form our system. Noarly all your correspondenta lwve pro- poundod quoations, and I have one I would like gome ono to anawer. Why {s it that, when ro- ligionists find that scientists have mado a good point, thoy say, **Oh! thatis porfectly abuurd ;" or, “Allthatis irrolevant, and hes notlung to do with tho question”? Thia ks s just what Mr. odgman does. Again, as an argument agaiost the Nebular Ilypothesis, Ar. Hlodgman eays: *No, itis too lats to talk of putitog Christisuity to proof st this advanced period in the Listory of exlstonco. Lut this Nebular Hypottosis s comparatively now, avd it has naver yat beon tosted, sod 1 think it I8 timo it should be,” Mr, Hodgman evidontly thinks that the Nebular Hypothesis 1a autagonistio to Roligion; but there is whers he makes bis greatest mintake. 1t ia tho holght of folly to think such o thing, Tho Nobular ily- pothosis does in uo way nffect the existeuco or the nou-exietence of & Divins Being, or the di- vinity of Chnet. What ia Religionrs Isltuot a love of Qod, sud a golug out of the heart to Him as tho Fathor, and to Chrisd rs the Son? ‘I'his, 1t seome to me, {s what the Christian rolig- fon is. But does the Nebulsr llypothosts in nny wey affcct this? Moat oortainly not, Wiy, thon, does Mr. Hodgmsn maks tho ro- mark he docs? It {8 mot on the truth of tho Christiau religion that wo are argning, but on tho truth of the Nebular ilypothesis as op- poned to the Mosnig sccount of thw Creation, - I would advise 3Mr, Hodwmsn to read an article writteo Ly the llev, Charlos R, Deowa iu the Populas Science Monthiy for Pobruary, entitlod +'Hcience and Ioligion," snd slso Joseph Lo- Coute's book smpporting Religion, entitled ** Re- Igion and Heienco,” Now, Mr, Hodgman, dou't &0 to telling na how Christisnity bas boen up- held for 1,500 years and tho Nobular Hypothosis Ia comparatively new; henco tho aforessid Iy~ pothesie s false, The Nebular lly{mmo«lu. ] 10t 1u auy way opposod to Chittatisulty, L will, therefora, Iay doan this proposition ; aud, if any oue ¢an diaprove it, 1 wish then todoso: Na- iglon has uothing to do wih tus Nebular Hy- pothosis; and, couversoly, tho Nebular Iopotie- sis baw nothiug to do with Religion, 1 uatico ono of_your correspondonts, algning himself **E. A, I.," saya: **Though gallous of watar may bo thrown ovor tho cosly, not & drop remains fu the coke. Now, upou the hypothesis that tbin pianet was origioally at s “‘red-hot giow,” sud o coutivued for an indoBuite number of nullions of years, must it not wvocossarily, after the cooling procesd bad attor a manner oule nunsiad, boen without water? How i 1t, then, that ro large a portion of this ‘dem dawmpness Jicka up thu varth 2" When water is thrown upon tha coald, 1t is not destroyod because wattar ia industeuctible, bat ls convertod into vapor. 8o, when this oarth was st o **rad-tot glow," tag wator was lo s atato of vapor surroundiug tho sarta, and, ad it cooled, thaal condensed aud foll upon the earth as water. This, 1 thiuk, will suswor vour correspondent’s questiou. Now, whould Mr. Hodgman doign to snswer any argu- mouta I baye used, I beg that be will do"s0 uot by slmply deuylug them polot-blauk, butby 7 n bringiog formard some argumenta to suppors his objectiona. If he cannot refuts them, let him admit them as trne. R. W. Coorxr. A QUESTION OF WEIGHT. To the Editor of The Chicago Tribuna: Hr: Foxp pu Lac, Wis, Fab, 16,—Your 6orre- spondant from Oregon, Mo,, dogmatically af- firma that the tidea ato not cansed by.the attrao- tlon of the moon and sun, If w6, ho writes, ‘' How is it that the ssmo quantity of water or iron woighs, say, & pound at the same timoat overy placo on tho earth's surfaco?” He ro- minde mo of a philosopher of the Middlo Ages who propounded the conundrum, '*Why was i§ that a pieco of silver dropped into s vossel filled to tho brim with water would not mata it over« flow?” Aftor yoars of discussion among the sages, ono ‘moro practical than the othera bos thought to try the experiment, aud behold! the water did overflow the vessel. Bo it is with your Orogon coirespondent. If ko will waigh bis water or iron, he witl flad it will not weigh exactly the sama at bigh tido sa it will at low tidn, Of courss, tho difference on a pound will ba inappreciable; but, with 100 toos, and accae rate scales, ho will find n differcace, L. Case, P, 8.~0n farthor roflection, it bas ocaurred to me that your Orogon correspondent may hisve triod the uEuflmnt on @ pair of grocer's even balance scales, by putting & pound of tron on oae sido and & pound of wator on the othor., Of course tho loss or gnin by attraction wonld act 7!“1 each with equal forco, snd would not be a r tast, : “BLETONISM" AND ODINIC FORCE. To the Fdstor of The Chicugo Tridune: Cuticago, Fob. 17.—Your isaue of Jan. 28 con: taios an articlo from a eorrespondent, P, B, entitled ** A Nut for Scientiats to Orack," whera- In he ralaten the locating of s wall through the process of water-witchory. Again, in your issue of Fab. 2, a paper on the eame subject was resd bofore the Civil Engineers’ Club by Mr, O, Lati- mor. Io Wobster's Dictionary, uuder the hesd *Biotonism," is the following defloition : ' The faculty of perceiving and indicating mubterra- neen aprings and curranta by sensation ; so called from one Bleton, of France, who was supposed to possess this facnlty.” Mr, Webrtar thus exe prossed s doubt of tho existence of such faculty. 1 Liad the privilege of reading alate letter from Prot, J, I Buchanaw, of Louiaville, Ky., @zitten to & corrospondent, in relation to experiments, made with the principle or power denominated the Od, or Udinis Forco; in which ho - says: “There aro & great many impondorable energies or lufluences, of which no scientist has over droamed; it isn realm of boundiess mystery, at prosoot. Your discoveries will como in as portions of » vaat scicnce, of which my own ex- porimoota give 8 gllmmering. The Odinlc method will becomo invaluable s a mode of scientific investigation.” — This cotre. Apondent hsd written him of some exprriments in_Odinlc Force, by which ne foand that every substance of tue earth, as motals, glsas, earthen veesols, and the like, and polar- ized by terrestrial muguetism,—each indicating & North'and South Pole as decidedly as does the needle of tho compasa; and that, if their posle tions, relative toNorth and South, wera changad, this polarization would roassert Itaelf in a fow soconds. Tho experimentia very simple. Al most any amall thing Suxeent bono), as a batton, » natl, a pencil, or a little bit of wood even, tied toone end of o etriog & fow inches long, and Lield betwocn the thumb ana tluger of the right hand, will oscillato coptinuously in one direc- tion, if the aperator majutsins tho one position, in all respocts, o which ho bepins the experi: ment. Any vory small chango of position, suck oven na toaching some object with the left band, may vause o transverae or a rotary motion of the lmra pondulum. which ia csiled an odometer when applied to this use. If this lttls simple instrnment, na simple and unimposing a8 tho forked twig of the Bletonist, be beld near tho north sido of a glass, or tin, or earthen vassol it will swing io ono given direction; if neld st the south side, the motion will bs transverss ta tho other; and, if applied to any other part of tho vensel, tho motion will ba rotary. 1lore lot it be understood that, with somo pors sous, the odomstor will not swing at all; with otbers, elightly ; and with othors, freely. Tho ficst class of persons cannol verify any of tha facta elicitod by tho Odinic Force. It will, by experiment, bs found that the Jiue man body 18 subject to the samo law of terros- trial metlsm ; and thus A poreoo lost ju a wil- dorness, or s fog, may determine his poiuts of compess, if he has with him o stripg and & knifo, and hag the attribute of osciliating the odouweter, and the air is still enough to aliow of its normal action. Mr. Lotiner found that, when insulsted on glaes, nothing moved the implemont in bis baods, Nettber will the odometer move under like conditions. Thus it would soem that Ble- tonism and Odometry are governed by tho same Iaw,—actiog in one perpendicularly, and hori- zontally in tho otler. J. A, WILLARD, 827 Fulton streot. —_— A VALENTINE. [70 the Zadies of Sorosia and Their Prestdent, Mre, J, ¢, Croly (Jinnie June), on the Tientuth Anmavers vy of Ner Wedding.) Once more within this ailken heaven, * Wiicre Loveliness {s Wit's right hand, Thanks to Saint Valentine we're bidden T toast the best loved of tho Band, 1 take my long-forsaken Iyre, ‘Aud, tiiough my churlish Muse moross 1s, 111 wrest from ber some old-time tirs To grest Our Lady of 8oroals, Vot gold nor silver haro belong, Nor wood, uor tin, nor gems that shine— A Flower Wedding, with dow'rs and song, We'll liold to-night, Baint Valentine, Then weave & wroath of roses swaot, Yo ay7en sistera of Soroats, On thi bier featal night 'tis imeet Our Jenulo Juna should wear June roset, For tweaty golden yoars, and good, “T'wino tweuty rod and Tadiant roses, ¥or this champion of dear womanki Tho geutle Lady of Ho 1 once, Uy mad ambition fred— A linrd{hood that Heaven knows ta Dred but of purost love—aapi To join thy starry ranks, Sorosts. £l soven years sinca thus X woood ; You theu tarned up your preity ooses, And gave 1o me, 1n scoruful mood, Tha shoulder very oald, Baroate, 1n seven scanous wun and ahade Have bloomed and faded summer's rosss, Sinco first Ln loyal love I lald My hieart beneath your feet, Sorosis, ‘Yon mado of It 8 croquet-ball, You trauiped oa It in pretty poses, Then ricoched ms o the wall K “Aud left ma with & laugh, Sarosts, 4 For seven years did Jacob walt, Whila Nachel smiles and Laban prosery Protigured thus wers thou, wy Fate, 11 thy soro yearning for Boroals, “They tell mo thls is Tadlea® yesr, And not the L lies man H ALPAI tonas pityiog Angel bers Propoes to take 10 in Sorouis 3 ik the Perl, st the gate oot portal'drear o skt Tho tears with which I iope and walt ‘Aro thoso Lio maX'e} s ahed, Horosla | For Iatus Leavea havo turnsd to sshes At Union League ons drones or dozcs: Arcadis lacke tho lambeut tlashes ‘That Ught your marrie halls, Borosis, Manhattan's manna palls on me, [ “Tnat wilderess without » Moses, Afar your boauty calla on me, My Promised Luud, my own Soroxts. ‘Tho wine-rod pearl of l‘oel{ Is not my fi““ for God disposas; Dut n poet’s Lieart without bis art Boaty red and true for thos, Barosls ] "Ifs yours to wear of waste or spurn, Dut Trus Love's chapter never closes, And s6as sball buru and mountalas tur Ere L am falso ta thoo, Borosls, Paes soven times seven years rain and rosod, Aye, till my vory lifa’s decliug, o Do htaai e aant Valonisie, o TRoszat B, LOOLSYELY, Nxw Youx, Feb, 14, 1876, The Firet Ited Cout. Letroit News, An item is going the rounds of the papen Btating that *tho cent waa flrst provosea by Hobery Morris, the groat financler of tho Hevolu- tion, It bogau to make its appearaace from the Mint {n1793. It boratbo head of Washiuglon onone side and thirteon luke on the other. ‘I'ho cont racently reforred to fu the News, be- Jouging to Mr. 1, E. Roborts, of this city, has on one sido the sun and dial, uoderpeath which the words “Mind Your Lusluess,” aud on the sidos * Fuglo" and *1787." Ou the revorde a circle of thirteen tingd, on which is stamped + United Btates,” aod in the ceutre, ** We Aro It ling always been underatood sobave o designod by Dr. Fraoklio, Such ls & oor zeqt description 0f tha fired cant. | !