The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-06-08

n ~ Mans a Butte; Leland Hotel, Spring
field. Ill
A SUNDAY REFLECTION.
.Fine words butter no parsnips," and
the thoughtful critic who has been
brought up in the faith of Mahomet or
INV other form of religious belief that is
not the prevalent one in this country,
must sometimes be tempted on visiting
o,,r shores to ask if we are Christian
neople. If he addressed his question to
clergyman it would doubtless be re-
caived as an insult. How can man
who belongs to religious denomination
fail to be a Christian? How can man
who derives his income from Christian
profession possibly be heather? If
the person addressed we're an adherent
of the ultra-rgid Calvinistic form of be-
lief, he might admit that it was some
what difficult to decide whether the re-
yisionists might still, by stretch OF cour-
tesy, be entitled to the name. But if
the churches themselves are not Christ
ian; if the people, who regularly sub
scribe for the conversion Of the heather
and 90 to sleep with the same regulari-
ty in the comfortable church pews, are
not Christian; if convocations and gen.
eral assemblies themselves are not
Christian, the soul is struck dumb with
such imaginings. These shocking ques-
tions go ia. beyond the freedom of a
free country. They imply license, not
liberty. Such query would seem to
imply the necessity of a recurrence to
the vigorous measures in force in early
New England, but this, happily or un-
happily, is forbidden by the mistaken
mildness of the time
OF external evidence that we are a
/ Christian people the critic would find
abundant testimony. We have elabor-
I ate creeds, innumerable churches and
j. cathedrals, huge sums expended in sup
port of religion. We attend church,
many of us do, we rather dislike discus
sion of accepted dogmas, some of us al
An least do, and we pay great Difference t.
.,~cur clergy. But all this the jeremiah
of the nineteenth century might thrust
aside as the mere husks or outward
yestments Of society. "Out Of the heart
are the issues of life," he says, quoting
no doubt from some authority on his
own form of religious belief. He might
proceed to examine the great features OF
our national life in which It's heart has
been truly expressed. The enormous
bulk and complication of our crimina
law, and the acknowledged impossibility
of Furnishing or even defining the sub.
tier forms of sin and wrong doing seem
to him inconsistent with any genera
acceptance of the precept that a ma,
must love his neighbor as himself. Ii
politics it is no better. What does tn
system of registration mean but tina
one man can't trust another? The aver
age politician has no strong belief in
gospel of peace and love. Is it in on
industrial relations that the spirit {
4 Christianity is most apparent? Conside
the overwork that goes on in our store
es and factories, the disclosures of tn
3 sweating system, the housing of tn
poor in many of our large cities. Me
elbowing and treading one anothe
down in their pursuit of the almight
i. dollar, children stunted by want Of fox
j. and rest, miserable women trying
rear families on a scanty pittance. "
Of course, most Of the employers and Il
laborers are Christians, members of o.
& loving family. Where are the ides
:, that should lead us to something be
ter! Literature tends to assume
piquant flavor Of indeoency. Gamblil
takes the place of honest trade. T
tastes of the masses are low and mon'
onoue. Drinking does not decrease.
is reign of sensationalism. We
lieye in advertising and much of 1t,
execrable taste, reflects the mind of
people who swallow it. Our gods
not one, but three-money, pleas,
and power.
1t would be idle to deny that Their
certain measure of truth in such
possible indictment. But we may tt
comfort from the fact that, however
things may be, they are always gett
better. Our criminal population '
diminish with the spread of educate
This generation is distinguished by
efforts it has made to bring light
health into the dwellings, of the poor
protect our women and children
dumb animals, to end the strife betw
capital and labor. Party politics Il
be fisrce enough, but Independent p
ciple and honest judgment are su
not rarer than they were. How m
Of this improvement is due to the in
enco Of the churches may, in the o
ion Of some, be matter of serious q
ton. One-tenth of tho evils descr
could not possibly occur in a comm
ity that truly believed in what are
orally accepted as the cardinal pr
pies Of the Christian religion. 1t
b that clergymen have not, as !
taken sufficiently bold stand aga
the influences, when evil, OF wealth
society, and it may be that religion
by many been made too much . ms
Cor the head and too little Q conoer