Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-02-15
ESTIBLISH YOUR FAITH.

ESTABLISH YOUR EIITH.
Prove all things; hold fast to that which is
good; abstain from all appearance of evil
l. THEssALoNIANs, V: 2l-22.
There is disposition among many theolo-
gians, both in and out of the pulpit, to
cram what they conceive to be religious truth
down the throats of the public with or with
out the public's consent. They assume au-
tocratic functions in matters of religious
faith, and unhesitatingly declare that persons
who refuse to accept the religion they pro-
TESS will be eternally lost. They will not
take the trouble to demonstrate the reason
ableness of what they assert to be the will
of the Almighty, and if any questions are
asked with the purpose of obtaining infor-
nation, the question is set aside with the in
timation that the questioner is on the
broad road that leads to hell, and will reach
his destination in short order unless ne
swallows the dose prescribed by the clergy.
An instance in point: A few weeks ago
young man, member of one of the church
es of this city, and endeavoring sincerely to
live up to the precepts of the master, STUN
bled across knotty point in his theology.
He was unable to reconcile two conflicting
theories, the goodness and fatherhood of
deity and the eternal punishment OF human
beings who had not yet arrived at an age to
and wrong. He went to his pastor for coua
sci. His doubts were stated, but much to
his surprise he was met with rebuff. He
was told that his doubts were unchristian,
indicating an unregenerate heart; that he
had better lay them aside and accept the
theories taught him if he would avert o ter
rible fate N the next world. No attempt
was made to reason with the young
man. He was simply warned
to follow the teachings of the church of
which he was a member, or suffer eternal
torment. He was not satisfied, and after
arguing with himself for time, withdrew
from the church, and is to-day searching af-
ter religious truth unhampered by any Sec
tartan ties.
This is but. a sample of many other cases
that might be cited. Men are deferred from
entering into relations with the churches be-
cause of the manifest inconsistencies that
exist in creeds, and. the inability or refusal
of their spiritual advisers to explain and &C.
count for them. Some concessions must be
made il this age to reason. The time has
long gone by, though many of the clergy ap-
pear TO be. ignorant Of the fact, when the
dictum of any man, even though he may
wear clerical robes, will be accepted
by the people at large as final. 1t is
incum bent upon the ministers of the gospel
as it is upon men in other walks of life to
prove all things that they assert. They
must not expect that, because they wear the
livery of heaven. their word will be law and
60 unquestioued. We have arrived at a
stage of civilization in which each man as
sumes the privilege of thinking for himself
on all questions, religious or political.
If man believes in the truth of theory
which he believes vital to the interests of
m ankind either in this world or that which
is to come, i; is his duty to cling to it and
defend il. But he must be able to give a
reason for the faith that is in him to prove
that it is well founded. AS men are of diff
ferent minds it must not be supposed that
all will accept . simple declaration of opin-
ion as equivalent to complete proof of
doctrine. Yet this is substantially the posi-
ton that the clergy to-day has as
sumed-that they are the autocrats
of religious truth and that he who
doubts their word is damned. It is an
utterly untenable position, and one which
they will be forced to abdicate if they would
retain the respect of the world, not to speak
of the influence they possess over the minds
of the public.
Another duty the clergy owe to the public
is to abstain from all appearance of evil.
Much of the immortality that has of late
brought SO much discredit upon the cloth is
due more to carelessness than to inherent de-
pravity. We do not believe that any consid-
cradle number of those clergymen who have
been exposed in various forms of crime en-
tered deliberately into their course. They
probably INDUCED in the first place in what
are regarded IS harmless indiscretions, and
were led forward step by step to the climax
that has Involved them in disgrace and the
cause they represent into disrepute. 1t is
more important for the clergy to avoid the
first downward step than for any other class
of people, for their fall, when it comes,
brings double load-personal obloquy, and
shame upon cause far more important and
vital than any material interests.
THE "GLOBE" IND THE PRINTERS.
In view of the announcements in other pa
pers it is due the compositors employed at the
GLOBE office to state that there is no strike
in progress in this Office and up to this writing