A Blessing In Disguise complete novel free to read Wattpad

FROM what has before been written, the reader is no doubt convinced, that the writer of this work does not believe the Bible to have any claim to divine authority; but is entirely, from beginning to end, a collection of absurd tales, of historic facts, and of personages that have no foundation in truth, which unfortunately, by being considered of divine origin, has generated a train of calamities destructive to the peace and welfare of the human race.

And to account for its hav-ing gained credit, and got such strong foothold in the world, we have only to consider that fable is the elder sister of history; that nations have run a long career of incidents, mostly fabulous, before any appearance of authentic history made its way in the world. What took place in those days may be considered like things taking place in the dark.

From such fabulous materials, then, national history always commences. Not that the writers or authors intend to deceive and impose on posterity; they write what they believe; what they have been told, and what is generally credited in those days. Here, then, we discover the Bible to be of use to us, in showing to what lamentable extent poor mortals have sincerely erred in following the legendary tales of former times. And now, that the bandage is removed from our eyes, let us all use our best exertions to spread knowledge among those, who, with us, are seeking after truth, but who have till now sought it where it is not to be found.

The authors of the Bible, no doubt, followed in the same track as those who are called profane writers. They wrote what had been told them by their forefathers. Hence the miracles and wonders, credited by them, of the most extravagant nature, that never did and never could take place; and unfortunately, for the peace and happiness of mortals, by giving credit to such things, they, for ages, shut up every avenue that would otherwise have led them to the temple of truth.

To believe the account of Adam's transgression, in connection with all the circumstances attending it, to be a matter of fact, appears hardly possible for any man of sane mind. Yet millions there are, who never have had a doubt of its being literally true. Whoever first wrote it, did so from tradition or hearsay, as this is the origin of all national history. It is not impossible but that every nation of antiquity had a similar commencement; because, as history did not appear till hundreds of years after the facts related are said to have taken place, it follows that hearsay evidence is the best and only evidence that can be obtained. If this is a correct view of the strange tales related in the Bible; then, the more strange and impossible the greater glory is given to God, by swallowing all down, and asking no questions.

The Bible commences, as to persons, with-first, Jehovah, Adam, and Eve, and, according to the orthodox Christians, the Devil was near at hand. Here, then, we have before us, according to Bible history, Jehovah, God of all, about to form or make a world, and put on it both man and beast. This was done without consulting in any way whatever, with Adam and Eve, who were to be placed at the head of all creation. Every circumstance that would take place to Adam and Eve, and their posterity, throughout all ages, was planned, approved of, and finally settled, in the mind of Jehovah, before they had life or being.

Here we have a God knowing all that will take place; and arranging circumstances favorable to its fulfilment. On the other hand, Adam and Eve were ignorant of the past, the present, and also of the future. Only notice the infinite difference between the two contracting parties. I wish the reader to keep this in view, as it respects what is termed the fall of our first parents. In all ages of the Christian superstition, the fall of Adam has been urged as a justification of God's quarrel with the human race.

Let us examine this subject calmly. It is but justice that this should be done; since from one hundred thousand pulpits in the different nations of the earth, the priests never fail to praise and thank the Lord for his goodness to the descendants of Adam. I, on the other hand, will honestly, though feebly, advocate the cause of poor, libelled, condemned, priest-ridden Man. If, before our first parents had been called into life, they had been informed on what conditions they and their posterity were to receive it, together with the final destiny of ninety out of every hundred of their unfortunate race, they would no doubt have exclaimed, "For humanity's sake, let us forever sleep in the womb of chaos!" It is the common practice from the pulpit, as also from the writings of the orthodox Christians, to libel the human race, by saying, that man has rebelled against God, and turned from him; when the truth is, that in all ages and nations, man, has been seeking after the best God he could find, and God; has always remained the great Unknown, while man, in whatever state we find him, "savage, saint, or sage," has been endeavoring to find out God.

This has always been his misfortune. By trying to find out the absent and unknown God, he has, in his imagination, invented and followed a thousand foolish whims, till, losing all correct ideas of moral rectitude, he has died of old age without arriving at the knowledge of whom or what to worship. Whereas, if he had not troubled himself at all about his maker, and, by the aid of his reasoning powers, had come to the just conclusion, that as he knew not how, nor where to find God, it would follow that it was the business of his maker, and not his to instruct in the right way to worship the true God. This mode of reasoning will be reprobated by Christians as horrid and wicked; but in reply, it may be asked, to what amount of knowledge have they arrived by all their seeking after him?

We now return to the Bible account of Adam and Eve's creation. The position that justice, strict justice, is due on the part of God towards his new creation, must never be lost sight of in our investigations. If any thing like trickery or injustice on his part is recorded, we, without hesitation, denounce it as a libel on his character, and totally unworthy of the least credit. In reviewing the Old and New Testament, as being considered a Divine Revelation, this criterion will be always referred to; for, if any writings purporting to be of Divine authority, represent their author to be any thing otherwise than a God impartial and just, such writings will, by the author of this work, be considered entirely unworthy of the broad seal of Heaven, and as fully deserving of being held up to human beings as false, and a flagrant imposition on the credulity of mankind.

And here the reader is reminded, that we have now before us, in the creation of man, a scene of the most surprising nature. A God, infinite in wisdom, unbounded in power, about to bring into existence a race of beings; he, on his part, possessing all knowledge of the past, the present, and also of the future; and they, on their part, entirely passive, not being consulted as to their organization, their wishes, or the consequences that would result to their progeny. From such a position, what ought we to expect, in order that the being about to be made, might have a fair point from which to start in his untried career? Would we not suppose that every advantage should have been given to the party who had no voice concerning his future destiny, nor that of his race? The smallest omission in providing for or securing his first movements, would be fatal to his happiness, and also that of his race.

That no such precaution, on the part of the God of the Bible, was pursued towards his new made creatures, will be fully proved by the examination of the events recorded as having taken place in the Garden of Eden! Whatever were the passions or the inclinations included in the physical organization of our first parents, they had not any control over them whatever, because of the impossibility of their being consulted in a state of non-existence. Whatever they were then, and, also, what was to be their future destiny, was known to Jehovah only; to Adam and Eve, it was all unknown. This, then, was the state of the pretended Creator and the creatures.