The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-07-28
RATIONAL RELIGION
lNrERvlEw ~ l:N ON TOPICS RELialovs.j Z
y" Lyman Abbott Talk, to an iat.llIs.ne.r, Re-,
porter About rarl0ua Religion, Topic,2A,bsry, II
X Parkand0esln Grove Compared with aouu.
tain Lake Park-InE.rso,l Cbri,tl.ul,, u w

r ABBOTT this afternoon. DR.. Abbott Is well
II known ns the editor Of the Chrisiian Union
t and rs theaulhorof a popular commentary
j on the gospels rs we'll rs other Biblical
: works. Those who have already heard til I
J reverend gentleman a'IAIountain Lake ,r, pro.
nounce his lectures rs scholarly in matte I
and OF exceeding interest to popular.
audience. lie is pleasantly located at the
Allegheny Hotel, is accompanied by his
son Ernest, and Is highly enjoying the fresh
air and scenery Of the summit plateau of
the Allegheny Mountains.
"What is the main difference between
Mountain Lake Park and the Eastern sun.
day school resorts?" I inquired rs tho Dr.. +;
seated himself in m easy chair.
"Mountain Lake Park, Is situated in the
mountains and Ocean Grove md Asbury
Park arc at the sea shore. A great MANY
people visit the latter places to escape the
high charges for board and lodging at Long
Branch and other distinctiscly social re- i+,
sorts, and consequt ntly the crowds row; q
are not Of IN exclusively re-, re-.
ligious character. There is really no
comparison between the advantages Of
this place and those of the Cumberland
vnlley,where the Assembly was before held, {
Here every advantage seems to be afforded
for the building up Of great resort. AL;
ready the accommodations are excellent
One wonld scarcely expect to find here 40
early such good food and SO many conve. I
niences, and the fact that they are here
here augurs well for the future. !" y 'liFi51S SsiS
"Do yon think the location Is a suitable
one" | inquired. RI '33 -f'-5Ss No.
ut is an admirable one. The trouble
with most resorts OF this kind, us Ocean :
Grove, Asbury Park, Chautauqra ana ID e.
where, IS that tho cottages and tents are So 1
closely crowded together that hygienic con-
ditlons are not properly observed. The
drainage is often defective, the water more /
or less impure, and health under such con-
ditions cannot always be secured. There
need be no detective drainage here, how
ever. The managers OF the association
nave acquired large tract OF land, it has \
been well surveyed, and there need be no
complaint about the general healthfulnessN
Of the neighborhood.h y S3 5Tssif Y
Hasn't there been considerable change
IN these later years in the manner OF holds
ing camp meetings?' i51sSsi psi -. IS,
lcs; the character OF camp meeting gof
former days is very much changed. , The +
Old campmeetinss grew out OF the .necessi-3
ties OF tho Western people. In those DAYS
hogs and homlny were the principle artic-S
les OF diet. The people had no churches. 4.
no Libraries, no class or assemblies Of a so-9
cial character, SO they adopted the custom
OF meeting once q year, when the minister
and people were mutually benefited. ~. Is: 4 4
The modern campmeeting is, however, VI
OF different character. The people come
out from their herding in tho cities. Theyss
want pure mir and freedom from fashiona.
Bile restraint, and also some opportunity
for reflection on spiritual themes, The
change has been brought about by circum.g 4
stances, and shows the capacity OF tho +
Christian Church and tho American peo.S
pie toadopt their institutions their respcc. {;
tive needs" - -. sss9Ss IS
SIS the Bible more studied now than
formerly" inquired. 75si.ss:.iSI's.S
ut certainly is moro studied thnn ever
before. At the time when DR.. Dwight first
went to Yale College there were only Two
students in the institution who fproiessed Y
Christianity. The non.religious spirit Of 8
the students induced Dr. Dwight to write !
his celebrated lectures on theology: ands
since then the proportion Of religious stud.2.
ents in this and other colleges has i'm
creased" VA a.
isn't Ingersollism becoming popular ii, i,
many OF our American colleges ~ stssi /
LAST week there were five college stu -S
Inntc nj tNv 1tppnr ,olI,, ,.,l :.
talk upon 1ngeisollism was held. One OF s
the stldentsspoke for all when he said thatg
II lnsersoll really believed in his own doc.S
trines he would treat religious subjects 4
with carnestncss and not with jokes rs Is /
his custom. There are two elements in ms
gersoll's popularity, the first being his ora.
lorical qualities, and the second consisting
IS tile iect that there is certain class in :
every community who would like 10 have
the tenets OF the Christian religion dis
proved, and who are glad TO hear any mans
VINO can prove that the future will take}y,i
There isa kind Of skepticism, however, 5
which is increasing. It is doubt or posi-
tive Disbelief Of the old philosophical forms Il
in which scholastic theology hls formulated u
truths, and men arc less inclined than be-;
lore TO take the statements OF ministers orssS
priests.as authoritative, or, in other words,
they are more inclined to think for them.S
selves" = & - j. ..Ss
"Isn't that kind OF skep,icism especially
rife in the German Univcrsities?' 5;yis5li{
II cannot say that it is from PERSONAL Il
knowledge, but there Is: a great change in5
progress: In the German universities the
skeptlcal professors, am told, have com-i
paratlvely small classes, and such profess.
ors as Chrlstlieb, at Bonn, are the; most
popular with the students. In our own &
colleges, both male and female, the spiritY
OF inquiry and independent thinking isl
undoubtedly increasing" 81 u. : .
Is that IL good sign" q; ~ IN;
'On the whole il is good. 1t may do in.S
jury to individuals, just us the ReiormationS .
was injurious to individuals. When men
undertake 10 do their own thinking they i
will blunder, and the self.conceited will
think they know it all, but tho final results
vii! be n clearer md stronger faith, and as
better spiritual life" ~. {lS3l.ss;i
doesn't the public press pay more at. y
tention to religious subjects nov than for. /:
merly." - 4 ,.i,,il.l III = s,s5y
The secular press pays moro interest to !
religion than formerly, and this shows /, 4
greater. public interest. 1t is about thirtyls
years since u friend OF mine went to the sI
different New York dailies then in exist.
ence, and proposed 10 give brief report Of +
Henry Ward Beecher's sermon delivered;
the Sunday before. Now however, such
papers as the Chicago Time, and the New
York Herald give page 10 the sermon Of
tho Sunday previous. They don't always
treat these sermons with reverence, but
only attention shows greater interest than
Indifference" 3; 55333l 'J.S;'1yy,
Clergymen are more broadly cd ucatedS x
than they were formerly, so arc the people,
generally. There couldn't be; q baniel9
Webster now, the advance in general cdu-a
cation would make such ~ character im.&
poSsibla.N Such resorts ns Nfonntain i nIaSi