The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1881-03-31
RELIGION VS.. s1eoTaY.
Dr.. Benjamin franklin and his Talk
With St. Peter at the Gates.

anu OF. l. SbGl.
"NoT' m
Well, will tell it as told by the
doctor; not after he had interviewed
that good saint, but as told by him
as one OF his many singular dreams.
You know he was a philosopher,
and, like most philosophers, was
rather rambling in his religious
ideas. He says that a good old
puritan of the Mayflower and Ply
mouth Rock stock, once called
upon him to demonstrate againss
his lrreligious opinions. Said the
old doctor to his puritan friend:
"You don't believe all people will
De saved. do you2"
"Ob, no; tue Bible speaks of only
the elect you know, and as elect
means chosen of course only
those will be saved who are 'chos
en- preordained to be saved" said
the puritan.
"But suppose a man does as we'll
as he knows how, is he sure of be-
ing among the electP' asked the
doctor.
mo, because no one can know
that but God"
"Then, no matter how good he
may be, if not among the elect, he
will be lost, will he?"
"Well, it looks that way"
"My friend," said the doctor,
my religion is much broader than
yours; has much more charity, much
less cruelty in it than yours. That
mantle OF charity covers many more
of the erring, the sinful. the peni
tent, the yearnIng to do better, than
your little, narrow, dogmatic. intol-
Grant cape does. Let me illustrate: I:
The other night / dreamed that L
was dead, and had started to the
great hereafter. Following compa-
ny of ghosts, that had no beginning
nor ending, | soon cast anchor at
the door, supported by magnificent
pillars of gold, with capitals and
cornices of diamonds. You know
the Christians all think heaven is
heaven when it's streets and man
siODs are. of the precious metals
and stones. and that is one thing
which makes your religion sordid.
The Mohammedan idea is much
more captivating to the grosser
mind of unholy man, in represent
ing heaven as peopled with beauti-
ful houris, none over 20 years, who
are to meet and welcome you to
eternal bliss. But it was a Chris
tian, not q Mohammedan heaven |
was about entering. Nary hOurL
Not Il single Eve; nothing but d
venerable old man stood at the gate,
with a bunch of keys at his side.
By that sign l knew l was in the
presence of ST. Peter. He went
straight to work and asked me VINO
| was and where from. l told him,
and he said his teIegraphic dis
patches had alluded To my playing
with kite charged with lightning
or with lightning charged with u
klte-he couldn't exactly remember
which. Then he asked me il ]
would not walk in. l did so and
took a general survey of things.
After awhile, he asked me if l was
going to remain long2 l told him
| guessed so, as l had given up my
checks below and had no ticket ior
a more distant country. He then
asked me to select any part of the
city or rural districts for a home.
l told him L didn't like city life
| Id ha
with its brooks and streams, and
shady trees and green grass, and
strawberries and cream. Brooks
and streamsP said he. We'll, if
you are Baptist, see, yonder is a
big crowd now going down into,
and some will soon be under the
water. They are all the time bath
ing, and dry clothes are out of the
question: 1 told him / was not
inclined to undress before so large
a crowd. Perhaps said he, you'd
like the Methodists. They always
have revivals and campmeetings on
hand, and have tents and straw, and
live WE'LL No. said l, not there.
Then look over yonder,' said St.
Peter, there are the Presbyterians.
But few followers yet, because only
the elect are there No. said /,
not there Then just look yCnder.
That whaling big crowd is the Ro-
man Catholics. See the candles
and the incense (smell that, and
the priests in their royal robes, aud
with their crosses and bands of
music. They are having a good
time now-worship an hour or two,
daily, and then enjoy themselves
Sensible said 1, 'but not there
Well said st. Peter, there are the
Episcopalians, the descendants of
the old Roman Catholic stock, but
the breed improved by education
and culture. They are fond OF mu
sic, dancing, going to the theater,
and asing life very practically with
not more religion than is essential
NO. said /, mot there Well said
st. Peter, your tastes are singular,
and hard to please. See that big
gathering over yonder; by all odds
the largest you have yet seen?
Well, said l, what about that croWd2
'Ohr said the good old saint, and
in one of his most generous strains:
'they are souls of all nations and
creed. There are the Gentle and
the Jew, the Mohammedan aud the
Brshmin, the fire worshipers and
the disciples of Confucius, the In
dian who has his dog and bow and
arrow, and who, but for our police,
would scalp q white man as soon as
he would when following Conanchet;
the savages of all lands, the tramps
of all nations Said to st. Peter,
are all these people happyT Yes;
as happy as their natures will al
low Then, said 1, please fix up a
teat for me over there. Pm like
Patrick Henry. 1 like to study
crowd; and that crowd is bigger
than all the others together. If /
can be happy over there | would ss
soon be there as anywhere else"
Church Progress.
Christian Advocate.
Elkton. Giles county. Tenn. is