Morning journal and courier., 1886-11-27
The AAe then and sheoI.

To the Editor of the JOURNAL ANb COURIER:
 When obscure and more or less difficult questions demand an answer it is convenient and consoling to be assured that the scien- tifc person knows all about what seems to the layman to be au inscrutable problem. For instance, when we told that one of the spots on the sun is well acquainted with our earth and makes no mistake in foretell- ing future harvests here below, and thus de- lights or desolates the Boston soul with promise of abounding or abortive beans; or that another of these spots, which has noth- ing to learn from Wall street about 'fputs and calls," obligingly informs us through the telescope when streams of gold and sil- yer are ready to overflow their banks, or when, on the other hand, there is in store for us a season of bankruptcies, with ire quent cashiers absconding Canada-wards, there is experienced a decided tension and positive strain of our credulity.
 We dare not venture to disbelieve, we are thus told, because it is the business of the scientific person to be familiar with the very points that puzzle us, so that any suggestion of an error or mistake on their part is not to
 
 a sect of scientific clergy tell us that for lack of their admirable ministration count less millions of black, red and yellow men through all past time have been going straight to-have been regularly sent to-in fact now are excruciating in sheol we are grieved and we are shocked. But for us there remains alternative; we have sim ply to believe what we are told and are forced to accept the statement made as in thA nf the other scientific and the sun-spots. It is probable that there may be persons to whom the final destiny of these dark skinned brothers may have seemed appalling; such terrific punishment for the sin of having been born may not al ways appear to the ordinary, non profession al, unSclentlhc layman to have been exactly ordered in mercy.
 Fortunately for us the whole question is one with which we need not concern our selves It may be well, however, just here to notice that these variously colored breth- ren neglected to give due attention to MT. Beecher's first rule for the attainment of long life viz, Carefully select your parents. " In any case it is evident that reports from the clerical investigating committee must have been comprehensive and conclusive. Otherwise even clerical expert scientist would not have dared to forbid 8 comrade to labor for the hesthen colored brothers, while they allow him his own sweet will when invited to put III HIS tlno WltA tne hahItually uncolored New Englander. It would appear that direct knowledge alone could warrant 8 support of such posltiv- ism. for which the reason given is that the comrade proves unwilling to subscribe to a so-called religious dogma that must have caused many a chuckle from his majesty with the horns and hoofs. This dogma reads, in words to that effect, that depart ed darks and reds, not to mention yellows, have been from time immemorial born to everlasting damnation and to impalement upon pitchforks or upon other convenient instruments as they slowly roast beauti ful brown while revolving before fire such as we are led to believe can burn as freely nowhere out of that particular locality. In short we may thank our stars that we are not scientific, and as we sink comforta ply back into our easy chair and resume he interrupted page paper we may ill some measure appreciate the weight of responsi bility that rests upon them, comforted mean while with the admitted fact that the clerico scientific chee-that is back, seems usually fitted to it's burden. F. W. F. Nov. 24, 1886.