by A. J. Davis, in New York
City, bears testimony to the same effect:--

"In the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures, it is affirmed that sin
is the transgression of the law. But by an examination of nature,
the true and only Bible, it will be seen that this statement is
erroneous. It gives a wrong idea of both man and law.... It will
be found impossible for man to transgress a law of God."

Thus they very illogically assume that if God has the will or the power to
prevent evil, it could not exist, and therefore, if there is such a God,
he is responsible, forgetting that God is long-suffering, and bears long
with vessels of wrath fitted for destruction, before they pass beyond the
limits of his mercy and perish. But Mr. Davis says further:--

"Reformers need to understand that war is as natural to one stage
of human development as peace is natural to another. My brother
has the spirit of revenge. Shall I call him a demon? Is not his
spirit natural to his condition? War is not evil or repulsive
except to a man of peace. Who made the non-resistant? Polygamy is
as natural to one stage of development as oranges are natural to
the South. Shall I grow indignant, and because I am a monogamist,
condemn my kinsman of yore? Who made him? Who made me? We both
came up under the confluence of social and political
circumstances; and we both represent our conditions and our
teachers. The doctrine of blame and praise is natural only to an
unphilosophical condition of mind. The spirit of complaint--of
attributing 'evil' to this and that plane of society--is natural;
but is natural only to undeveloped minds. It is a profanation--a
sort of atheism of which I would not be guilty."

The Bible says, "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that
put darkness for light and light for darkness." Isa. 5:20. And it makes
another declaration which finds abundant confirmation in the sentiments
quoted above: "Because sentence against an evil work is not executed
speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to
do evil." Eccl. 8:11.

Having thus attempted to destroy in the minds of men all distinction
between good and evil, all being alike in God's sight, and all equally
good, they try to make the way a little broader and easier for men to give
full rein to all the propensities and inclinations of an evil heart, by
teaching that