Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1884-03-06
:BARNUM's RELIGIOUS BELIEF.
Tho Famous ShOwman's Liberal
Ideas COncerninE the Future state

The Famous ShOwmnn's Liberal
Idens ConcerninE the Future state.
Interview in the New York Sum-.
"What are your religious beliefsl"
"Well, when am in New York / 30 to
hear Dr. Collyer preach. Formerly l Went
to hear DR.. Chaplin If lived near Beecher
would go to hear him in preference to any.
body else"
"Then you have liberal ideas concerning
the future state"
~ believe there isa great Creator, infinite
in His attributes Of wisdom, power, and
mercy; that His name is Love. believe he
is God of all justice, and that He Will
chastcn every person whom He created
sufficiently to reform him. in this world or
some other In other words I believe that no
man eyer committed sin that he did not
have to pay for it. Even repentance will
not save him. When man who has conf
mitted a murder swings off the galows pro-
claiming I'm going to swing into an
eternity of bliss among the redeemed l
don't believe him. That reminds me of
what the old doctor, when asked who Ill his
experience had died happiest, replied;
Those who arc hanged, because they swing
Dtf into Paradise don't believe that. No
law of nature or Of God can be transgressed
md the transgressor evade the penalty, even
by repentance. Suppose O poor man goes
out on a Saturday night, gets drunk ana
spends his weeks wages. Tho next morning
lie may sincerely repent for what he has
done, but that will not stop his headache or
bring back the money he has squandered. II
his repentance Is sincere, perhaps hs VIII
not do it again, but whatever he does no has
to pay for, in this world or tho next. In
many instances. l have no doubt, the pay
ment is made iu the next world, which
think will DO founl much the Same
as this, only that there wo will not be
surrounded by 80 many temptations. / do
not believe in an eternal contest between evil
and good, in au infinite devil and an initiate
God. but believe that God will do that which
Flo demands of man, overcome evil with
good; so that eventually, after every one has
received proper punis mont AMI Christening
disciplinary, and not vin,lictive--all will
become good, and hoy, ami happy. The
way Of the transgressor is hard, ana even in
this world, if there wore NJ fut;ire the man
who does wrong cannot b, so happy as the
man who does right-not even If he il rich
"But tho doctrine CT repent and We shall
10 saver does not seem to win your al-
proval"
NO; believe in the ultimate holiness and
happiness of all mankind, but never through
repentance alone. The idea of the sufiiciency
of repentance is revolving to common sense.
Suppose case: A pirate, who has killed in
cold blood ;0) men, is caught, repents on
the gali0ws and says: I'm sorry FOL what
I've dnne and am going to Jesus A GER
tain proportion of those he has killed,
say SO per cent, having been cut
off in their sins, without time
for repentance arc supposed to be
damned. Is it conceivable, as consistent
with the justice Of God, that the repentant
pirate shall look over the battlements OF
Heaven down upon those fifty whom he sent
to he'll aud complaccntly congratulate his
redeemed soul upon his luck in having had
time to repent before he was hanged' No;
] can't believe in that was brought up in
the fear of hell, and when went to Metho-
dist prayer meetings, at the ago OF IL or IA,
l used to so home and pray an cry and beg
God to take me out of existence if he would
only savo me; but l didn't SEQ much
chance for me in the way they put
it. Nov. l don't think that fear is
the proper thing to incte people to do
good. Putting punishment away Off i'll
dim and indefinite future is not making much
of present influence. 1t reminds me of tho
chap who was caught by deacon in the act
of stealing piece of silk. Don't You know
You will have to pay for that silk at tho Gay
of Judgment said the deacon. rl no
idea you gave such long credit, or I'd have
taken two pieces replied the thief. All
sets do good in their way but | prefer to
lave my children believe as | do--not as |
was taught in my youth, howevrr--:n God
OF love- instead of cruelty or vindictveness,
and that his cbast;semcnts are only parental
and disciplinary