Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-05-11
Il STIRRING UP NEEDED.

J
The church needs to-day, more than it
needs anything else, vigorous stirring up.
1t has been dead or asleep for 10 these many
years, and by this time it stinketh with cor
ruption and immortality. False doctrines
have taken hold of the teachers and the
preachers; the pews are full of hypocrisy;
intolerance has usurped the place Of Chris
tian charity, and what little genuine religion
remains has been doing for quarter
of century. Religion is neither aggressive
nor progressive as it was intended to be-.
The errors that have crept in have destroyed
its capacity for progress by making it too
ridiculous for sensible men to accept: the
lethargy that has taken hold of the church
membership precludes the possibility of ag-
gressiveness. The church, especially in
America, has almost reached that stage which
Immediately precedes dissolution, and unless
an awakening takes place, and that right
speedily, it will die and be remembered only
in tradition.
Who and what is responsible for this state
of things? We answer, the so-called minis
ters of the gospel and the doctrines they
seek to inculcate. The dogmas of Calvin
ism, SO 1epugnant to every humane impulse,
every system of reasoning and every attri-
butte of deity, have driven more men away
from the church, and done more to build up
the cause of rationa]ism and inidelity than
any other doctrines in existence. How can
mother be Christian when she is told
that Christianity consigns her innocent babe
to an eternity of torment because of a
sin committed by our first parents
thousands of years ago? How can a hus-
band be Christian when the church teaches
that in the future world he will be separated
from those he has loved and cared for all
through life for the sole reason that they do
not agree on points of abstract doctrine?
Yet the church adheres to Calvinisnl and
discards Christianity; accepts the teachings
of the prosecutor and murderer of those
who differed from him rather than the teach
ings of the meek and lowly Jesus, who never
did aught but good during his life.
There is also too lax discipline in the
church in dealing with those who transgress
its precepts. Men of VIGOROUSLY bad char
acter are retained in the fellowship of the
church and sip the wine and eat the bread of
the sacrament with the best of the members.
It is natural when person is once in
jured or defrauded by man claiming to be
a Christian, to regard all church members as
of the same stamp. A dishonorable act
committed by church member Injuries the
the offender ought to be vigorously dealt
with.
The lethargy that characterizes the church
however, is as dangerous to its existence az
ties. There is great lack of energy every
where manifest. Men put on their religion
like cloak on Sunday morning, 60 t
church, and then take it off and lay it asid.
for seven days. There is no earnestness il
the cause. Men do not 60 out and search
for those who are transgressing the laws O
God and urge them to enter upon new
life. That would be too much trouble; 81
they simply attend the services of the Sab
bath and doze the day away in idleness ant
are thankful when it is over and anothe
busy week begun. The thought of religio,
never enters their mind again till the churc]
bells awake them on the next Sabbath.
1nfdel though. he is, Bob Ingersoll ha
done more for the cause of religion in tn
past three years than all the ministers of tn
gospel combined. He has done it indirectl,
, it is true, but he is nevertheless deserving {
credit for what he has done. He has apple
necessary prod to the clergy of the countr
. stirred them up with sharp stick, as
. were-and caused them to do more studyin
= and to examine more closely the doctrine
:, they have been teaching. By pointing o.
:. the absurdities that have crept into II
various creeds, Ingersoll has caused IL
clergy to examine their pernicious effe
! and to seek to reform them. By attacki1
is their religion he has brought the clergy
- its defense, and shown them the necessi
,, for constant vigilance and activity and
- thorough understanding of the doctrin
they arc called upon to defend. He
= caused men to study who have never studi,
;, before, for he has shown that the weapo
! heretofore employed by the church fall harr
At less before his powerful logic and master
49, ridicule. It would be blessing to t
j., church if we had an Ingersoll in every COZ
j., munity who would keep the ministers al
-. church members constantly stirred Z
oe Then there might be hope that the chur
-, would regain its aggressiyeness and its
az pacity for progress. But we fear the rot al
~ rust has gained too much Roadway to
:, stayed, and that the modern church will {
90 of pure inanity.
r.
New York Dry Goods.
" NEW YORK. May 10
ne Trade quiet to-day, but there was very stre
undertone in the market for both cotton and woole
III, Brown and bleached cottOns steady demand a