Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-03-22
ITBERALISMEXPo
/. D. shaw Tells whailTt Is and
What 1t Is Religion
Shorn Of Faith.
...o,,aiion--Its Causes aud Its cioss-The
Hopes aud the Ends Of
Creedltss Greed.

~ liberalism, delivered two lectures
= ~ opera-house in this city yesterday
u that cause. In the afternoon at
s,,iock good-slzed audience had assem-
Sss 70 hear discussion Of purposes and
seliefs OF liberalism
DEFINED
The speaker began with definition OF
,beralsm. Some people, said he, think
liberalism is a system OF religion based
\ supposed divine revelation ike
rgdaism, Christianity and Mormonlsm;
.ome think it is new denomination OF
rhristians based on some peculiar inter.
nretstion like Catholicism, Meihodism
nd Presbyterinnism; some think IL Is A
ssctaritn form Of unbellef based on
came dogmatic formula like atheism.
materiaism and spiritualism, some think
Nat IS synonymous with inadellty An
trddel Il one who does not believe In the
Eyine origin and authenticity of the
hlble, the divinity Of Jesus, the devil and
nell. Any person who doubts Que or all
Al these dogmas is an inHdel. Such.
doubtess, are numbered by the million.
thousands of them are in no way
allied to liberalism. Many are
lberal, exclusive, narrow and
bgoted, while Others more hypocritical
belong to the churches, and not few
breach the gospel. These lack the moral
honesty TO acknowledge their doubts,
and the moral courage to make the sacri-
aces imposed by liberalism, They are all
Inadels, but they are not liberals. Some
people affect TO believe that liberalism is
system Of libertinism. This is dis
proved by the personal character
Of Liberals. The police rec.
ords OF our great cities and
the criminal courts OF our country
show that the great mass OF criminals
are orthodox. Full 95 per cent. of the
inmates of our prisons are firm bellev-
ers In God and the bible. There are
now more preachers than Liberals In
our penitentiaries. Niuely-nine out of
every one hundred OF those who are
hung prove to be believers. Suicides
and drunkards as a rule are believers.
Liberals, as a class, are usually as up
right, honorable and virtuous as the
church members.
WHAT 1T IS.
Liberalism is creedess, unecclesias-
teal, anti Theological system OF ethical
culture, based upon the moral sense of
the race and devoted TO the medication OF
truth, honor, purity, benevolence and
freedom; truth as Il cardinal virtue, and
As the highest revelation OF science and
philosophy honesty in business,
paying 100 {, nts on the dollar;
purity OF life and character; henevo!rnce
otactlon In all community interests; free
dom OF thought, Tree speech aud free
press 1t Is Il popular protest aga INST all
oigotry, party prelud ce, clerical domino
ton ana religious prosecutions 1t pre-
scriDes no limit TO investigation, requires
no credal confession OF faith, but leaves
every one free to believe what to him
seems TO be true, requiring only that
bis morals be good and his life pure; it Is
the religion OF humanity ana not OF God,
this world and not OF another.
OBJECTIONS ANSWERED.
The deyotees OF orthodox Christianity
say "Chrlstianity Is also system oil
ethical culture, and inculrates all the
morality taught by nperailsm, therefore
liberalism Is not needed" This IL the
common argument used by that when Is
old and superannuated against the
new and progressive; the Jews ar
gued that way with the disciples
me pagans used 1t against the early
Christian church, and the Catholics made
use OF 1t to check the reformation. That
Christianity is system of ethical cul-
iuTe will not be denied; 1t inculcates
morality and denounces vice. But IL does
more than thisi II teaches that iaith Is
superior to work, and that the purest
morality, the Hottest deeds and noblest
lives arc in vain unless they
are inspired by faith in Jesus.
We put sentiments of love,
deeds of benevolence, and moral charac-
ter above faith, superior to 1t, and as use
iul without it as with it. There Is no
moral quality IN belief. In actions
there is.
After a trial OF more than eighteen
hundred years Christianity is rejected by
alarge majority of the race. The num-
Der Of people who cannot accept its
dogmas is increasing at rapid rate 1t can
do nothing for those who disbelleve It's
dogmas. What can it do for me? Lib
erasm offers me place where / work
for the moral Improvement OF my fellow
men aud enjoy mental liberty too. Let
those who can believe Join The church,
those who cannot should unite with the
hoerals. What can Christianity 40 LOT
tne MOrmOugl They defend pOlygdmY