708. CHRISTIAN RELIGION.
Though some may be ready to object against the Christian religion that there seem to be innumerable difficulties and inconsistences attending it, which would appear to be insolvable but only as a multitude of heads have been employed for many ages to find out solutions for 'em, innumerable attempts have been made, and multitudes have been rejected one after another as insufficient, for the sake of others that have been thought less liable to objection, till at length such solutions have been found out for many of them as are in some measure plausible: but there is nothing— no history, nor scheme of doctrine, nor set of principles whatever, however inconsistent, absurd and confused— but what might be made to seem consistent at this rate; no difficulties nor inconsistences, but what something plausible might be found out to color it over and hide it, by so much search and study, by a combination of such multitudes through so many ages.
To this I answer, that as there have been a long time to answer objections, so there have been many ages to strengthen them.
As there have been many ages to solve difficulties, so there have been as many to find out difficulties and inconsistences.
Falsehood in things that are in like manner complicated, as all that is contained in the whole compass of the scheme of the Christian religion, must needs be attended with numberless things that may discover it, more and more of which will appear by time. And besides, there has been all this time to make difficulties more plain, and bring out inconsistences more to the light, and by thorough
and exact consideration to make them more manifest and apparent, by setting all things forth more exactly and minutely as they be.
Time is a thing that wonderfully brings truth to light, and wears off by degrees false colorings and disguises. If the truth be of that side that would have most advantage by time, appearing inconsistences, being founded on truth, would grow plainer and plainer, and difficulties more and more evident.
It would discover more circumstances to strengthen and confirm them, and pretenses of solution would appear more and more evidently absurd and ridiculous.
When there are contending parties that contend by argument and search and inquiry, time greatly helps that party that have truth of their side, and weakens the contrary side. It gradually wears away their sandy foundation, and rots away the building that is not made of substantial materials.
The Christian religion has evermore in all ages had its enemies, and that among those that were learned men. Yea, 'tis observable that there have commonly been some of the most subtile of men to scan the Christian scheme, and to discover the objections that lie against it, and have done it with a good will to overthrow it. Thus it was in Judea in the infancy of the church, the scribes and Pharisees and the wise men among the Jews employed all their wisdom against it.
Thus in the first ages of the church not many wise, not many mighty, not many noble, were called; but Christianity had the wisdom, learning and subtilty of the world to oppose it.
So of latter ages: how many learned and subtile men have done their utmost against Christianity, so that the length of time that there has been for persons to strengthen their own side in this controversy, that is brought as an objection against Christianity, is much more of an argument for it, than an objection against it.
["sandy foundation" is a nonbiblical term found in the Book of Mormon three times]
