The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-02-21
DEEDS VS. CREEDS.

The world is full OF unavoidable afflic'
tons. 1t is therefore quite unnecessary to
borrow troubles, anticipate sorrow in this
life or tribulation after life's 6tful fever IL
over. The present does not warrant contin
uous feasting nor fasting. The happy me-
dunn Is the true philosophy. We are told
that the remarkable book, entitled Natural
Religion" which is worthy of profound
study, "shows that when the antagonisms Of
organized belief are removed, all men believe
very much the same thing and are influenced
by almost the same intellectual, spiritual
and social laws" and that christianity has
often been made so Divine a system that
men have failed to see anything human in
it, and, again, it has been made so human
that its Divine element has been concealed
II is this ceaseless wrangle about what
Christianity really is that has proved to be a
prolific source of trouble. The difficulty
has always been to remove the 'antago-
nisms of organized belief" and it may be
said that every effort to Danish such opposi-
ton has not only resulted in failure, but
has intensified the zeal of the opposing
forces and made them more defiant. We
are inclined to the opinion that natural re-
ligion" is common sense religion-a religion
that m an can understand without having
first obtained University education. If
this conclusion is not correct, then we defy
all the wisdom of the schools to furnish an
acceptable reason why Christ Himself Sc
lected uneducated men to teach His religion.
We would not dwarf nor degrade 'diyin-
ity," but we believe there is quite as much
divinity in common sense as there is in any
thing else under the sun. Righteousness,
right-doing is common sense, truth is COM
mon sense, honesty is common sense, and
all the influences these factors and forces
set in operation are common sense agen-
cies designed to bless the world, and
if that is not the mission of
divinity, the question occurs, What is it?
There has been so much industry in the
world devoted to organizing antagonistic be-
llefs, creeds, dogmas, etc, that men and
women of average intelligence are seeking
for some standard by which they can regu-
late their lives, independent of all formulas,
and fortunately for them, they do not have
far to go, nor long to search for criterion
which answers the Ia gest demands test for
all conditions aud situations, and for all
transactions. 1t CLOVIS with divinity. 1t is
natural religion and revealed religion. In
following its teaching doubts disappear.
resentments are banished, forgiveness is en-
charity, robed and crowned an
from the skies, walks the earth,
awakening everywhere the hottest aspira-
tons of the soul; benedictions descend like
the dew, and love to God and love to man
ascends like incense. What is this unerring
guide, this compass and chart, by which
men may reach the port of peace at last?
Simply this:
Therefore, all things whatsoever ye
would that men should do unto you, do ye
even so unto them; for this is the law and
the prophets"
That will do. 1t meets the
case. In its presence wrangling tongues are
mute-hypocrites are abashed, the wayfar-
ing man reads as he runs and fools need not
err in their feeble efforts to understand its
meaning. 1t may possibly occur 10 some
student of the "antsgonisms of organized
belief" if they credit Christ with omnis-
cience, that He fully comprehended the
situation of things during the close of the
nineteenth century-that he foresaw the
antagonism of organized belief, the con-
flicts of creeds and the discord
of dogmas and determined to lead
common sense people above and beyond
the soul-warping and Misunderstanding infiu-
ences. As result men care less for preach
ing than they do for practice. If men do
do unto them there is little need to talk
about faith and creeds. There stand the
works.
The fire leaves proud city in ashes, q tor
nado sweeps across the plain and whole
villages disappear The rains descend and
the flood spreads devastation and death for a
thousand miles. What then? Above the
roar of food and tempest and fire is heard
the command: whatsoever ye would that
men should do unto you, do you ye
even so unto them" 1t is obeyed
The lightnings fash the news that
relief is coming-the train thunders along
the track loaded with offerings from eli the
people. Men, women and children, cor
porations, municipalities and States re-
spond. Antagonisms disappear, creeds hide
their deformities, all hearts throb in unison,
all hands are ready to work, and human
nature rises and expands to the full measure
of its God-created prerogatiyes. That will
do. RI
Irnow looks as though ex-senator Stephen
w. Dorsey, s. T. t., the man who disbqrsed
Arthur's soap and carried Indiana for
Porter and Garfield, will at an early day, be
arrayed in coat and trousers of many stripes,
have bis head artistically shaved, and be re-