The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1881-09-09
SHOULD sxxPr,os how'll

Under the caption, "The Right TO Doubt,
Mr.. J.V. Boger, In our ecclesiastical con
temporary, the Apdnt Courier, takes excep
ton to the following paragraph which some
weeks since appeared In the NEW NORTH
WEST:
While he has the undoubted right to think
and believe as he pleases; while 1t Is free
country, and he has the right TO speak and
print as he thinks, without restraint, Inger-
soil ought to suppress himself. The opinion
Of the civilized world Is against him. There
are many believe as Ingersoll does; but many
have the good sense not to force their skepti-
cism into the attention aud lives Of those
Is not content with his unbelief, but must
thrust IL into the public ear, and do possible
harm where he can do no possible good.
These extracts Mr.. Bogert makes the sub
jet Of q column or two complaint, which,
when sifted and measured, Is q declaration
that he is q skeptic, that he has right to be
one II he wants TO, and to make all the
noise about 1t he chooses. If the paragraph
Is read again 1t will be seen these privileges
were admitted to be legal rights. We mere
ly added many skeptics had the good sense
not to be intrusive. Ingersoll Is blatant.
But Ingersoll Is SO because he sells his inf
del books and delivers his infdel lectures
and writes infdel magazine articles for dol
lars and cents. 1t Is money-making adven-
ture with him, and he would be less fire.
quently heard Of II his brilliant skepticism
did not show up well in his handbook. Some
others advertise their doubts for notoriety,
Others doubtless through q deluded notion
that they have q mission to enlighten the
world and overthrow the Christian belief.
We still adhere to the belief that there Is q
deal Of good taste and honesty in not bel
lowing skepticism into the ears Of the Chris
tian world. Those who propagate the Chris
tian religion offer TO man the Bread Of Life
and agow that through faith shall come sal
walton. 1t Is asserted all are sinners; that
penalty impends, that repentance and pure
life will insure dissolution and restoration to
Divine favor. Even Ingersoll, perhaps even
Mr.. Bogert, will admit that many Christians
believe in their religion-that to them 1t is
all and in all-that they are honest in their
some of them have been
and are among the most eminent in the in
tellectual world-men who have Investigated
and believed. To all good Christians their
faith Is possession priced above all else.
What does the skeptic who thrusts himself
and his opinions upon them dop He seeks
to deprive them of that Faith. What does
he offer in exchangep Nothing. Aggressive
skepticism of the Ingersoli order is simply
religious Nibilism not entitled to as much
consideration aud respect as the propagation
of Mohammedsm, Buddhism, or Mormon
ism. 1t Is bad enough for q man to be in
fected with 1t himself, without seeking to
others. II he is not ashamed
of 1t perhaps he ought 10 be. He does not
know; he only doubts. 1t Is certainly
crime to rob soul of It's faith and give moth
ing in Its stead, and until aggressive skepti-
cism has something better than Christianity
to offer to the world in its stesd, Its mission
is simply one Of grand larceny.
The Christian gentleman is the most ex-
allied type of manhood; the Christian ma
tions are the most highly civilized and cul-
tured of the earth. Whether Christianity
promotes civilization, or rice uersd, or
whether they are coordinate, matters not.
Their banners blend wherever man is blessed
the most. And so, while the individual man
may doubt, doubt honestly, conscientiously,
studiously, hopelessly, these facts should
give him respect for Christianity and deter
him from dragging even one happy, peaceful
soul from the pleasant paths of Faith into
the doubt-bog where he is miied down.
The grandest code Of laws the world has
obeyed, the sublimest truths the world has
heard are indissolubly linked with Christian
faith and belief and through IL millions have
lived, and live, assured of Immortality in that
world where all Is life and light. As there
are those physically blind there may be
those spiritually blind, and 1t is not well in
either case that the unfortunates should in
sist on being guides and leading those more
fortunate into evil places or the dreary desc
lation Of hopeless and eternal night
It is told of an old Roman hero that al
though he defied the lightning yet when be-
wildered and lost in . fog on the mountain
his fierce spirit was turned to supplication
and he prayed devoutly:
" oh God, these clouds dispel, the light of
heaven restore,
Give me to see, and Ajax asks no more"
You are In the fog, friend Bogert. Down
on your knees as quickly as you can, and
even II the mist don't rise at once, think
little before you say there Is no sun and start
out for propaganda.