The Bozeman weekly chronicle. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1883-1889, 1884-09-10
CORRESPONDENCE.
In6delity.

Some sinister intent taintS all he does.
Young.
The rule in numerical law, 'that any
thing is worth just what it will bring on
the Market" by which our friend, the
doctor" wishes us to determine the
comparative value of infidelity and re-
ligion, when applied to his own intidei
production, gives an infinitely minnie
value. We don't wish our friend to adj
NIT this. but he must acknowledge that
he. under show of humor, applied the
wrong test -
"A daring infidel land such there are,
From pride, example, lucre. rage. re
venge,
Or pure herOical defect of thOught0
OF all earth's mad,f en- most deserves a
chain."- Young.
We are glad to have our friend ac-
knowledge that he thinks ''they (the
churchesl are doing good service in NOR
alIzing the community" and 'are doing
all in their power for the cause Of tenn
perance, charity and humanity We
would reciprocate if we could conscien-
ciously acknowledge an iota of that in
favor of the true influence of infdclity.
Where it stimulates one to better his
ways it justifies many in hopeless de-
hatchery Suppose that infidelity
doesn't prove to be true, who Whitfield
the kindling,' then?
There are but two chances to take
that religion is true, or that it is not
and there is certainly more cyidence-in
favor of the truth of religion. 1t will be
more pleasure for the parent to be with
the spirit of the feeble child, and, per-
haps, with the spirits of some OF his
brighter ones, conscious that he did all
in his power while III the flesh to guide
his offspring to a like inheritance, than
| it will be for him to endure the torment
oil consciousness that he was the cause of
precipitating his "su.art, thinking child
rem to the horrors of a hereafter.
Should infidelitv. which with 1ngersoll
is little else than atheism, prove true,
there is nothing gained for the next
world, and the good, the base, the pure,
the vile, alike are qualified. Thus all
| the good that is claimed for it argues
nothing in favor of it.
We do not pretend to reconcile the
errors of preceding generations. We
know that excessive religious enthusiasm
has at times wrought much evil. No
human mind can fathom the depths Of
| anarchy INTO which the races would have
been plunged had infidelity and atheism
reigned Supreme We are forced to this
conclusion 10y the modern influences of
relig zion compared with present influ-
ences of the doctrine in question.
Our friend mas compared the Christian
to an ostrich which, when pursued, hides
its head, hopes that 1t is secure. and
trusts that it will again enjoy life after a
little season. We like the comparison
and will enlarge upon it. We believe,
from our knowledge of natural history,
that the hiding of the head of this bird
is instructive, and in part compensates
for it's inability to escape by flight as
other birds do. There are several MEM
bers of the cat family which prey partly
upon the ostriches. 1t is known of these
animals that they will not feed upon the
carcasses of birds found dead, unless
| forced to by starvation. In the warm
climate, of which the ostrich is native,
dead bodies soon mortify and become
unfit food for any of the feline family of
amin Is. The ostrich feigns death, and
thereby, many times, saves its life by it.
However, if one of them happens to be a
very reasonable infidel ostrich and is
pushed to the necessity of ducking its
head in the sand that settles it with him
forever. His doctrine has taught him by
the power of his stupendous reason that
when he has ducked his head there is no
possibility of ever again seeing the light.
He is so persistent in his doctrine, that
even if the thought occurs to him that
he might raise his head he will not do it
lest some of his brethren accuse him of
dens,lncng his reason. Thus he stands
secretly cursing his existence, but de-
claring he can't get his head out, that he
will not take his head out, that it is the
only pleasant situation there is. and that
he will show the world that he can die
an infidel ostrich and establish within
reason the truth of his doctrine.
The monitor of the lnfidel doctrine
wishes us to understand that 1t is found
ed in reason, and that he is therefore Il
+. asonablc creature; but
':Who reasons wisely, is not therefore
wise,
His pride is in reasoning, not acting lies"
Pope.
a belief in infidelity is no more con-
sistent than belief in Christianity. If
IA belief in inffdelity makes it true, the
same logic holds good in the case of re-
liyion; then it is not a mere matter of
belief that tips the beam. One doctrine
offers nothing to strictly moral man
and is sought, accepted and practiced to
a degree OF perfection by an immoral
one; the other eleyates and advances the
condition of any and every individual
who zealously adhercs to and practices
its teachings While belief is not crit
erion to certainty, neither is reason a
safe guide. Congreve says, Reason is
tho power to guess at rig int and wrong
and Ingersoll says, treason is my hope"
but tlatters himself that he is the god Of
it.
Religion is established by the testi-
mony of living Christians, the manifes-
tation Of the Holy Spirit, and the teach
ings of the Scriptures. 1nfidelity is
rooted and grounded in reason, which is
no more sure foundation for that doc
trinc than it is for any other, and its
manifest spirit is identical with licenti-
business. 1t can make no use of scrip
lures.
In the whole of the lecture '"What
shall do to be saved?" in which the