, 1890-02-06
PRAYERS AT OLYMPIA
Opposition to the Idea of Relig-
ious Exercises in tho
Legislature.
This Is Not a Christian Govern
ment, but One Erected on
Civil Lines.

/ To rng EDIroR oP TuE REvtEwi
In your issue Of January 80 w.
q. Gilstrap essays to reply to q
former article of mine on the sub
Iect of religious exercise in the le ,yis-
lature and public schools. The Pc
culiarly frantic and dislointed style
of writing employed by the gentle
man makes II difficult to gather the
meaning intended to be- conveyed.
so far as ! have been able to discern
lac fails to meet or discuss n single
issue rendered, but makes several
trlte assertions, and one or two
startling ones,
The truth or falslty of Christian
theology l. not under discussion.
Whether great men do or do not
recognize Deity Is not germnne ia
the debate. Doubtless great men
and small ones, too, do recognize In
some form, to themselves individual
~ satisfactory, the Supreme Power
that launched thom into existence.
But, perhaps, their recognition is
not In that voclforOus manner
which would he most pleasing to
Mr.. Gllstrap and Others Of feeble
intellect and dense lncapaolty with
fanatical tendencies, who mistake
maudlin gush for pletyy and
make speciality OF hurling
Jovo's thundcrbolts. II Mr. q.
can show that as n matter Of public
policy II is wise and coinmendlble
To have religious exercise In the
legislature and the public schools,
that IL Is harmony with perfect
L.. ration of religious sentiment,
does not infruct the pr. sept Of the
the golden rule and II within consti-
I tutlonal limits, he will interest the
public. If he can not do this he
will save himself modification and
his friends further humiliation on
his account by staying out Of print,
Mr.. e.. asserts that | have cast q
slur OF the ''rciinement and intelll
genccn of Washington, and en-
presses a determination to 'cradiate'
the same. He also kindly informs
Us To-day upon the ruins of
crude, wild Western irOnticrlsu
stands new born statepi While II
has been matter Of common no
/ toriety that isms Of various sort,
have been among Us since the tirsI
settlement of the country front ierlsn
| had escaped notice or comment un
til Mr.. Gilstrap graciously deter
mined to sever his connection with
his boy-hoUd's grasshoppcr home on
the plains Of Kansas and engagl
In missionary work amongus, And
To- think, too, this was nc
common frontierism, but "a crude
wild Western Onc,h the most vicious
and deyilish ofull frontlchsms run
ming loose all unhceded as slick
year or maverick, as 1t were, To- exer
else It's balcful influence ON the old
settler NJ he cultivates his beans and
rutabagns surrounded by the saw
agcry oiof he last decade. Mr.. o.
tells Us this same "CTudc, wild
Western frOntierlsm," is u ruin and
that the new born state Is on top,
Good for the new born state. Tho
upper dog in the light always has q
claim on our sympathy in which
the under dog has no share. WhllC
MIR. g.. does not tell us under whaI
part of the new born state thi'
'CrudC, wild, Western iruntierism'
Is placed, 1t Is fair inference that Il
Is under one of the suthcrn corners
because Mr.. G.'s pronounced Ortho
dON views would compel him Il
place It In the warmcst possible lnti
tudC. The assertion Is made thai
l. L. d saII I.an III hN
that phrase Is meant that ours Is q
Christian government | take ISSUE
at once.
The government OF the United
States il "a civil government, purely
secular IN its nature, looking aftel
the civil rights of it, citizens and
having no concern about his relig-
ious OF spiritual affairs, This prOpO.
sltion j. distinctly set out In treaty
made by this sgOyernmcntandl lripoll
in 1856 during the administration OF
the mthcr of his country. We
search In vain for any IN tlmation
that this IL IA Christian government,
In the organic law of the land, eith-
or national or state. Mr.. g. says
the president takes the oath OF OF
flee with his hand ON the Bible.
There l. no law requiring or Forbid
ding the use Of the Bible or amy
other book In taking the
oath of office. Our law
requires that form Of oath most
binding on the conscience OF the
person sworn. The Chinese are
sworn sometimes In this country by
/ the decapitation of "a rooster ana The
sprinkling of blood, that being the
lthne-honored Cofucian method OF
binding the pig-tail conscience oil
All Sin, but II has never been sug-
gested that by reason OF that ule
court was committed to the verify
/ OF that heathen rite.
/ In conclusion, Mr.. Il. tnaSe. ~
personal reference 10 myself, prcdict-
I ing that am not likely 10 he sent
To the legislature. Had any aInbl-
tion for political distinction, this
prediction of Mr.. G.'s would DC
very gratifying to me, az hts adVo-
cacy and championship hns been so
uniformly disastrous both 10 Tue
men and measures that have heI
the misfortune of his support woui'i
predicate a couiident hope oi sue
cess on his opposition.
GgoR0E CoMEGss.