Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1879-02-13
Thoughts on Religious Controversies

MR. EDIToR:-Learned discussions.
IKE rich food, generally soon satiate
,ne pa6lIc appetite, especially when
nigniy Favored with religion, and per.
maps my good sense would be better
appreciated by keeping my fingers
out OF the PIE. Most certainly /
meant no offense to any gentleman's
religious or personal feelings in my
short notice of the clerical discussion
now being conducted in this county.
1t Is related there is q certain seaport
somewhere 10 Southern Europe re-
markable for its placid waters which
extend league or more from shore,
and where ships may ride in quiet and
security unmoved by the fiercest
storm. The cause Is attributed to
the leakage of oil from the ships
holds, which. spreading out upon the
waters, forms thin film and thus
permits the rough winds to glide
smoothly along without ruffi,ng its
bosom. Theorlzing from these pre-
misses, some ingenious philosopher
proposes to build highways across the
ocean by properly distributing along
the track a few tanks of oil. And
certainly, If this great feat can be &C.
complished, the little oil that poured
out ought to calm tempest in tea.
pot. If not, there is no harm 10 the
experiment. AS religious wars have
ever been the most bloody and merci-
less, so are religious discussions the
most relentless and unprofitabl And,
cus bono? You, Father Gmeiner, with
Your scholarly ability and knowledge
OF historical truths, canno. convince
the Protestant world, in this late day
OF thought and intelligence, that the
Protestant church lie vile, adulterous,
numbering church, because. in the
10Th century, a lecherous, wife muir
dering old king and his no less wicked
and profigate daughter chose to up
hold it That rests with their day
and generation and is in no visa a
stain upon the garments of the present
church. These offenses are too nor.
NAL by far to bring in az accusations
against the living generation. We
have learned to judge men and insti.
.utions as they now exist-for the
present good or evil in them and not
for those things that time has extir-
pated. Neither do we hold the Cath
Ole Church Of to-day responsible for
the crimes that history lays to it's
door, however fragrant and well sub
stantiated. All these things are Bye
cones and repose in the hands Of q
just God, and there we should leave
them. The wisdom that formed, and
still upholds, this government, cogni.
zant of the evils that cvergrown
church establishments have brought
upon the world, resolved to keep them
in allegiance to civil law, with full
liberty of conscience in matters of
creed or worship, and this right is the
dearest possessed by an American
citizen--a right, if need be, they will
defend to the uttermost with every
means that God has given them
There IS, too, respectable class, out.
SIDE the pale of ecclesiastical law,
that now have minds of their own,
and who do not believe all righteous.
ness confined to Methodist meeting
houses or Catholic churches and be-
lieve, further, that there are roads
around as well as through them to the
Kingdom of Heaven. They have
found the poor pensioners OF its boun-
ties can communicate directly with
their Heavenly Father without the
mediation OF priest or preacher, as the
poor soldiers can now do with the
government without the assistance of
agent or attorney, and they find, too,
the reward the same and the expense
great deal less. The fact is, the
forms and ceremonies of the one and
the red tape OF the other are not
adapted to secure speedy relief in
either case, and many have about
come to the conclusion that they can
dispense with the services of both
without material detriment to the
parties most interested. And to these
conclusions sensible men are being
brought by the wrangling, disputa-
tious natures of those wearing the
garb of the priesthood and disgracing
it by their frivolity and vice-their
attempts to obscure the truth and
victimize their followers. And | say
this not in sectarian spirit nor with
the intention to apply it to any de-
nomination, for all seem more anxious
about the loaves and fishes than the
good of immortal sonls FOR which
Christ died and which dwell in every
human body. Let these expounders
of the universal gospel of Christ
throw aside their narrow bigotry,
their animosities and their schedule of
tenets and doctrines, and preach more
of the love of God to man, strive to
build up an universal brotherhood
instead of sowing the seeds of discord,
jealousy and strife, and the world at
least will give them credit for an
honest purpose.
'Let US endure all religions" said
Fenelon, "since God endures all )"
and human mouth never uttered a
nobler sen timent is the opinion of
SENEx.