The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-02-23
REV. DIR. McNIECE'S
Sermon on the Unreasonable
ness Of Infidelity.
INVESTIGATORS" COMMENTS.
structed for Men of All Religions
and Men of No II eIigion.

AS per previous announcement in
The. HERALD, Mr.. McNiece, of the
Presbyterian Church, delivered SER
mon on the above subject, on Sunday
evening last, and thinking that the
reverend speaker-who, l believe, is an
acknowledged scholar had prepared
some wrighty arguments with which to
combat the rapidly growing influences
of Infdelity, l concluded to attend
and give both sides a hearing, having
already devoted some time to study
of the claims If Secularlsm. | had ex-
1ected to hear a clerical definition of
what Inidelity really is, or claims to be,
believing that proper argument can
not 6e made Until he premises are IN
derst6od; but as usual with Christian
preachers, The premises were taken for
granted, and the sermon proceeded
with in the ordinary style, by reading
from the Bible, etc., to show that In
idels In the days of Paul were like those
of TO- day; some we're dogmailc and
knew it all, while others were somewhat
in doubt, and after hearing the words
of the Lord through Paul, said: 1--WE
will hear thee again." and it was the
latter class that DR.. McNi. ce desired to
address himself to; not having time to
waste on those who knew it all, and like
the skeptlcs of Athens, scoffed at the
servants of the Lord. l waited for the
argument to begin, but none was offered
until about the close of the sermon,
when after advising all to avoid any
connection with secular unions, liberal
leagues, ETC., because of their tendency
to draw the mind away from the true
and living God, he then referred to three
assumptions of Intidelity, and three of
the demands OF Liberalism, to show how
unreas, nabie they were, which was the
only attempt made by Mr.. McNiece at
an argument; and as lnfidels do not
concede the assumptions, as stated by
Mr.. McNlece, no argument is necessary
in reply. But it is different with the
demands, as they are printed, and the
reverend gentleman could make no mis-
| take, as he read from the printed form.
known as the Nine Demands of Liber-
alism." The first referred to b DR..
| McNiece was that which demands that
he Bible shall not be used as text
book, or book of worship in our pub
lie schools. He cited an instance when
this matter had beeG tried before the
Supreme Court of Ohio, the decision
giving absolute liberty to Catholics,
Jews, 1nhdels, Spiritualists, etc., to have
their children absent themselve" :
morning prayers and BIZ IRON
they did not wish r .-..e Glasses. ii
Mr.. McNiece - =. attend, and this
one had Ought was ell that any
| ire" ,.1ght to ask, as all had equal
-.em. Now, Infidels do not view
tAe Subject in this light at all, and am
proud to say that many promine01
Isubject, aud while they are strong be-
levers in the Christian Bible, they dt
not think it should be used i'll our pub
lie schools as q text book. There ar,
5000 600 Catholics in America who OBJ
iect to it, because the right to teach thu
word of God as contained in the Bibl
is the special duty of the priest, ant
not of the schoolmaster. Catholics g.
lieye that matters of such importanc
can be trusted only with those whom
God has appointed-which to teen
means the Catholic priesthood, and "
say that upon this or any other reesol
able ground, they have right to object
Intidels, however, object upon differen
grounds altogether. They do not be
lieve that ours is or ever was intende'
for a Christian government as MI
McNiece asserts, but that it is pure
secular, giving perfect and absoluL
freedom to all religions alike, so long q
they are not at variance with the clyl
law, and men Of no religion at all hav
the same rights and privileges. ANY
thing, therefore, favoring special fol n
of religion, such as Christianity, is
violation of the meaning and spirit o
about God, Christ, or Christianity in
from beginning to end, and everyoD
who loves liberty must admit that it i
the grandest document ever produces
by mortal man. How, then, can Mr.
McNiece or any other reasonable mai
claim that this is Christian country
Had the founders of our government
intended it for such, mott ing was ease
than for them 10 say so; but it wa
studiously avoided. There are othe
reasons, however, why Inf Ieis objec
to the Bible being used in our publ
schools, and the most IMPORTANT of al
is that they are supported by none,
taken from the public treasury, whicl
is contributed by all classes alike. Tha
which is not applicable to all childrel
alike has no business in our publ
schools. The churches and the Sunda
schools are the proper places tor Chris
tian people TO teach the Bible to thei
children, and then it can be interprete
by those who are the representatives c
their own creeds, SO that the rights {
Christians are not in any way inter
- ferred with in this demand, and it ca
- not therefore be unreasonable.
The discontinuance of the Sabbath {
a Christian Sabbath is also demanded
because it is a sectarian day. has n
more right to be observed than til
Jewish Sabbath or any other day; bI
Mr.. McNiece says it is a command {
God and must be obeyed, and in add
ton to this, poor laboring man needed
n day of rest. Now, God gave CON
mand ESQ the Bible says) to rest on Il