The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1885-06-02
THE FOOL HATH SAID"

THE FOOL HATH SAID"
A correspondent OF the GIobe-Democra
tells of a town founded in Barton
County, Missouri, five years ago b!
atheists and infdels. It's name i
Liberal" and it is perhaps the onl!
community in the United States, where
God and religion are not recognized
The founders gave it out that they were
going to demonstrate that religion wa:
a mere superstition, that Christianity
was only a fable, that man could gel
along very well without worshiping the
Supreme Being; they said that churches
ministers, Sabbath days and religious
observanees of every kind were all hum
bug, from which man must free himself
before he could attain his greatest
earthly welfare and happiness.
Perhaps there was never a more fore
ible illustration OF the truth OF the
words Of the psalmist: The fool hath
said in his heart there is no God" than
in. the career of this little community OF
Liberal. Within its limits there is no
church, nor minister, nor protesting
Christian; there is no Sunday and moth
ing that would indicate the slightest be-
lief in God All are absolutely free as
regards Christian respect and observ-
ances. When a Christian enters the
- 6o - aScailoA in I n n
most insulting and abusive manner for
his religious belief, and is glad to get
away from an atmosphere from which
God has been shut out so far as it is pos
sible for man to eradicate the Almighty
from himself and his surroundings.
The results of this experiment are pre-
cisely what sane, intelligent people could
have told the fools it would be. The
material advantages of the town are
great. The country is fertile, and is
underIaid with vast deposits OF coal;
much capital was invested at the start
in developing the resources of the re-
gion and providing facilities for immi-
grafton. Under ordinary circumstances
Liberal would to-day be a rich and
thriving town, bustling with enterprise,
and attracting those seeking new homes
in favored localities. But what are the
facts2 Property is not worth half what
it cost the owners, and the decline in
values continues; four-ffths of the
atheists would gladly leave if they
could dispose of their effects; there is
not factory or manufacturing estab-
lishment in the place, the stores
carry only small stocks of goods,
the merchants keeping their money
invested elsewhere in places of safety;
there is not even a school house in the
town, the public schools and infdel
meetings being held in rented buildings.
The two hotels of Liberal are spoken of
by the correspondent as cheap dens of
the lowest order; one is vacant and
the other will soon be closed. If the
infldel idea has been SO disastrous in
material point of view, its effect has
been even worse socially. The theory OF
the founders was that social harmony
would necessarily prevail because of the
absence of religious sects and influences;
that the quarrelS in society arise
largely from differences OF belief and
from the opposition of Christianity to
the atheism of the world; that all be-
ieving alike, or all believing
hat it was not the affair of
me how another believed, per-
ect social harmony would prevail.
men living together as brothers in peace
and happiness. Instead of this idea
being realized, the community has been
and torn by quarrels and dis
sensions from the first. Religious re-
straint having been removed, the morals
Of the people are deplorable. Husbands
and wives separate at pleasure, and
marital virtue is rarely met with, and
never respected; half the women use
orofane language and many are i'm
modest and vulgar in their conversation
he common form of speech is swearing, |
IS oaths are looked upon as showing
lisrespeet for the Christian God; girls |
md boys are taught to swear, and pro- |
anity is heard everywhere among the /
the street, in the play
and at home. Liquor is sold |
without restriction, and drunkenness is
he common sin; SANDER and vitupera-
ion are in everybody's mouth, and lack |
# reverence for parents and OF control /
yer children is the rule. Indeed, mat
ers could not well be worse than they
re. This deplorable condition has been
'rsught about in FIVE years; another
i've years and Liberal viii be NO more,
he bad perishing from their own vices,
nd those in whom the spark of virtue.
4 religion, in fact, has not entirely died
ut, dragging themselves away TO where
hey can be sustained and made re-
Dsctable by Christian influences.
The only thing that can account for