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The Character of Heathenism

and the

Grounds of Hope.

BY REV. THOMAS SMYTH, D. D.

THE CHARACTER OF HEATHENISM.

Have respect unto the Covenant; for the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty.-Ps. 74: 20.

The destruction of Jerusalem, the subjugation of the entire country, and the consequent captivity and dispersion of the Jewish people-is most probably the subject of this Psalm. The idolatrous Chaldeans had demolished the temple, desecrated God's holy place, and violently overturned the whole order, polity, and beauty of his worship, as established among his chosen people. Nebuchadnezzar had now triumphed over Judah. The solemn services of religion were all forbidden. The priests and prophets of the Lord were silenced and scattered. There were no longer any divine communications from heaven-no glory from the Sheckinah-no voice from the Union and Thummim-no oracles and prophetic enunciations, no visions, or dreams in which things invisible and future were made known to men. Jerusalem was in ruins. Judea was trodden down of the Gentiles. The land was filled with blood and rapine. The exiled captives beheld around them nothing but the monuments of idolatry; and experienced only those tender mercies of the wicked which are cruel.

In this distressing conditon of his country and the church,and in view of the widespread desolations of heathenism all round him-the pious author of this Psalm undertakes to plead with God-and to call to his remembrance the covenant which he had so solemnly established.

I. In this view of the Psalm the application of the passage cannot be limited to the land of Judea, but must be applied also to other portions of the earth. In their migrations eastward to Babylonia the attention of the Jews would be necessarily drawn to those systems of polytheistic idolatry which everywhere prevailed. This form of religion was universally established throughout the Oriental Kingdoms. Everywhere these hovelling captives would behold the splendid temples-the sacred groves-the gorgeous and crowded festivals-the consecrated priesthood-and all the insignia of the prevalent superstition. In every portion of the country they would find a territory sacred to some local deity. In every house would be displayed the presence of some worshiped idol. In every human form they would see the blinded devotees of these vain and senseless Gods. There is therefore in these words an evident description of the character of idolatry. The places of the earth where it prevails are dark; and the habitations within which its influence

is felt are full of cruelty. In contrast with the land of Israel, or that portion of it in which pure and undefiled religion prevailed such countries are shrouded in impenetrable darkness and their benighted inhabitants actuated towards each other by fierce and cruel passions. Heathenism, whether ancient or modern-whether classic or barbarous is dark and cruel. It is unirradiated by the light of truth and hope and joy. It is the home of every evil, unpure, corrupt, and malignant passion. As dark, it cannot guide and direct man to true and abiding happiness. As cruel it actuates him to the most diabolical and inhuman practices. It is therefore both negatively and positively deficient and injurious. Negatively, it supplies no divine knowledge, no powerful motives, no substantial good. Positively, it is the source of every evil feeling, it fosters into maturity every unholy propensity, and leads to the perpetuation of the most barbarous atrocities.

II. Let us contemplate heathenism in both these aspects and first as it is dark-deficient-and unadapted to meet the crying wants and necessities of corrupt, guilty, and unhappy man. Heathenism is deficient and powerless both as it regards man living, man dying and man dead.

As it regards man living the systems of polytheism whether ancient or modern are unadapted to his character and wants. Man, as an intellectual being, is gifted with the powers of understanding and capable of ascertaining what is truth, requires knowledge in order to satisfy his mind and lead him to a true and heartfelt faith. To believe he must have evidence. To be assured, that evidence must be well-grounded and sufficient. Now in this respect heathenism is miserably wanting. It is not based upon credible facts. It does not present to its votary any satisfactory testimony on which to build his faith. Adjudged by the standard of reason, and tried at its bar, it is found utterly wanting, and is unable to give any good answer to him that asketh for some worthy ground on which to rest his hope. And thus it is and ever has been, that no one system of idolatry could ever long sustain itself against the floods of scepticism and a wide-spread conviction of its folly and delusion; but have sunk one after another into a mere tissue of lifeless forms unbelieving superstitions, and licentious practices, followed indeed by the many, but believed in by the few.

Again man, as a moral being, endowed with the noble faculty of the will, and the mysterious power of conscience, requires authoritative direction and superintending control. Man's conscience, in the supremacy of its power, constitutes him a moral and religious being while by his will he is made capable of government and of a voluntary subjection to the over-ruling providence of God. It is by the truth of God the conscience is

enlightened and by the authority of God the will is constrained. Man plainly is not fitted for a self-existing, self-directing, and self-governing condition. He is plainly a subject of God's moral empire, responsible to His laws, and to be in all things directed by His omnipotent will. Now heathenism is founded upon traditionary fables and not upon any immediate divine and oracular instruction. It cannot therefore operate on the will, or satisfy the conscience, or meet the longings of the human heart assaulted by ten thousand foes, distracted by doubt and tormented by fear, and eagerly seeking for some supreme merciful, and powerful being to whom it may betake itself. What must be the condition of that heathen mind which has been truly waked up to the consciousness of the momentous character of its present probationary state? Driven outward from the emptiness and the gloom of his own desolate heart to which of the innumerable deities he is taught to venerate, shall he make his approach? Which of them can best supply this necessity-and relieve that want, and grant to him the long sought deliverance? And even could he fix upon his elected Gods how can he assure himself that they are approachable, that they are now present, that they are placable towards him, and that he has not incurred their wrath by some past neglect or contempt? No it would be impossible amid such distracting considerations to fix the mind in its energy and devotion upon any certain source of consolation and relief, and therefore does it mainly seek by the multiplication of its deities to provide some refuge against this storm of soul-harrowing and distracting fears.*

Further, man as the subject of affections and of deep emotion requires objects suited to his wants and adapted to purify, elevate and refine. These affections are the wings of the soulthe sails by which it is borne along towards its desired haven. Mighty instruments they are, wherewith man is fitted for the accomplishment of deeds-black with infamy or bright with glory. It is in this department of his nature we behold the most terrible effects of corruption and depravity-and the most blessed power of God's restoring grace. In that provision which the gospel makes for the love, joy, hope, and peace of the christian we have most assured evidence of its heavenly origin. But far different is it with the poor benighted heathen. He knows no holy God,—no divine mercy-no almighty Redeemer -no present hope and help-no future and eternal home to attract and fit him for the skies. Bounded in his view by this horizon of time, and knowing only present and sublunary things, he is left to seek enjoyment in earthly and sensual delights. He

*See Illustr. in Tholuck on Heath., p. 94.

14-VOL. VII.

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