The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-07-04
RELIGION AND RELIGION.

ton. Pa D. E. Westcott and his wife were
and are very devout "Chrstians," scrupu-
lousy exact in the observance of every re-
ligious duty. By that strange contrariety so
often encountered, these worthy parents
were troubled with very worldly if not actu-
ally wicked children. Apparently they were
natural thieves, and nothing could prevail
upon them to give up the habit of appropri-
ating whatever articles their fancy favored. 1t
is altogether probable that the unhappy
parents prayed often and persistently over
their trouble, but without avail. At length,
despairiug of relief through prayer only, the
mother of the boys took one of them, and
kneeling down by a hot stove (red-hot the
account says), she compelled him to kneel
with her and to place his hands on the stove
while she prayed for him! Tne boy was ex-
horted to do so likewise; but tortured by the
exquisite agony caused by his burning flesh.
cried out SO loudly that the attention of the
neighbors was attracted. The other son, it
is said, was tortured in the same way by both
father and mother. Think of the grim irony
of asking a child to unite in prayer at
a moment when his hands were literally
cooking The idea is so revolving that out
ragged nature rebels against all thought OF
such mummery 1t is said that the authori-
ties took notice of these modern inquisitions,
arrested the inhuman parents and brought
them to trial. But they were acquitted and
set free by a jury which must have been COM
posed of brutes or imbecies. ~
The paradox of good tree bringing forth
evil fruit, as seems true in this case, suggests
an inquiry. Is it not possible that these
boys became evil through the inhu-
ence of religion distorted in the
unhealthy brains of their parents?
1t ought to be apparent to all that religion,
such as possessed by the Westcotts, would
naturally drive one to crime if compelled to
be near it, and to daily listen to the madden
ing cant that is usually INDUCED in by such
people. Of what value was prayer to those
boys with their parched fingers sticking to
the red-hot stove? What estimate would
they naturally put on religion" as revealed
in such refined cruelties? If. they had never
done wrong in their lives, the impulse would
be to rush at once to the commission of
some crime. Anything would be dared
if it only babe defiance to
such barbarism. The religion" that
permits its devotees to descend to such in
human cruelties is no religion at all, and if
what is told of the Westcotts be true, they
should no longer be held religious and anx-
ious after the welfare of their children but
should be fogged until common sense
be restored enough to show them the enor-
nifty of their crime. There can be no ques-
ton that excessive zeal has only too often
changed otherwise loving and lovable parents
into brutal keepers, Frequently accepting
as literal that which to others
is plainly fgurative and hyper
bolical, their minds are wrenched,
their judgments perverted and their natures
deformed. Religion, as manifested in the
daily walk and conversation of such mon
strosities, is repulsive, and works more
harm than good. No man nor woman has
the right to make religion anything else butat-
tractive and desirable. Just so soon as it be-
comes cruel, cold blooded and unreasonable,
just that soon it ought, and will be abah-
doned and despised. Professors of religion
owe it to the world about them to keep re-
ligion on the high plane it deserves to &C.
cupy Maintained there, it will
command the respect and obedience
of children, and the aid of maturer
people. 1t was founded on the belief that
Its claims would appeal to the best judgment
of the mind, without which it could never
succeed. True religion must rest on the
foundation of common sense. 1t is folly to
longer talk of making the people believe
something they cannot believe. Christianity
is eminently religion of reason. 1t ought
not to contradict ITSELF and it will not
contradict itself. The Westcotts, in
its teachings, brutalized its admonitons and
defeated its aims. They are no more pos
sessed of the spirit of religion than is the
veriest cannibal who has no idea of righteous
ness and justice. And there are too many
Westcotts in the land, who are daily bring
ing harm to the cause of Christ.
THE tertiomillennial celebration is in full
blast at Santa Fe. The 'Spaniards planted