Counsels to Young Men of Modern
Infidelity and the Evidences of
Christianity by Rev. Dr. John Morison
American Tract Society, ca. 1840s

Counsels to Young Men of Modern Infidelity 

     and the Evidences of Christianity

John Morison, D.D.

American Tract Society

D. Fanshaw, Printer

201 pages

4 x 6 inches, 16 cm. 

Blog post by Mary Katherine May of Quality Music and Books

From the Preface: Infidelity is no new thing. It is a plant indigenous to the sinful heart of man; it has sprung up in every age; it has more or less prevailed in every nation under the whole face of heaven; it is the palpable exhibition of that secret and deep-rooted unbelief which is unwilling to accredit any communication as divine that does not picture the Most High as a being altogether answering to the sinful imaginings of a depraved and apostate heart. By modern infidelity, then, we are simply to understand those new forms and that new energy which scepticism has put on in modern times, and more particularly since the era of the French Revolution; by which it has mightily diffused itself among all ranks of society, and has produced a class of writers capable of making their appeal to each separate branch in the community. 

Rev. Dr. John Morison
image source: Wikipedia

Reverend Dr. John Morison (1791-1859) was a Scottish Protestant minister in London. He was editor of the Evangelical Magazine and Missionary Chronicle, author of theological and biographical subjects, and a Congregational pastor. Morison advocated the work of the London Missionary Society and supported the abolition of slavery in the United States of America (Wikipedia).  LINK to Wikipedia article about Rev. John Morison.

Daniel Fanshaw (1788-1860) was a member of the New York Typographical Society and honored by being named as the greatest printer of his time.  LINK to 1860 article on the death of Daniel Fanshaw.

Contents

Part I: A Portraiture of Modern Scepticism

Introductory Remarks

1 The view of Sceptics respecting the moral character of God

2 Infidels profess to hold the doctrine of the Divine Existence, but neglect all religious worship

3 Brief survey of the morality which Infidelity inculcates and displays

4 The practical effects of Infidelity 

5 A contrasted view of Infidelity and Christianity 

6 An affectionate appeal to those who have been entangled in the snare of Infidelity 

Part II: The Truth and Excellence of Christianity

1 The Comparative credit due to the conclusions of Sceptics and Christians

2 The Evidence of Christianity admits of being brought home individually, with convincing power, to every man's heart

3 Brief survey of the branches of evidence which may be urged upon those who have not yielded up their minds to the divine authority of the Gospel

Section First: The Internal Evidence of Christianity
1 The moral character of its great founder
2 The sublimity of its diction
3 The high standard of its morality
4 The coincidence of Christianity with the character of God and the actual condition of man
 Section Second: The External Evidence of Christianity
1 Miracles
2 The Resurrection of Christ
3 Prophecy4 The early success of Christianity
5 The moral and social benefits conferred on mankind by Christianity
On the uncorrupted transmission of the Sacred Books

4 On the Inspiration of the Holy Scriptures

5 Popular objections to the full Inspiration of the Holy Scriptures

Conclusion

     From the whole of the proceding remarks, we may infer the paramount duty of entire and unreserved submission to the authority of God in the written word.  Our reason, our conscience, our affections, are all called to surrender themselves to the heavenly vision.  In this inestimable volume God speaks to us upon subjects of the highest interest; and, refusing to listen to his voice, we seal our own unhappy doom.  “Hear ye the word of the Lord,” is the message addressed to all who possess the sacred boon; and he who, by prejudice or sin, excludes himself from the benefits of this message, which reveals the only method of salvation, is chargeable with a degree of rashness and folly which eternity itself will but fully disclose.  Let the prayer of each one who reads this little treatise be, “Open thou mine yes, that I may behold wonderful things contained in thy law!”