The Worthington advance., 1879-05-08

and avoid personalities. The naIAeof the writ |
er must accompany communications, not for |
publication unless desirsd. bussas guarantee
OF good faith. 81 ~ s
(Ftom the Pioneer Press.l
THE PLANT OF 4 LIBERAL
CHRISTIAN.
Why Does Not Liberalism in Our City
Assert Nself, and Put Stop to "Or-
thodor'' Bulldoxinge Fl i. i
1 ask permission to address, through
your columns, my fellow liberals, who
(like myselD are members Of (so-called)
orthodox churches III this city, yet who
are hungering and thirsting for some
thing better in religion than the dry,
hard husks OF their teaching. Is there
no relief for us? l think there is.
"A close examination of the various
orthodox" churches in st. Paul con-
vinces me that the liberal element in
each and all Of them outnumbers the
puritanic element about four to one. I
do not make the assertion at random,
but seriously and confidently, after care
full survey Of the field, widely extended
inquiry Of leading members, both Or
thodox and liberal. and an extensive
acquaintance with the members of the
churches and with their real views, as
candidly but confidently unfolded to
their friends and families, even when
not openly avowed. And, strange to
say, this large liberal element patiently
and generously contributes the chief
amount raised for the support of "or-
th0dox" churches, some Of them of
THE B1TTEREsT AND NARROWEsT
STRIPE,
| works for their success and welfare,
and then receives in return for this
what? Christian sympathy and conf
dence and fellowship? No. They re-
| ceive sneers and snubs, upbraidings,
and abuse. and censure, and mean i'll
nuendoes. ''St;nd thou aside'' lis the
evident meaning Of the bigots who offer
| these), for l am holier than thou"
And the little minority of bitter n;.r-
row gauge orthodox Zeal0ts who as.
s, me to run" all the churches, pro.
ceed to cody relegate their liberal
| brethren to final damnation, all for the
| glory of God, of course. These "unco
| guild, who 60 about with their nasal
organs high i'll the air when they haye
! to associate with the liberal element in
their churches (they only do il when
they have toy, and who gather their gar
ments close about them, for fear their
devoutness will be chilled by contact
with such graceless sinners. are u small
and insignificant minority III every
church. yet they make up i'll bitterness
and activity and zeal, for their feeble
numbers. They 60 about
SWINGING THEIR CLUBS OVER THE
| LIBERALS,
dragooning and brow-beating them in
to submission, and have so completely
co"ed the latter, one would think. that
| they do not s. Elm capable OF even mild
hurled ut them by both clergy and laity.
mtekly. and still contribute to the sup
tile ''uncO guid' meantime taking all
the credit Of the money raised, to them
| selves, and Wanting about their 1iber-
| ality. While in some respects the meek
and unrcslsting spirit shown by the lib
| erals may ba right, l assert that they
| are doing themselves and the world Il
wrong. They owe it to themselves, and
to the cause of genuine religion. to
! throw off the yoke that the Puritanical
element has laid on them, and assert
their own belief and demand their
rights. Why should you, liberals. men
| and women Of culture and strong, pure
religious faith, remain the bond slaves
Of a small minority, a mere clique, who
assume the right to crack the whip over
you. and prepare nanseous creeds for
you to swallow? 1t is high time that
THIS 1NsuFFERAnLE TYRRANY
CEASED.
and that the majority had some voice
in the matter, even if they do not rule,
rs majoritips ought to do.
Some have proposed as remedy that
the liberals all withdraw from the or
thodox churches, leaving them to the
financial ruin that would follow. and
organize new churches of more kind
ly creed. But there is better way. l
hope that all will stick to the narrow
gauge churches Qf they are able to
stand it) and endeavOr to permeate
timents. Perhaps by preaching to the
! 4 while, it may leaven the whole lump
until y gentler and milder Christianity
pervades the orthodox churches of our
city, and they are gradually transform
ed into good, broad, tolerant, liberal
churches.
What glorious day it will be for our
city, when it is known far and wide as
the home Of free though. and when not
| one of the intolerant churches exists
longer within its borders. When the
preaching of a gospel of hate and re-
venge, and the practice of narrow illib-
| eralism ard exclusiveness shall have
| ceased, and the bright sun Of broad,
genial, cheerful hopeful faith shall have
taken the sourness out of the present
orthodox creeds, and erected in their
place tile. simple yet enduring platform
Of "freedom, fellowship, and character
in reli liyion." Then abolish all dogmat-
| ic tests for membership, and welcome
all who desire to work together in ad-
vancing the kingdom Of God. The
style Of religion taught III the (so-call-
ed) orthodox churches now, will never
attract mankind. But few really be-
lieve it, but preserve the semblance of
an adherence to it from some antigua
rian respect, probably, for that has
been in the past largely incorporated
into ones education, social life, and
habits. ''What
| A SAD CARICATCRE OF CHRISTIANITY,
(says Prof. Swing in a recent sermon),
was that which came down to us from
the dark agts.'' Caricature of Christi.
| anitv-a mnct exnal1ant nnmo ;ndon1
for the cree; taught by ''tl'ese parti-
sans in religion, the dim.eyed zeal
own hearts, 4 Bible as cold and hard as
adamant." Fellow liberals, they are
i Il L. IoAl