SOLITARY HOURS. (Continued from col. 130.) No. XXVIII.-Evidences of Christianity.-Evidence arising from its Early and Extensive Progress in the World. "It is amazing that even truth itself, under so many disadvantages as Christianity had to contend with, should have obtained so illustrious a triumph; and its wonderful success does evidently argue such an extraordinary interposition of God in its favour, as might justly be called a miraculous attestation to it." Dr. Doddridge. THE extensive progress which the Christian religion made in the days of the apostles, constitutes an unanswerable proof of its divine origin. Regarding this important fact, there exists no diversity of opinion betwixt the advocates and opponents of the religion of Jesus. We might here introduce copious and numerous quotations from the writings of the earlier enemies of Christianity, in which it is unequivocally admitted, that the new religion, as it was then denominated, had extended itself throughout Asia, Greece, Italy, Spain, Germany, France, Britain, &c. And that in each of these places it made numerous converts of all ranks and classes of men, so that the apostle Paul was fully justified in employing the language of the Psalmist, "that their line had gone forth into all the earth, and their words into the world's end." We wish it, however, to be distinctly understood, that it is not our intention to argue the divine origin of Christianity from the circumstance of the extensive progress it so rapidly made in the world, abstractedly considered. The mere success of a cause, we are ready to concede, constitutes no proof whatever of the goodness or truth of that cause. The proposition, whose truth we are to endeavour in the present instance to establish, is, that the early success of the Christian religion, taken in conjunction with all its concomitant circumstances, constitutes such conclusive evidence of the truth of that religion, as cannot possibly be invalidated by any efforts on the part of our opponents. | would have been enlisted in its favour; and all who are acquainted with the constitution of the human mind, must be aware of the powerful influence which the passions or propensities of man exert on the judgment. When under the guidance or government of the passions, men of the most vigorous understandings are readily led into the adoption of the most absurd and erroneous sentiments. Christianity, however, so far from administering to the depraved desires and propensities of mankind, is a system of doctrine entirely the reverse, and, consequently, the human bosom was not a congenial soil in which to sow its principles. The religion of Jesus directed at once a deadly blow at the very existence of every unhallowed passion, and prohibited, in the most uncompromising terms, indulgence in any of those vicious practices so congenial to the degeneracy of our common nature. The very first condition required on the part of those, who, in the days of the apostles, enlisted themselves under the standard of Jesus of Nazareth, was, that they should deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow him. Under this comprehensive expression was included a great variety of worldly pleasures which they must forego, and an equally extensive variety of positive pungent pains to which they must voluntarily subject themselves. It was indispensably necessary to their consistent profession of Christianity, that they repented with their whole souls of the sins which characterized their previous conduct, that they loved their enemies, and that they should pray for, and do good to, those who reviled and persecuted them. They must voluntarily submit to part with mother, sister, and brother, friends and relations, houses and lands, with all the endearing delights of country; and, in a word, with every earthly object, for the sake of Jesus and his religion. Independently, too, of the worldly pleasures which the first disciples of Jesus were necessitated to forego, and the humiliating and mortifying duties which they were required to perform, they were also subjected to positive sufferings of the severest kind. These sufferings arose from a variety of sources. The Christian religion, on its first promulgation, was one of the most unpopular systems ever submitted to the suffrages of mankind. Indeed, it was regarded with all but absolute detestation; and the man who avowed himself a proselyte to it, was instantly pronounced a fool or a madman, and had poured upon him all the con P 219 Solitary Hours: On the Evidences of Christianity. tumely and reproach which the malignity of the human heart could emit. Nor was the persecution of the first Christians confined to mere words of malignant derision; they were subjected to corporeal sufferings of the most poignant nature, and oftentimes to martyrdom itself in its most painful and horrible forms. Those who are acquainted with the history of the primitive Christians, either as recorded in the New Testament, or in the works of profane contemporary or subsequent writers, will conceive it unnecessary to adduce any evidence in support of the truth of the above observations. Now, that such a religious system should have made such extensive progress in the world within a few years subsequent to the death of its Founder, is a fact which infidels have at all times felt it most difficult to account for on their own principles; hence, the supremely absurd causes which Gibbon, and others of the same school, have assigned as producing the effect in question. There are many reasons, besides a conviction of the truth of Christianity, which may induce men, in the present day, to profess their faith in its doctrines; but no earthly consideration could by any possibility have influenced those in the days of the apostles, to embrace a system so very unpalatable to the human mind as the doctrines it inculcated, and the consequences to which it exposed its disciples. Nor was it merely the corrupt passions and propensities of our common nature, that Christianity had to contend with on its first promulgation; but it had also to overcome the deep-rooted prejudices of those to whom it was first addressed. It is of considerable importance to our present argument, that it be strictly recollected, that thousands were converted to the Christian religion in that very place which had been the theatre of the principal scenes of the ignominy and sufferings of Jesus; and this, too, immediately after his death. Even now it requires at all times, and under all circumstances, a very extensive resolution in the mind of a Jew, to renounce Judaism and embrace Christianity; but we can form no adequate conception of that violent conflict of feeling, that resolute struggle of mind, which must necessarily have been experienced by a primitive convert from Judaism to Christianity. The earlier converts to the religion of Jesus were eye-witnesses of the poverty which characterized his life, and the lives of his apostles, of the ignominy, the scorn, the contempt, the sufferings, which they endured; and at the very moment these converts embraced Christianity, the religion of 220 Jesus, himself, and his apostles, were the subjects of universal derision and detestation in the country of Judea. Instead of this, they had been invariably taught to expect, in the person of Messiah, a temporal deliverer, whose advent and residence in the world should have been characterized by a degree of earthly pomp and splendour, perfectly unparalleled by any thing which had ever been witnessed before in our portion of the universe. Their mortification, therefore, must have been indescribably extreme,' at being compelled, by the force of conviction, to renounce opinions and expectations so flattering to human vanity, and to embrace the despised and hated religion of Christ; a religion which neither afforded them a chance of present honour or riches, nor held out to them the most distant prospect of possessing them in future,—at least, in so far as this world was concerned. To accomplish, then, a change so radical in its nature, and under such circumstances as those we have adverted to, was beyond the confines of human energy: it must have been accomplished by a supernatural agency-even by Omnipotence itself. The progress of Christianity will appear still more remarkable, if we further consider the instruments engaged in the promulgation of it. The apostles were men of the most illiterate character. The power of eloquence, in the hands of a skilful and accomplished orator, is so prodigious, as to appear almost incredible to those who have not enjoyed an opportunity of witnessing its surprising influence. The effects produced on myriads in ancient Greece and Rome, by the impassioned eloquence of Demosthenes, Cicero, and other eminent orators of antiquity, must be perfectly familiar to most of our readers. It was not, however, by the power or the enchantment of oratory, that the apostles of Jesus accomplished their conquests over the human heart, and made their myriads of converts to the new religion. To the principles of philosophy or human learning, they were perfect strangers, and were utterly incapable of going through a course of ratiocinative argumentation, in order to force conviction home on the minds of those to whom their messages were addressed. Selected by their Master, with the exception of Paul, from the lowliest circumstances in life, they were entirely unacquainted with even the rudiments of human literature. The obscurity and poverty, as well as the ignorance, of the apostles, were also circumstances which contributed to render the success of their mission in the highest degree improbable. When the advocates of any new system of opinions are men of opulence and respectability in the estimation of the world, the doctrines they inculcate, whatever may be their nature, stand a much greater chance of being embraced, than when advocated by poor, obscure, despised individuals. On the other hand, it is matter of equally unquestionable fact, that when any new system of opinions is proposed to the world by those situated in the lower ranks of society, there is invariably a general prejudice existing against such a system, in consequence of the mean and obscure circumstances of its first advocates. The progress of Christianity was rendered on this, as on every other account, improbable in the highest degree. Its first advocates were a few poor despised individuals, so much unknown to fame, that comparatively few perhaps of those in whose neighbourhood they had resided, had ever even heard of their names previous to their appearing as the votaries of the new religion; and so far from regarding such individuals as likely to improve on the religion of the country, or as qualified to advocate a new religion, the world would naturally regard them and their opinions with thorough contempt. That Christianity, therefore, should have made such progress within a few years subsequent to the death of its Founder, as is universally admitted it did, when the instruments engaged in its propagation were, according to all human calculation, so very inadequate to the task, is, we repeat, a fact perfectly inexplicable on any other principle than that of its being of divine origin. Independently of that inveterate opposition with which Christianity had to contend from the very elements of corrupt human nature, there were other grounds equally formidable to it, arising from adventitious circumstances. The rich and powerful naturally regarded Christianity with the utmost abhorrence, because universally it represented their riches as constituting a snare; as being, in fact, in the great majority of cases, a barrier to exclude them from the kingdom of heaven. Besides this, it inculcated the extremely unpalatable doctrine, that it was the indispensable duty of those rich in this world's possessions, to appropriate a considerable proportion of their property for the purpose of feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and, in a word, administering to the exigencies of the destitute of every description. The poor were opposed to the Christian religion on its first propagation; for it held out to them no prospect of becoming rich in this world's goods, or of bettering their present condition, by embracing its doctrines. Now, we believe, there is scarcely an individual in existence, however destitute of the good things of this life, but feels a persuasion, or rather cherishes the hope, that at some future period he will become bettered in his worldly circumstances. A religion, therefore, which at one fell stroke levelled to the ground all fondly anticipated prosperity in the world, could not by any possibility escape meeting with the most inveterate hatred, and decided opposition. The Jewish priest opposed the progress of Christianity, for it levelled a death-blow at that system of Judaism, on the continuance of which depended his livelihood and respectability. The philosopher was decidedly opposed to the spread of the religion of Jesus, for it denounced human learning, unless associated with the belief of its own doctrines, and the practice of the duties it inculcated: it pronounced the wisdom of this world to be foolishness with God. Nay, even the moralist was opposed to the progress of Christianity in the days of the apostles, as well as in our own, for it asserted, in the most explicit terms, that morality, abstractedly considered, was not of the smallest possible benefit to man. proclaimed, in the most unequivocał language, that faith and repentance must go hand in hand with morality, before a single individual could be saved. In short, Christianity was violently opposed by all ranks, classes, and descriptions of men in Judea; for it was a system entirely new, and radically repugnant not only to the very essence of depraved human nature, but also to those individual habits and prejudices which were prevalent at the time, and subsequent to the death of Jesus. It If we turn our attention for a moment to the Gentile nations, we shall find that Christianity was equally unpalatable to them. They had been strongly wedded to the practices inculcated and recognized by their system of idolatry. They had invested the inanimate idols, which their own hands had made, with those attributes which belong exclusively to the Supreme Being; and, believing that incalculable merit attached to those absurd practices to which they were addicted, it must have required the strongest possible conviction of the truth of Christianity, to have operated on their minds previous to their renunciation of idolatry, and their embracing the new religion. Hence, the apostles were violently opposed and persecuted in every country 223 Solitary Hours: On the Evidences of Christianity. they visited; and that Christianity should have made such rapid and extensive progress as it did, either in Judea or in Gentile lands, amid such violent opposition and persecution, is a fact which we again pronounce to be perfectly unaccountable on merely human principles. But the severe persecution which the apostles and first disciples of Christianity had to endure, remains to be slightly glanced at, as constituting of itself an unsurmountable barrier to the progress of Christianity, if viewed merely as a human system, or a system of imposture. That the apostles and first disciples of the religion of Jesus were subjected to persecution of the severest kind, is a fact which our opponents themselves, so far from wishing or attempting to deny, are fond of admitting; and they endeavour to construe the fact into one of the principal causes to which we are to attribute the success of Christianity in the days of the apostles. They agree in sentiment so far with our modern deists as to admit, that the number of proselytes to a new system, whether political or religious, is frequently augmented by persecution. We wish it, how- | ever, to be distinctly understood, that we make this admission only on the supposition that the cause or system in question be considered to be a good one by its votaries. Few individuals will ever voluntarily endure violent persecution on account of a cause, in the truth or goodness of which they do not actually believe. It is a fact established by the universal history of mankind, as well as asserted by the Founder of Christianity, that the hypocrite, or mere professor of religion, will immediately renounce his professed creed, when the storm of persecution arises on its account. Now, the question betwixt us and our opponents at present is, whether or not the apostles and primitive Christians were impostors? They affirm they were; we deny the truth of the affirmation, and maintain, that had we no other evidence of the sincerity of their belief in the truth of Christianity, than the sufferings they voluntarily endured on its account, that simple circumstance of itself would be quite sufficient to establish the point in dispute. Had the apostles and primitive Christians, therefore, been impostors, as they are represented by our opponents, the religion of Jesus, instead of flourishing under persecution, would speedily have been exterminated from the world. Here, then, we have a new religion; a religion at considerable warfare with every unhallowed passion, every depraved pro 224 pensity, existing in the human bosom; a religion alike opposed to all the prejudices peculiar to Jews and Gentiles; a religion advocated only by twelve individuals, and these utterly destitute of even the rudiments of human learning, and chosen from the very lowest circumstances in life; a religion violently opposed by all ranks and classes of men, its Founder and apostles persecuted, imprisoned, and even subjected to excruciating and ignominious modes of death, and yet, under all these peculiarly unfavourable circumstances, it makes myriads of converts from all ranks descriptions of men, and is propagated throughout almost every nation of the world, within a few years after the death of its Author. Now we again most anxiously appeal to the candour and the consciences of our opponents, and ask, Whether, after a mature and impartial examination of these arguments for the truth of Christianity, derived from its early and extensive progress in the world, they can lay their hands on their hearts, and say, they perceive no force in them? and We are aware that modern deists have frequently endeavoured to neutralize the argument for the truth of Christianity, derived from the success which attended its first promulgation in the world, by referring us to the extent to which the system of Mahomet was rapidly spread among his countrymen. Before, however, the votaries of deism can obtain the least triumph over the advocates of Christianity on the ground in question, it becomes matter of indispensable necessity that they, in the first instance, demonstrate that the two cases are parallel; that the two systems of religion not only possess in their very natures the same chances of succeeding in the world, but that there was likewise a precise simile in the instruments employed in the propagation of each, in the measures resorted to for the purpose, and in the opposition, both passive and active, which they had to encounter. This is a task which our opponents never have attempted-which they never will attempt-because they are duly aware they never can succeed in establishing the points in question. Christianity and Mahometanism, so far from having any points of resemblance to each other, are quite dissimilar. Christianity is a system of religion at irreconcileable variance with the depravity of human nature; Mahometanism is particularly congenial to it; for it holds out to its votaries unrestrained and permanent indulgence in those sensual pleasures in which they had formerly placed their chief happi ness. The Founder of Christianity never retired from the world in order to invent and arrange his system of religion: Mahomet secluded himself for years from all society, in order to concert his scheme of imposture. Christ and his apostles were at once the poorest and most illiterate among mankind; Mahomet, and his principal coadjutors, were men of opulence and of learning. The Founder and first advocates of Christianity were plain and open in all their endeavours to propagate its doctrines: Mahomet and his assistants had recourse to all the trickery and cunning of which they were possessed. Christ and his apostles never courted the aid of the state, or any secular power: Mahometanism was principally promulgated by the point of the sword. Christianity met with every earthly active opposition, and its Founder and advocates were persecuted and martyred: Mahometanism had no opposition of this nature to obstruct its progress, nor was Mahomet or his disciples subjected to persecution of any description. In short, the conduct of Jesus and his apostles is utterly unaccountable on the principle of their being deceivers; while the conduct of Mahomet, in all his endeavours to establish his religion, proves to a demonstration that he was nothing but an impostor. There is one experiment which we would suggest to our opponents the propriety of making, before they can succeed in neutralizing the force of the argument for the truth of the Christian religion, derived from its rapid and extensive success in the world, which is simply this—that they should choose twelve poor, illiterate men, and instruct them in any system of religion they please, with this indispensable proviso, that its leading doctrines and duties be in as diametrical opposition to the depraved nature of man, as the religion of Jesus was. Let these men be appointed to propagate this new religion in the world, and let them begin their work of instruction, enlightening, and reformation, in their own native place; let them itinerate throughout the whole of Great Britain, fearlessly attacking, as they proceed, the religion of the country; and afterwards visit France, Spain, Germany, Italy, the whole of the continent of Europe, and portions of Asia and Africa. If, against the termination of the existence of these twelve obscure and illiterate individuals, they shall have made as many proselytes to their new religion, as were made by the apostles of Jesus in the same space of time, we shall most readily admit that they have completely succeeded in exposing the futility of I HAVE observed in mines situate upon the deep strata of minerals, especially in coal mines, that hydrogen, combined with more or less carbon, is in general the most prevalent gas. These mines being at great depths beneath the surface of the earth, it becomes exceedingly expensive to sink the shafts by which they are worked, and therefore as few shafts as possible are sunk, which causes the galleries of these mines to be long, intricate, and often complicated; by which the currents of atmospheric air are frequently interrupted, and gases of every description, which issue from the workings of these mines, are detained therein, and intermixed and combined in almost every proportion. The specific gravity of hydrogen is less than that of atmospheric air; it therefore floats therein; and as it seldom, or perhaps never, takes up a sufficient quantity of carbon to cause it to be heavier than air, this gas is generally found immediately beneath the roof of the mine; and it is only when it exists in immense quantities in a mine, that it descends, and approaches the floor. On account of its great subtility and energy, it disperses itself through every compartment of a mine, filling every aperture, and while it is dangerous to approach, it is extremely difficult to disperse it. This gas is called by miners the fire-damp, because, being a combustible gas, when flame comes in contact with it, the flame of a candle or lamp for instance, it explodes with tremendous violence, and burns with great vehemence, hurling every thing at hand into instant destruction. Hydrogen abounds in water, exists in coal and divers minerals, and the atmosphere which surrounds our earth is partly formed of this gas. Oxygen and hydrogen chemically united constitute water, and water exists almost every where, beneath as well as upon the earth's surface, and especially amidst the strata which contain the |