The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1879-06-05
IN. Y. Herald.I
What is Religion ?

The term religion" has in late days
been used with great liberality to express
whatever may have been any mans be-
liefs regarding the supernatural and un-
known, and even his moral and social
opinions. Recent events, however, are
requiring thoughtful men, even the most
liberal minded to decide whether respect
and liberation are always to be accorded
to whatever half-thoughts, fancies and
hallucinations may be pleased to term
their religion. Thuggee was a religion
once-and perhaps now-professed in
India and maintained with admirable
consistency, and sentimentalists have not
been lacking in Western nations to dis
cover pure mystical correspondence and
beatifc true inwardness in the ceremo
nies of the Thugs; but the highest prac-
tical developments of the faith having
been robbery and murder Thuggee was
suppressed as far as possible, and no
religionists with hearts and heads
mourned its loss. Mormonism was
placed before the public as a religion,
and while it consisted only of a fancy
that its professors were considered by
Heaven to be better than other people it
was quietly tolerated. but when licen-
tiousness seemed to become its corner
stone and manslaughter one of its sup
ports it was very properly abhorred of
men and driven into the wilderness.
Men, irrespective of creed, have an un-
written agreement that religion, no mat
ter what its form, must be an aspiration
toward something above the ordinary
moral level of humanity, and therefore
that impure, dishonest and brutal theo-
ries are proof that the religion embody-
| ing them is a counterfeit.
! Religionists who believe themselves at
radical disagreement with each other
also unite in believing that the fancies of
an unsound mind are never to be digni-
fed by any religious title. There is not
lunatic asylum in America but has
among its inmates one or more self
styled prophets, receivers of revelations
and confdants of Heaven. Most of them
are sincere, and so believed by the keep
ers who have sometimes to put them into
strait jackets; but we never hear con-
cerning them that they are the victims
of intolerance or that their beliefs are
worthy of respect. The same may be
said of the murderer Freeman and his
companions. Freeman, according to his
own statement, had previous to killing
his child, felt bad for fortnight; his
head was full of pain, he could not sleep
and was haunted by visions. The same
experiences befall thousands of mer
every year. and lead some to drunken
ness, others to stupidity, still others tc
unaccountable acts of no special import
ance, while a few are impelled to brawl
ing and murder; but if any of these
unfortunates or their friends shoulc
attempt to establish religious faith o
which fighting or imbecility or snakes ir
the boots were leading tenets, then ever
the widest liberals outside of madhouse
t would promptly frown them down. Mer
, cannot at present agree as to what relig
ion is, but as to what it is not they ar
! perfectly united; it is not anythin
which can urge or tolerate the violation
> of those rights and sentiments which al
l religious systems, heather and Christian
[ agree in cherishing