Christianity Rests Upon a Dream.
“Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found to be with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, Joseph thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.” ([Mat. 1 : 18–20].)
“Before they came together, she was found to be with child of the Holy Ghost.”
1. How could any one but Mary say who the father of the child was?
2. If the conception was miraculous then neither Mary nor any one else could know ought of the paternity of the child.
3. Mary says nothing about the overshadowing of the Holy Ghost.
4. Who found out that Joseph had had such a dream?
5. Was it duly reported and verified then and there?
6. The book that relates the dream is anonymous and does not appear in history until A. D. 180–182.
7. The writers of the other three gospels know nothing of this dream.
8. There is no evidence that the writer of the first gospel ever personally knew Mary.
9. Luke ([1 : 30]) says that it was to Mary that the angel of the Lord appeared.
10. Only a dream! The corner-stone of Christianity rests upon a dream! Take away this dream and Christianity has nothing left.