In the new light that has come to him, the world and society have been transformed to his view and understanding. He discovers goodness in many places where his teachers had denied its existence, and its definition has become so changed, under his broader vision, that humanity seems teeming9 with it everywhere, and is ruled by it, and those departments of it most affecting society he observes to be increasing, and that instead of like an exotic in uncongenial soil, hard to be retained by mankind, it is perpetuated11 and cherished by natural human impulses. He finds, also, that the sum of badness in the world has been greatly exaggerated by his teachers, and that those branches of it most interfering12 with the welfare of society are gradually being lessened13, and are likely to work out their extinction14 by the penalties of public disapproval15. These convictions make the world seem a[Pg 7] brighter and better dwelling16 place. They reveal to him the possibilities of its future, and tend to divert his higher aims from the obscure paths where tradition had been leading them, into more fruitful channels. The truth will have at last dawned upon him, bearing evidences in this age that none but the unenlightened can doubt, that superstition17, during many of the centuries past, has belittled18 the world, and has discouraged humanity in improving it, under the mistaken assumption of the world’s small comparative importance in the great outcome; the circumstantial particulars, of which, it pretends to hold by divine revelation. Having rid himself of these beliefs by a process of reasoning, and the assistance of the available knowledge of his time, he arrives at the conclusion that the best work of humanity is not, altogether that taught by the creeds19, and that its most divinely inspired motives22 are those which tend to increase the knowledge of worldly things, those which add to the sum of goodness in society by exhibiting its practical effect toward happiness, and those also which assist in the great end of equalizing the burdens and enjoyments23 of life among all.
Having these conclusions firmly established in his mind, and the undeserved reverence24 from early training removed,[Pg 8] he becomes especially fitted to examine these old beliefs, and to pass judgment25 upon them, without that taint26 of blind devotional fervor27 which the unremitted teaching of many centuries has rendered current in the world. He observes of these old beliefs, that during their supremacy28, when their control of society was complete and unquestioned, the material progress of mankind was least, without any compensating29 condition to make up for the darkness, and dead mental activity that had fallen upon it; except that apparent hypnotic influence from the doctrines31 taught, which made men careless of their miseries32, and indifferent to the things of the earth. He observes, further, of these old beliefs, that as modern knowledge reduces their hold of authority among men, the world improves as it never did before. Even charity, kindness, and good will to men, adopted, and long taught as an inseparable part of them, multiply more rapidly as their weight in the management of human affairs grow less. From these well attested33 facts he arrives at the conviction that those religious societies, founded upon, and which have for centuries labored34 to perpetuate10 these beliefs, either are not possessed36 with all the elements of human progress, or, that having many of such elements, they have others of[Pg 9] such neutralizing37 and retarding38 effect as to render the first futile39 for such a purpose. That the latter is the case, every year added to his experience of life removes the doubt, and explains to his understanding why the religious societies of the world have failed in any great degree to advance the material and intellectual condition of mankind.
With a moral code, every provision of which plainly indicates the method of a better social state, these religious societies have indissolubly associated in their teachings certain doctrinal beliefs, originating in a semi-barbarous age, and laden40 with its superstitions41, with that fatal assumption of divine authority which demands their acceptance every where and for all time. Beliefs of such unbending rigidity42, impossible adaption or amendment43, and intolerance of dissent44, on account of their pretended sacred character, that the world has been kept in a turmoil45 discussing them since their introduction, and the more salutary lessons of morality and spiritual hope have been outranked and submerged by these vain and profitless discussions. These beautiful and attractive lessons of love, kindness, and charity, exemplified and taught through a personality, whose gift of genius was to see,[Pg 10] above all other men, the needs of humanity, have attracted men and women into these religious societies as the hungry are attracted by stores of food. Once within their lines, and imbued46 with the doctrines there found, they see but little abroad in the outside world but the evil spirit of Sheol. To them, its shadow rests upon much of the business of life, and with increased obscurity, upon many of its pleasures. It even shows to them among those humanities which are without their direction and cue. It is only however among the many who openly deny their doctrines and authority that the evil spirit is seen by them in all its hideous47 and malevolent48 personality, and their especial mission is to give battle in that direction. Between he who doubts, no matter how respectfully, and these religious societies, are drawn50 their lines of kindness and charity, and with their sermons of love, and their protestations of good will to mankind fresh upon them, they are at any time, transformed, so far as their relations with a doubter are concerned, into a band of hostile and relentless51 savages53, with inflictions of punishment, measured in degree by surrounding enlightenment, from the actual barbaric torture of the savage52, to mere55 social ostracism56 and avoidance.
[Pg 11]If it were the sole purpose of all Christian57 organizations to bring into general practice the civilizing58 precepts59 of their founder61, they would become the most powerful agents in the world to human advancement62 and the betterment of social conditions, but these precepts are made subordinate by them, and are neither valued or estimated beyond their jurisdiction63. They count nothing as saving qualities without the acknowledgment of certain doctrines and methods accompanying them. Those beautiful sentiments of charity and kindness, always so precious to the hearts of men, and growing more so as the ages advance, were not adopted nor promulgated64 entirely65 for civilizing purposes, but mostly with the selfish view of capturing humanity to church interests. With a like purpose, knowing the mystic tendency of the masses, the supernaturalisms, made a part of these attractive precepts, were adopted and upheld; bringing into the world an endless multitude of barren illusions, provoking acrimonious66 contentions67 among men, to no good purpose whatever, and filling the pages of history with a description of scenes that are a torture even to the memory.
It is given only to those now living, and who have experienced the longest terms of life, to personally compare[Pg 12] the past with the present, so far as their limited sojourn69 in the world extends. They are living witnesses to the wonderful changes in society and its beliefs during the short period of two generations only. They have seen many of these ancient supernatural dreams in all their power of authority, and have watched them wilt70, and finally disappear, under some silent influence, after argument and reason had exhausted71 themselves against them in vain. They have listened to those weekly expositions of infernal horrors, common at one time, in all the fear and trembling of childhood, and have later, witnessed the theories and beliefs which inspired them, with many others equally obnoxious72 to reason, relegated73 to silence and disuse, as antiquated74 and worn furniture, no longer serviceable, is consigned76 to the rubbish heap. Only two generations ago they have seen the literature of the churches in leather bound books occupying the best filled, and most easily reached shelves of the libraries, and now laying neglected among the dust of the cellars; not one retained for reference, and even their titles forgotten. They have seen, in their time, the clutches of superstition compelled to relax its hold upon the throats of many a worthy78 human enterprise. They have witnessed the triumph of[Pg 13] science in its many skirmishes with tradition, and have been interested lookers-on, while the famous battle of evolution raged. They have seen it from start to finish, and the amusing spectacle of its end, when theology, metaphorically79 speaking, dragged its bruised80 and trembling body out of the dust; and wiping the blood from its pale and troubled face, unblushingly declared, as it had in every like outcome before, that there had been no conflict.
With all this, and within their own era of two generations only, they have seen the world arise to such prodigies81 of advancement, such marvels82 of practical charity and such activities in the pursuit of knowledge, in so close and quick succession as to fill them with bewilderment and wonder, and they will recognize, at least such of them as reflect upon the matter, that after conflicts innumerable, and setbacks and suppressions, the scientific have prevailed over the theological methods, and are at work in all the glories of their triumph, and that the ancient modes of thought are at last masters of the civilized83 world after nearly two thousand years of battle. The thread of civilization has been taken up and spliced84 at its point of rupture85 sixteen centuries ago. All this activity in the building of roads, bridges and aqueducts, this tunnelling[Pg 14] of mountains and rivers, this straining to make available for the services of man all the elements of nature, this untiring search to increase the comforts and conveniences of life, this higher regard for pure secular86 learning, regardless of where it may lead, this diversion of art from the purposes of religious expression only, to an exhibition of nature in all her beautiful forms, this greater toleration of opinion, this coming back to the earth in short, after a long period of phantom87 chasing in the clouds, is neither more nor less than the revival88 of paganism. But paganism with its brutalities filtered out, and the best, and only civilizing parts of christianity, its hope of immortality90, its lessons of virtue91, its brotherhood92 and socialism retained, the superstitions of paganism buried forever, and those of christianity gradually dropping one by one into their graves.
He, who now at three score and ten, remembers when the sound of the flint and steel was a necessary prelude93 to the morning fire, when the open fire place with its crane and pot hooks was the only resource for warmth and cooking, when the largest city on the American continent was without sewers94 or water conduits, when a river steamer was a wonder upon which the curious gazed, and ocean[Pg 15] ones unheard of, when railroads were in an experimental stage, when the belief that ghosts flitted about the graveyards95 was unquestioned and undenied, when Satan was said to have stalked upon the earth in person, his presence seriously considered and accounted for by many of the churches, when witchcraft96, only in the throes of death but not yet buried, had many adherents97 in animated98 defence, when the electrical experiments of Franklin were reckoned in some places as the trifling99 of an infidel with the spirit of evil, can best appreciate, by the comparison which reminiscence affords, of these wonderful changes in thought, and the significant accompaniment of increased mental activity in all things benefitting the race. The close relations exhibited in this comparatively brief period between the growth of rationalism, and that accelerated movement all along the line of science, learning, and everything tending to place humanity on a higher plain, is more than a mere coincidence. It is the operation of cause and effect, better understood and acknowledged upon a closer examination.
The bursting forth101, as it were, during this century of the united energies of mankind in the direction of knowledge, is an expansion after the removal of a pressure that[Pg 16] has borne down upon them for ages. Those great things that men have accomplished102 lately, they were as capable of centuries ago, and it is not surprising that they had not until recently made greater advances, when we estimate the weight of opposing forces. There had been for centuries nothing more discouraging to the formation of scientific hopes and ambitions than the theological methods of thought, and the atmosphere which surrounded them. The more that atmosphere was saturated103 with the doctrines of the churches, the more repellent it was to any intellectual effort toward outside things, and especially one requiring such a monopoly of mental energy and attention as to interfere104 with the Christian ideas of constant and unremitting devotion. There was no cultivated field, during the thousand years of supreme105 church jurisdiction, where an independent scientific ambition could germinate106. Within the church such an ambition was impossible. It was not only against the spirit, but the very letter of its teachings. Its foundation was laid by its victory over science, in its overcome of which, it proclaimed divine assistance and authority. It already possessed a knowledge of all things appertaining to the earth and the “firmament” above it which the Almighty107[Pg 17] desired men to know. The earth was not round, it was the center of the universe. It stood still while the sun moved daily over its surface, getting back each morning into its place with the help of angels. The rainbow was a sign placed in the heavens for a purpose. Every known phenomenon of nature was accounted for by scriptural reference. The method of the creation of the world and the origin of man and of woman also, the church possessed in circumstantial detail. The moment true science began its work, and ran counter to any of this fund of knowledge, assumed to have been furnished by the Almighty, the trouble began. But the trouble was not altogether with the honest investigator108. If his discovery tended to disprove what was known as scriptural truth, and inadvertently had been allowed to gain the public ear, every prelate in the church began contriving109 to refute it. A new opportunity for fame was opened to every ambitious theologian, and there immediately began in rebuttal a spinning of texts, and a style of metaphysical argument, from one end of the church to the other, which remain to this day as the most remarkable112 curiosities of sinuous113 reasoning and constrained114 thought on record. All questions of a scientific character had but[Pg 18] one method of settlement, were they authorized115 or denied by scripture116? If denied as they usually were, the disturber was either burned at the stake or made to recant. Fame, that chief incentive117 to all high effort, offered none of its rewards beyond theological circles, and during the ten centuries of complete church supremacy, any advance in knowledge which did not stir the animosity of theologians gained less public attention and applause than the wearing of a hair shirt or a crown of thorns. During a thousand years the church had kept the world slumbering118 in the darkness of barbarism and superstition punishing with death those it could not convince. Any doubter of generally accepted beliefs, either in religion or science, who can support his position with plausable argument, is entitled at least to the consideration of being a thinker. The constant taking off of every such one, during a term counted by centuries, could have no other effect than to reduce the average of intellectual vigor119 in the whole. The husbandman, who removes from his acres of growing grain the tallest and heaviest stalks, and instead of saving them for seed, destroys them, insures, in time, the misfortune of dwarfed120 fields and diminished harvests. The church, since its complete victory over paganism in the[Pg 19] fourth century, had not produced with its supreme control over all learning a single noted121 man of science, or one promising122 to be such, whom it had not either suppressed or tortured to death, not a painter or poet who had not devoted123 his genius principally to superstition or sensuality, not a historian whose veracity124 is not doubted, and not a single towering man of letters. This, too, in a people, among whom mingled125 the descendants of the Greek masters of literature and philosophy. When, about four centuries ago, secular learning and free thought began their first open advances since pagan days, the church, finding in every such movement some disturbance126 of its traditions, and making no account of their benefit to mankind, brought all its powers to bear for their suppression. In laying to do so it pursued the same cruel policy it had adopted in former contests. These cruelties and intimidations were practiced at a time when within the church were openly perpetrated corruptions127 of the most glaring character; which together, loosened its hold upon the consciences of men, and made possible that revolt and division known as the Reformation, early in the sixteenth century. Coming nearer our own time, and having to[Pg 20] deal with theological conditions not yet entirely removed, a little more detail is necessary.
The quarter century before and the century following the Reformation was a remarkable era in the world’s history. It was noted throughout as a desperate and continuous struggle by men of science to dispel128 the darkness that had so long enveloped129 the Christian world. The art of printing, then recently discovered, and just coming into practical working effect, and the thoughts of men thereby130 communicated from one to the rest with a facility never before known, had the effect of arousing mental activities everywhere. From a load only partially131 removed men began exploring regions of science that had been interdicted132, and a great movement in positive knowledge began. The most enlightened men of the time went over to the Reformation, and if within that body, they had found the shelter and encouragement they deserved, the sixteenth century and the one following it would have been the most brilliant period on record except our own, for scientific discoveries and the world’s advancement. Such a conclusion is justified133 by taking note of the wonderful men of genius who came into the world during that time, who, with all the restrictions134 and limitations[Pg 21] cast about them by the two churches, laid such new foundations in truth and learning, that nothing was to be done by subsequent workers in the same lines but build upon them. Buffon, who may justly be called the father of natural science, with powers of research and gifts of presenting results showing genius of a high order, by his simple statement of truths which are to-day truisms in science, was dragged forth by the leaders of the Reformation, and forced to recant publicly and to print his recantation. “I abandon everything in my book respecting the formation of the earth, and generally all which may be contrary to the narrative135 of Moses.” Linnaeus, the founder of a scientific system in botany, and the discoverer of sex in plants, was constantly hampered136 and constrained in his thoughts by the threats of the Reformation. A pretended miracle of turning water into blood appeared in his vicinity, and after looking into it carefully he reported that the reddening of the water was caused by dense137 masses of minute insects. When news of this explanation reached the ears of the Protestant bishop139 he denounced this scientific discovery as a “Satanic Abyss.” “When God allows such a miracle to take place,” said he, “Satan endeavors, and so does his ungodly and[Pg 22] worldly tools, to make it signify nothing.” Descartes, the founder of modern philosophy, and ranked among the foremost mathematicians140 of his day, yet, his constant dread141 of persecution142 from Protestantism led him steadily143 to veil his thoughts, and to suppress them when they threatened to interfere with theological beliefs. Leibnitz, the great thinker, who came so near to the discovery of evolution, Spinoza, and later Hume, Kepler, Kant, Newton and many others, which want of space prevents mention were likely to have done much more for science had not the theological atmosphere of the Christian churches been so unpropitious.
The true story of Galileo, the monumental shame of Christianity, cannot be told without implicating144 the younger with the older church. The Reformation looked on complaisantly and approvingly while this crime was being committed. It was in complete accordance with its beliefs and methods. The Copernican system, on account of the adoption145 of which, Galileo was persecuted146 was as strenuously147 and bitterly denounced by Protestants as Catholics. Luther says “People gave ear to an upstart astrologer, who strove to show that the earth revolved148, and not the sun and moon. This fool wishes to revise[Pg 23] the whole system of astronomy, but sacred scripture tells us that Joshua commanded the sun to stand still, and not the earth.” The recantation of this venerable scientist, worn out with imprisonment149 and sorrow, and in fear of torture and death, is as follows: “I Galileo, being in my seventieth year, being a prisoner on my knees before your eminences150, having before my eyes the Holy Gospel, which I touch with my hands, abjure151, curse and detest152 the error and the heresy153 of the movement of the earth.” As the sphericity of the earth was suggested by Aristotle, and its movement had been a matter of earnest discussion by theologians for ages, we see fit to transcribe154 here the argument of one of them, made a long time ago it is true, but nevertheless a fair sample of the theological methods of thought. It is copied from a book written by one Scipio Chiaramonti, and dedicated155 to Cardinal156 Barberini. “Animals which move have limbs and muscles, the earth has no limbs and muscles, therefore it does not move. It is angels who make Saturn157, Jupiter, the Sun, etc., turn round. If the earth revolves158 it must also have an angel in the center to set it in motion; but only devils live there; it would therefore be a devil who would impart motion to the earth.” All branches of the Protestant[Pg 24] church condemned159 the theory of the earth’s movement. Calvin asked, “Who will venture to place the authority of Copernicus above that of the Holy Spirit?” Wesley also denounced the new theory, declaring it to “tend toward infidelity.” The grand men who were coming forward in their efforts to advance knowledge unavoidably encroached upon many of the “truths of scripture” and both churches were equally engaged in their efforts to suppress them, by argument if possible, but if not, by fire and stake. The Protestant church, which has always made a claim of especial enlightenment, vied with the other in its cruel and relentless warfare160 upon what is known among the churches as heresy, the proper definition of which is reason and common sense. We have said that the case of Galileo was the monumental shame of Christendom; the case of Servetus was a monumental crime, which Protestantism alone must answer for.
The persecution of Michael Servetus by John Calvin, one of the leaders of the Reformation, was one of the most unjust and inhuman161 exercises of religious authority that the world has seen. There were many features in this tragedy of burning at the stake, that were out of the common. The victim was a man of unblemished character,[Pg 25] of great learning, and a scientist, with a genius for investigation162. He was a skilled practitioner163 of medicine, out of which profession he derived his income. He had made some advances in medical science, coming so near to a discovery of the circulation of the blood, that it is quite likely, but for his untimely death, he would have reached it instead of Harvey, many years afterward164. His active mind had led him to devote much of his leisure to the study of theology, and, laboring165 among its problems, he strove to reconcile a number of orthodox beliefs and doctrines with the scientific knowledge of his time, not combating them or contriving at their destruction, but by changing the sense of words, to make them apparently166 accord with known elements of truth. He was an ardent167 supporter of the Reformation, and a friend and admirer of Calvin, and he began and maintained for some time, a correspondence with him, with the view of obtaining his advice and support. The proposed modification168 in the sense of scriptural texts, was not favorably received by Calvin, and the two were drawn into a controversy169, which finally became acrimonious. The world, at present, partially recovered from its long period of hypnotized reason, is able to appreciate the small value of the questions[Pg 26] which engaged these two men, and which led one to strike the other down to death, and it is also able to judge how much Servetus was in advance of his adversary170 in their discussions.
Calvin maintained, that under instructions from God, through the Bible, an infant, dying without baptism, could not escape the tortures of Hell, a locality described by the same authority, as a place of horrors, of endless burning amid sulphurous fires, of never ending thirst, and of a “weeping, wailing171 and gnashing of teeth” through all time to come. Servetus expressed his doubts of the justice of this infliction54 upon sinless infants, and attempted to show that it was not authorized by the Sacred Book. He also denied the doctrine30 of the Holy Trinity, as it was commonly received. He did not deny a kind of Trinity in the unity110 of God, but believing that it was merely formal, and not personal, mere distinctions in the divine essence, and that, as generally understood, it was a dream, and an invention of the Fathers of the Church. He also asserted, upon good authority, that there was a Christian doctrine before there was any adoption of the Hebrew legends; that these legends did not become a part of the church, until nearly a century after[Pg 27] the great moral teacher had met his cruel death. He also came as near as he dared, to expressing his belief, that the Son was merely a man, with the divine inspiration in a large degree. Such advanced ideas as these, asserted with the positiveness of conviction, and backed with unanswerable argument, were the cause of his undoing172.
Calvin, at this time, was at the head of a church already powerful. He ruled it with an autocratic will, and upon all questions of doctrinal beliefs, he was the last court of appeal. He had long accepted the homage173 of his followers174, as one selected by the Almighty for their spiritual guidance, and, with the common weakness of humanity, he became arbitrary and despotic in his management of church affairs. He was always ready to advise and direct, and in his first letters to Servetus, assumed some show of argument while denying his doctrines. Servetus answered him, not with that deference175 that his adversary usually received, but in all the spirit of earnest debate. Nothing more exasperating176 to Calvin could have occurred, and to cap the climax177 of affront178, his adversary, a mere layman179, published a book “Christianity Restored” setting forth his advanced views, and with a reckless temerity180, sent the reformer a copy.[Pg 28] The controversy between them immediately degenerated181 into mutual182 recrimination and abuse. Calvin’s anger was raised to a white heat, when he saw the errors and blasphemies183, as he regarded them, and which he had vainly sought to combat, confided184 to the printed page, and thrown broadcast upon the world. Besides the alleged185 heretical matter of the book, he found himself taken to task, declared to be in error, and his most cherished doctrines controverted186. But he discovered withal some matter in the book which pleased him. His enemy had committed himself in abusing the Papacy: evidence sufficient to convict him at once of blasphemy187 in the Roman Catholic city of Vienne in France where Servetus then resided, and he proceeded at once to put the cruel scheme of his death into execution. By information to the authorities at Vienne through dictated188 letters, he succeeded in having Servetus thrown into prison there, from whence he escaped, and became an outcast for months. The malignant190 and inhuman manner in which this Christian leader followed his innocent victim, could scarcely have occurred upon any other question but a religious one, and his murderous intent, from the first, is shown by a letter from Calvin to a friend in which he[Pg 29] says, “Servetus wrote to me lately, and besides his letter sent me a great volume of his ravings, telling me, with audacious arrogance191, that I should find there things stupendous and unheard of until now.” He offers to come thither192 if I approve; but I will not pledge my faith to him; for, did he come, if I have any authority here, “I should never suffer him to go away alive.” And he proved himself, in this instance, true to his word.
The Roman Catholic authorities of Vienne, discovering after a while the connivance193 of Calvin, in putting the execution of his enemy on them, contrived194, it is said, to make his escape easy. They had no mind to have this work thrust upon them. They probably felt that the reformers should take care of their own heretics. Servetus, after his escape, wandered about from place to place, all the time his life in imminent195 danger, and finally brought up in Geneva, the home of Calvin, disguising himself, and hiding in the outskirts196. What induced him to take such desperate chances is not positively197 known. His intention is supposed to have been to go to Naples, and to be gone from Geneva on the first favorable opportunity. Weary of confinement198, and always piously199 inclined, he ventured imprudently to show himself,[Pg 30] at the evening service of a neighboring church, and being there recognized, intimation of his presence was conveyed to Calvin, who, without loss of a moment, demanded his immediate111 arrest, making his arraignment200 himself, and industriously201 working until the end, as chief prosecutor203 and witness. The barbaric cruelty during imprisonment to this famous man, in an eminently204 Christian community, and by a Christian leader is shown by the following letter from his prison cell. “Most noble Lords, it is now three weeks since I petitioned for an audience, and I have to inform you that nothing has been done, and I am in a more filthy205 plight206 than ever. In addition, I suffer terribly from the cold, and from colic and my rupture, which causes me miseries. It is very cruel that I am neither allowed to speak, nor not have my most pressing wants supplied; for the love of God sirs, in pity give orders in my behalf.” And here is another one: “My most honored Lords, I humbly207 entreat208 of you to put an end to these great delays, or to exonerate209 me of the criminal charge. You must see that Calvin is at his wits ends, and knows not what more to say, but for his pleasure, would have me rot here in prison. The lice eat me up alive, my breeches are in rags, and I have no change, no doublet,[Pg 31] and but a single shirt in tatters.” Thirty-eight articles of impeachment210 were drawn up by Calvin, and after a protracted211 trial, wherein he acted as chief interrogator212, this unhappy victim was sentenced to be burnt at the stake. Servetus, during his whole examination, showed himself to be a brave, conscientious213, religious man. His answers to each one of the articles was able, consistent, and would have been considered in this day unanswerable, and what is more his views have since been adopted by the most advanced of the Christian sects138. The following is a description of his execution recorded at that time.
“When he came in sight of the fatal pile, the wretched Servetus prostrated214 himself on the ground and for a while was absorbed in prayer. Rising and advancing a few steps he found himself in the hands of the executioner, by whom he was made to sit on a block, his feet just reaching the ground. His body was then bound to the stake behind him by several turns of an iron chain, whilst his neck was secured in like manner by the coil of a hempen215 rope. His two books—the one in manuscript sent to Calvin in confidence six or eight years before for his stricture, and a copy of the one lately printed at[Pg 32] Vienne—were fastened to his waist, and his head was encircled in mockery with a chaplet of straw and green twigs216 bestrewed with brimstone. The deadly torch was then applied217 to the fagots and flashed in his face; and the brimstone catching218, and the flames rising, wrung219 from the victim such a cry of anguish220 as struck terror into the surrounding crowd. After this he was bravely silent; but the wood being purposely green, although the people aided the executioner in heaping the fagots upon him, a long half hour elapsed before he ceased to show signs of life and suffering. Immediately before giving up the ghost, with a last expiring effort he cried aloud, ‘Jesus, thou Son of the eternal God, have compassion221 upon me!’ All was then hushed, save hissing222 and crackling of the green wood, and by and by there remained no more of what had been Michael Servetus, but a charred223 and blackened trunk, and a handful of ashes.” So died in advance of his age, this victim of religious fanaticism224 and personal hate, a fitting triumph of the theological over the scientific methods of thought, the result among many thousands like it of the adoption of the Jewish legends by Christianity, and in this case, brought about by a Christian leader, the founder of a creed20, in which to this[Pg 33] day, enough of his spirit remains225 to make it the greatest enemy of free thought and liberal opinion, among all the creeds of Protestantism. Of this disgraceful tragedy was it the spirit of the Master which led the inhuman crowd to vie with each other in piling on the fagots, or was it the malign189 influence of a vindictive226 and cruel Hebrew God?
Every conflict between science and theology since the days of Copernicus has resulted in an unequivocal victory for the former. Both churches resisted the truth of the rotundity and movement of the earth as though their existence depended upon it. They fought each question as it arose in the same spirit. The Mosaic227 account of the creation, the age of the world, the deluge228, the length of man’s sojourn upon the earth, are questions as effectively settled adversely230 to the “truths of scripture” as the one for which Galileo suffered. And yet Christianity lives, and will continue to live and flourish, solely231 on account of the inherent and increasing affinity232 of the human heart as civilization advances for the precepts and example of its founder. If Christianity were destined233 to fall by the undermining of its legends it would fall now with the recent destruction of one upon which its existence appeared to depend, which has, more than any[Pg 34] other, shaped its course and laid the foundation of its rituals. The doctrine of evolution now established as a truth is the most serious and apparently destructive one that theology ever met. The fact that man has ARISEN from a condition of brutality234, instead of FALLEN from a state of perfection is, to ecclesiasticism, a raking blow from stem to stern, compared with all previous battles with science as the shot of a modern thirty-two pounder with old fashioned ordinance235. The legend of the fall of man, compared with all others, is the vilest236. It was brought from Assyria, by the Hebrews, who obtained it during their captivity237, from a barbarous people, among whom it was current for ages, and was thus inserted in our Sacred Book, proofs of which have recently been found in deciphering the Ninevite records. A suspicion is not entirely without warrant that it may have been adopted with a purpose of creating miseries and sorrows in the multitude for the profitable occupation of a divinely authorized few in the business of consoling them, and right well has it fulfilled its mission. It has changed the facial expression of Christendom. It has deepened the furrows238 of sorrow upon old age, and fixed239 lines of care upon the features of youth. It has brought[Pg 35] the undeserved dejection of criminality, and the downcast of shame, where of right belongs the reflection of hopefulness and the light of expectancy240. It has incalculably multiplied the sorrows of life, and created for each death a nightmare of imaginary horrors. This legend is the foundation and inspiration of most of the evil and cruelty that Christianity has inflicted241 on human kind. Fabulous242 itself, it has been the parent of unrealities, witchcraft and magic for instance, from which millions of innocent victims have been sacrificed to torture and death. It has transformed reasonable enjoyments of life into crimes by the invention of a word, which with the latitude243 given its definition, has kept in trembling uncertainty244 the innocent and harmless. To the parent it has bestowed245 the agony of dread for the fate of departed offspring, guileless infants, as well as the matured. This legend of the fall of man has established in the paths of life its drag net Sin, a word of such unlimited246 theological definition, that any one of average rectitude, by some trifling inadvertance of thought or action, is likely to bring upon himself the condemnation of a frowning God; so that, the worthy as well as the unworthy, may not escape the services of theological assistance and intercession.[Pg 36] But for the doubt that exists, and has probably always existed, except among the ignorant and sluggish247 minded, of the truth of this puerile248 invention, it would have reduced humanity long ago to a state of universal hopelessness and despair.
The theologians have but little left now but the miracles to defend, and although it must be conceded by them that the miracle of Joshua has fallen, others whose fallacy cannot be so well demonstrated by science, are held to with the tenacity250 of desperation, and in utter disregard of reason and common sense. Fortunately, in the interest of truth, we are given an opportunity to study the evolution of miracles, in a case so modern that every statement in proof of their fallacy can be substantiated251 by the current literature of the time. Saint Francis Xavier was an earnest, sincere and truthful252 Jesuit, whose religious services were performed in the middle of the sixteenth century. He gave up a promising career as professor in a Paris academy, and in his enthusiasm and devotion to Christianity, went as missionary253 to the Far East. Among the various tribes of lower India, and afterward in Japan he wrought254 untiringly, toiling255 through village after village collecting the natives by means of a hand bell.[Pg 37] After twelve years of such efforts seeking new converts for religion, he sacrificed his life on the desert island of San Chan. During his career as missionary he wrote great numbers of letters, which were preserved, and have since been published, and these, with the letters of his contemporaries, exhibit clearly all the features of his life. No account of a miracle wrought by him appears either in his own letters or any contemporary document. More than that, his brother missionaries256, who were in constant and loyal fellowship with him, make no illusions to them in their communications with each other, or with their brethren in Europe. This silence regarding his miracles was clearly not due to any unbelief in them, because these good missionary fathers were free to record the slightest occurrence which they thought evidence of Divine favor. One of them sends a report that an illuminated257 cross had been recently seen in the heavens; another that devils had been cast out of the natives by the use of holy water; others send reports that lepers had been healed by baptism, and that the blind and dumb had been restored by the rites258 of the church; but to Xavier no miracles are imputed259 by his associates during his life, or during several years after his death. On the contrary we find his own statements[Pg 38] as to his personal limitations and the difficulties arising from them fully49 confirmed by his brother workers. It is interesting for example, in view of the claim afterwards made, that the Saint was divinely endowed for his mission with the “gift of tongues” to note in these letters confirmation260 of Xavier’s own statement utterly261 disproving the existence of any such Divine gift, and detailing the difficulties which he encountered from his want of knowing various languages, and the hard labor35 he underwent in learning the elements of the Japanese tongue. With all this evidence, and much more available if necessary, to prove that Xavier never performed a miracle the church began building them up for him, unmindful of the fact that he lived in an age of literature, books and printed correspondence, and not in those remote times when it held supreme control of all learning and communication by letters; accordingly, the first of the Xavier miracles began to appear about ten years after his death. They multiplied from time to time beginning, it is reasonable to suppose, about the gossiping hearth262 and eagerly confirmed by the cloister263, until they began to be mentioned in church literature. The first of which, a letter twenty years after his death by a Jesuit father entitled “On[Pg 39] religious affairs in the Indies” says nothing of Xavier’s miracles. The next, a publication called “History of India” thirty-six years after his death by another Jesuit father dwells lightly on the alleged miracles. The next, sixty years later, a “Life of Xavier” shows an increase of his miracles, and representing him as casting out devils, curing the sick, stilling the tempest, raising the dead, and performing miracles of all sorts. Since Xavier was made a Saint many other lives of him appeared, one of them one hundred and sixty years after his death, the best so far written and now esteemed264 a classic, in which the old miracles were enormously multiplied. According to his first biographer he saves one person from drowning by a miracle, in this one he saves, during his life time, three. In the first he raises three persons from the dead, in this one fourteen. In the first there is one miraculous266 supply of water, in this one three, and so on, until this date when the Xavier miracles are counted by hundreds. This case of the evolution of miracles is largely copied from a recent publication of President White of Cornell University. It is not only highly instructive as indicating the process by which these deceptions267 are evolved, but also tends to the pleasant and welcome conviction that many[Pg 40] of the earnest and self-sacrificing workers in the field of Christianity, to whom miracles are imputed were guiltless of them. But more than all it shows the way to a reasoning mind by which, through the present and coming rationalism, a pure and worshipful personality shall retain his hold upon the affections of men.
Those men of science and independent thought who went over to the Reformation, expecting encouragement and protection under it, were doomed268 to be disappointed. It was not a movement caused by the pressure of enlightenment. At that period, both Germany and England were far below Italy in their conditions of knowledge and learning. It was a rebellion caused by the oppression of evils, and a desire for change in the management of church matters only. Every one of the superstitions of the old church were transferred to the new one. The same, in fact a stricter literal adherence269 to the words of scripture in managing the affairs of life, and in deciding questions of science, were maintained, the same incessant270 watchfulness271 toward those men of learning who were threatening the “truths of scripture” in their scientific labors272, and the same cruelties invoked273 for their suppression, and the extinction of heresy. No more intellectual freedom was permitted,[Pg 41] except upon minor274 doctrinal points of beliefs, and upon these there began those controversies275 which soon broke up the movement into factions276 or creeds. The intention of the new church was to do away with those rituals and ceremonies, which had been adopted from paganism as a compromise in the second and third centuries, and to bring their church back as far as possible, to that simplicity277 which characterized the first teachings of Christianity. But the leaders of the Reformation never attempted nor had they any desire to bring back that entire freedom of thought and expression which existed in the early days. No one with immunity278 would be allowed to deny the doctrine of the Holy Trinity or the truth of Immaculate Conception, as the old Greek philosophers were wont279 to do. Such vital questions it was torture and death to adversely consider, Servetus being an early victim to such temerity. There were questions enough however within the limits of safe discussion, to set agoing those unending controversies which distinguished280 Protestantism to this day. The newly acquired privilege of discussing sacred affairs among laymen281 as well as others, were indulged in to such an extent that debate between the sects, in defense282 of their several interpretations283 of scriptural texts, monopolized[Pg 42] in society its hours of intercourse284 and conversation. When their leaders were indulging in such discussion as the dialogue between Eve and the Serpent; whether the Serpent stood erect285 on his tail, or in its natural coil when it was addressing Eve; fixing the hour of this remarkable event; accounting286 for the manner in which Noah fed the animals in the ark; how fishes appeared before Adam to be named by him, and such troublesome problems, laymen were mostly engaged in the examination of those doctrinal points which were dividing the movement into sects. Questions that had been settled centuries before by authority in the old church were dragged forth to renewed discussion. Luther was describing his frequent interviews with the devil in his bed room. Demons249 and witches were poisoning the air, and bringing calamity287 and misfortune, against which there was but one safeguard and remedy, reading texts of scripture and prayer. But however the sects might differ in their understanding of the sacred language, upon a number of things they were all agreed; every text of scripture was to be taken literally288; heresy could not be too severely289 punished; a curtailment290 of the pleasures of life increased the chances of heaven; the world was a “sink of iniquity” destined for[Pg 43] early destruction, and presided over by a God who never smiles, and troubled by a devil who never sleeps, the latter with millions of offspring, man pursuing demons, inflicting291 insanity292, sickness and many other of the misfortunes of life.
In these beliefs the two churches were in entire accord and must equally answer for the miseries and cruelties they have inflicted upon humanity in enforcing them. Theories and doctrines so persistently293 advanced and upheld by both churches, and which have proved so disastrous294 to humanity do not properly belong, and should have no place in Christianity. They are not only without the authority of the Master, but are mostly in opposition295 to his teaching and example. The most harmful of them owe their origin to the fables296 and myths introduced into the sacred book second-hand297 from Egyptian and Oriental sources, centuries before the Christian era, and it is not surprising that legends due to the faculty298 of romance in the minds of some barbarous Assyrians or Pharos, far back in the cradles of humanity, when introduced as foundations for rules of life, and as explanations of the mysterious processes of nature along the whole line of human advancement should have been constantly rejected[Pg 44] and denied by the reasoning portion of mankind, and it is scarcely conceivable that now, within a few months of the twentieth century, they should be upheld by both churches as inspirations of the Deity299. Not so surprising either when we consider that for seventeen centuries, the undeveloped minds of youth in all Christendom, have been moulded into the acceptance of beliefs, which, had they been presented without that gradual absorption in which reason takes no part would have been long ago rejected on account of their improbability. In no place is this better understood than among the churches, and as a consequence, they have been in perpetual contention68 with each other for the early education of youth.
The most inspiring and hopeful spectacle in all humanity is an assemblage, wrapt in the devotional exercises of Christianity, listening attentively300 to the eloquent301 ministrations of an earnest leader, who pleads the cause of virtue and charity as it is exhibited in the written life and character of the Model Man. The great central story never wearies in interest, and never grows old; a willing sacrifice and suffering for the benefit of mankind. Such never failing kindness, such lessons of brotherhood, such love for men, such tenderness for children, such consideration[Pg 45] beyond his time for women, and with such a pathetic and suffering end as to capture their emotional natures for all time. And above all bringing the tidings of a hope, that comes to men, as a boat of rescue comes to a storm-tossed ship slowly sinking into the depths; so cherished in Christian households as to become a worshiped member of them, to be defended as one of them, upheld if need be by force of arms and sacrifice of life. And the lesson of it all, and the hopefulness and inspiration of it all is, that wherever mankind dwells, be it in castles or cottages, amid the crowds of cities, or among quiet country fields, there are laurels302 everywhere among them all for him who will sacrifice himself that others may gain; esteem265 and veneration303 among them all for him, whose life is pure, and whose ways are ways of kindness and charity. Vice75 can never reign304 supreme but for a time amid such inherent affinity for goodness implanted in every human heart, and as the days of general consent and unobstructed knowledge enlighten and control the affairs of men, more and more certain, as time rolls on, will come protests and rebellions against the temporary triumph of evil.
Of that entrancing story which has captured civilization,[Pg 46] and has come to be a part of it, what is there in the Master that deserves such barbaric surroundings; such inconsequential details of obscure and barbarous lives; such vindictive retaliations and brutal89 conflicts, sacrilegiously involving the Deity as a promoter of them; wild fictions of early ages, inventions of the infancy306 of man, conflicting accounts of historical events, fragmentary parts by different persons at different periods; explanations in many branches of science, now known to be mistaken and absurd, and containing texts, that either openly sanction or have been twisted into service of the most stupendous outrages307 that humanity has suffered.
“Considering the asserted origin of these records—indirectly from God himself—we might justly expect that they would bear to be tried by any standard that man can apply, and vindicate308 their truth and excellence309 in the ordeal310 of human criticism. We ought therefore to look for universality, completeness, perfection. We might expect that they would present us with just views of the nature and position of this world in which we live, and that, whether dealing311 with the spiritual or material, they would put to shame the most celebrated312 productions of human genius, as the magnificent mechanism313 of the[Pg 47] heavens, and the beautiful forms of the earth are superior to the vain contrivances of man. We might expect that they would propound314 with authority, and definitely settle those all important problems, which have exercised the mental powers of the ablest men of Asia and Europe for so many centuries, and which are at the foundation of all faith and all philosophy; that they should distinctly tell us, in unmistakable language, what is God, what is the world, what is the soul, and whether man has any criterion of truth; that they should explain to us how evil can exist in a world, the Maker315 of which is omnipotent316, and altogether good; that they should reveal to us in what the affairs of men are fixed by destiny, in what by free will; that they should teach us whence we came, what is the object of our continuing here, what is to become of us hereafter. And since a written word claiming a divine origin must necessarily accredit317 itself, even to those most reluctant to receive it, its internal evidences becoming stronger and not weaker, with the strictness of the examination to which they are submitted, it ought to deal with those things that may be demonstrated by the increasing knowledge and genius of many anticipating therein his conclusions. Such a work noble as may be its origin,[Pg 48] must not refuse, but court the test of natural philosophy, regarding it not as an antagonist318 but as its best support. As years pass on and human science becomes more exact and more comprehensive, its conclusions must be found in unison319 therewith. When occasion arises they should furnish us at least the foreshadowings of the great truths discovered by astronomy and geology, not offering for them the wild fictions of earlier ages. They should tell us how suns and worlds are distributed in infinite space, and how, in their succession they come forth in limitless time. They should say how far the dominion320 of God is carried out by law, and what is the point at which it is his pleasure to resort to his own arbitrary will. How grand would have been the description of the magnificent universe written by the omnipotent hand! Of man they should set forth his relations to other living beings, his place among them, his privileges and responsibilities. They should not leave him to grope his way through the vestiges321 of Greek philosophy, and to miss the truth at last, but they should teach him wherein true knowledge consists, anticipating the physical science, physical power, and physical well being of our own times, nay322, even unfolding for our benefit things that we are still ignorant[Pg 49] of. The discussion of subjects, so many and so high, is not outside the scope of a work of such pretensions324. Its manner of dealing with them is the only criterion it can offer of its authority to succeeding times.”[A]
How unlike this is our asserted Sacred Book, with its fables, its myths and legends, its deadly texts that have scourged325 mankind. By its pretension323 of divine authority, carrying forward into our civilization superstitions, that otherwise would have melted away under the light of knowledge; putting a limit to learning, obstructing326 it, and denouncing it, in many of its branches; paralyzing thought, and substituting in its stead a blind faith, instituted and cultivated by ecclesiasticism, to bring men under its control; holding up as an example of divine favor, the low moral standard of barbaric times; recounting murders, incests, adulteries and obscenities, that would have banished327 the book long since from the regions of refinement328 and civilization, but for its assumed origin, and which serve, by their easy and undenied access to young minds, as a stimulation329 to destructive pruriency330; sanctioning human slavery, and encouraging bloodshed by battle; setting an example of extortionate tithes331 for the[Pg 50] support of ecclesiasticism; uttering the most heart-rending curses, as coming directly from the Almighty, for failure to comply with his assumed commands, and which have been made the example, authorizing332 the horrible cruelties inflicted upon mankind by the churches, literary models as they are of those anathemas333, interdicts334, and excommunications, by which the older church terrorized humanity for fifteen hundred years. “I will also do this unto you, I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning ague, that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart, and ye shall sow your seed in vain; for your enemies shall eat it.” “I will also send wild beasts among you, which shall rob you of your children, and destroy your cattle, and make you few in number, and your highways shall be desolate335.” “For they went and served other gods, and worshiped them, gods whom they knew not, and whom he had not given unto them; and the anger of the Lord was kindled336 against this land to bring upon it all the curses that are written in this book.” “Do not I hate them O Lord that hate thee, yea I hate them with a perfect hate.” “Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.” “A man, also or a woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to[Pg 51] death.” “And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword.” Solely on the authority of such deadly texts as these, and the book is full of them, the world has been overspread in blood. It was these that gave Spain a pretended sanction of the Lord to exterminate337 fifteen millions of people in Mexico and Peru, with a better and higher civilization than itself, and to rob them of their wealth and possessions. It was these, and such as these, that authorized and instigated338 the Inquisition, which from 1481 to 1808, put to torture and horrible death by burning, 340,000 human beings. It was these that induced the massacre339 of St. Bartholomew with its 30,000 victims of fire and sword; the English persecutions under Bloody340 Mary, in which three hundred fellow-creatures perished; the almost total annihilation of the Albigenesis in the south of France. This war was carried on with more ferocious341 cruelty than any ever recorded in history; the fanatical fury of the soldiers was stimulated342 by the exhortations343 of the clergy344. At the storming of Baziers, when it was proposed to spare the Catholics, a monk345 exclaimed, “Kill all, God will recognize his own,” and the atrocious precept60 was but too well observed. The war terminated by the complete devastation[Pg 52] of the country, and the almost complete extermination346 of its inhabitants. Following along in the bloody path of these barbaric scriptural commands, we have to record the witch burnings of Europe and America, during the term of Christian supremacy, calculated in the hundreds of thousands; the Crusades, and purely347 religious wars since the time of Constantine, whose victims are beyond computation; and all this to no other purpose or end, but that the world should be forced into the belief of, what is known to be, the theological system of a low social development; this the terrible cost to humanity, for the adoption and systematic348 retention349 by the churches, of the ancient Jewish beliefs and modes of thought; this the infliction, that ecclesiasticism might prevail, using the sermon on the mount to capture the consciences of men, and scourging350 them with the mandates352, curses and punishments of a Hebrew divinity, to bring them into line for its purposes. In taking these Jewish annals to its heart, making them a part of itself, as objects of example and worship, has not Christianity retarded353 the advance of mankind? Has it not, by them, obstructed305 knowledge, prevented a greater expansion of human sympathy, and prolonged the betterment of social conditions?
[Pg 53]In these days of enlightenment and higher thought, the vestiges are everywhere seen of our fifteen centuries of misdirection. Almost every Christian life bears the impress of these cruel Hebrew traditions. The commander of a battleship in the war with Spain, after his slaughter354 of numbers of the enemy, assembles his men to give “thanks to the Lord,” and the next moment cautions them not to cheer because “the poor fellows are dying,” illustrates355, that mingling356 of Jewish superstition with the teaching and example of the Master, to be observed everywhere in our present civilization. The inherent religious impulses of mankind—natural religion—some of which, finding no more congenial quarters, is attracted to the churches, regard war with feelings of greater repulsion than does orthodox theology, indoctrinated in the belief of its divine sanction, and consequently, the success of the American arms, so plainly due to natural causes, was celebrated by the churches in the usual ancient Hebraic method by “thanks to the Lord.” The supreme intolerance of Christianity which has wrought such havoc357 with mankind, is plainly due to the suggestions of Hebrew scripture, and it is only the natural religion within the churches, and that large portion outside of[Pg 54] them, which is forcing Christianity into a purer worship, and destroying its superstitions. It demands for all things, holy as well as unholy, the right of critical examination, and it sees but little else in our Sacred Book worth preserving, outside the sermon on the mount, and its extensions. It is this natural religion of conscience, encouraging and encouraged by science and reason, which has wrested358 the control of civilization from ecclesiasticism. Its intellectual strength prevails at last over the intellectual strength of theology; but the unthinking of the multitude are many, and the battle commencing four centuries ago still lingers, theology backed by its weak numbers, its old weapons destroyed, and science by its strong men with searchlights.
But the searchlights of science can not disturb the heart of Christianity. Its doctrine of atonement, destroyed by the established truth of evolution; its account of the creation and the deluge, proved to be fables; its miracles discredited359, and many of them demonstrated by science to be untrue, it still holds within itself, an element which is in harmony with the aspirations360 of mankind for the coming betterment on earth and hereafter. All these things that it has lost are but perverted[Pg 55] offrisings from its body, not a part of the body itself. “Love one another. Do unto others as you would that others shall do unto you,” are the golden words that have established it in the world as a living moving power. Of these its soul and life are composed, and these no arrow of science can reach. Its dogmas aside, every human being within the precincts of civilization is born a Christian, and but for its early perversion361 at the hands of a crafty362 priesthood, its intolerant and cruel career from forced and unworthy association, all men, learned as well as unlearned, would be working in its ranks.
It came into the world and entered society, making its way from below upward. Like all movements coming out of the lower levels, it was socialistic. Its originator, for he cannot be called its leader, was the first person who had ever appeared in the world as the instigator363 of a great reform movement benefitting the whole of mankind without some apparent or suspected motive21, in denial of his absolute unselfishness, and the movement in its early stages, partaking and wholly composed of his inspiration, was a pure unselfish socialism. Its members were bound together by the closest brotherhood, loving and caring for each other by divine command; declared equal by a[Pg 56] mandate351 of Heaven, in an age when three-fourths of mankind were outcasts, uncared, neglected, and abused by a cruel oligarchy364, slaves and dependents, among whom it was a misfortune and misery365 to have been born, and having a religion so purposeless and unpromising as to afford nothing but a momentary366 spectacular display. To these people the new religion was as congenial and welcome as the warm sunshine and verdure of summer after a long sojourn in the Arctic. Its doctrines touched society where it had most need of their humane367 precepts and uprising. For nearly a century no system of dogmas, no doctrine of atonement, no extensive church authority had been determined368, and the whole stress of religious teaching was directed toward the worship of a moral ideal, and the cultivation369 of moral qualities. Its numbers, which had been looked upon until then, by the higher and governing class with either contemptuous silence, or occasional argumentative opposition, were become so increased that their political weight gave promise of a new field for the exercise of authority and power, and from thence on began that addition of intellectual forces which have so completely changed its character.
Every change instituted by its new leaders was with[Pg 57] the sole purpose of increasing its numbers and of augmenting370 its political weight. They began by making a compromise with paganism in adopting some of its rituals, pandering371 to the imaginations of the uncultivated multitude by spectacular display, inventing a system of church government with an executive head, adopting the Jewish annals for its organic laws and modes of thought, cultivating a belief in miracles and increasing them on every opportune372 occasion, until with the one end in view of overcoming the world as C?sar did with his legions, more bloody than C?sar, taking into their hands a movement full of humanity, instituted by men in the lower walks of life to soften373 their hard lines and give them new hopes, and to increase their sympathies and feelings of brotherhood, it became, and in many parts of the world remains to this day, under its attached dispensation of ecclesiastical dogma and control, a handmaid of kings and emperors in oppression, an upholder of deadly superstition, an intimidator374 of free thought and free learning, an unconcerned looker-on upon the miseries of life beyond its proselyting interest, careless of the whole world and its affairs, except so far as it can profit by its theory of exclusive salvation375, and the mouth piece in cant100 phrases,[Pg 58] which have long since lost their force and meaning, of a lingering barbarism.
And yet the world was never so much in need of a pure Christianity. An expanded benevolence376 cherished and assisted as much by skepticism as the churches is one of the characteristics of modern society. Although the physically377 strong do not prey378 upon the physically weak as pitylessly as in the olden time, the financially strong are preying379 upon the financially weak with as little conscience, and the intellectually strong are preying upon the intellectually weak with as much cunning, as they were in barbaric times. Civilization has increased the two last mentioned evils. The straggling masses under a load of grinding wealth, in their better knowledge are no longer appeased380 by the promises of an adulterated and composite Christianity, whose chief business for centuries has been to set before them an awaiting paradise, in recompense for their earthly wrongs; but now, the multitude impressed with a knowledge belonging to these times, is proof against these allurements381. The toiling millions who make easy places for the few, and increase their wealth, and who have carried out to a successful end the brilliant material advancement which surrounds us, is the world[Pg 59] proper, all the rest are merely dependants382. Into this world and down among these quarters from whence it came Christianity must prepare itself to re-enter, and of this the shadow is already to be seen. It must discard its dogmas and superstitions, which it has even now consigned to partial obscurity and silence, and in place of them, take on the things of the world. It must go among the money changers of the temples, and into the halls and by-ways of legislation, giving battle everywhere with evil; for it is through these that the world is given or denied its betterment, and it must set science on its right hand, recognizing it as an attribute of the Deity. Christianity with this companion, its pure ideal recovered from its ecclesiastical mists, setting out on its new journey through the world, blazing the way for truth instead of suppressing it, conforming itself in all ways to the natural religion of mankind, would become to humanity what the sun is to the earth, comforting the souls of men by its hopes, enlarging their charities by its precepts, and warming into life many a germ of virtue and goodness, which else, would never have blossomed, to shed its moral fragrance383 on the earth.
[Pg 60]The foregoing was written to indicate that line of thought, whose convictions are briefly384 expressed, here and there, through the pages of this little book, now offered to the public in its third edition. It is always safer and pleasanter to deal with received theology in the spirit of reverence, usually found in literature; thus offending no one, and meeting the approval of a worthy and influential385 class; but, there are other reasons why an adverse229 criticism of theological methods and beliefs, are not so often publicly exploited as their importance to society deserves. In the first place experience has shown that errors of religious belief, fixed upon the mind in infancy and youth, are seldom removed by discussion. We are not yet arrived at that stage, when the love of truth so predominates in the minds of men, that they will sacrifice every prejudice, and reject all opposing influence to obtain it. Christianity has imposed an elaborate system of prejudices on every young mind within its jurisdiction and they have become entwined with all the most hallowed associations of childhood, appealing so strongly to the affections, that any expressed denial of their exact truth excites, in most cases, a feeling of resentment386, and often stirs to petty persecution. A[Pg 61] large majority of the human race accept their opinions from authority, and all authority heretofore has encouraged beliefs, which appear so inseparably connected with the moral well being of society, and which hold in continued supremacy, institutions and modes of thought whose subversion387 it is alleged would be in many ways dangerous. Yet, the fact remains that it is mostly through its inroads upon these old beliefs that the world has arrived at its present stage of progress, and the opinion of orthodox theologians that they should be retained in their entirety, or of others that they should be abolished, cuts no figure; because, whether for good or evil in the opinions of men, Providence388 has ordained389, that those only which represent the truth shall live, and knowing this of a certainty, it becomes of the greatest interest to discover what society is likely to lose or gain by that modification of religious beliefs, wherein only the truth shall remain. If we cannot foretell390 this future condition with certainty, it is largely foreshadowed by past and present experience. What the world has lost in the modification of religious beliefs, would be hard to find, what it has gained would take volumes to recount. In the most important of all human interests, liberty of person,[Pg 62] liberty of conscience, and liberty of speech, there has been, as yet, no adequate acknowledgement by mankind of the great services of the silent and avowed391 skepticism which brought about the consummation of these blessings392. The writings of Moses, the recorded wisdom of Solomon, the encyclicals of popes, and the sermons of bishops393 and priests, both Protestant and Catholic, in their rising up of the lowly, in their encouragement of brotherhood, and in that exact and even justice to all men, so far as their practical services to humanity in these directions can be measured, sink into an empty insignificance394, when compared with those organic declarations and laws, upon which this great republic was founded, and which were the outcome and product of a then recent enlightenment, due to the combined efforts of European skeptical395 writers, who by their genius of sarcasm396 and incisive397 argument, were disturbing the old theological modes of thought, and awaking the world to wide strides in rationalism. That these new American rules of political equality, beacons398 of liberty for men to follow and admire, obtained their inspiration and incentive from those new lights in literature, which, at that time, were stirring the world of thought, there can be no question. In these[Pg 63] famous American documents, were embodied399 the practical carrying out of principles, enunciated400, and suggested by the European writers, and the most active of the men engaged in the noble work of forming the new government, are known to have been disciples401 of these leaders of anti-theologic thought. Our Declaration of Independence and Federal Constitution, stand, to-day, grand achievements of modern scientific thought, and conspicuous402 triumphs of rationalism, over old methods, foreshadowing in these, its great works, a better wisdom to govern the affairs of men, than all the ages guided by Hebrew tradition. Yet, in these documents will be seen an overflowing403 of natural religion, and the spirit of the Master. “Do unto others as ye would that others shall do unto you.”
If we have for more than fifteen centuries, yielded ourselves to doctrines, conveyed to us through all the highways of life, so assiduously, that neither infancy, youth, manhood or old age, have escaped their tireless importunities for acceptance; doctrines, which consign77 seven-eighths of humanity to eternal torture for no faults to most of them but a lack of opportunity, which under Providence has been denied, it is not unreasonable404 to conclude, with this experience of the mutability of human[Pg 64] understanding, that there are other beliefs fastened on our minds by ages of custom and mistaken thought, equally untenable, which may be as justly placed in our catalogue of errors. Where then shall we look for truth? Authority, as we have seen, is not an infallible guide. We shall never know how much the industrious202 promulgation of error is due to the selfish love of corporate405 power, how much to a pure benevolence. Neither are the brightest minds safe monitors in all things of thought. Aristotle defended slavery, Hobbes persecution, Johnson witchcraft, and Gladstone religious superstition; but, for all that, we shall never arrive at the extremity406 of despair; for a cultivation of the mind, the deductive use of positive knowledge, and the untrammeled exercise of reason, lead to truth, as directly, as the line of gravity points to the center of the earth, and only by these will its reign be established in the world.
W. S.
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
derived
|
|
| vi.起源；由来；衍生；导出v.得到( derive的过去式和过去分词 )；（从…中）得到获得；源于；（从…中）提取 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
inclination
|
|
| n.倾斜；点头；弯腰；斜坡；倾度；倾向；爱好 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
instructors
|
|
| 指导者，教师( instructor的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
promulgation
|
|
| n.颁布 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
condemnation
|
|
| n.谴责; 定罪 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
censure
|
|
| v./n.责备；非难；责难 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
delusions
|
|
| n.欺骗( delusion的名词复数 )；谬见；错觉；妄想 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
bolster
|
|
| n.枕垫；v.支持，鼓励 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
teeming
|
|
| adj.丰富的v.充满( teem的现在分词 )；到处都是；（指水、雨等）暴降；倾注 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
perpetuate
|
|
| v.使永存，使永记不忘 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
perpetuated
|
|
| vt.使永存（perpetuate的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
interfering
|
|
| adj. 妨碍的 动词interfere的现在分词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
lessened
|
|
| 减少的，减弱的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
extinction
|
|
| n.熄灭，消亡，消灭，灭绝，绝种 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
disapproval
|
|
| n.反对，不赞成 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
dwelling
|
|
| n.住宅，住所，寓所 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
superstition
|
|
| n.迷信，迷信行为 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
belittled
|
|
| 使显得微小，轻视，贬低( belittle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
creeds
|
|
| （尤指宗教）信条，教条( creed的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
creed
|
|
| n.信条；信念，纲领 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
motive
|
|
| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
motives
|
|
| n.动机，目的( motive的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
enjoyments
|
|
| 愉快( enjoyment的名词复数 )； 令人愉快的事物； 享有； 享受 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
reverence
|
|
| n.敬畏，尊敬，尊严；Reverence:对某些基督教神职人员的尊称；v.尊敬，敬畏，崇敬 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
judgment
|
|
| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
taint
|
|
| n.污点；感染；腐坏；v.使感染；污染 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
fervor
|
|
| n.热诚；热心；炽热 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
supremacy
|
|
| n.至上；至高权力 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
compensating
|
|
| 补偿，补助，修正 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
doctrine
|
|
| n.教义；主义；学说 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
doctrines
|
|
| n.教条( doctrine的名词复数 )；教义；学说；（政府政策的）正式声明 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
miseries
|
|
| n.痛苦( misery的名词复数 )；痛苦的事；穷困；常发牢骚的人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
attested
|
|
| adj.经检验证明无病的，经检验证明无菌的v.证明( attest的过去式和过去分词 )；证实；声称…属实；使宣誓 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
labored
|
|
| adj.吃力的，谨慎的v.努力争取(for)( labor的过去式和过去分词 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
labor
|
|
| n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
possessed
|
|
| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
neutralizing
|
|
| v.使失效( neutralize的现在分词 )；抵消；中和；使（一个国家）中立化 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
retarding
|
|
| 使减速( retard的现在分词 )； 妨碍； 阻止； 推迟 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
futile
|
|
| adj.无效的，无用的，无希望的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
laden
|
|
| adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
superstitions
|
|
| 迷信，迷信行为( superstition的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
rigidity
|
|
| adj.钢性，坚硬 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
amendment
|
|
| n.改正，修正，改善，修正案 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
dissent
|
|
| n./v.不同意，持异议 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
turmoil
|
|
| n.骚乱，混乱，动乱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
imbued
|
|
| v.使（某人/某事）充满或激起（感情等）( imbue的过去式和过去分词 )；使充满；灌输；激发（强烈感情或品质等） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
hideous
|
|
| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
malevolent
|
|
| adj.有恶意的，恶毒的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
fully
|
|
| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
drawn
|
|
| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
relentless
|
|
| adj.残酷的，不留情的，无怜悯心的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
savage
|
|
| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
savages
|
|
| 未开化的人，野蛮人( savage的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
infliction
|
|
| n.（强加于人身的）痛苦，刑罚 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
mere
|
|
| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
ostracism
|
|
| n.放逐；排斥 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
Christian
|
|
| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
58
civilizing
|
|
| v.使文明，使开化( civilize的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
59
precepts
|
|
| n.规诫，戒律，箴言( precept的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
60
precept
|
|
| n.戒律；格言 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
61
Founder
|
|
| n.创始者，缔造者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
62
advancement
|
|
| n.前进，促进，提升 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
63
jurisdiction
|
|
| n.司法权，审判权，管辖权，控制权 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
64
promulgated
|
|
| v.宣扬（某事物）( promulgate的过去式和过去分词 )；传播；公布；颁布（法令、新法律等） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
65
entirely
|
|
| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
66
acrimonious
|
|
| adj.严厉的，辛辣的，刻毒的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
67
contentions
|
|
| n.竞争( contention的名词复数 )；争夺；争论；论点 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
68
contention
|
|
| n.争论，争辩，论战；论点，主张 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
69
sojourn
|
|
| v./n.旅居，寄居；逗留 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
70
wilt
|
|
| v.(使)植物凋谢或枯萎；(指人)疲倦，衰弱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
71
exhausted
|
|
| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
72
obnoxious
|
|
| adj.极恼人的，讨人厌的，可憎的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
73
relegated
|
|
| v.使降级( relegate的过去式和过去分词 )；使降职；转移；把…归类 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
74
antiquated
|
|
| adj.陈旧的，过时的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
75
vice
|
|
| n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
76
consigned
|
|
| v.把…置于（令人不快的境地）( consign的过去式和过去分词 )；把…托付给；把…托人代售；丟弃 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
77
consign
|
|
| vt.寄售（货品），托运，交托，委托 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
78
worthy
|
|
| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
79
metaphorically
|
|
| adv. 用比喻地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
80
bruised
|
|
| [医]青肿的，瘀紫的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
81
prodigies
|
|
| n.奇才，天才（尤指神童）( prodigy的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
82
marvels
|
|
| n.奇迹( marvel的名词复数 )；令人惊奇的事物（或事例）；不平凡的成果；成就v.惊奇，对…感到惊奇( marvel的第三人称单数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
83
civilized
|
|
| a.有教养的，文雅的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
84
spliced
|
|
| adj.（针织品）加固的n.叠接v.绞接( splice的过去式和过去分词 )；捻接（两段绳子）；胶接；粘接（胶片、磁带等） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
85
rupture
|
|
| n.破裂；(关系的)决裂；v.(使)破裂 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
86
secular
|
|
| n.牧师，凡人；adj.世俗的，现世的，不朽的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
87
phantom
|
|
| n.幻影，虚位，幽灵；adj.错觉的，幻影的，幽灵的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
88
revival
|
|
| n.复兴，复苏，（精力、活力等的）重振 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
89
brutal
|
|
| adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
90
immortality
|
|
| n.不死，不朽 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
91
virtue
|
|
| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
92
brotherhood
|
|
| n.兄弟般的关系，手中情谊 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
93
prelude
|
|
| n.序言，前兆，序曲 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
94
sewers
|
|
| n.阴沟，污水管，下水道( sewer的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
95
graveyards
|
|
| 墓地( graveyard的名词复数 )； 垃圾场； 废物堆积处； 收容所 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
96
witchcraft
|
|
| n.魔法，巫术 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
97
adherents
|
|
| n.支持者，拥护者( adherent的名词复数 )；党羽；徒子徒孙 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
98
animated
|
|
| adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
99
trifling
|
|
| adj.微不足道的；没什么价值的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
100
cant
|
|
| n.斜穿，黑话，猛扔 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
101
forth
|
|
| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
102
accomplished
|
|
| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
103
saturated
|
|
| a.饱和的，充满的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
104
interfere
|
|
| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
105
supreme
|
|
| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
106
germinate
|
|
| v.发芽；发生；发展 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
107
almighty
|
|
| adj.全能的，万能的；很大的，很强的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
108
investigator
|
|
| n.研究者，调查者，审查者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
109
contriving
|
|
| （不顾困难地）促成某事( contrive的现在分词 )； 巧妙地策划，精巧地制造（如机器）； 设法做到 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
110
unity
|
|
| n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
111
immediate
|
|
| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
112
remarkable
|
|
| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
113
sinuous
|
|
| adj.蜿蜒的，迂回的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
114
constrained
|
|
| adj.束缚的,节制的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
115
authorized
|
|
| a.委任的，许可的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
116
scripture
|
|
| n.经文，圣书，手稿；Scripture:(常用复数)《圣经》，《圣经》中的一段 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
117
incentive
|
|
| n.刺激；动力；鼓励；诱因；动机 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
118
slumbering
|
|
| 微睡，睡眠（slumber的现在分词形式） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
119
vigor
|
|
| n.活力，精力，元气 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
120
dwarfed
|
|
| vt.（使）显得矮小（dwarf的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
121
noted
|
|
| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
122
promising
|
|
| adj.有希望的，有前途的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
123
devoted
|
|
| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
124
veracity
|
|
| n.诚实 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
125
mingled
|
|
| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
126
disturbance
|
|
| n.动乱，骚动；打扰，干扰；(身心)失调 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
127
corruptions
|
|
| n.堕落( corruption的名词复数 )；腐化；腐败；贿赂 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
128
dispel
|
|
| vt.驱走，驱散，消除 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
129
enveloped
|
|
| v.包围，笼罩，包住( envelop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
130
thereby
|
|
| adv.因此，从而 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
131
partially
|
|
| adv.部分地，从某些方面讲 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
132
interdicted
|
|
| v.禁止（行动）( interdict的过去式和过去分词 )；禁用；限制 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
133
justified
|
|
| a.正当的，有理的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
134
restrictions
|
|
| 约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
135
narrative
|
|
| n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
136
hampered
|
|
| 妨碍，束缚，限制( hamper的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
137
dense
|
|
| a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
138
sects
|
|
| n.宗派，教派( sect的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
139
bishop
|
|
| n.主教，（国际象棋）象 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
140
mathematicians
|
|
| 数学家( mathematician的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
141
dread
|
|
| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
142
persecution
|
|
| n. 迫害,烦扰 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
143
steadily
|
|
| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
144
implicating
|
|
| vt.牵涉，涉及（implicate的现在分词形式） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
145
adoption
|
|
| n.采用，采纳，通过；收养 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
146
persecuted
|
|
| （尤指宗教或政治信仰的）迫害(~sb. for sth.)( persecute的过去式和过去分词 )； 烦扰，困扰或骚扰某人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
147
strenuously
|
|
| adv.奋发地，费力地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
148
revolved
|
|
| v.（使）旋转( revolve的过去式和过去分词 )；细想 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
149
imprisonment
|
|
| n.关押，监禁，坐牢 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
150
eminences
|
|
| 卓越( eminence的名词复数 )； 著名； 高地； 山丘 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
151
abjure
|
|
| v.发誓放弃 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
152
detest
|
|
| vt.痛恨，憎恶 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
153
heresy
|
|
| n.异端邪说；异教 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
154
transcribe
|
|
| v.抄写，誉写；改编(乐曲)；复制，转录 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
155
dedicated
|
|
| adj.一心一意的；献身的；热诚的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
156
cardinal
|
|
| n.(天主教的)红衣主教；adj.首要的，基本的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
157
Saturn
|
|
| n.农神，土星 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
158
revolves
|
|
| v.（使）旋转( revolve的第三人称单数 )；细想 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
159
condemned
|
|
| adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
160
warfare
|
|
| n.战争(状态)；斗争；冲突 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
161
inhuman
|
|
| adj.残忍的，不人道的，无人性的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
162
investigation
|
|
| n.调查，调查研究 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
163
practitioner
|
|
| n.实践者，从事者；(医生或律师等)开业者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
164
afterward
|
|
| adv.后来；以后 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
165
laboring
|
|
| n.劳动，操劳v.努力争取(for)( labor的现在分词 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
166
apparently
|
|
| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
167
ardent
|
|
| adj.热情的，热烈的，强烈的，烈性的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
168
modification
|
|
| n.修改，改进，缓和，减轻 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
169
controversy
|
|
| n.争论，辩论，争吵 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
170
adversary
|
|
| adj.敌手，对手 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
171
wailing
|
|
| v.哭叫，哀号( wail的现在分词 )；沱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
172
undoing
|
|
| n.毁灭的原因，祸根；破坏，毁灭 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
173
homage
|
|
| n.尊敬，敬意，崇敬 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
174
followers
|
|
| 追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
175
deference
|
|
| n.尊重，顺从；敬意 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
176
exasperating
|
|
| adj. 激怒的 动词exasperate的现在分词形式 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
177
climax
|
|
| n.顶点；高潮；v.(使)达到顶点 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
178
affront
|
|
| n./v.侮辱，触怒 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
179
layman
|
|
| n.俗人，门外汉，凡人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
180
temerity
|
|
| n.鲁莽，冒失 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
181
degenerated
|
|
| 衰退，堕落，退化( degenerate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
182
mutual
|
|
| adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
183
blasphemies
|
|
| n.对上帝的亵渎，亵渎的言词[行为]( blasphemy的名词复数 )；侮慢的言词（或行为） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
184
confided
|
|
| v.吐露（秘密，心事等）( confide的过去式和过去分词 )；（向某人）吐露（隐私、秘密等） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
185
alleged
|
|
| a.被指控的，嫌疑的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
186
controverted
|
|
| v.争论，反驳，否定( controvert的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
|
187
blasphemy
|
|
| n.亵渎，渎神 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
188
dictated
|
|
| v.大声讲或读( dictate的过去式和过去分词 )；口授；支配；摆布 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
189
malign
|
|
| adj.有害的；恶性的；恶意的；v.诽谤，诬蔑 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
190
malignant
|
|
| adj.恶性的，致命的；恶意的，恶毒的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
191
arrogance
|
|
| n.傲慢，自大 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
192
thither
|
|
| adv.向那里；adj.在那边的，对岸的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
193
connivance
|
|
| n.纵容；默许 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
194
contrived
|
|
| adj.不自然的，做作的；虚构的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
195
imminent
|
|
| adj.即将发生的，临近的，逼近的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
196
outskirts
|
|
| n.郊外，郊区 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
197
positively
|
|
| adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
198
confinement
|
|
| n.幽禁，拘留，监禁；分娩；限制，局限 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
199
piously
|
|
| adv.虔诚地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
200
arraignment
|
|
| n.提问，传讯，责难 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
201
industriously
|
|
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
202
industrious
|
|
| adj.勤劳的，刻苦的，奋发的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
203
prosecutor
|
|
| n.起诉人；检察官，公诉人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
204
eminently
|
|
| adv.突出地；显著地；不寻常地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
205
filthy
|
|
| adj.卑劣的；恶劣的，肮脏的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
206
plight
|
|
| n.困境，境况，誓约，艰难；vt.宣誓，保证，约定 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
207
humbly
|
|
| adv. 恭顺地，谦卑地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
208
entreat
|
|
| v.恳求，恳请 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
209
exonerate
|
|
| v.免除责任，确定无罪 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
210
impeachment
|
|
| n.弹劾；控告；怀疑 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
211
protracted
|
|
| adj.拖延的；延长的v.拖延“protract”的过去式和过去分词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
212
interrogator
|
|
| n.讯问者；审问者；质问者；询问器 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
213
conscientious
|
|
| adj.审慎正直的，认真的，本着良心的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
214
prostrated
|
|
| v.使俯伏，使拜倒( prostrate的过去式和过去分词 )；（指疾病、天气等）使某人无能为力 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
215
hempen
|
|
| adj. 大麻制的, 大麻的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
216
twigs
|
|
| 细枝，嫩枝( twig的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
217
applied
|
|
| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
218
catching
|
|
| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
219
wrung
|
|
| 绞( wring的过去式和过去分词 )； 握紧（尤指别人的手）； 把（湿衣服）拧干； 绞掉（水） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
220
anguish
|
|
| n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦，烦恼 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
221
compassion
|
|
| n.同情，怜悯 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
222
hissing
|
|
| n. 发嘶嘶声, 蔑视 动词hiss的现在分词形式 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
223
charred
|
|
| v.把…烧成炭( char的过去式)；烧焦 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
224
fanaticism
|
|
| n.狂热，盲信 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
225
remains
|
|
| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
226
vindictive
|
|
| adj.有报仇心的，怀恨的，惩罚的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
227
mosaic
|
|
| n./adj.镶嵌细工的，镶嵌工艺品的，嵌花式的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
228
deluge
|
|
| n./vt.洪水，暴雨，使泛滥 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
229
adverse
|
|
| adj.不利的；有害的；敌对的，不友好的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
230
adversely
|
|
| ad.有害地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
231
solely
|
|
| adv.仅仅，唯一地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
232
affinity
|
|
| n.亲和力，密切关系 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
233
destined
|
|
| adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
234
brutality
|
|
| n.野蛮的行为，残忍，野蛮 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
235
ordinance
|
|
| n.法令；条令；条例 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
236
vilest
|
|
| adj.卑鄙的( vile的最高级 )；可耻的；极坏的；非常讨厌的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
|
237
captivity
|
|
| n.囚禁；被俘；束缚 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
238
furrows
|
|
| n.犁沟( furrow的名词复数 )；（脸上的）皱纹v.犁田，开沟( furrow的第三人称单数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
239
fixed
|
|
| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
240
expectancy
|
|
| n.期望，预期，（根据概率统计求得）预期数额 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
241
inflicted
|
|
| 把…强加给，使承受，遭受( inflict的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
242
fabulous
|
|
| adj.极好的；极为巨大的；寓言中的，传说中的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
243
latitude
|
|
| n.纬度，行动或言论的自由(范围)，(pl.)地区 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
244
uncertainty
|
|
| n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
245
bestowed
|
|
| 赠给，授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
246
unlimited
|
|
| adj.无限的，不受控制的，无条件的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
247
sluggish
|
|
| adj.懒惰的，迟钝的，无精打采的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
248
puerile
|
|
| adj.幼稚的，儿童的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
249
demons
|
|
| n.恶人( demon的名词复数 )；恶魔；精力过人的人；邪念 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
250
tenacity
|
|
| n.坚韧 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
251
substantiated
|
|
| v.用事实支持（某主张、说法等），证明，证实( substantiate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
252
truthful
|
|
| adj.真实的，说实话的，诚实的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
253
missionary
|
|
| adj.教会的，传教(士)的；n.传教士 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
254
wrought
|
|
| v.引起；以…原料制作；运转；adj.制造的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
255
toiling
|
|
| 长时间或辛苦地工作( toil的现在分词 )； 艰难缓慢地移动，跋涉 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
256
missionaries
|
|
| n.传教士( missionary的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
257
illuminated
|
|
| adj.被照明的；受启迪的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
258
rites
|
|
| 仪式，典礼( rite的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
259
imputed
|
|
| v.把（错误等）归咎于( impute的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
260
confirmation
|
|
| n.证实，确认，批准 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
261
utterly
|
|
| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
262
hearth
|
|
| n.壁炉炉床，壁炉地面 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
263
cloister
|
|
| n.修道院；v.隐退，使与世隔绝 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
264
esteemed
|
|
| adj.受人尊敬的v.尊敬( esteem的过去式和过去分词 )；敬重；认为；以为 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
265
esteem
|
|
| n.尊敬，尊重；vt.尊重，敬重；把…看作 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
266
miraculous
|
|
| adj.像奇迹一样的，不可思议的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
267
deceptions
|
|
| 欺骗( deception的名词复数 )； 骗术，诡计 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
268
doomed
|
|
| 命定的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
269
adherence
|
|
| n.信奉，依附，坚持，固着 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
270
incessant
|
|
| adj.不停的，连续的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
271
watchfulness
|
|
| 警惕，留心； 警觉（性） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
272
labors
|
|
| v.努力争取(for)( labor的第三人称单数 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
273
invoked
|
|
| v.援引( invoke的过去式和过去分词 )；行使（权利等）；祈求救助；恳求 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
274
minor
|
|
| adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
275
controversies
|
|
| 争论 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
276
factions
|
|
| 组织中的小派别，派系( faction的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
277
simplicity
|
|
| n.简单，简易；朴素；直率，单纯 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
278
immunity
|
|
| n.优惠；免除；豁免，豁免权 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
279
wont
|
|
| adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
280
distinguished
|
|
| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
281
laymen
|
|
| 门外汉，外行人( layman的名词复数 )； 普通教徒（有别于神职人员） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
282
defense
|
|
| n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
283
interpretations
|
|
| n.解释( interpretation的名词复数 )；表演；演绎；理解 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
284
intercourse
|
|
| n.性交；交流，交往，交际 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
285
erect
|
|
| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
286
accounting
|
|
| n.会计，会计学，借贷对照表 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
287
calamity
|
|
| n.灾害，祸患，不幸事件 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
288
literally
|
|
| adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
289
severely
|
|
| adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
290
curtailment
|
|
| n.缩减，缩短 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
291
inflicting
|
|
| 把…强加给，使承受，遭受( inflict的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
292
insanity
|
|
| n.疯狂，精神错乱；极端的愚蠢，荒唐 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
293
persistently
|
|
| ad.坚持地；固执地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
294
disastrous
|
|
| adj.灾难性的，造成灾害的；极坏的，很糟的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
295
opposition
|
|
| n.反对，敌对 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
296
fables
|
|
| n.寓言( fable的名词复数 )；神话，传说 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
297
second-hand
|
|
| adj.用过的，旧的，二手的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
298
faculty
|
|
| n.才能；学院，系；(学院或系的)全体教学人员 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
299
deity
|
|
| n.神，神性；被奉若神明的人(或物) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
300
attentively
|
|
| adv.聚精会神地；周到地；谛；凝神 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
301
eloquent
|
|
| adj.雄辩的，口才流利的；明白显示出的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
302
laurels
|
|
| n.桂冠，荣誉 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
303
veneration
|
|
| n.尊敬，崇拜 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
304
reign
|
|
| n.统治时期，统治，支配，盛行；v.占优势 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
305
obstructed
|
|
| 阻塞( obstruct的过去式和过去分词 )； 堵塞； 阻碍； 阻止 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
306
infancy
|
|
| n.婴儿期；幼年期；初期 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
307
outrages
|
|
| 引起…的义愤，激怒( outrage的第三人称单数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
308
vindicate
|
|
| v.为…辩护或辩解，辩明；证明…正确 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
309
excellence
|
|
| n.优秀，杰出，(pl.)优点，美德 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
310
ordeal
|
|
| n.苦难经历，（尤指对品格、耐力的）严峻考验 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
311
dealing
|
|
| n.经商方法，待人态度 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
312
celebrated
|
|
| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
313
mechanism
|
|
| n.机械装置；机构，结构 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
314
propound
|
|
| v.提出 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
315
maker
|
|
| n.制造者，制造商 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
316
omnipotent
|
|
| adj.全能的，万能的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
317
accredit
|
|
| vt.归功于，认为 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
318
antagonist
|
|
| n.敌人，对抗者，对手 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
319
unison
|
|
| n.步调一致，行动一致 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
320
dominion
|
|
| n.统治，管辖，支配权；领土，版图 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
321
vestiges
|
|
| 残余部分( vestige的名词复数 )； 遗迹； 痕迹； 毫不 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
322
nay
|
|
| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
323
pretension
|
|
| n.要求；自命，自称；自负 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
324
pretensions
|
|
| 自称( pretension的名词复数 )； 自命不凡； 要求； 权力 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
325
scourged
|
|
| 鞭打( scourge的过去式和过去分词 )； 惩罚，压迫 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
326
obstructing
|
|
| 阻塞( obstruct的现在分词 )； 堵塞； 阻碍； 阻止 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
327
banished
|
|
| v.放逐，驱逐( banish的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
328
refinement
|
|
| n.文雅；高尚；精美；精制；精炼 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
329
stimulation
|
|
| n.刺激，激励，鼓舞 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
330
pruriency
|
|
| n.好色；迷恋；淫欲；（焦躁等的）渴望 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
|
331
tithes
|
|
| n.（宗教捐税）什一税，什一的教区税，小部分( tithe的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
332
authorizing
|
|
| 授权，批准，委托( authorize的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
333
anathemas
|
|
| n.（天主教的）革出教门( anathema的名词复数 )；诅咒；令人极其讨厌的事；被基督教诅咒的人或事 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
|
334
interdicts
|
|
| n.正式禁止( interdict的名词复数 )；禁令；（罗马天主教）停止（某人）教权的禁令；停止某地参加圣事活动v.禁止（行动）( interdict的第三人称单数 )；禁用；限制 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
|
335
desolate
|
|
| adj.荒凉的，荒芜的；孤独的，凄凉的；v.使荒芜，使孤寂 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
336
kindled
|
|
| （使某物）燃烧，着火( kindle的过去式和过去分词 )； 激起（感情等）； 发亮，放光 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
337
exterminate
|
|
| v.扑灭，消灭，根绝 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
338
instigated
|
|
| v.使（某事物）开始或发生，鼓动( instigate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
339
massacre
|
|
| n.残杀，大屠杀；v.残杀，集体屠杀 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
340
bloody
|
|
| adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
341
ferocious
|
|
| adj.凶猛的，残暴的，极度的，十分强烈的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
342
stimulated
|
|
| a.刺激的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
343
exhortations
|
|
| n.敦促( exhortation的名词复数 )；极力推荐；（正式的）演讲；（宗教仪式中的）劝诫 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
344
clergy
|
|
| n.[总称]牧师，神职人员 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
345
monk
|
|
| n.和尚，僧侣，修道士 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
346
extermination
|
|
| n.消灭，根绝 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
347
purely
|
|
| adv.纯粹地，完全地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
348
systematic
|
|
| adj.有系统的，有计划的，有方法的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
349
retention
|
|
| n.保留，保持，保持力，记忆力 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
350
scourging
|
|
| 鞭打( scourge的现在分词 )； 惩罚，压迫 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
351
mandate
|
|
| n.托管地；命令，指示 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
352
mandates
|
|
| 托管（mandate的第三人称单数形式） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
353
retarded
|
|
| a.智力迟钝的，智力发育迟缓的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
354
slaughter
|
|
| n.屠杀，屠宰；vt.屠杀，宰杀 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
355
illustrates
|
|
| 给…加插图( illustrate的第三人称单数 )； 说明； 表明； （用示例、图画等）说明 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
356
mingling
|
|
| adj.混合的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
357
havoc
|
|
| n.大破坏，浩劫，大混乱，大杂乱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
358
wrested
|
|
| （用力）拧( wrest的过去式和过去分词 )； 费力取得； （从…）攫取； （ 从… ） 强行取去… | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
359
discredited
|
|
| 不足信的，不名誉的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
360
aspirations
|
|
| 强烈的愿望( aspiration的名词复数 )； 志向； 发送气音； 发 h 音 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
361
perversion
|
|
| n.曲解；堕落；反常 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
362
crafty
|
|
| adj.狡猾的，诡诈的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
363
instigator
|
|
| n.煽动者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
364
oligarchy
|
|
| n.寡头政治 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
365
misery
|
|
| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
366
momentary
|
|
| adj.片刻的，瞬息的；短暂的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
367
humane
|
|
| adj.人道的，富有同情心的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
368
determined
|
|
| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
369
cultivation
|
|
| n.耕作，培养，栽培（法），养成 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
370
augmenting
|
|
| 使扩张 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
371
pandering
|
|
| v.迎合（他人的低级趣味或淫欲）( pander的现在分词 )；纵容某人；迁就某事物 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
372
opportune
|
|
| adj.合适的，适当的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
373
soften
|
|
| v.(使)变柔软；(使)变柔和 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
374
intimidator
|
|
| n.威吓者，胁迫者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
|
375
salvation
|
|
| n.（尤指基督）救世，超度，拯救，解困 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
376
benevolence
|
|
| n.慈悲，捐助 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
377
physically
|
|
| adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
378
prey
|
|
| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
379
preying
|
|
| v.掠食( prey的现在分词 )；掠食；折磨；（人）靠欺诈为生 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
380
appeased
|
|
| 安抚，抚慰( appease的过去式和过去分词 )； 绥靖（满足另一国的要求以避免战争） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
381
allurements
|
|
| n.诱惑( allurement的名词复数 )；吸引；诱惑物；有诱惑力的事物 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
382
dependants
|
|
| 受赡养者，受扶养的家属( dependant的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
383
fragrance
|
|
| n.芬芳，香味，香气 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
384
briefly
|
|
| adv.简单地，简短地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
385
influential
|
|
| adj.有影响的，有权势的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
386
resentment
|
|
| n.怨愤，忿恨 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
387
subversion
|
|
| n.颠覆，破坏 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
388
providence
|
|
| n.深谋远虑，天道，天意；远见；节约；上帝 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
389
ordained
|
|
| v.任命（某人）为牧师( ordain的过去式和过去分词 )；授予（某人）圣职；（上帝、法律等）命令；判定 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
390
foretell
|
|
| v.预言，预告，预示 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
391
avowed
|
|
| adj.公开声明的，承认的v.公开声明，承认( avow的过去式和过去分词) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
392
blessings
|
|
| n.（上帝的）祝福( blessing的名词复数 )；好事；福分；因祸得福 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
393
bishops
|
|
| （基督教某些教派管辖大教区的）主教( bishop的名词复数 )； （国际象棋的）象 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
394
insignificance
|
|
| n.不重要；无价值；无意义 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
395
skeptical
|
|
| adj.怀疑的，多疑的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
396
sarcasm
|
|
| n.讥讽，讽刺，嘲弄，反话 （adj.sarcastic） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
397
incisive
|
|
| adj.敏锐的，机敏的，锋利的，切入的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
398
beacons
|
|
| 灯塔( beacon的名词复数 )； 烽火； 指路明灯； 无线电台或发射台 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
399
embodied
|
|
| v.表现( embody的过去式和过去分词 )；象征；包括；包含 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
400
enunciated
|
|
| v.（清晰地）发音( enunciate的过去式和过去分词 )；确切地说明 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
401
disciples
|
|
| n.信徒( disciple的名词复数 )；门徒；耶稣的信徒；（尤指）耶稣十二门徒之一 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
402
conspicuous
|
|
| adj.明眼的，惹人注目的；炫耀的，摆阔气的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
403
overflowing
|
|
| n. 溢出物,溢流 adj. 充沛的，充满的 动词overflow的现在分词形式 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
404
unreasonable
|
|
| adj.不讲道理的，不合情理的，过度的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
405
corporate
|
|
| adj.共同的，全体的；公司的，企业的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
406
extremity
|
|
| n.末端，尽头；尽力；终极；极度 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |