San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-06-28

Cheerful services;
Books supplied to the congregation.
Religious sects multiply every day. No
doctrine is too absurd to make proselytesI
The latest religious invention in America
is Esoterism, which promises Immortality to
its folowers-immortality that's ALI The
doctrine of the Esoterists teaches that, if man
were really pure, and followed the precepts
Of the Gospel to the letter. he would become
immortal, not in Paradise, but here below.
AS it is probable that no Christian ever yet
succeeded in following infinitely the precepts
OF the Gospel, the Esoterists may be right.
To live forever, say they, you have only to
remain virtuous, even in the married state.
Celibacy must be embraced Celibacy pure
and simple, however, is not sufficient, for
where there is no struggle there is no victory.
Devotees must therefore marry, but in all
honor remain celibates. If you succeed in
mastering your passions, no malady will at
tack you, and you will become immortal
But" you will probably say, do the
Esotersts never die"
Yes, they die-once: but, according to
them, this does not prove the fallacy of their
belief. If they die, it simply proves that
they have failed to attain the necessary de-
gree of perfection
Now the Esoterists are safe to continue
with us, for either they will arrive at perfec-
ton and become immortal, or they will fall
away from grace aud will have children to
swell their ranks. The head of this sect,
which is as yet only about two years old,
claims that when the Esoterists attain perfec-
ton, not only will they be immortal, but
they will have clear insight into the future,
gift which will enable them to amass great
riches And indeed, the utility of such an
| accomplishment on the stock exchange, for
instance, must be apparent at glance.
Another sect pretends to be able to cure
all disease by faith. The faith Of these fanat-
les is not shaken by the death of their pa
tents ''If they had had more faith they
would have recovered"
During my stay in America, well known
evangelist published a volume of sermons
with the following preface: God has been
kind enough to own the words when spoke
them hope He will give His blessing to the
book, now that the same words appear in
print"
Many books are published in France with
the remark, "A work approved of by Mgr.
the Archbishop of X" A volume advertised
as having been owned and blessed by the Lord
himself, ought to have a wide sale.
A truly edifying sight is that of the noisy,
dirty, disappearing crowd, collected on a
Sunday evening outside Madison Square Gar
den, New York, on the eve Of ''six days
go-as-you-please walking match" From or
z in the evening, there is betting, swearing
match outside the gates But the walking
only begins at one minute past midnight.
Not to take the name of God in vain, the
English have invented many euphemisms;
some men, imagining, | suppose, that the
Deity takes no cognizance of any language
but English, venture so far as to say Mon
Dieu or Mein Gott
At this kind Of thing the Americans are as
clever as the English. They have invented
Great Scott
Something admirable in all the main re-
Hgious sects of America is their national
| character.
When | hear it said that religion Is the
sworn enemy Of progress, especially Of re-
publican institutions, turn to America and
say to myself: This is not true"
There is no minister of religion, from the
archbishops down to the most unlettered
preachers of all the small isms, who would
dare to tell his congregation that liberty is
not the most precious, the most sacred of
their possessions, and that the republic is not
the most admirable-the only poss;b.s-form
Of government for America.
In France there is much indifference on the
subject of religion; but great deal Of in
credulity is affected to satisfy political bias
am certain that if, in France, you searched
into the hearts of the people, you would find
there much less atheism than in many other
countries Religious belief seems to be the
appanage of the royalist party, and other
people think they make a show..of republi-
canism by throwing over the belief of the
| royalistS The religious man is rather looked
| upon as political enemy than as a religious
antagonist. This is the true explanation of
much apparent agnosticism in France 1t
must also be remarked that plenty of royal
lists only affect piety and go regularly to
church as protest against republicanisn,
and that many republicans may be excused
for taking this display of religion for an act
Of hostility towards their pet institutions.
This state of things is deplorable. Both
sides are to blame for it.
In England and America, where the form
Of government is questioned by no one, re-