Your ShelfYour Projects

SELECTIONS

6%

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Dec 25, 1856

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 9, No. 8.

Read the full edition

SELECTIONS.

By Chris. Spiritualist

Reformers.

  • *
Was not Jesus and his disciples, the Waldenses and Albigenses, in the valleys of Piedmont, Luther and Melanchthon, in Germany, Zuingle, in Switzerland; Cranmer, Ridley, and Latimer, in England, all esteemed as skeptics and free-thinkers in their day, and were they not? Were not all these heterodox in their opinions?
Was not Hunter, in physiology; Thompson, Priessnitz, and Hahnemann, in medicine; Gall, Spurzheim, and Combe, in metaphysics and ethics, and the leaders of every religious sect in its commencement, skeptics as to former belief? Had not their minds outgrown popular ideas, and were they wrong, in the true dignity of their manhood, for asserting and maintaining what they esteemed as truth, though voted heretical by the popular will, and persecuted by the church and priesthood?
Have not these heretical reformers been the true benefactors of their race?
Was not every true reformer in advance of, and persecuted by, his age?
Has not truth, ye proud ones, ever been born in a manger?
Did not Caiaphas sit in Moses' seat while Christ went wandering over the plains of Galilee, "without where to lay his head?"
Has not truth been presented in every age, and are not her lovely and benign features still seen among us, seeking to benefit her persecutors, for ever blessing, and continually crying amidst her cruel persecutors, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do?"
Is it wrong to love her? Is it a crime to respect what is respectable, esteem what is estimable, admire what is admirable, and love that which is so lovely?
Is not the life of Jesus typical of the history of truth in every age?
Is not truth continually persecuted, reviled, spit upon, killed, yet lives forever?
Will mankind ever become earnest seekers after truth, instead of zealous advocates of favorite preconceived and stereotyped opinions?
Will men ever cease to take for granted that their opinions are correct?
Who will advocate truth independent of prejudice?
  • * [Chris. Spiritualist.