Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-01-15
Among the InlldelS.

In almost every .lOWn anu civ OI our
state little group may be found ready to
gather about any professed free thinker.
They may be organized or not. but there
they are, and their existence is Il signiIi-
cant fact, calling for the careful study of
Christian philosophers. For what reason
are they alienated from the church?
The writer recently attended one of their
services in search of an answer to this
question. The hall in which they assem-
bed was Dedicated TO Free Thought"
Over the platform was the motto: /" Let
no man call God his father who does not
call man his BROTHER Around the room
were hung portraits, one of them of Long
fellow, another, one of the so-called spirit
photographs. The company assembled
was almost entirely of working people of
the middle class, who came dressed, the
men often in every day suits, the women
with more regard to appearances. They
were very orderly and serious in deport-
ment,-as much so rs any Christian con
gregation.
The service began with familiar hymn
often heard in our churches, and thor
oughly Christian Then followed secc-
tion introduced by the words: Con
fucius says this.n The choir sang again,
and having given out notice, the speaker,
young man of less than thirty, took as
his sentence these words from the gos-
pei according to "St. Ralph (Waldo
Emerson): "If any man lives with God,
his voice shall be as sweet AS the murmur
of tie brook AMI the rustic of the corn"
The subject had been previously announc-
ed in the newspapers as "The Idea Of
God" The speaker seemed TO think it
necessary to conciliate his audience. He
began with reference to the age as an
are of skcpticism. He contrasted the
. world of skepticsm with that of ecclesi-
asticism, and defined the skeptic as man
that asked questions; that is, man in
earnest in the search after truth. SkeptlcS
were inconoclasts to some extent, but not
out of love of strife. They proposed to
add to their stock of divine things, and to
increase their mental and spiritual power
Skepticism to day was less crude than Il
century ago. 1t was marked by scholar
ship, sincerity and remarkable spiritual
power. 1t would ponder over all the
problems of thought and discuss the for
nation Of theology itself,
Upon his subject he proposed to make Il
g few little comments
l. Many think that the idea of God is
an injurious superstition. The speaker
did not call that skepticism of Il fine quail
ity. In all history we see efforts to get ut
conception of the great Force and Pow
er that lies back Of the physical universe
1t is Il legitimate question whether there
is a God, because it comes from u desire
to understand the cause of visible phe
, , nomena.
3. This idea of God has tremendou!
vitality. 1t grows into better and bette
conception. Whatever He has been tt
others, God 10 us is being of infinit
: beauty. Into His personality we shal
never be absorbed The idea of Col i:
u indestructable.
!, 3. Both science and religion have faile'
to apprehend God. to define the mystery
of causation. We have contempt for the
failure of religion, but are tender tow1rt
!, that of science. Religion has been AFRO
J giant and dogmatic. 1t gives no high an
{ royal conception of goodness, truth, low
Z and mercy. 1t is II source of trouble t.
Il us. But science is on Il voyage of discov
u cry. Let us refer to her the solution G
the problem Of causation.
/. But in the coming philosophy tn
= idea of God will not be basic. Ieavin
; this now nsoluble mystery Of causation
= we are to put humanity where we hav
l. heretofore put God. If mrn lives will
o humanity as the incarnation of God, tn
~ text is true.
y The address closed with IN eXhortatiol
o to practical benevolence. And with ou
: Trintarian long metre doxolcgy the meet
ing was closed
The address was IN admirable onf
5. Where the thoughts came from, l do nc
}. know. But they had been appropriate
d and assimiated by the speaker. AS an Oh
IS atorical effort the speech ranked far abov
y the average sermon.
e And now why? 1t will not do to anSwe
e simply, these people are shut out OF OF
n expensive churches. They number on
: hundred only, but raised last year cigt
/ teen hundred dollars! Nor can it be II
l. ierred entirely to the enmity of the heal
y of mrn against God. One element, ;
+ least, of the complex causes OF this socl
y ty, is that they find material food hel
5. which they often fail to find in OF
ot churches. They want plain and practic'
'e preaching; they find Il deal of mysticism
IN They want strength; they find weakness
~ For the desired thought 100 olten lney =
q, gush We have remedy at hand in OF
al New England theology. Preach it, bret
H. ren in the ministry Many sentence
.. this conclave of infidels might have bee
I'd made the logical germ of our whole sy
r tenn Their platform motto is almost
IT, Bible text.
IL They do Northumberland what he churt
m believes about the Bible. The 1ault is
4 the pulpit. Tell them. Tell them in pla
III words. Tell them on common sense pr
IL ciples Then interpret the Bible in I'll
OF same way. Abandon arrogance al
dogmatism." Show the high al
II royal conception" Many minist'
n makes science an enemy. Make it an all
~ And may persuasion sit upon your lips
she did upon those of this young intidel.
IN Congregatioma1iSt.