The San Antonio light. (San Antonio, Tex.) 1883-1886, 1885-04-21
A Letter and It's Answer.

Etitur san Anloniu Light.
take the liberty 10 write yUu these
lines wherein most sincerely thank You
for publishing that "iniidel' lecture.
My reasons for thanking you and the
inlidrl. nre these: In the first place. |
thank that scientific lecturer, Ms no
doubt Lazarus the poor man. thanked
the dogs for licking the pus oil FROM oil
his sores. believe these inidel fec
lures are Godsend. am Chris
tian and believe | have as good n right.
to express my opinions rs the bluuied
iniidcl has. ! believe God has placed
these inildels In our midst ms II warning
finger; they point out on" errors, If they
are errors. and we try to remedy them.
Then | thank the frcc-thinker, for
when read his speech II gives me II
fresh impulse to 20 and search and
study the Scriptures. read and study.
and learn something that perhaps
would not have learned had ! not rend
his lecture. Then | thank Hun who Is
above all. that "all works for good To
them that love God -
again take the liberty to ask you
why II is that you SO often publish ini-
del productions? Is it for the benefit of
your readers, or is 1t that it may work
deiriment to moral and religious W. J.
farcy why Is 1t? | will ask YOU to
give your reasons through the columns
of your paper. 1t is queer request
know. but | would like to know why
YOU "stoop down Ia quote from LA
Revsla de Monterey" rs y,u did not
long ago. and tell us what they thought
of the advance of the Protestant
church in that land.
You need not say you were asked to
| do it. but IL You please just give us your
reason, do not believe YOU will take
| this letter und make it into Texas
| Siftings Joke. Had believed that Of
| YOU ! would not have written. ! remain,
hopingyou will comply with my request
W. ; =.
April II, 1850
The LIGllr Ignores lis long-estublishcd
policy in this instance by answering nm
anonymous communication. As rule,
n man who orticises newspaper policy
and writes over non-de-plume ia gem
orally irresponsible, and his letters de
serve the fate usually accorded them In
the depths OF the waste basket. But his
writer evidently Is sincere. even If he
does rush In where angels fear ia
tread,n and the lIGur will answer him
plainly. To the first question, the LIGnl
IS an independent local paper, and as its
readers are made up from all classes and
all religions, it publishes that which II
thinks Will interest all on II general nv,
erage. II the moral and religious wei
fare of the community can be damaged
by the publication of the uttcranoes o
those who style themselves liberals, ther
that moral and religious welfare Is on ~
insecure foundation. It Is n very pooI
cause that cannot stand the light of crit.
icism or comment. As regards III,
"inlidel Lecture" 1t was published ut tn,
request OF II citizen OF san Antonio VIII,
is not only liberal in his views, hut gen
erous with his means, and whose nam,
can be found linked with every enter
prise which tends to the advancement
and the good Of the city and of Its peopl,
in general. lie gives aims with ibcra
hand, and asks only the guaranty Of hon
esty and sObriety in his dealing
with his fellow-men. To the see
ond question, regarding quota
lions from the Monterey Revistn
the LIGnT gave The matter simply II
news, and because that one item from
representative daily paper of Mexic
gave Professionals generally chance I,
see Themselves ms Others see them. Thi
IN brief. answers the questions of thi
correspondent, and now the LIGn1 wi
add little, just by the way Of II relisl
II Is not narrOwminded, nor il 1t hide
bound. 1t accords to every man ia
right to think and act for himself.
does not believe that "cunt" is religion
nor that these men are generous Chrl,
tians, who question The policy of dali
newspaper, because it gives all of n
readers a show on subjects pertaining I
their beliefs. Newspapers are the sew
ers of public opinion, and they simpI
represent the affairs OF day without r,
gard TO creed. or hiih. or biogtry; an
| on questions affecting his religion th
correspondent would answer his criti,
very much after the style of The ostric
! when It is assailed, by hiding his hen
, IN the sand of hiG intolerance, and len,
ing The balance of his body exposed
view.