The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1889-03-08


fact, you can SEQ him everywhere except i'll tho
churches where dullncss prevails and the
mind waits in vain for fresh nourshment
The churches advertise a preacher i'll tho
newspapers as the theatres advertise a star"
III default of good preacher other attrac-
tions are put forward to draw the publrc.
How resist tho two following appeals, posted
: at the doors of n New York and IL Chicago
church' copied them word for word with
great care:
Musical Eranselsts
Solos;
Short ser:uops
The place to be happy and saved.
Wall! il, ladies nnl gentlemen, walk il.
Tho other, moro seductive STILL WAS woltlcd
thus:
No rcaSca for not co!iing!
Free seats;
Cheerful services;
Books supple! 10 the congregation.
Religious serts multiply even; dag No
doctrine is too absurd 10 make p;oSt!yt
The latest religious invention ii America
is lIsotersia, which promises immortality 10
its fol!oscis--i.nmortality that's all The
doctri:." Of The Esuterists ;eleil4, that, if man
Mcre really pure, and followed tho l'-a&4pts
of tlu GoSIc! Il ;tta letter, IL ,Toail bcs,olle
immortal, not in Paradise, but here below
As it is probable that no Christian ever yet
succeeded in following Intimately the prccepts
Of the Gospel, the Esoterists may lie right
To live forever, say they, you have only to
remain virtuous, even in the married state.
Celibacy must lie embraced. Celibacy pure
and simple however, is not sufficient for
where there is no struggle there s iln victory.
Devotees must therefore marry, but in all
honor remain cclbatcs, If yGu s1lccce1 in
mastering your passions no nlalady will at
tack you, and you will become immortal
But" you will probably say, ''do the
Esotcrists never dier'
Yes, they de-once; hut, according to
them this does not prove the fal!acy of their
belief If they die, it simply proves that
they havc failed to attain the necessary de
gree Of perfection
Now the Esotcrists are safe to continue
with us, for either they will arrive at perfec-
| ton and become immortal, or they will fall
! away from grace and viii have children to
| swell their ranks The head of this sect
which is as yet only about two years old,
claims that when the IlsoterIsts attain l'erfec-
| ton not only will they be immortal, but
| they will have II clear insight into the future,
| a gift which will enable them to fmas5 great
riches And indeed, the utility Of such an
| plis.lnant on The stock exchange, for
! instance, must hc apparent at glance.
| Another sect pretcnds to be able to cure
nil disease by faith The faith of these fanat-
les is not shaken by the death Of their pa
tipnts. If they had had more faith they
would have recovered
During my stay i'll america, a well known
evangelist published volume of sermons
with the following preface: God has hres
kind enough 10 own the words when spoke
them. hope He will give lis blessing TO til.
book. now that the same words appear il
print"
Many books are published in France viii
the remark, "A wor! approved Of by Mgr
the Archbishop of X" Avoiumc, ,dyertlset
us having been owned and blessed by the Lore
himself, ought to have wide sale
a truly edifying sight is that Of the noisy
dirty, ,losl,honii1.fs ose~-tl, cal1'cta' on
Sunday evening outside Madison Square Car
den, New York, on the eve of II "sS days
so-as-you- please walking match From & o
: in tho evening, there is a betting, ssscarin,
ulatcA outside the gates. But tho walkini
only begins nj one minute past midnight
,iot to take the name Of Col in vain, Ia
English hnvc inverted inaMg cuphcas!>'als
some then, imagining, | suppose, that III
Deity takes no cogniaanca Of any laugGa9
but English venture so far Is 10 say llo
Dleu or Mcn Gott
At this kind Of thing the Anl1.irli arc L
clever as tho English. They l!are liEcnte
Great Scott.
Something admirable i'll all the rl;.i /,
ligious sects of America is their ra.lIu,
character
When hcarit said That religion is Il!
sworn enemy Of progress, especially Of T.
publican institutions, turn to America an
say to myself This is not true"
Thcro is no minister Of religion, from +.
archJishops down to the most ualettct
preachers CT ell .Aa small isms, who wou
dare to tell his congregation that liberty
not tho most precious, tho most sacred
their possessions, and that the republic is l.
tho most admirable--the only possible--for
OF government for Amcrica.
In France there is much Indifference Oh Il
subject of religion, bu. C. great deal of i
creluiity is affected to satisfy 4 political bi;
l am certain that if, in France, you search
into the hearts Of the people, you would fl
there much less atheism than in many 9th
countries Religious belief seems to be t
appanage of the royalist party, and 9th
people think they mako Il show Of ropub
canism by throwing over tho belief OF I
royulists. Tho religious man is rather lo>'';
upon as political enemy than rs IL leli5o
Antagonist This is tho true explanation
much apparent asnostcissn in France
must also bo remarked that plenty of roy
: lists o:!iy affect picty and go regularly
church Us Il protest against republicans
and that many republicans may be elcas
| for taking this display of religion for an ;
, of hostility towards their pet Institutions.
This state of things is deporablc. Bt
sides are to blame for it.
: In England and America, where tho TO
b, of government is questioned by no ono,
0 ligon does not clash with progress and
crty, but lives with democracy i'll peace q
t harmony, Us becomes faith whose Gr:
0 prccept is: Love 80 one another"