The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-12-27

~ 1 ELLiNJENOLh OF MA
declaratioa-is that the obligation, being
once freely taken up, can oy TO lexiolIlty
OF conscience, or strain o. personal con-
struction, or tri1ing with truth, or breach
OF honor, be laid down or set aside, I'LL II
: openly renounce1-
Several years ago Mr. Froude directed
his subtle and skeptical intelligence 10 the
composition OF al essay which he entitled
"A Pea for the Free Discussion OF Theo-
logical Difficulties" Apart from its con-
venIence 70 him as an opportunity 20 dis
play his clever critical ingenuity and his
contempt Of theology and taeologians
alike, II Is difficult 70 discover his object or
his conclusion II might better have
been called Plea for the Multiplication
OF Theological Difficulties By showing the
impossibiiity of disposing OF them. He
quarrels with Stuart Mil for claiming IN
restricted liberty OF speech, even % md
ing fault with free opposition 10 such
liberty, and goes on 70 ding. right and
lett, sneers and sarcasms az scholars who
are his supe-iors IN both learning and a.
gument; be publishes his seif-satisfaction
et casting aside the fruit of the studies Of
the whole catena Of Pa,ristic Specialists,
from the early Greek Apologists TO Bishop
LlghucOt, and audacIousIy proclaims that
al Biblical scholars refuse 70 be satisfied
with high probabilities in evidence OF
Christianity, but demand absolute and
positive ceTtainty-a demand which no
grea. Defender Of the Faith, q. least
since Bishop Butler, has made; he IS
content IN this paper, and IN another on
Criticism and the Gospel History" and
70 some extent IN that on the Book Of JOB,
with the same c0mplacent ignorance of
the subiect-matter which characterizes Mr..
Matthew ATnold's Literature and
Dogma" and Francis Newman's Phases
OF Fate" The truth is that the liberty"
which that school would like is the liberty
TO lombard the citadels OF Christendorn
and disparage their keepers, with no other
response from them than admiration and
nattery. Il IS not liberty of prophecy
ing that they claim, but the liberty of
preaching. undispuIed, that there never
were Prophets.
While they promise liberty, they them
selves are servants Of bigotry-''for of
whom man Is overcome, OF the same IS
he brought in bondage"
Whatever the gains may be OF the mod
ern idea OF liberty. which calls itself lib
erality, IL has not failed 10 demonstrate
that neither name nor profession IS a
sure sign OF the possession OF the thing
protessed, or that warfare upon oigotry
insuTes the warriors against bigotry. The
evil thing lies too deep in human nature
TO be extlrpated by device or banner.
or to die in ourselves because we fight and
denounce it in our neighbors. The real
anlmus OF religious persecution is not IN
the religion, whatever that may be, but in
an instinct OF seli-interest which connects
personal and partisan interests with the
creed or cause that IS embraced, and fan
cies that it IS defending the Faith when il
Is only serving PRIDE, or position, or per-
QuISIte5, or social satlsfaCtlOns. or ances-
trial reputation. The old Paganisrn of the
Roman empire tolerated everything except
Christianity and the Gospel, which its sell
Ilshness and sensuallty could not else but
hate and fear. The religion OF Christ has
nothing 10 do with interests. =" except 70
bless them when they are lawful and right,
seen world-ln God. Neutrality. there
fore, IN religion is atheism. But if in
taking sides We resort TO sheer force, put
vlolence-yiolence OF any sOrt-in place OF
the testimony OF lite and love we are not
atheists perhaps, but neither are We Sol
diers OF Christ and citizens of His Kingdom,
No sooner was the emperor the head Of the
church than the ArIan heresy began 10 be
assaulted, not by Scripture or argument of
the pen, but by the sword; and down TO
our day the orthodox pen has chow often p
been ''sword-shaped." The Spanish In
QUESTION, the kirk-session in Scotland.
CrOmwell's Roundheads. Calvin's hand on
Seryetus, the Puritan whipping-p0sts and
piliories OF Massachusetts Bay, Strafford's
prisons and headsmen, all are OF one brood
In the Maryland Colony law was passed
and put in force that any person who
should deny our Savior Jesus Christ TO De
the son of God. or reject the Holy Trinity,
or the Godhead OF any of the three Per-
sons, or the Unity OF the Godhead, should
be punished for the first offense by being
bored through the tongue and By fine; for
q orfaD Ia hao
tized by burning on the forehead;
and for the third offense he should
suffer death. without benefit of clergy.
After the restoration Of monarchy in
France the council OF state, expected to
be breakwater against Papal and pre-
scrIptlve despotlsm, proved 10 be as arbi-
trary and despotic in its exactions as anv
purely ecclesiastical tribunal. 1t was after
the great Gaiiican prophet of Christian
democracy, Lamennais, had issued his
proclamation of God and Liberty.n and
after ms courageous struggles 70 substitute
for the reign of an irresponsible autocracy
the Iu.e Of justice and charity. that, in
ISIS, he signed in Paris his unlimited
adhesion 10 the Papal Encyclical The
pious watchword. God wills it." which
has made strong kings and armies, and
parlIaments stronger, Is not without its
ever-present daDger-the danger of con-
strung God wills it" into God wills our
way OF doing His will" In these times of
headstrOng seif-assertion and Impotence
OF the control Of law, and in this republic
whore Independence is a main virtue and
doubt Is sometimes made religion, We
should be careful not 10 forget that there
i another intolerance than that of bulls
OF communication, and another persecu-
ton than that Of fines and dungeons, and
another Crue " than crUcihxion.
+. d. HUSTISGroS, 5. T. D.. Ii. D., P. E.