The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-11-24

more impressed when the pentent comes up out
of the river, his garments dripping with the
waters of baptism which signifies the washing
away OF sin. Either is right, in my estimation
Let either have his own way. One man likes no
noise in prayer, not word, not whisper
Another man, just as good, prefers by gestlcu-
lation and exclamation to express his devotional
aspirations. One is just as good as the other
Every man is fully persuaded in his own mind
Now, In our neighborhod, on Oxford street, we
have quiet Every neighbor prefers his own
home to any other home, and yet he is in peace
with all the neighborhood. L have no idea that
will promote the prosperity OF my household
by upsetting somebody else's home, nor has my
nelghbor any idea that he VIII beneht his nome
by injuring my home. Each one preferrlng his
own home the better, yet kind and good neigh
borhood. Now, so it ought to be in the kingdom
of Christ Preference for religious homes, but
large-hearted and Christian neighborhood.
Peace on earth, good will to men" George
Whitfield was going Quaker rather
roughly for of his religious sentiments, and
the Quaker said: George, [ am as thou art L
am for bringing all men to the hope of the Cos
pei; therefore, if thou wilt not quarrel with me
about my broad brim, will not quarrel with
thee about thy black gown. George, give me
thy hand"
WHERE SECTARIANISM COMES FROM.
In tracing out the origin of sectarianism or
bigotry, l find that great deal of it comes from
wrong education in the home circle. There are
parents who do not think it wrong to caricature
and jeer the peculiar forms of religion in the
world, and denounce other sects and other de-
nominations. 1t is very often the case that that
kind of education acts just opposite to what was
expected, and the children grow up and after a
while 60 and see for themselves and looking in
those churches and finding that the people
good there and they love God and keep his com
mandments, by natural reaction they go and
join those very churches ! could mention the
names of prominent ministers of the gospel who
spent their whole life bombarding other denomi-
nations, and who lived to see their children
preach the gospel in those very denominations.
But it is often the that bigotry starts in a
household and that the subject of it never re-
covers. There are tens of thousands Of bigots
ten years old.
from too great prominence of any one denomi-
nation in q community. All the other denomi-
nations are wrong and his denomination is right,
because his denomination is the most wealthy,
or the most popular or the most influential.
and is our church and our religious organi-
cation, and 'our" choir and ''our' minister, and
the man losses his head and wants other denomi-
nations to know their places. 1t is a good deal
better in any community when the great de-
nominations of Christians are about equal in
power, marching side by side for the worlds
conquest. Mere outside prosperity, mere world
ly power, is no evidence that the church is ac-
ceptabe to God. Better barn with Christ in
the manger than cathedral with magnificent
harmones rolling through the long-drawn aisle,
and an angel from heaven in the pulpit if there
be no Christ in the chancel and no Christ in the
robes
Bigotry is often the child of ignorance. You
seldom find man with large intellect who is a
bigot. 1t is the man who thinks he knows a
great deal, but does not. That man is almost
always bigot The whole tendency of educa-
ton and civilization is to bring man out of that
kind of state of mind and heart There was, in
the far East, great obelisk, and one side OF the
obelsk was white, another side of the obelsk was
olN.1,1
travellers went aud looked at that obelisk but
they did not walk around it. One man looked at
one side, another at another side, and they came
home, each ore having looked at only side
And they happened to meet the story says, and
they got into a rank quarrel about the color of
that obellsk One man said it was white, another
man said it was green, another man said it was
blue, ana when they were in the very heat of the
controversy more intelligent traveller came and
said: Gentlemen, have seen that ooelisk and
you are all right and you are all wrong Why
didn't you walk all round the obelisk} Look out
for the man who sees only one side of religious
truth. Look out for the man who never walks
round about these great theories of God, and
eternity, and the dead He will be bgot in
evltably-the man who only sees one side. There
is no man more to be pitied than he who has
just one idea in his head: no more, no less
Better vacuity, overthrOwng the philosophical
theory that an entire vacuum Is an impossible
ity than just one idea wandering around about
N perpetual loneliness and bachelorhood wall
Better idea at all than only one idea Run
| up your schools, and your colleges, and your
universities More light, less sectarianism,
There IS nothing that will kill bigotry us
sunshine-God's sunshine.
Now having shown you the religion of big
otry, just look abroad in the church and see the
damage bigotry has done. 1t eripples investiga-
ton The different denominations of Chris ians
were intended, by holy rivalry and honest com
petition to keep each other wide awake Sup
pose one denomination of Christians should
garble the word of God, all the other denomina
tons would fly out in righteous Indignation It
was so intended to be. While each denomina-
ton of Christians is to present all the truths of
the Bible it seems to me that God has given to
each denomination an especial mission to give
particular emphasis to some one doctrine and
so the Calvnstic church must present the SOW
ereiguty of God, and the Armenian churches
must present mans free agency and the Episco-
pal churches must present the importance of
order and solemn ceremony, and the Baptist
churches must present the necessity ordi-
nances, and the Congregational church must
present the responsibility of the individual menu
Der, and the Methodist church must show what
holy enthusiasm and hearty congregational sing
ing accomplish. While each denomination of
Christians must set forth all the doctrines of the
Bible, l feel it is especially incumbent upon
each denomination to put particular emphasis on
some one doctrine But you that man is a
bigot who shuts his,eyes to all the lessons he
might learn from other denominations. You are
wrong and am right and that ends it. No
taste for exploration, for investigation. No dis
position to reason the matter over And from the
realm of Gods glorious truth over which an
archangel might fly from eternity to eternity
and never reach the limit, the man shuts himself
out blind mole under corn-shock
ANOTHER EVIL or sECrARIANIsM.
Another great damage done by the sectaran-
ism and bigotry of the church is that it disgusts
people with the Christian religion. Now, my
friends, the church of God was never intended
for war barracks People are afraid of riot
You go down the street and you see an excite
ment and missiles flying through the air. and
you hear the shock of fire arms Do you tho
peaceful and industrious citizen, go through the
streat2 ttl0h M y vou say: .I,ll 20 round the