The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1885-01-08
IN THE HOLY LAND
Jerusalem, ~ Mecca Of Numeroas Rslig.
ious CEsnks.

- ~ ---Hs fs
Jerusalem, ~ Mecca Of Nu,neroas Rslig.
ious Cranks.
Jerusalem Cor. New Orleans Timss-Demorat.l
One would naturally expect to find
plenty Of religious riff-ratf in Jerusalem
to-day, for, while tho city is the object
of reverential regard on the part OF
Christians generally, it is at the same
time an all-potent magnet to attract
hither the worlds religious extremists.
All the infalliLle cranks on the sub;ec
of bibi' al Interpretation arc here, and
not few of them have brought their
sisters and their cousins and their aunts.
1t is All appalling fact that n ne-tenths
Of these peculiar people hail from the
good land wherD Cncla Sam ANA til:
bald headed bird of liberty are said t.
preside. America enjoys the reputation
Of raising about as !.iasy religions to tue
square inch as any co.ntry on tho face
of the earth, and think Jerusalem may
DO regarded to-day a, the index rerum
Of these diverse theol. yies usually be-
levers come here il eliques Often
there will be an organization left behind
with whom these enthusiasts communi-
cate regularly, in tho vague hope that
some day the whole lump Of
believers at home may be leavenet
with the grotesque religious views
cherished by the little band ove
here Each clique considers that it has
arrived at the marrow Of religious truth,
and finds it impo >sible to compromise
even in non essential matters with any
other clique. BY thus living in their
own strange rut the members succeed in
harmOnizlng everything in the Bible.
Indeed, when you approach them in ar.
gument they will protest:
IAN! but why not lock at things in
our way3 Take any other view, and the
Bible is great battle ground of contra
dictory and meaningless statements.
Just adopt our view, and everything be-
comes consistent. 1t is then SO simple
that wayfaring man, though he be a
fool, need not err"
And you don't want to enter the lists
for verbal discussion until you have
fully counted your host. Even the most
visionary Of these theorists has the
Bible at his tongues end, can quote pas
sages in substantiation Of his strange
ideas until your brain reels, and will dis.
pose of every objection that you can put
forward as glibly as though he were re-
citing tho ''rule Of three"
1t is singular how these people cal
warp and twist the sacred word. All
claim the Bible as their authority. and
yet the views cherished are radically
hostile to each other in many instances
Take, for instance, the question of thu
immortality of tho soul. There are al
shades of diverse belief here in this i'm
portant fundamental matter. Some ar
such extreme immortalists that as the
scan your face for the first time they ar
liable to say:
"Ah, havcn't We met some place be
fore, when we were with God in tn
ages prior to the creationl Your fcs
lures are strikingly familiar to me-"
While others, not to be distanced j
originality, will go to the opposite Q,
IRENE, and maintain that there is n
immortality, past, present, or futur,
for anybody, good, bad, or Indifferent
Every utoLAoOAS0 BTVuuO ~ lG0 U
terie Of champions also. In the midst {
this dreary waste Of sickening religion
mania there is one tolerably bright spo
There is q colony Of fourteen Amer
cans, two English persons, and three {
four natives, all living in y large, con
Portable mansion in the Mohammeda
quarter Of the city, just inside of tn
Damascus gate. These people are wai'
} ing for q second coming, but they az
cultivated, refined people-people who'
it 10 an intellectual pleasure to NEE
In living they come as near to the pei
feet life as il is possible for mortals
come. They are not obtrusive with the
. views; they are highly educated; the
! are nearly all of them accomplish
. musicians; they are constantly doir
good works.