Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-06-15
About Churches.


by half, and have plenty left.
--s>s---
About Churches.
roRr WORTH, June II, isG
To tho Editor OF tho Gazette.
have carefully read and re-read the
article In The GAZETTE signed ''r,n
am satisfied our bushw hacking
brother must be joking. Had he been
serious, he would have been more con-
sistent. a subscriber for The GA
zErrE, who knows the paper well |
enough to pronounce upon Its merits,
and yet writes In the tone and style Of |
your correspondent, Ia certainly AN CO. |
centric character. He assumes to |
write "for the encouragement NJ hum
BILE followers of Christ" yet before he
concludes his article, he asserts his be-
lief that the churches that exist by the
authority, and labor for the glory of
Christ Jesus, are q greater evil Than
the saloons. Again, this son of con-
ISOLATION characterizes the apostolic
church rs 'superstitions SYSTEM In
which "all things were TO be common
like a family" Surely, Brother IT,, II
the apostolic church was u ''superstl-
tious system,n YOU should not quarrel
With u6 WI utNiuNibk nVutNWbot hVih
their customs, and instead OF de-
ciaring all things to be common, recog-
ni2e the fact that what each man has
Is his own; and instead OF demanding
the money to build our churches,
modestly present subscription list,
which he can indorse or reject at pleas
ure, Again "this humble follower Of
Christi who believes his Master 10
have established IA superstitlous sys-
tenn and yet pronounces the religion
OF our churches to-day IA fraudn for
deviating nom that system, believes
that the churches oppress the liberties
OF Christians--wh herein he does not say /;
suppose, IN not declaring all things
common.
But he gravely informs us that the
l"humble followers of Christ are I'LL
grooming under the weight of oppres'
sion," imposed by selfish men under
the head OF Christianity, who have
written with their own hands upon
their masts the name of Christ, under
whose covering IL secreted u
golden image. viii some kind
friend please explain that sen
tencep II seems to ba both
metaphorical and apocalyptic. win
not some Seventh-day Adventist, or
Interpreter OF the book OF Revelation
tell us what 1T. " means. Have mercy
ON us, We Interpreters of dark sayings,
and help us 10 understand this nniold-
ing of the peoples miseries under the
drnpery OF mixed metaphor.
Tell us how, In this land OF liberty,
under "A government founded by Chris
tlan statesmen, "the humble followers
Of CHRISTI are made the subjects OF
: such oppression and fraud? Is the
oppression financial? There IL not u
church in the land that has financial
condition, or teal of membership. 10
our shame be 1t spoken, the average
member of the church pays more
annually orncck ties than he give,
! for the conversion of the world. The
best paid pastor In Fort Worth does
> not receive from his people more than
one dollar month per capita. IN,
poorest members of the churches ar,
y excused from contributing To the sup
: port of the ministry, while many
, make subscriptions OF twenty
five cents per month. "Grodnmg
under the weight Of oppression !
NV friend In ambush ought not TO jok,
l 30 much, somebody might mi.under
: stand him.
But "T.n thinks church bells were
\ not i'm use prior 10 the apostles, ol
: Aaron would have made one when h'
: made his golden calf. "T."'s chro
u nology Is hs badly mixed as his meta
|, phors; but pause TO remind MN tina
u Aaron WAS bent on establishing new
worship. That though no bell called
!, the people TO the worship OF the tru'
= God yet from the fires OF the DIVINE
!. presence trumpet sounded 30 IONS
u and 80 loud, that the millions OF srne
: could hear and fear before the majesty
o of the Lord Jehovah. And when th'
= religion began Its ritualistic work
y both bells and trumpets We're EN-
e ployed i'm the worship. Had ther,
been bells In the camps previous u
ihat time, Aaron might have uset
them In making the calf, NJ, like frien'
"T. - he was an iooncclast.
But ~. y reminds me Of one scripture
= character. Like the publican he standi
iafar off, But alasl the analogy
ceases right there. Instead OF crying
"(;od be merciful to me sinner" h'
finds fault with the churches, becaus
10 forsooth. people dressed In silk ans
e satin are allowed to attend public
ia worship while there are poor people II
!, sight rcfusingto go IN. Surely Their
must be a beam In his eye, or thi
G. mote would not appear 30 plain. bu
N why follow him further? Ifhe want
n pfecedent for "thank offerings ie
~ him read his Bible with uni hundice'
~ eyes; he can scarcely 20 amiss Tor them
a. Hut the question IL u serious one
~ should we build better and more com
modIous churches? All the churchee
d in this city together have not cost hal
1t as much Us the Jail now being bull
Ie will cost when finished, yet THE hum
le hle followers OF Jesus are groanin
n under oppreeslon.u More than on
hundred snlnons, many Of them mad
ne attractive by all the Ar
Is lhat lavlshed wealth CA
T. purchase. invite our young me-
NJ Ia spsnd an hour In sin and crImt
re Hands Of music advertise infamy ant
e. pr0stitution daily on our Streets an
IN allure the unwary, the lonely ana III
ia homeIoss to haunts where vice IL tape
tried with deitest handiwork. An
ID vet when solitary voice. ASKS VI
Ut wealthy friends OF truth and virtue
I'd unite Ia rearing house OF beauty an
comfort for Gods worship the motto
es il denounced a. oppressive OF ~
is humble followers OF Christ, An
when the people Of God, like the mn
after Gods own heart, render Lne
p.almody with glowing and culture
hearts and voices, some one y near
calling for apostolic l,rccedeH ior SUI
a efforts. Why not ask FOR aposnDl
precedent for the use Oh tue "a
Electric telephone by Christian poop
But this much J must Ivy Deny ~,
~ closing; w. seems " Ia ;nti,nat