The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1864-02-27

years been those who hsve represented
the principles and sentiments Of . small
} minority. Intellectual men have main
tanned their place upon the platform,
when their persons and their principles
we're held in adherence BY the masses
whom they addressed. Il is not necsssa.
ry for me to mention names to prove this
statement, for the facts are too fresh and
too notorious. Do you decline to at-
tend circus because the performers diff
er with you as to the number Of horses
it il proper for man to ride 1t time
Il it tpossible that you, who have been
charging bigotry upon the church and its
representatives so long, is bigoted man
Is il possible that you. who have denoun.
ced the American Christian ministry for
intolerance, are intolerant yourself? II
looks like it.
My friend you are lame in this matter.
Your position is very weak one. It is
not based in any principle-it is based in
prejudice. Beside. you are not truthful
when you say that the utterances of the
pulpit generally are incredible. have
been . constant attendant at church all
my life, and l declare, without hesitation,
that three quarters Of the sermons have
heard have been other than doctrinal SER
mons. The majority Of the sermons
preached have their foundation in the
eternal principles of righ.--in the broad
moralities to which you and every other
decent man subscribe. You know that.
as system Of morals, Christianity is fault
less. You know that if the world should
live up to the morals Of Christianity-we
will say nothing about ii - q system Of
religion-there would be no murder, no
war, no slavery, no drunkenness, nd Ii
centiousness, no lying. no stealing. no
| cheating, no wrong-that every where
men would walk in peace and concord,
and fraternal affection, and that the gold
en- rule would be the universal rule Of
life. The pulpit is the spot of all others
in the world where, through the wonder
full agency Of the human voice, these mo-
rails are taught and do you tell me that
you will not 60 to church because you do
not believe in what is taught there You
do believe in as least three-quarters of the
teachings Of the pulpit. You do your.
self great wrong by holding yourself aloof
from an institution which would not only
nourish your intellect, but instruct and
confirm you in those moraltties which are
the only safeguard of that society which
numbers among its members your wife
and children.
Perhaps you can afford, or feel that you
can afford, to teach your children that
Christianity, As system of religion, is .
cheat, but you can not afford to oonfound
with it, and condemn with it, the moral
tiles Of Christianity. You cannot afford
to teach your children, BY words or deeds.
that the great mass Of the teachings of
the pulpit is unworthy Of consideration
for their safety. their respectability. their
property, their happiness, all depend
upon the adoption and practice of Chris
.ian morals.
Do you teach them Christian morals ?
Are you careful to sit down on the Sab
bath, or at any other time, and instruct
them in those noralities that are essential
to the right and happy issue Of their lives?
Ny friend. yoa have not the face to do
any such thing, for your position will not
permit you to do il without shame. Well,
if you refuse to do it, who will? Unhap-
PLY, your wife is quite as much under
your influence as your children, and un-
less those children 60 TO church on Sun
day, they will get no instruction in Chris
tian morals whatever. except such as they
may pick up At the public schools.
These children OF yours are not to
blame for being in the world. You are
responsible to them, at least, for their
right training. You are in personal hon.
or bound to give them such instruction
in morals as will tend to preserve to
them health Of body and mind, and hon.
orable relations with society. How will
you do it7 By telling them that church
going 10 foolishness, and Sabbath keeping
nonsense, and the teachings Of the pulpit
only the tricks Of priestcraft and the
amusement Of blockheads? No, sir.
Y You must take these children by the hand
and lead them to church. and show that
there are, at least, some things that come
from the pulpit which you respect. 1t
will not be enough that you send them
and their mother. You must go with
them; for if you do not, they win soon
learn the realities Of the pulpit. and, in
learning them, learn to pity you. and to
hold your intolerance in contempt. You
must stand by the pulpit as the great
teacher Of private and public morality, or
do an awful injustice to the children for
whose life and healthy education you are
responsible.
A PRov1DxNr MousE.-A friend of
ours was boastiug the other day Of the pos
session Of several relics of the war, and
among the rest piece Of shell from Sum-
ter. "By the way" said his friend, 81