The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-10-19
A SHAKER on T0LST0I.
With Adimadversions on the Bless
ings Of just Judges
Decision.
Jesus and His Disciples Taught
Celibacy a. . Christian
Requirement.

Requirement.
What IL True Christianity .-Ths Shaker
Idea Of tho Three Divisions Of
Society.
| A just judge is a national blessing. Your
decision in the caae Of parties accused Of
selling Count Tolstoi's book, "Kreutzez
Sonata, - and the consequent release of the
prisoners, ia credit to the American bench
and reflects honor upon the presiding Judge.
The same can be truely said of the reasons
for the decision. Nd
But when you come to discuss the subject
matter Of Toistoi's novel. touching the
Christianity Of Christendom, its orthodoxy,
ETC., I beg to differ from you, as you differ
|; from Tolstoi, upon the subject of oelibacy.
as being opposed to the ''sacrament of mar
riage," in the mother Gentle Christian
church, the Roman Catholic.
Tolstoi's statement that Celibacy is better
than marriage, and il higher and purer
state Of being, and that it 10 the ideal of a
perfect Christian life. to which all Christian
mon and women should ASPIRE ID
in my opinion, true. but it ap,
pears to you absurd and ridiculous, and
opposed alike to Christianity and the best
interests of society. At the same time you
admit that the early Christians held mar
riage as result of the fall, il, indeed, it
was not itself tho fall. Is there not CON-
fusion of ideas arising from wrong pre-.
misses, that this argument rests upon2 For
instance, Tolstoi's position that celibacy ia
emphatically Christian requirement, you
must be fully aware. is correct, whom looked
at simply, fearlessly and logically from a
scriptural standpoint. Jesus, az the
author and founder of The Christian sys-
tom, was certainly celibate, and % cor
tainly taught oelibacy to His disciples,
and they never taught anything different to
tho people in any Of their ministrations,
first or last. Your singular statement that
it is ridiculous and absurd, . is not lawyer
like.
First and foremost is the question Of what
is, or what is not, Christianity. Its prao-
tioal application and effect upon mankind
whether it be for the best interest of So
ciety or not-is another question. Lot M
have one thing at time. II the fact that
genuine Christianity, practically carried out
will exterminate the race, is an objection to
it, why not let it stand or fall upon its own
merits2 It might be suggested that ortho-
doxy teaches that there viii be ''day Of
Judgment" when the dead bodies Of Adams
race will all be raised-one part to be
caught up into the air while the earth is
burning up with the remainder. il there
anything Irrational. absurd and ridicul-
ous'' in that2 Is there not an extermina-
ton Of the race equal to what will be effect
cd BY general oelibacyP
The Shaker order Of people, men and
women, have for the last hundred years
held to and lived out Tolstoi's ideal Of
Christianity, of celibacy, and Of the aboli-
ton OF private property. This Tolstoi finds
pleasant. But that all men and women
should become Christians-Shakers-
the Shakers, do not teach: neither did
Jesus and His disciples teach it. On the
contrary, we propose to do as the revelator
John predicted, ]. g., divide the great city
one part to be Christians (Shakers), an.
other part to be intellectual celibates, and
the third part to be married men and
women. and to propagate the race-to SOW
the seed OF man upon the earth, s'the new
earth," in which right will rule. In it the
the people, each one sitting under his own
vine and fig tree, growing upon his own
homestead, never to be alienated.
All governmental Offices to be filled by
male and female intellectual celibates, from
the president down to justices of the peace,
and their duties to be BY them executed and
performed. These should be married to the
state: it should be their family - their
household. Senates should be filled by
women; houses BY men. The third class
married men and women-should stay by
the stun. and care for their own house
holds, free from all public burdens. These
should strictly observe the natural law of
propagation that is kept by inferior ami
mails; they should populate for offspring
only, abiurinR all ''unfruitful works Of
by which is knowledge of sin, and which
law exscts penalties for all sexual aims.
Should not men and women, az being the
head Of the natural creation, be the most
exemplary, and not, as now, corrupt them.
selves in those things which they know.
Jews, and thus do true Quakers. when they
obey Moses and George Fox. Themselves
practicing c0njugal chastity, they were and
are able to protect their children and youth
from the sin Of Onan-the social evil
Education will be equal and universal. all
an early age, until 81, which schools should
be self-supporting: industrial schools,
wherein industry IN its various branches
should be taught and practiced. Then, az
Jews and Quakers have no tramps or poor
people and criminalG, neither would q
houses or jails, any more than they would
have an army or navy. Hygiene, as the
basis Of morality. would Danish disease.
Equality in education and in the possession
Of land would Danish poverty. while the
of earth-life, 1.-THE daily bread and water
being sure. would deaden competition and
take the wind out of the sails of the would