St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-02-12
SALTWATER is STIRRED.
Orthodox Ministers Turn Their United
Batteries on a Universalist Brother.
RE SAYS HE CAN STAND 1T,
The Hue and Cry Raised Over
Clergyman's Criticism of Robert
ElSmere.

The meeting of the ministers at the
study of the Methodist church yester-
day was enlivened by vigorous COM
ments made by the brethren Oh Rev. j..
S. Schindler's paper on '.Robert Els
mere, Sign of the Times" While the
five orthodox brethren turned their
united batteries on the Universalist
minister, the latter preserved his equa-
nimity. and cred: go ahead, breth-
rem; ! can stand it. l wanted to stir
you up" There were present Rev. W..
II. Albright, Presbyterian; Rev. j. M.
Bull, Methodist; Rev. j. II. Albert,
Congregational; Rev. j. w. Luke, Bap-
tist; Rev. j. L.. Half, Swedish Luther
SCHNEIDER said: The blessing of God
Elsmere. for it's main purpose of the
book is to show us man who brought
his action into conformity with his
thought in spite of the most terrible
temptation that could obstruct his path.
The system of unthought denominated
orthodoxy, by building Chinese wall
of inspiration and miracles around
Christianity. arbitrarily separating it
from the remainder of human expert
ence. has for years succeeded in hood
winking the world with its sys-
TEN of barbarous dogmas, which
were all conceived in the womb
and nursed in the lap of paganism.
This new story of Robert Elsmere is an
earnest plea for rational faith as
against the traditions and superstitiOns
of orthodoxy and protest against the
dead Journalism of the ritual service,
which, with its wealth and ease and So
cial influence, allures so many clergy
men of easy conscience into the habit OF
perpetual perjury in the sanctuary of
God. The unholy position represented
by Squire WendOver when he tried to
make Robert believe that nobody in the
church cared about the parsons convic-
tions $50 long as he performs all the
antics decently," and that he ought not
to resign a good living, and thus make
a fool of himself, is all too common in
on the body of religious life. Not long
ago Presbyterian clergyman in New
Jersey Informed the presbyter that he
could no longer believe the doctrines OF
the confession. The presbytery made
reply that so long as he continued to
preach them they should be glad to have
him stay with them. Within the
last six months our brother ALI
bright had a conversation with a
certain lady of this city who
was DESTROYS of uniting with some
church. Being told by him that union
with the Presbyterian church necessi-
tated the acceptance of the doc
trine of eternal punishment, and on
her saying that she could not be-
lieve that, he replied: "Then l adj
wise you not to join the church. but
to review your faith and seek for more
light" A member of my church after
wards related this incident to pro-
fessor in the state university, Presby-
terrain. The professor was surprised at
what he termed Brother Allbright's
''imprudence," and avowed that belief
in endless punishment is not required
of Presbyterian laymen, but that the
ministers are required to subscribe to
the doctrine as one of the standards,
believe what they can, and leave the
of this city said to mel quote literally:
II was Born in a Universalist family.
and believe in the Universalist doctrine;
but when | came here the young peo-
ple with whom first became acquainted
were attending the Presbyterian church.
l went with then. / like the society.
l am we'll acquainted there now. l be-
long there, and work there with my
friends. | don't care straw about the
minister's doctrines. l don't have to
believe them. 1t is the social cir
Gle that pleaSes me, and not the the
ology." 'Now," said Mr.. SCHNEIDER, sin
the light of these testimonials, say the
churches are honeycombed with dis
honesty on the part of both ministry
and laitv, and it was to blast this sort
of thing that Robert Elsmere was writ
ten. Better that orthodoxy should
hold its own another century than that
we should have race of preachers
keeping up miserable pretense of be-
lief from which the reality has forever
fed, and better that there should be no
church at all than that the people
should discipline themselves into race
of perjurers." The reader here detailed
the processes by which he attained his
religious belief, and said: II enter
protest against that shallow. vulgar,
unholy contempt for me and my Ideas
which is so freely INDUCED in by some
who lay claims to responsibility. simply
because my ideas are not orthodox.
Robert ElSmere is direct result of the
great transitions in current religious
thought in which we live-a legitimate
child of the intellectual and religious
revolt against traditiOnaliSm and an in
sipid Christ worship. So many
people are interested in the
Story of clergyman giving
up his old views, because they are I'M
easy and not fully satisfied with the
faith commonly taught. They cannot
believe your old pagan ideas. Why
has one woman (the author of Elsmere)
so stirred up hundred thousand min
listers? Are they afraid to trust the
common sense of mankind, or that the
real foundations of Christianity will be
undermined? l have no fear of any
such calamity. Christianity will abide
all tests; if it don't, it does not deserve
Christian-after the type of the Chris
tianity of Jesus Christ of Nazareth.
Replying to the paper, of which the
above includes but few extracts, Rev.
j. H. Albert first grew vigorous in re-
ferring to the inSlnuations heard time
and again that the Congregational min
listers were false to their dOctrinal pro-
LESSONS, preaching one thing while
they really absorbed in another. Brother
SCHNEIDER stands here and advocates
the power of prayer, but outside he
tells others that prayer is foolish. Does
he see any manhood in that? l demand
that he recognize in me honesty and
sincerity and the right to set forth my
belief. l believe the book Robert
Elsmere will do good. 1t is mistake
to be disturbed about it. 1t is bring
ing up of something that we have to
meet. And there is lack of faith in
the church.
Mr.. Allbright-It seems to me school
boyish and uncbristian to introduce in
such paper personal matters-what
brother Albright said. etc. 1t is also
indicate for one (Schlndler) to present
himself as a hero for his faith. Maybe
| am such hero, too, but it's not for
me to proclaim it. Pm glad to know
that Brother SCHNEIDER has shown such
hui LII hon