The Argument for Christianity (Classic Reprint)1kg Limited, 2017 M03 29 - 488 pages Excerpt from The Argument for Christianity The birth of a new religion, like the creation of a new orb, is at once the source of amazement and de light. When a star, unseen before, comes out of the depths and passes into the telescope's field of vision, the astronomer, not unnaturally, is startled and moved to joy. And when a faith suddenly breaks on the darkness of the world, and reveals truths hitherto hidden from mankind, it is not unreasonable that sur prise and gladness should assert themselves. Thus, when Christianity, which had existed in the Divine thought from the eternities, passed into the field of history some twenty centuries gone, the angels, with jubilant voices, caroled good-will the shepherds were astonished; and wherever the news was heard a thrill of blissful expectation exalted lowly people. But in astronomy, the star once welcomed is never repudiated. Its rank and orbit once determined, it is never treated as an illusion or a fancy. In this science has the ad vantage over religion. Greeted with acclamation at the beginning, in a little while the new cult is exposed to cavil and criticism. Soon delight gives way to doubt, satisfaction to skepticism, confidence to controversy, and the very light which emanates from the celestial body is obscured, if not swallowed up, in the black night of persistent unbelief. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works. |