Fables of Infidelity and Facts of Faith Being an Examination of the Evidences of Infidelity — Story, Setting & Ideas

Rhetorical Framing Through Chapter Titles

The chapter titles in the excerpts function as thesis statements and rhetorical devices. "Did the World Make Itself?" immediately reduces complex cosmological debates to a stark binary, while "Was Your Mother a Monkey?" employs sarcasm to dismiss evolutionary ancestry. These titles are not neutral; they pre-judge the opposing position as absurd. The table of contents reveals a pattern: Patterson lists sub-points under each chapter (e.g., "Eternity of Matter. Disproved by its Composite Nature"), creating an impression of systematic demolition. For a first-time reader, these headings serve as a roadmap, indicating which arguments will be attacked and in what order. The rhetorical strategy is confrontational, aiming to rally believers rather than persuade skeptics.

Use of Scientific and Historical Authorities

Patterson frequently invokes scientific names and theories to bolster his case. In the excerpts, he references Darwin, Huxley, Tyndall, Buchner, Lubbock, and others, often pairing their names with dismissive labels like "Huxley's Protoplasm" or "Tyndall's Potency of Life in Matter." He also cites historical precedents for evolutionary thought, tracing it from Indian and Phoenician sources through to contemporary figures. This cataloging of authorities serves a dual purpose: it demonstrates Patterson's familiarity with opposing views, while also framing them as a lineage of error. The reader is guided to see infidelity as a coherent but false tradition, opposed by a similarly coherent Christian apologetic. Notably, Patterson does not engage deeply with the scientific details; instead, he uses the names as shorthand for entire worldviews.

The Shift from Natural Theology to Biblical Authority

A key structural feature evident in the excerpts is the transition from arguments based on nature to arguments based on scripture. Early chapters focus on design in the eye, the composite nature of matter, and the failure of evolution to explain origins. Later excerpts, however, turn to the divine authority of the Old and New Testaments. Patterson writes that "we proceed, according to our plan of investigation, to examine those which may be more obscure; to examine the Old Testament by the light of the New." This movement mirrors a common apologetic strategy: first establish a creator through natural evidence, then argue that this creator has revealed himself in scripture. For the reader, this progression means that the book's early scientific arguments are groundwork for its later theological claims.

Polemical Tone and Audience Address

Throughout the excerpts, Patterson adopts a polemical voice that directly addresses opponents. He characterizes rationalists as reviving "the creed of the Gnostics" and accuses them of denying divine authority while praising Christ. His language is often sarcastic, as when he mentions scholars "anxious to conceal its nakedness under theories of inspiration." This tone suggests that the intended audience is already convinced of Christian orthodoxy; the book functions as a reinforcement of belief rather than an open-minded inquiry. The reader is positioned as a defender of the faith, armed with ready-made rebuttals. Patterson's use of rhetorical questions and exclamatory statements (e.g., "Evolution only a big Perpetual Motion Humbug") further reinforces this combative stance, making the text feel like a spoken debate transcribed.

For a first reading, Patterson's work is best approached as a period piece of 19th-century apologetics, where scientific and theological arguments interweave. Readers should note the book's structure: the table of contents is a reliable guide to its argumentative flow. Pay attention to how Patterson shifts from natural to biblical evidence, and how he uses the names of contemporary scientists as rhetorical shorthand. The excerpts suggest that the book is less a systematic treatise than a collection of refutations, designed for quick reference. Understanding this purpose will help readers navigate its dense, combative prose.

I’ve often found that Patterson’s earnest defense of faith, with its careful arguments, shares a quiet kinship with the gentle conviction in Female Scripture Biography, Volume II Including an Essay on What Christianity Has Done for Women — Themes and Context. Both speak of truth not as a weapon, but as a steady, warm light that asks nothing but to be believed.