The disbelievers in Christianity in all past time, when objecting to it as being fraught with too many moral defects to constitute a basis or guide for the religious opinions and moral actions of men in an age more free from superstition, and much farther advanced in a knowledge of the true science of morals and the general principles of philosophy, have been met with the reply, "Show us a better system before you pull down Christianity and throw aside the Bible. Let us know what you are going to substitute in their place." Very well, good friend, we will meet your objection, and hope we can remove the difficulty. We think that either of the following answers should prove satisfactory, and, all taken together, more than satisfactory:—

1. We do not propose or desire to destroy or supersede any valuable truth, precept, principle, or doctrine taught in the Bible, or to set aside any thing that can in any way prove to be practically useful. We only propose to sift out the errors from the truth, rejecting the former and retaining the latter, and to employ as many of the old timbers in constructing the new superstructure as are not rotten or otherwise defective.

2. Truth can not be "pulled down" or destroyed, as it possesses an omnipotency of principle that is indestructible. Like gold in the refiner's crucible, it shines the brighter for every effort to destroy it.

3. It must be presumed, therefore, that whatever portion of your religion is susceptible of destruction is false, and should be destroyed.

4. It is the nature of truth to spring up voluntarily the moment error is removed, as naturally as air or water rushes in to fill a vacuum. The instant the clouds are rifted, the sun darts down its vivifying rays. upon the earth. You want no substitute for weeds when exterminated from your garden. When eradicated, those plants which are more useful and beautiful, and which they have been choking and repressing the growth of, will then assume a more healthy appearance. You ask no substitute for sickness or disease, but desire it removed that you may again enjoy the blessings of health. Moral health will likewise ensue by the removal of noxious weeds from the mind.

And, finally, you can find a complete answer to this objection in your own Bible: "Cease to do evil, and (then) learn to do well;" that is, the moment you discover an error in your faith or practice, abandon it, and you will soon "learn" what its proper substitute is. Truth is always at hand as a substitute for error. We may assume, then, that, if any of the erroneous doctrines now propagated were abandoned, they would find their own substitute immediately, as sickness finds its substitute in health. But we will not leave the pious Christian in this negative condition, but will furnish him with a "substitute" which holds out much better hopes and promises than he has anchored in his idolized system, whether those hopes appertain to a virtuous and happy life here, or to an ever-blessed eternity beyond the confines of time. That substitute will be found fully explained in Chapter XIV., under the head of "The Infidel's Bible." Or, if he desires a system in fuller detail, and one possessing great beauty, let him examine the principles of "The Harmonial Philosophy."