The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1888-06-14
Not For Oak Hill.
Why Mr.. Cross Shook The Quiet
Village.

Christian parents, L have never from
ny boyhood obeyed the Christian
Injunction which enjoins the turning
IF the other cheek. The following
will show that | am more in love
with the Confucian maxim which Says.
recompeEse injury with justice, and |
kindness with kindness.
On the 29th ult., [ visited the
beautiful, and pleasantly located town
Of jackson for the first time in my
life. | received genteel treatment at
the Isham House, and by all those
with whom had any communication.
Wishing to lecture applied for, and
was granted hall; but would not
accept it until further consideration,
fearing that arrangements which
were going on would interfere The
good people We're interested in, and
making extensive preparations for the
G.. A. r. meeting, and the High
School Com nencement which were
about to take place.
made it known that | would not
lecture. The gentlemen with whom
| talked on the subject are men OF
intelligence, broad liberal views, and
march in the vanguard of human
progress. They expressed their
anxiety for me to lecture, and said
they would do all they could in my
favor. They adhered to the principles
of the Golden Rule, and manifested
the spirit of Christ, thought not that
I know of protesting to be his.
Next morning | stepped from the
train at Oak Hill. | told the people at
the depot, that ] would not slight
their town because its population is
small; that small towns are often
passed by on that account; that good
people live in small towns as we'll as
iu large ones, any they should not be
sighted.
| then announced that [ would
lecture that night if could get hall,
and an audience. | went to the Davis
House where | was well treated. Mr..
Davis introduced me to some gentle
men on the pavement, to whom |
handed some Of my bills, which were
headed, A Lecture on the Systematized
Superstititions, or Historical Religions
of the World They said, we don't
know that we want your lecture. We
don't know but what you are an
Atheist, and if you are we don't want
it. Do you believe there is God.
Do You believe the Bible, and believe
in a hereafter, if you don't we want
none of your lecture, for we are
Christians here, and expect to remain
so. I reached for my bills, saying
that | was not on the witness stand
and would answer no such impertlnent
questions. As I withdrew from the
crowd in disgust, | was made to feel
that I had at least one good Samaritan
friend when voice spoke out saying:
That is not the right way to treat
stranger, for set of you to jnmp on
him in that manner as soon as he
comes into your town.
When about to get ON the train IN
the evening, l heard a remark from
another man who had soul. He
said. It is id shame to treat a
man in that way.
These professed, but bogus followers
Of Christ, have none of his spirit; but
possess the spirit which burned Burns
at the stake on the 18th day of Feb,
1900. The treatment [ received at
their hands, will be worth more to me
than the proceeds of many lectures.
| will relate the story in places where
nothing is known of Oak Hill.
Below, | give synopsis of the
lecture which they suppressed. | ex-
pected to show that in different parts
of the world, there are different forms
of systematized superstition, each
assuming the name of religion, and
each claiming to be the true religion,
and the only one of divine origin.
That there are seven religions which
have gained permanenee and stability
in the history of the world; that Is
leaving out of consideration those
vague and varying forms Of faith and
worship which is found among un-
settled and unciyilizrd races; races
ignorant of reading and writing, and
which have neither literature nor
laws, nor even prayers aud hymns
handed down by oral teaching.
That the Semitic races have pro-
duced three of the historical religions;
the Jewish, the Christian and the
Mohammedan.
The Aryan, or Indo- European races
an equal number; the Brahman, the
Buddhist, and the Parsce; to which
add the Chinese system, which is that
of Confucius, and these give the
seven distinct utterances Of the faith
of mankind from the earliest history
Of the world to the present time.
They give in broad outlines the re-
ligious map of the entire world.
would have taken up each of these in
it's regular order traced it to its origin,
showing its leading characteristics:
Would have given quotations from
each of their sacred writings. Would
have showed the differences between
the three distinct forms of Christianity
each of which is at variance with the
others, and each claiming to be the