The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1886-06-04
Religion vs.. Anarchy.

Two classes of persons reject religion,
besides the very few from whose mental
constitution the ideas and emotions Of
the religious nature are omitted. The
majority Of those who profess atheism
or agDosticIsm are either the ignorant
and degraded or the specifically Guilt
waited and egoUistic. The former are
ruined by misfortune. The former have
had a disolate experience, through which
they are hardly able to discern a benevo-
lent Creator or Providence the latter
have come through uninterrupted pros-
periCy and one sided culture to the Opin-
ion that there is no mind superior to
their own in the universe.
When scholars and gentlemen des-
pise religion, they dissent in private, or
in club-houses, or, at the most in maya
zine essays. But the proleCariat does
not rest content with this mild, mega
tive protest 1t makes a positive utter
ance of its fdelity-assails establish
ments of worship n blasphemOus Trades.
takes iTTeligiOuS sentiments for its mot
toes, and attacks the institutions over
which the church stands guard. Atten-
tlon is directed, of late, to the legends
inscribed on the banners of Chicago
Anarchists; and many are found of the
sort represented bY this inscription {:
I'VE want no God, no religion and no
masters The men who paraded un-
der that banner also march behind the
red flag, inVeigh against property, are
the foes of marriage, plot treason and
murder, and put their plans in execu-
tiOn. They do not stop with the civil
caVIl, the polite sneer, the materialistic
argument. 1t may make no seeming
difference to the polished skeptic, smil-
ing at Christian faith over his WINE.
whether there be an all-wise, all-loving
governor of tie world. He has little in
worldly way of which to complain ;
but to the man with whom fate and
society have not dealt so indulgently
the difference is immense. If there be
no benevolent purpose behind the in
equalltles of social conditions, no power
that works for righteousness. that aids
the noble endeavor, confounds the evil
and Tebukes the selfish, why should he
bear with an uncomfortable lot or trust
moral agencies to make the world more
tolerable for him and his posterity ? If
he be already allied to the baser orders
of society, his unbelief keeps him at his
original level; If he have not yet de-
sceGded to the grade of those who hope
nothing from this life or the life to come
the despair OF his creedleSs estate usual
ly reduces him 70 their companionsbip.
Hatred of mankind is the master pas
sion at those depths; alliance in crime
Is the bond of comradeship Irreligion
may be a private matter when fops or
literati profess it it is a public concern
when accepted by the brotherhood of
poverty OF crime.
Perhaps many who had boasted their
insensibility to devout impressions. see
ing their doctI ines in the horrid glare
OF Eihilistic war, will learn sobTietv.
and talk in whispers for while, or ad-
NIT the practical value of churches and
pious convictions. Like worldIy-wise
Old Major Pendennis, they may even at
tend divine services itself for the infIu-
ence of theiI pattern, paying all the de-
ference involved in the doctrine that
religion is the mainstay of governments.
guardian of public peace and inspirer of
the domestic virtues. es.-lSyrdctLSe ". 7.