The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1873-12-11

proper evidcnce,-is it anv obi"clio
to 1t that it IS formally stated or an
.horlta,ively settled +? 1t would b
mighty inconvrnipnt to have no dog
ma-that is, nothing stated and act
tIeI--in other departments OF tho't
There are at least one hundred dos
mas in the multiplication table a.
commonly taught in schools; tha
oxo IS 70 Is as formally stated and
autiiolitative,y seti!ol az anything
,,on very inucn i every eifachsr had
10 prove each OF these 1oymas 10
every tyro III arithmetic 1t Is sui
hclent tor all purposes to poin,
TO the book without ev,r
knowing who settled the matter. M
man finds fault with mathematical
dogmas.
True, Mathematics is an exact sci
ence. Well. take morals, aud a
practical example. A well known
young man was solicited 10 crime,
and replied. How can | do this wick.
edness and sin against God? 1t one
wished TO expand the propositions
in this reply, there would be found
At least these
(a) There is a God. (b) There is a
distinction between righ: and wrong
(r) lie notices this aud calls wrong
wickedness aud sin. () Adultery is
sin. (el The commission OF il is sin
against him. Here is a whole group
Of the offending d)gmas. II the la
dy had enjoyed the advantage OF
reading the UHramarinc sh. might
have pronounced a smart little ana,h-
ema upon such religious dogmas'
and the mperlinrnce If obttu,iing
them upon her. But she had onlv
the learning Of the Egyptians, and
she replied in another way.
Now men see no obi cticns to
dogma IN morals. We only wish
the dogmas of morals like those of
religion, the widest possible accept.
ance. The Tn Commandments, tor
example, are formally stated and au-
thoritatively settled, and we are not
aware OF auv mischief they have ever
inflicted on mankind.
We 60 further still, and say that it
wou!'l be singularly inconvcnlent,
even Tor the strongest and best in.
formed mind, to BE- preculed from
personal use oil dogma. w" an i,
little boy is taken TO task tor some
thing ct which his part, at least,
is doubtful. He hesitates. trcmbles
on the very edge OF a taIsehood.
You see his temptation, and how his
fear or something else is working OH
him, and You say to hun, Come my
child, don't be afraid to tell your
father the exac. truth; and remem-
Der always, God loves the truth and
will be angry with us it We depart
from it. Now, suppose the child.
impatient OF dogma, should Say,
God-how do you know there is a
God? how do you know he cares
anything about it? how do you
know he Is angry with lie Pit
would retard the business of lite if
parent must establish all these points
by appropriate evidence, to the
cAild's satisfaction, before proceeding
to the next duty; and If he should
say, Ny child, the Bible says this
the child, it acute enough enough,
might say, More of your dogma! Is
the Bible the word OF God? Mus'
he now enter upon a discussion OF
the evidences We could not get
along without such dogmas.
But, it may be said n.en are not
children, and you treat them like
children when you throw your dog
mas at them. True, men are not
such chillred as We find IN the nur-
sery. But the Bible puts them as
children before God and to him, and
plies them with dogma, of which the
evidence is, Thus saith tho Lord.
Nay, more : thu Bible itself proceeds
on the assumption Of a dogma which
it neither asserts nor proves-name-
ly. that there is a God. Every one
knows how grandiy the inspired
writer steps forth, without posiulate.
axiom, or definition, with, In the be
ginning God created the heavens and
the aith.
We are at loss to know how any
real religious teaching can be- given
without dogma. 1t is true. men like
Mr.. Lecky may persuade themselves
that the spirit and moral element OF
Christianity can be retained, while
the dogmatic element is rejected
and ono IS sorry to find Christian
preachers apparently re- echo his ob
vious views, rs given in the History
OF Rationalism, without taking note
OF his crnlenrss OF thought and the
cruel injustice he does to tho Scrip
lures and Christianity A man puts
the question, What must DO to be
saved? Rejecting the dogmatic ele
ment, shall I bid him catch the
spirit and moral elelrment of Chris
tianny? This Is not Pau's way, and
we respectfully submit 1T is not com
mon sense. Minister'S are often wait
ed upon by persons IN need OF ad
vice, direction and help about en-
p!oyment. Should we say to them
Get good place; Find safe posi-
ton. with progressive salary, where
you can make the most Of yourself
Go West; how much good shoult
we do them? :? How much better TO
the applicants if we can say, Mr.
at -, employs such as you; her
is letter to him. This is definite
sensible, practical. 1t is like tn
} dogma Of the New Testament, IN th
. department Of religion, where III