Page:The Last Judgement and Second Coming of the Lord Illustrated.djvu/16

 that they are but ill prepared for the reception of any contrary views: hence they may treat such views as the result of some fanaticism, and turn away from them as from the sentiments of folly. Something like this has been the fate of many important truths which have been presented for the world's acceptance. Those brought forward by Galileo, Harvey, Newton, and others, are too well known to be repeated here. It will, therefore, be no extraordinary thing if the above announcement should induce some readers to proceed no farther with this book. But there are men, and it is believed that their number is increasing, who will be more patient and candid listeners to the evidence and arguments by which the above statement is attempted to be sustained; and those, when earnestly assured that that statement has some good grounds in fair biblical criticism, in great reverence for the Word of God as a divinely inspired composition, and in much carefal observation on the remarkable features and progressions of society, may be induced to feel some interest in the inquiry, and to weigh well the testimony which has led us to a conclusion so startling and uncommon.

Doubtless it can be no easy thing to give up one's received conceptions on these subjects. To put away from our faith that which has been handed down by a long tradition, and become a part of conventional Christianity, must needs be difficult. But if, upon examination, this traditional faith be found to have originated in some mistaken interpretation of the narrative in which those subjects are announced, then no difficulty should be permitted to interfere with the duty of re-examination. Error, when detected, should be relinquished, whatever may be its antiquity; notwithstanding it may plead the authority of great names, and urge a wide-spread acceptance among