Pioche daily record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1872-1876, 1876-07-30
SUNDAY THOUGHTS.

The distaste for religious observance
is more apparent than real. The tend.
ency seems to be to confoupd churches
and religion. The church il no more
religion than the masonry of the aque-
duct is the water that flows refleshingly
through it. Schools are not intelligence
though intelligence uses them as insiru.
ments; 10 like manner churches are the
instruments of religion. Churches are
not divine; religion is. 1t is matter of
common understanding and general &C.
ceptancs that the thinking men, the con.
trolling minds in science to day are uen
of natural religion. if possessed Of any at
all. and not professors Of revealed relig.
ion. The great minds OF England, Ger.
many, France. and. to a certain extent,
our own country seems to be pointing
away from revelation. But just now the
whole world Is intensely occupied with
material things. Science predominates.
Biologists tell US the physical world has
passed through many changes. vast peri.
DDS of time that had their day and left
their ineffaceabls traces ON this great
round world. So in the human intellect
come social periods disturbing existing
strata and depositing new formations, to
be in turn modified by subsequent event.
In some ages it has been the religious
element which has formed the top STRAIT.
UNI of meme inclination or bias,
then the age of cold, hard thought,
In turn giving way to periods
OF enthusiasm and superstition. As
the earth lie now passing through a
geological period, SO are we transitory
jewellers upon its surface in a period
In which the human mind is working in
an unbalanced degree toward material
investigation. But we cannot measure
or understand the worlds history BY
any one insulated period. We happen
now to be in the cycle of scientific skep-
ticism. Religious truths cannot be
stated by mathematical rule with accur.
acy or demonstrated like q geometrical
problem. They are more relative than
positive and always transitionary. Yet
they are undying. So soon as the
growth, which unsettles religious faith
has adjusted itself. SO soon does religion
itself, even though in new form. A few
weeks ago the settlers in the Willamette
Valley, Oregon. saw with sorrow food
overrun their fields. On exa mination,
they found the old soil covered many
inches deep with richer mold brought
down by the food. rich black soil that
gave promise of fairer growth. The old
growth ceased by the superimposition of
new soil which would be in time
covered with better harvest than tho old
was capable OF producing So with the
food of doubt that goes surging through
the human heart, but when all has sub
sided comes increasing knowledge, clear.
er, diecernment and equal need of
faith with deeper root. When the
present conflict between science
and religion ends, or is mitigated
by the expansion of religions instru.
mentality. the Church. as an exponent
Of religion will have more power than it
has to-day. Apart from oil this, lies the
disinclination on the part of many to at
tend divine worship; this on the one
side, on the other. Discrimination to &C.
cept as good. anything not emanating
from the Church or its teachings. The
latter is an old spirit. the former one OF
the attributes of the new. What men
call want OF faith, is ofttimes the very
opposite. It is the unwillingness to &C.
cept as little as is included in the articles
OF faith. 1t is the yearning OF the soul
for new aspirations, the asking for more
not less. BY a mistake Of terms it is
called an unsettling. 1t is growing, q
hunger for change. The past is too mar.
row, the future grows broader and
broader. Few stop to analyze this feel
ing, yet all realize its truth. Skepticism
is sombre, sad and wearisome, yet not
more SO than some certain forms of or.
thodoXy; men disbelieve although they
do not want to. In life's highway, where
wheels roll and horses tramp, we find
nothing but dust and dullness. As in
the highway Of travel, 80 in the highway
OF thought and duty. Yet the human
heart Is not 80 cut up by crossing lines
OF travel. but that spots are left where
flowers bloom and fruitful soil capable
OF bearing abundant harvest can be
found. Yet the existing spirit is but the
reflex OF the times that produce it. and
men are too prone to think 80 that !
keep step with my regiment in socivl
matters, so that do not fall below the
average line of character and conduct in
society. shall do we'll enough" And
50 1t goes, and the present period of
doubt wanes along to give place in turn
TO its successor in the cycles OF lifs's end
less procession.