Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-09-11
T0LsT0I AND NGRRs0LI..

cOlonel, lis Chrls1an, 4 real be-
lever in the Old aud New Tesla
ments, an honest follower Of the
Peasant In Palestine. +" And further:
'sHe is not only a Christian, but has
the courage Of his convictions, and
goes without hesitation 20 the
logical conclusion. He 0pposes the
doctors Of divinity, because they
darken and deform the teachings Of
the Master. He denounees the
doctors Of mediciae, because he de-
peDds on Providence and the prom
ises Of Jesus Christ.''
There is, however, a popularity
about the colonel's admiration Of the
Russian count. 1t is not meant TO
he complimentary. Its only intro
duced for the purpose OF furnishing
an excuse foron OF The periodically
occurring assaults upon the
Savior, for which the colonel has
earned lamentable nOtOriety.
Count TolstOi appears to have
been led sstrsy on one Of the vital
questions Of our time: The proper
mutual relation Of the sexes.
His philosophy seems to have
plunged him heAdlong down into
the dark abyss ofmisanthropy. And
from this point Of view, it appears
to him that there is no remedy
against the current evils, short OF
the total extinction Of the human
Face. In orier 10 reach this end,
one Of the noblest feelings with
which man has been endowed, love,
must, so TO speak, be crucified. The
love Of man for woman, and OF wO-
man for man, is nothing but degra-
dalton. For two human beings 70
love each other rs man and wife j.
to be partners in the same crime.
There neither Is nCr can be any
purity in love. IL is at best a deiu-
sion that after a short time must
end in jealousy and hatred.
Ingersoll has sense enough to per
ceive,that these views are the iIlogic-
al reasonings OF 4 diseased imagi-
nation. "AlI this,r he says, sis to
my mind a kind Of insanity; nature
soured or Observation-Disclosures 20
that celibacy is mistaken for viz
tue" But although he denounces
Tolstoiis philosophy in 50 strong
terms, he thinks himself justified in
ascribIng the whole matter 10 Jesus
Christ aud His doctrines, siace he
represents Tolstoi rs a devoted fol-
lower Of the Savior, n valiant ex-
pounier Of His doctrines as laid
down in the Bible. In other words,
he does not hesitate, In this manner
to designate Christianity rs the
philosophy of 4 mailman ami our
blessed Reslesmeras insane, striving
to deform human nature into a kind
Of mental monstrosity.
This, as is usual with Inger-
soil when he pOurs out his
bitter gall against religion, Is
without the slightest cause. That
peasant of Palestiue," who, by
the way, is the highest type Of in
dividual being known TO earth,
never taught one syllable from which
Tolstoi could reasonably deduct his
dark theories on the question Of
welded love. On the contrary, ali
that Christ ever said on this ques-
ton, direct or indirect, and all that
God ever revealed on the subject,
whether in ancient times or in our
own age, is directly opposed to such
philosophy. The Russian count is
in this particular point no more
follower Of Jesus than is the leading
American infiiel. Both are radi-
calIy wrong.
The teachings Of Christ with r.
gard 10 this question are clear
enough. Being asked by the Phari-
sees II it were lawful las was main
tanned by the disciples OF Rabbi
Hnlel) to sever the saerel bonds OF
marriage "for every cause, " he I'M
hesitatingly answers IN the negative.
God made his children, male aad
female and united them. "What,
therefore, God hath Joined together.
let not man put asunier." re
further teaches the great truth which
was never before accepted by the
sagss Of the world, that woman is
by the Creator INTENDED u be- one
with her husband, not the inferior.
''For being unitei together accord
ing to the laws Of Coil they are no
mJre two, but one flesh.'' fMath.
-, S-5). Our Savior, then. 81 far
from teaching that marriage is a
nelatie1 OF the sexes to
each other announces the doctrine
that their union is the only way in
which the children Of God can ful-
III the measure OF their creation, can
accomplish the purpose Of their eI-
istence on the earth.
Paul has understood his Master
correctly when he, in his letter 10
the branch OF the Church at CorintlI
: iys: ''Neither is the man without
the woman, nor the woman without
the man in the Loul'' a Coz. IL,
III; that is, the separate existence OF
the tlzO is not. from the Lor1's point
u view, the intended condition; II
takes the sacred union 10 make their
existence complete.
the Apostle illustrates this point
most beautifully, when he (Eph.
), 22-sl) compares the relationship
u man and wife 10 that o. Christ
and the Church. Human language
cannot in clearer terms describe the
.anctiiy Of that divine institution
msrriage-nor can a more exalted
deal Of the true relation Of man and
wife to each other be formed. Man
and woman according to this, are no
more intended to lead each a separ-
ate existence than are Christ and
the Church. Both are, as it were,
existing for and through each other.
And while the wives are expected
10 Submit" themselves TO their
yet this submission IS not
hat of a slave, nor that Of = servant
10 a master, but it is a submission
similar to that Of the Church to the
Lord, the voluntary submission