Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1882-02-24
REASON or wi i:

After reading that portion OF the SER
mon recently delivered by Rev. George
Milu. Of Chicago. which caused his
society to ask his resignation. one Is mol
surprised that the congregation N ~
tendance at the time were hoeksd' nor
ths. the society asked that he resign.
It appears that Mr.. Min assaii.d In nm.
m~istsksble terms u Of the fundamental
doc,ripss Of the Christian religion. that
of the belief in o conscious future exist
spce. eff I could" said Mr.. Min.
..b.lievs in q future life, how gladly
would I let loose my Imagination to pic
turs its possible gloriss. But. my friends.
I cannot afford to deceive you, and !
soy that however beautiful the dream
may be the chance Of fulhllmsnt seems
to me remote and improbable"
Expressions like the above. coming
from preachers OF education and culture.
60 far toward proving the old saying oil
the Roman Catholic Church to be true.
that Protestantism-the right OF private
judgment in the Interpretation OF the
Bible and in matters OF religious belief
is the halfway house to inadslity.
And II one accepts the definition Of Ina.
deity Is 1t was accepted twenty-five
years ago then most certainly 1t appears
that the courss Of religious thought
during the last twenty-five years has
been toward inHdelity. Twenty-Five years
ago belief In the literal Interpretation Of
the Bible story Of the six days OF crsa.
ton was required by oil orthodox su-
thontiss. also the further belief that the
earth was not over six thousand years
old. Now. thousands upon thousands
Of orthodox protestants accept the con-
illusions Of science that both OF these
beliefs IRE untsnable. and yet are per.
milted 10 remain in their church orssni.
cations In good standing. Surely the
right Of private judgment In matters OF
religious beliefs tends to less rigid inter-
probation Of tho Bible and q ~decowposi.
ton Of beliefs. hence tends toward inf
deity.
Mr.. Min appears to have forgotten
that the belief in q future existence Is q
matter Of faith. not q mathematical
problem that can DO demonstrated by
the rule Of three. Neither Mr.. Min nor
any one ought 10 expect the belief named
will stand the test Of scientific methods.
When belief in o future existence. and
in heaven and hell are not accepted be-
cause they are not susceptible Of proof.
similar to proofs obtained in solution OF
mathematical problems. then the re-
Iisions Of today will have to give way
to some form Of philosophic material
ism.
In what striking contrast to the want
Of faith Of Mr.. Min is the following
statement OF belief in Immortality made
by Rev. Lyman Abbott. d. D.. In an
essay published in the Christian Philoso.
ply Quarterly. 1--WE believe" says Mr..
Abbott. Elm our Immortality, not because
the arguments addressed to rs prove III
but, rs the bird believes in its power TO
soar in invisible air even before its wings
are fsdged. so We feel within ourselves
the consciousness that in our souls there
il tho power Of flight that shall show
itself when once tho cage door is opened,
and We are allowed to lily out from be-
hind our prison bars"
As may DO seen. the Rev. Mr.. Abbott.
d. D.. does not insist upon impossible
demonstration. or positive evidence Of
the truth Of Immortality. but accepts
the belief Is o matter Of pure faith.
without question. just as every man
does who desires that the old landmarks
OF religious beliefs shall be maintained.
When q man refuses to accept as true
religious doctrines because they appear
unreasonable. he does just as men do
in secular matters Of everyday life.
The more unreasonable a religious prop
osition 10. measured by secular stand
ards. the greater is his faith who unhes-
itatinsly accepts 1t as true. and hs who
will not accept oil trust religious doc
trines which have como down to him
through hundreds Of years is n STUN
blipg.block to those Of moro faith.
Either the methods OF thought Of Rev.
Mr.. Min. or those OF Rev. Mr.. Abbott,
d. D.. must DO wrong. The former
would subject matters OF faith 10 reason;
the latter would subordinate reason to
matters OF faith. Tho ono tends to the
overthrow OF religion. the other to u s
tain IN