The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1870-08-11
ADNtheslno Sit.
If'rom the Chicago Tribune.


delivered TRADE in Chicago to prove that
the soul of Charles Dickens is in hell, be-
cause he drank wine when living, and had not
faith. Chris, SAYS to Mr.. Fulton, Judge
not, that We be not judged, for with what
measure We mete, it shall be measured to
YOU again. II would not be very wide
departure from the Fulton logic to argue
that, for the offence of Judging" Charles
Dickens into hell, Mr.. Fulton will himself
go there. There is more Of the incubation
Of tenderness, love, fidelity to duty, compass
sion for weakness, sympathy with suffering,
in the liie-work of Charles Dickens, than in
that of any other man of this century. This
may, or may not, make him a Christian, ac-
cording as the latter term may he variOusly
defined. But if hell is the future
abode of such generous and spirit
ual workers AZ Charles Dickens, while
Heaven is the arena for the display of the
ecclesiastical coxcombry Of the Rev. Fulton,
then commend us to the former, rather than
the latter. Mr.. Fulton finds no evidence, in
Dickens's life, of his repentance. Repentance
for what? Repentance for drinking wine,
and this, too, on the pretended authority Of
the Bible? Was not Christ's first miracle
wrought to make wine, in order that festive
company might have no lack Of it? Does
not solomon command, "Give wine TO him
that is heavv-heartesl, and strong drink to
them that are in trouble Let them drink, for
get their sorrows, and remember their mis-
cries no more ~ 4 precept, perhaps, more
hoIored in the breach than in the observance.
We doubt whether Dickens ever drank to the
point of intoxic,tion above commended, hat,
il he did, and must 60 into endless tor
81 L. 81.
in goodlv company Noah, David, Solomon,
and Others who make some figure in Bible
history. Paul, under the full light of Chris
tianitv, tells Timothy to ''drink no longer
water, but take a little wine forthy stomach's
sake ard thine often infrmities." Christ
placed wine az the emblem of his blood, in
sacred association with bread, the emblem of
his body, as one of the clements of the Chris
tian sacrament. The sentiment of total alb
stinence is taught in the Koran and in the
revelations Of Joe Smith, but not in the Bible.
Among Christians it dates hack scarcely one
century, ard is confined TO corner, compar-
atively, of the Christian Church. 1t is
preached as a sentiment BY some excellent
Christians, but it is no more a part of Chris
tianity than woman's rights, free trade, pro-
lection or universal suffrage. Dickens cannot
be condemned on airy Bible standard for
the Use OF wine, except by that class Of theo-
losians who absorb their dcgmas through
the pores Of their skin, from whatever fan
cics happen for the hour to float on the cur
rent of public opinion, and then Use the BIZ
bic as u hammer and anvil when it agrees
with their fancics, and As fuel when it does
not.
From the following humorous illustration,
we infer that Charles Dickens, in Rev. Mr..
Fulton's estimation. must have gone to hell
for want Of faith, as well As for drinking
wine:
Chris; himself describes Dives and lIaz-
arns. One had his good things in this life
fame, fortune, happiness. The other was a
beg-ar. The curtains are parted. One is in
hell, CRYING for u drop OF water To cool his
parched tongue The other is in the bosom
Of Abraham. The gulf divides them, bscuuse
one died in faith, and one died without faith"
Christ never told us that Dives died with
on, faith. or that Lazarus died with faith.
He never limited, in the remo;es. manner,
that that was the reason why the one was in
hell and the other in Abraham's BOSOM
That explanation is imported into the case
by Rev. Mr.. Fulton, for the purpose Of send
inr Charles Dickens to keep company with
Divos-and with this addition, that Charles
Dickens went to hell because his faith was
not the same as that of the Rev. Mr.. Fulton.
There are two kinds Of persons over whose
spiritual condition Christ tells Us that the
-an:els IN heaven rejoice. The fins is "tle
one sinner that repentesh," and the second
is the "ninety and nine just men that need
no repentance" Mr.. Fulton has doubtless
absorbed through his pores the saving
truth that there Is no such class rs the
latter which Christ speaks of as if it were
numerous. Herein the disciple places
himself above his Master. But We prefer to
believe with Christ that there is. And if
there is, We know Of none who could more
hopefully be numbered n such Class than
one whose moral influence was 50 good, that
the pulp;ts are rare and fortunate, indeed,
which are served by spirit 50 loving, re-
foEmaioly and tender.
With regard to- Mr. Dickens present con-
dition we know as much rs Mr.. Fulton, the
Pope, or anybody else. We know all that II
to be known, and that nothing. Our be-
lief, also, IL worth a. much rs tha. of any
body on earth, whether It be priest, monk, or
sensation preacher. We believe that Charles
Dickens will mot need to exchange places
with Mr.: Fulton in the eternal world BY
reason Of any advantage which the latter has
acquired over him in this.
THE fact brought ont BY Dr. Shelton Mac
kenzie, in his forthcoming book about Dick |