OR, Cruth in its Native Loveliness. BY REV. DHOLMES, A.M. Born at Newburgh, NY., March 10, 1810 Died at Battle Ground, Iroliana, Nov. 14, 1873, Member of Northwest Indiana Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church "What is truth?"-PILATE. "I am the way, and the truth, and the life."-Jesra. "When I speak of Christian theology as a science, it should not be deemed as involving any unholy blending of things sacred and profane together: I design by it to express the deep conviction, that the truths of revelation have a harmonious connection and inter-depen dency with each other, and that it is competent to bring them all into one intoiligent system, possessing complete philosophical unity." DR. HICKOK Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1851, by D. HOLMES, In the Clerk's Office for the Northern District of New York. 4 Preface. THE character of the following work is so fully revealed in the table of "Contents," that little need be added by way of preface. The leading design of the author has been to separate truth from error, and present it in so clear and convincing a light, that the honest inquirer will at once perceive that it is truth, and that whatever conflicts with it must be false. There is little danger that false systems, or theories of religion will be adopted, if the mind have a clear perception of first principles. Where honest minds are conducted to erroneous conclusions, it is from indefinite views of first truths, or inability to perceive the relations of things, and accurately calculate moral results. Some of the subjects discussed in the following pages are in their nature metaphysical and abstruse. It has been the aim of the writer to simplify these, and bring them even within the apprehension of the common reader, and also to show how they combine and harmo- nize with other truths with which the common mind is Should this humble effort contribute in any degree to overthrow error, and establish truth in any mind sincerely INTRODUCTORY.-Man Primeval.-What he was.-What he is.- What he must be.-General Unhappiness of Mankind.-True Re- ligion the Great Want of the World.-Design of the Subsequent The Word Religion.-Definition.-False Religion.-Error-Funda- God.-His Existence Necessary and Eternal.-Proof.-True Religion Revealed.-Necessity of Revelation.-The Book of Nature in Three Volumes-"Natural Universe," "Natural Reason," and "Natural Conscience"-All Deficient, or not Reliable.--The Bible.-Wesley,. 24 |