Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1888-09-27


Meeting, Aug. II, 1888. !
Mxx AMI RRxrHRKN:-Time was when men
Who failed of success in other walks OF nte
took 10 politics and secured fame and ahvlng,
by becoming ward bosses, oL ne Ie.a,nerT TAI ~
men more successful than themselves. Ihs
field has been SO fully occupied OF late that
there is disposition 10 enlarge its borders. |
Just now the starting of new religions seems |
to he a favorite industry. At first glance 1t
would hardly seem that there was lacK Oh re-
iioions, or that any person would be put 70
serious inconvenience in finding among e1ist
inc religions one that would suit:
With many people there has arisen an i'm |
nression that too many shades of religious
belief exist already. Conventions have been
held with the avowed purpose OF welding into
one effective body the various sections OF the
Christian church. But preachers Mcdlynn,
Pentecost, Benson and ourselves do not be
lieye there are religions enough, and eacn pro |
nose to establish a new one. Although the
Huntinotons, Hursts, Dodges, and other rep |
resentatives of the various existing religious
Denominations Of the u. s. are trying to get
the Christian people to agree, and make their
assaults on the strongholds of evil, as one
body, we, as seceeders from the old churcnes,
will have no union on any other terms tnan
the formation of a new church apiece. Al
q
The union, provided we can be at the head OF
it, for what is the use of new rehglon OF
church unless one can be at the head OF 1t ana
enjoy the emoluments.
Now while the brotherhood of man seems
to be the fundamental article in the creeds OF
their new religions, and although we have our
catch word in common with other rellgions,
the Interpretation of it indicates that we are
each the originator or founder in this new
religious field. To Pentecost and McGlynn
the brotherhood of man means the right OF
the lazy and spendthrift brother to the earn
inos and savings of the Industrious and econ
omical brother. Naturally thel lazy and spend
thrift brother regards Pentecost and Mcdlynn
as prophets, and their new religion the only
way of salvation, and just as naturally the
brother who works and saves his money for
rainy day is afraid of all new religions.
Now with our church we take the liberty 10
disagree with all these old and new tangled
religions on nearly all points, except the BROTH
erhood of man. We believe that there Is more
virtue in loaf of bread than there is IN cart
load of theological tracts. we oelleVe tnat
as this ia a country without a king, so our
church shall be church without creed. Or,
in other words, we pride ourselves not so much
in what we believe as to what we don't be-
Iieye. We will now proceed to make an ap-
plication of our principles to the liberal ele.
ment of Napoleon society. In our village OF
hundred IL
are three hundred intelligent men and women VINO
have successfully thought themselves out OF the
nonsensical and unphilosophical dogmas OF Chris
tan theology and sqen a. 1 5ne nttar ots
depravity, his redemption by cruclned man. tns
miraculous of virgin, the resurrection Oh aead
bodies the eternal happiness OF the few ana 'ne
eternal suffering of the many. Now allow me 10
say that personally believe In Jesus, and 80 90
in Socrates and CONTIGUOUS, in Thomas Payne and
Abraham Lincoln, LucretiA Mott and Fiorence
H., Hiatt md fhnn9Ann
noble women and men that have blessed this wSrld'
All these honor but do not adore, respect out 90
not worship revere but do not idoize, Venera'e out
do not defy.
IN this community there are hundreds Of good
men and women who stand on the same grounu
good men and true. Often tried, yet never denied,
and are willing to be tried again, but we are un-
churched by tn ecreeds of theology are called dogs
and are only ht companions of dogs, and all that
love and make lie Read the last chapter OF heve-
lations. Yet outside OF theology this large and ever
growing class are known to be among the best cit-
zens in society, sober, honest kindhearted ana Pc
neyolent, law abiding citizens, but we are called
poor lost sinners and the wrath of God abideth up
on US.
Now we have concluded to assert our indcpeno-
ence and to hurl back into the false teeth OF our
eontumers this acrimonious charge, for we know ful
well that instead OF sustaining such character ,We
are full accord with the great over and liner soul
of the universe, seen in love Of nature and h-
manity, of flowers and music.
All, yes our hearts beat warm sympathy eymphe-
nousy with the great hesr OF love and wisdom, out
of which has grown this beautiful world, with its
high towering mountains and deep rolling waters,
Its roring catarac and laughing rs. Yet we are un-
ehurched and have no place to spend an hour ortwo
on Sunday.
Then in this Country ere progressive Jews and
Christian freethinkers. spirtualists and
not few that have outgrown their baby clothes and
laid aside their swathing banas. The progressive
Jew longer looks for the coming Of an IMAGINARY
Messiah, but turns his eye within and sees that u
he is ever redeemed from the sin Of ignorance and
ha atlldy and think Tor nfnls
self He looks abroad and tnat II he is ever re-
deemed from the inordinate use of tobacco and rum
he must quit the use OF them and 50 must grow into
the habit of personal control and become free men
The progressive Catholic no longer counts his beads
and bows to the crucifx confesses to the priest or
goes to mass except to hear the music The pro-
gressiye Christian longer believes in the infallible
Inspiration Of every word in the biblc the story OF
the flood and Of the ark, Of Jonah and Jericho; oil
have been disapproyed by the facts Of science and
sound philosophy The progressive Pagan ceases to
worship or to attend service in the joss house, he
has cut off bis queue, doffed his heather apparel,
and donned the garb Of the free whiteman Free
and 10 hand in hand to the grave But here they
separate, ut least the two latter The materiast
holds to annihiation ut the death of the body The
spiritualist holds that death does not end ALI tnat
and does return to earth, not as citizen, Dut as
denizen of superior state, and that all this is sus-
ceptible Of demonstration %
sts and should be gathered into one harmonious con-
sreoatiop OF workers, co operating in q common
cause and against q common foe, and that foe is IT,
norAncc and superstition Of priest craft, Not that
an priests ars ignorant and hypocritical. Some OF
them | admit are most accomplished hypocrites,
leaders Of the blind for what It pays. Preachers for
pelf b We stolen the garb Of Heaven to serve the
devil In.
But there are others, who Of all classes are most
to be pitied, and demand our sympathy and aid.
Such are they who are under the physiological in
6uence Of early educat0n and credit superstition
This nightmare is upon them, this incubus Ia
crushing out every rny Of earthly pleasure JOY and
none. They dare not smile least they should be
lost they dare not enjoy this life least they should
be damned In the next. and the truly conscientious
sre constantly singing: l.tsb @
Msoon as from earth / go, what will become Of me;
win An gel bands convey, their brotherto the BARI
Or devils drag my soul away to meet its sentence
who can resolve the doubt, that tares my anxious
Shall Be with the damned cast out, or numbered
.ss with the bestf"
~ And these poor dear people who believe In The
mere possibility Of such state Of things, are a
men most miserable. To rescue such from -tns
tortureso superstition and bring them ont into the
rare bright light Ok an uncloudsd rationslism and
=sln the the eternal sunshine Of universal mental
liberty, IL the aim and object Of our eorts In thia
new reiigious field. g ~ s.zsag.otw .e..
/ This work Il truly . benevolent one, and chal.
lenges our sympathies and cooperation till we shall
have ct least o country without . King, church
y without Bishop, . religion without creed.
New becoming still more practical and bordering
onto the personal, allow to say to you who were
never bound BY such Calling chains, You who were
born with different conformation Of brain, and
consequently were never cursed by such theo.
logical daRknessto you who .fter years OF struggling