The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-03-19

And manifold effects into the will
AMI arbitration wise Of the Supreme.
Topper.
How little Of real goodness is Of
ten found to be embodied in the Va
rlous religious creeds Of the past
The higher rose the claims of holi
ness among men, the more fan 4tica
and bigoted they became, the more
exclusive and exacting they became
IN associations with others, the more
Indifferent and prosecuting in spirit
and the more aggressive they be
came in PROSECUTING. The more pre-
tentiouS was the claim made of fol
lowing in the footsteps Of Christ
the less His grand principles OF
universal charity and brotherhood
were practiced, and lip-service too
often took the place of heart-service
and the humble sincerity of the
worshiper, as prosperity and power
increased, gradually became super
coded by hypOcritical HOuthings,
outward form and gorgeous cere-
money. The passions were Oftener
appealed to than the reason; aud, AS
humanity ever has been and is now,
eager to accept the plausible and
agreeable, what appears evident to
the senses has ever more influence
in regulating mems desires and in
citing them to action, than have
the calm reflections and conclusions
of philosophy, or the intricate wind
ings and speculative reasonings of
theological theses. The subtle de-
auctions Of analogy, the iconoclastic
overturnings of logic and the sin
cere, truth-Ioving researches of
science, had not such persuasive
power over the universal mind, that
have the wild mutterings and
strange ordinations of priestly
fanatlciSm, or the cold-bleoded, in
sane meanderings and selfish yearn-
ings of ambition. In ascetic mys-
ticism, investigating the divine
origin and nature OF the God-head,
the mysterious virtues, or vices, OF
transubstantiation, the beginning
and end of time and the immaculate
conception, men were swept from
their feet and the firm foundation
of a practical and SOul-SaVing faith,
were often undermined and de-
stroyed by the rushing stream of
turgid eloquence and nonunder-
standable propositions.
Human nature never willingly
submits to contradiction and Op-
position, and often, alas, that very
religion that teaches, or should
teach universal charity and mercy,
only intensifies sectarian bitterness
and hatred. Ignorance and super
stition, measurably ingrafted in
all men, in the dark times
of medieval tyranny, largely
contributed to the volume of wrong,
and swelled the long catalogue of
religious injustice; and bigoted, yet
honest zeal, aroused and joined to
turbulent activity, fortunate indeed
was the victim who sought for in
formation, Of escaping persecution,
ostracism, or death. In art and
science speculation and theory ex-
listed, opposed and intermingled,
accelerated or retarded progress, yet
bitterness did not exist to the ex-
tent manifested in religion. From
the mysterious interpretations and
OBSCURE revealings of biblical
history, from the mournful lam
entations and gloomy forebodings of
the prophets, or from the humane
and merciful teachings of Jesus,
men drew testimony to support and
strengthen their own peculiar belief
and serve as nutriment to their
faith. Yet, before the age of print
ing and the reformation, but few
had that source Of combined strength
ami wisdom to fall back upon. The
weaknesses the Bible records, the
lfolIies it portrays, the inspired
teachings it gives forth and the
saint-llke victories it relates, were
alike unknown to the ignorant,
Idown-trodden, and over-worked,
masses of the people. 1t was in an
unknown tongue, but few copies
were in existence, and had there
been opportunities, its perusal and
study by the laity was punishable
by fine, Imprisonment, or death.
Learning was discouraged and dis
countenanced, by an ignorant and
besotted priesthood, whose tenure
of power and ease of livelihood,
could only be prolonged and
sustained by the bondage of Serf-
dom and the spiritual and bodily
chains of slaves.
The feudal system of Europe was
oppressive and unjust in many o.
its requirements. Yet 1t was
necessary in its day, and afforded
protection, if not peace to the timld
and the weak, in the midst Ofignor-
ance and turbulence; for if the mas
ter tyrannized over the subject, he
allowed no one else to do so. And
then the brawny and naughty
barons and freebooters paid a not
too great an obedience to the cowled
and shaven priest, and if they at
times shrank in superstitious dread
before the spiritual thunder of the
church, they, at offers, babe defi-
ance to its accommodations, and
rived asunder its chains. The
tyranny of the noble and the sway
of the priest, led men to seek coop
Grafton in cities, and in similarity
and union of interests joining to
resist oppression, they mutually
grew powerful and gradually IN
creased in liberty. The gr0Ssest