The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1884-07-23
Dr. Mar.hall's opsn Letter.


EDITOR CI.AR1oHt DR.. Maraha1I .hs
had criticism 9avofable and adverse 4
i ready. But to me comes tie tsOpen Let
Z addressed IL his own handwriEink II
!. comes either as from good friend, Rhfc
believe him TO be 70 me, or to me IS Ii
> mover Of one Of those resolutions 20 whie
e he refers, praying the managers to clos
I'll the Expedition upon Gunday, 7 appreciat
the courtesy, and while differing from him
: Hope NOS 70 violate the amenffies.
a 4 The board cannot resist the pressnr
: Of the countless multitudes 1T home an
from abroad who will desire to spend .
part of the Holy Day upon the Exposition
grounds.
II This assumes the whole thing. For filosl
countless mHltitudes either have or havt
not religious convictions. If they have
convictions they will come either as Chris
tians or as those who could not con
scientifically engage in the worship pro
posed by DR.. Marshall. If they have no
convictions they cannot be reached at ali,
and hence when admitted to the grounds
on Sunday would desecrate it with impHni-
| ty and without conjunction. Or again /:
The management either has or has not
convictions upon this matter. If 1t has,
then it will repel with indignation the
thought of compromise under threats of
force. If they have no religious con-
science, they certainly have legal con-
science. As funetionaries under the State
they are sworn to obey the laws and see
that others obey. They are not in Office
to construe but to execute law. One OF
these is the Sunday Law.
Again: OF these countless multitudes,
many are citizens of the United States.
l. to
that citizens of this great Republic would,
instead of being on their good behavior,
be forgetful of their oaths of fealty to the
laws and seditiously pressing the Board OF
Management to violate the laws. And
would it not be an eternal stigma upon
foreign nations for it TO go to record that
their citizens, while enjoying the hospital
tiles OF the United States, did deliberately
conspire with the seditious at home 10
force the officers charged with the manage
ment of that Exposition which they were
there to see and enjoy, to violate law
which has ever been recognized BY the
State and Church as founded in human
reason and enforced by the divine fat?
2. "Forced and formal worship is as
hateful to God as the hollow pretenses |
of hypocrisy" No one would ever think |
of denying this but who has ever said
one word about forcing any one to wor-
ship? We have requested and urged that
one OF the Ten Commandments be not /
violated. Suppose we had requested that
the board allow nobodys pockets to be
picked or no one to be murdered? 1t is
taken for granted that all possible care
shall be taken in this direction but will
any one be forced to worship God because
he is kept from stealing my money or taxi
ing my life? Closing the gates on Sunday
does not force anybody to go to church.
| presume they will be closed at certain
hour every night, but that act will in mol
way indicate where everybody is to go or
what do. 1t only orders what shall not be
done. 9sF
8. Some one calls the Doctors plan "a
happy expedient." Let US see. Turks
regard Friday as their day of rest Their
tenets are polygamous. Their gospel is
one of blood, and utterly annihilates the
Dr. Marshall enjoy sermon from dervish
soul, and that he who killed most infdel
dogs would be rewarded by heaven with
the Most and the fairest Of houris? But
not to digress the jew claims Saturday
as his Sabbath. He must be allowed to
hold his services upon that day. Then
comes Sunday. During these three days
''of course no machinery will be run"
But the grand organ will be kept at it.
4. The preservation of sermons, dis
courses, etc This would no doubt be one
of the unfortunate sequels of the plan pro-
posed. 1t would be almost as attractive
in the library as the Patent Office Gazette.
No doubt Congress would make an appro-
priation for the publication and the pro-
ceeds would then go to some worthy char
ity for money to a printer Is charity,
if it be a Washington printer. Il
5. Once upon time there was a hen.
Her name was Specx, surnamed the Incnba-
tor. She had a genius for incubating.
She would incubate the small boys glass
marbles when nothing else was around to
be incubated. 1t was incubating sea-
son. Materfamilias had bought six
dozen eggs to be eaten. She put them
under the lounge because
her basket had gone to market for
4 beef roast. Soon thereafter she heard
great clicking and rolling, which continued
% increase until she went to see to it. On
cooking under the lounge she beheld. Speck
he Incubator stretching herself, wings, !
all, neck, claws and even eyes, and still
rying to stretch more; but all in vain. ,
Six dozen eggs was beyond her capacity ,
or sitting. Providence permitting, Speck ,
will be at the Exposition.
6. "We are Christian only by name.o
but a name is worth keeping
when nothing is to be gained by throwing
t away. Who expects our nation to be
better, provided it becomes anti-Christian?
not Dr. NJ. But suppose it is to +.
De only in name anti Christian, would
he Doctor like the name? A Roman
emperor, prosecutor and miserably de-
proposed to admit Jesus among !
he heather diVinities. The poor, hunted
blowers of Christ scorned the suggestion.
Now we have grown more liberal. Since
Turk, Mormon, Jew, Buddhist-all together :.
bout. To-day / viii pray the Lord to /.
.onvert the Turk and next Sunday he viii /.
'eturn the compliment His religion not
luite as good in name but quite so in re- :
llity. Thank God we are Christian in namel
am no stickler for mere names, but hor- /.
,ors take hold of me at the possibility of
. day coming when / must hush repeat
ng the name Jesus, and shout-sGreat is 6
Ailah and Mohamet is his prophet"
Will the day ever come as it came
o France, when the name Of God
hall be banished from our public halls and
Worship paid to q strumpet who has seated
herself blasphemously on his altar? Let it
,e only the name, yet it is to nine ont of !
en- Americans the best name under heaven.
Let il be but the form, still unspeakably
more to be desired that form, than the horri !
lie realities connected with others.
can bat think that the Doctor wrote
hastily. / know that he is large hearted !
Is we'll as large headed. know fur :
her that it was not a timid or crafty
hought He is above both fear and |.
Q1 aemini nocedt nj timed. :
Neither do / think myself narrow. But
eaving out of the discussion all religious
logmas, put this question Is it the mark
Il agood citizen to break q law which he !,
believes to be absurd or unjust, before he :
las exhausted all lawful methods to secure
ts repeal e il wise to suggest evasions of
he Law, which amount virtually to vioia- "A
ion But the Doctor does not plead the In
nstiGe Of Law, he regards it as necessary to
nan; and that nan, not Diety, would be
he loser BY its abPogation, Further, sup
pose on the Sth of January,or the 22nd Of
February, or the 4th of March, il should !
oe seen ct, for purposes Of special honor 70 !
Jackson or Washington or to the inaugura- :
ion Of President, to close the gates, who
would object Or If he did who would !
notice him? think We can keep the gates /.
:Iosed without bloodshed or applying
he inquiition to any one.
ia. s. ADAs1s. Il