The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-06-24
Doings and Sayings in the
Religious World.
SERVICES IN CITY CHURCHES.
IngersOlI's Reply to GIadstone-II
Death AlI?-WorIdly Power
WaHing-Notes.

Cannon, president; Joseph E. Taylor and
Charles W. PeRroSe, eounSelors. Services
in the Tabernacle at p. m. Evening
services in the various wards.
METHODIST CHURCH.-C. L Libby, pastor.
Sunday School at 9 40 a. M. Preaching at II
a N. and p. N. by the pastor. Glass
meeting Ut the close of the morning service.
FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH. - The
Rev. J. s. Thrall, pastor. Public worship
with sermon By the pastor at II m SUN
day school al u 10. Young Peoples Society
of Christian EDdesvOr at p m. SEATS free
and public welcomed at al services.
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN. Public worship at
IL a. m. and preaching by the pastor, K e..
McNiece Sabbath School at II p. Young
peoples meeting at b 40.
ST.. Marks CArHEDRAL-Holy Commun-
ion at 7 80 am. Sunday school at 9. 45 g. m.
Morning service with sermon at II NJ.
Evening prayer at pm.
SCOTT ANDERSON will deliver lecture on
Temperance in the Scandinavian NJ. h.
Church on Tuesday next, at o'clock. Ad-
mission free.
INGERsoLL's REPLY TO GLADSTONE.
Last Sunday we gave a synopsis of
Mr.. Gladstone's article defending Chris
tianity which appeared il the May
number of the North american RevjeV
says:
ITO the Blight Honorable W. E. Glad
stone, u. p:
M Dear SIR A man is not
necessarily great mathematician be-
cause he admits the correctness of the
multiplication table. The best creed
may be believed by the worst of the
human race. Neither the crimes nor
the virtues of the church tend to prove
or disprove the supernatural origin of
religion. X 1t Is hardly possible
that our ancestors were perfect. if
history proves nothing, it establishes
the fact that civilization was not first,
tendency of man is not now toward
barbarism. There must have been
a time when language was un-
known, when lips had never
formed word. That which
mvn knows, man must have learned
The victories of our race have been
slowly and painfully won. 1t is long
distance from the gibberish of the
savage 70 the sounets of Shakespeare
a long and weary road from the pipe
of Pan to the great orchestra voiced
with every tone from the glad MARBLE
of mated bird to the hoarse thunder
of the sea. The road is long that lies
between the discordant cries uttered by
the barbarian over the gashed body
of his foe and the marvellous music of
Wagner and Beethoven. l not only
admit that millions of Christians have
been honest in the expression of their
opinions, but that they have been
among the best and noblest OF our race
And it is further admitted that
creed should be examined
apart from the conduct of those
who have assented to its truth.
The church should be judged as
a whole, and its faults should be ac-
counted for either by the weakness of
human nature, or by reason of some
defect or vice in the religion taught, or
by both. Is there anything in the
Christian religion-anything in what
you are pleased to call the Sacred
Scriptures, tending to cause the crimes
and atrocities that have been COM
mitted by the church, 1" orthodox
Christianlty" be true, an infidel has not
the right to live. Every book in which
the Bible is attacked should be burned
with its author. Why hesitate to burn
a man whose constitution is warped,
impaired, and dislocated," for a few
moments, when hundreds of others
will be saved from eternal flames?
What, l pray you, is the
heavenly treasury" in the keeping of
your church? Is it a belief in an in
finite God? That was believed thous-
ands of years before the serpent
tempted Eve. Is it the belief in The
Immortality of the soul? That is far
older. Is it that man should treat his
neighbor as himself? That is more
ancient. With great propriety it
may be asked: In the keeping of
which church is this heavenly treas
ure"? Did the Catholics have it. and
was it taken by Luther? Did Henry
the VIII sieze it, and is it!
now in the keepinF of the Church
of England2 Which of the
warning sects in America has
this treasure; or have we. in this
l am not satished with your
statement that 1.-The Christian receives
as aims all whatsoever he receives at
ALL" Is it true that man deserves only
punishment Does the man who |
makes the world better, who works and |
battles for the right, and dies for the |
good of his fellow men, deserve nothing !
but pain and anguish? Is happiness a !
gift or consequence Is heaven only |
q well-conducted poor-house? Are the
angels in their highest estate nothing
but happy paupers? Must all the |
redeemed feel that they are in heaven |
simply because there was miscarriage |
of iustice2 viii the lost be the only ones
who know that the right thing has
been done, and will they alone appreci-
ate the "ethical elements of religicn?n
viii they repeat the words that you
have quoted mercy and judgment are
met together; righteousness and peace
have kissed each other?" or will those
words be spoken by the redeemed as
they joyousIy contemplate the with
ing of the lost? No one will dispute
that in the discussion of important
questions cslmness and sobriety are
essential" But solemnity need not
be carried to the verge of mental
paralysis. 1t the search for truth
that everything in nature seems to
hide-man needs the assistance of his
faculties. All the senses should be
awake. Humor should carry torch,
wit should give its sudden light, candor
should hold the scales, reason, the final
arbiter, should put his royal stamp on
every fact, and memory, with m1ser's
care, should keep and guard the mental
gold. 1 he church has always desplsed
tbe men of humOr hated laughter |