Discussion on the Authenticity of the Bible; Between Origen Bacheler and Robert Dale Owen

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1842. Excerpt: ... not produce one so much to the purpose, as is this event in history to that for which I have adduced it. The mind, after its perusal, seems as if awaking from a frightful dream. Nothing but the seal of history enstamped upon it, could ever make us regard it otherwise than as an idle tale, a figment of the imagination. Human nature seems for a time to have been changed into infernal, and men to have delighted in tormenting one-another for torment's sake. There was something so inexpressibly horrible about the September massacre, the proceedings at Lyons, Nantes, and other places; nay, throughout all Trance, during the whole long reign of terror; something so revolting and appalling in the sangfroid with which the guillotine was plied, and human life sacrificed, and the God of heaven defied, that it is almost difficult to believe, that devils incarnate were not for a time at the head of affairs in that ill-fated country. The French revolution, sir, will stand a beacon to all future ages, to warn mankind to beware of war with heaven--and with heaven's sacred book. Nor will they be in very great haste to turn away their eyes from a memento of so fearful import. Slow, slow will they be, again to embrace principles which have once led to such results. One such experiment outweighs a thousand arguments. To prove the necessity of revelation, I have likewise adduced the case of ancient and modern heathen nations, and shown, that the most enlightened of them were and are sunken in the lowest depths of moral degradation, polluted with the vilest abominations, and crimsoned with the bloodiest rites; and their wisest philosophers have confessed and deplored their spiritual darkness, and have disagreed on the most obvious and important truths; that what little glimmeri...