The New York herald., 1879-09-28
SUPERINTENDENT KIDDLE'S SPIRIT
UALISM.

To THE EDrToR rHE MRnALD:-
In re Aiddle the HERALD. ignoring religious 'esss
tersey puts the matter an evidence OF mental un
soundness of dishonesty, either one of which dis
qualities him. The logic of this pssition is think
inpregnable. II Mr.. Kiddle believes the rubbish Va
his book he is evidently OF his mental balance. and
therefore quite as evidently unit for his once. II
he does not believe IL he is a hypocrite and thero
fore most assurcdiy unit Few consider will be
uncharitable enough to suppose Mr. Kladis insin.
core. We are therefore driven over to the Other
alternative. and from his foolish belief must
adjudge him fool. But here comes in another
most interesting question--namely. by what man
ner Of fool. applying tho same standard shall No DO
succeeded IN his important positiony shall We
choose man who implicitly believes the Bible 10
be the inspired. unerring Word OF God. IN
cluding such passages 4. Timothy, iy.. l-J. aud
I. John. iv. l-3. and tho "the familiar sllrits"
and ''witch of Endor business. l. samuel.
xviii. tbs. and yet condemn Henry Kissslla
for believing in spiritsg For my part.
il anything could lead to believe In the super.
natural origin OF the Bible IL would be the pat way
in which the apparent prophesy hrst quoted hlts
oil modern Spritualisia. with its proneness TO run
into free low pretended fortune-telling. bran.
bread vegetarianisn and other vagaries. shall
select man who pronounccs Mr. Md
dies book, what it really is. dwelling nom
sense. and vet accepts tho puerilc stun found
in many orthodox hymn books as postryf
In other words, shall we select for superintendent
things. u Roman Catholic fool who believes all
these aud more, or a Mohammcdan fool who believes
equally great absurdities, or Jewr For my part
would trust more to the sanity OF the Jew.
for 1t Is easier for me to believe In
God than in the Mathematical absurdsy OF thrss
distinct personalities and yet only Either Of
these various fools can with perfect cearness
the toolishuess of all the rest but cannot, alas
his own. Those who broad enough to see the
fooshness of all few to expect representation
in this matter. though they zach have rights
just as groat and important rs those OF other
member or the community. To them there remains
only, 1t is probable, choice between fools. and
this respect must confess that to me the fool
is rather more Interesting object than the old fool
His position indicates, at least, little mental
activity. He has struggled out or rut into an
other BY and by he may got into another. which
preferable to fossilzaton. MIR. Kiddle evidently
II good officer under his old foolishness. The ques-
tion is. Does his adoption of belief Indicate
greater mental impairment than his adherence to
think he is even more safe now. Tho only thing
that is just is for ali to stand OIL and demand that
the schools be tinctured III any way with auy re-
lgous prepossessions whatever. Leave to the
churches all matters OF religi instruction their
own proper edihces The schools common, respect
therefore, perfectly the rights OF all II were to
elect Roman Catholic superintendent should bO
fearful that his zeal for his religion might lead him.
even though he knew it was Unfair. to favor here
little and there little his peculiar belief. II
weret to elect Protestant-why, bless his inno-
cent heart he would, without stopping to think
about it. that he had perfect warrant
troduce his religious views and would proceed, not
only with Bible readings and prayers in the schools
but would sprinkle III freely his homilies well
whenever occasion offered. In Mr.. Riddles case 7
think that the drubbings and the warnings he has
lately received would make him about the most
tul could find in these respects. Having
tried him the old tool in favor OF trying him
the fool. or il not Mr. Kiddle then give US Z
good, Intelligent Jew. Mr.. K