Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1858-04-07
ply ask why has God implanted in our

fAy N =" 10y Aas 0ou A4lpAoHtSO III our
organism precious faculty called Rea-
son? If this reason is not to be used.
why was it created? We claim that it
Is Just as proper TO criticize the Bible
as any other book. If in that book we
find crime sanctioned by those COM
monty believed holy men, and even by
God himself, it would certainly be a
diffusion Of useful knowledge" to ex-
pose its crudities. We propose in this
rejoinder to enter upon that duty.
Your "joke" about "manufactory
of Esq's," is unappreciated. We con-
TESS our weakness to "take.'
If by throwing in your mite'' to-
wards sustaining the Reporter, you
claim to become stakeholder and pos
sess vote towards controlling the edi-
torial columns, you are woefully mista-
ken. We print paper to suit as, as
nearly as our ability and time will per-
NIT us to make it. You are at perfect
liberty to correct US, but you neither
oacn us or our opinions.
Your accusation Of speaking "scof-
tingly' and 'tauntingly" of the Bible,
is induced by prejudiced or diseased
mind, for it is the exact opposite of our
feelings.
Your Christian slang of our ''being
wise In our own conceit," a ''fool," and
your gratuitous advice to "get wisdom"
are IN consonance with all sectarian ac-
ton, which Christian precedents may
afford you consolation of dealing Justly.
You charge us with being unjust by
exposing the vices of the ''Fathers,"
and neglecting to vindicate their viz
tues. We spoke particularly only of
Jacob, and we must insist that the rec
ord exhibits him swindler, an impos-
tor, and lustful old polygamist, with
scarcely trait Of character worthy of
imitation; and, strange as it seems,
God Almighty is there stated to be in
frequent converse with and blessing
him. Do you believe the Great Jeho-
yah is being who affiliates with such
outlaws?
Now, sir, we do not approve of many
teachings of the Bible, among which
are the following:
1st. 1t sanctions drunkenness, when
it declares cit is good to take a little
wine for the stomach's sake.' Some
men are encouraged to ''indulge a lit
tle," because they have permit from
the Scriptures; and experience proves
that an Unsuitable appetite soon follows
the first glass in nine cases out of ten.
A few years ago, in Illinois, a lawyer
and the Superintendent of Sabbath
School, complied with an invitation to
deliver an address before the Temper
ance Society. IIe proved from the -Bi-
bic that it was all right to take ''dhrap
now and thin
ID. 1t approves Of a community de-
liberately numbering man, because in
a fit of insanity, produced by an over
ruling propensity for revenge, or by
madness induced by taunts, or perhaps
defamation of character, he killed a
human being. The Bible says, can
eye for an eye, a tooth for tooth, and
blood for blood" a clergyman Of this
town, within few weeks, declared to
us that he was in favor Of capital pun
ishment, because, among other reasons,
the Bible sanctions it. How the per
ceptions Of RIGHT in many men are
stultified by their absurd notion that
everything is correct in that volume!
Sd. The same is true with regard to
Slavery. Two sentences in the Bible
as emphatically establish the institution
of Slavery as being divi,ee, as other
portions repudiate it. "Servants, obey
your masters" ''And if a man smite
his servant, or his maid, with a rod, and
he die under his hand, he shall be sure
ly punished. Notwithstanding, If he
continue day or taco, he shall not BE-
punished, FOR HE is HIS MONEY" Be.
lieving these to be divine commands,
the Southern priests declare that Slave
~ is Christian institution; and under
such teachings the institution has waxed
fat and strong. No longer ago than
this winter, Senator in the Senate
Chamber Of Wisconsin, maintained the
divinity of Slavery by texts from the
Bible, which book, he said, all men re-
we're except infdels and fools. Don't
you see the mischievous tendency OF
believing that the Bible'is infallible?
4th. God is there exhibited as be-
ing of revenge, tyranny, anger, imbe-
cility, jealousy, and a God of war and
cruelty.