The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-07-26

just what is needed for his neighbor,
perhaps, and that his neighbor's opin-
ions are not just the pabulum that his
mental digestive apparatus needs to
keep his moral and religious nature in
thorough order.
Another point is the slowness Of some
of those who have taken part in re-
ligious discussions during the past few
months. The world has moved. 1t is
not a sign of progress nor of adherence
to duty to say that ones opinions on
religious subjects are the same that they
were ten. twenty or fifty years ago. If
that is true the moss must have grown
very deep over ones steps. One cam
not be up with the progress which has
characterized the world in all other di-
rections. That is the inherent weakness
of Robert IngersolPs fitting at religious
windmllls. He is still driving at the same
old arms which were revolving so slowly
fifty years ago, but which were long
since blown down and buried. The moss
and lichens have covered them for 10.
these many years.
The old discussion about the probable
chances OF the heather in the next
world still comes to the front occasion
ally, and some undertake to down the
ghost with a few charges of bird shot.
What does 1t amount to? The progress
i've Christian world ceased to talk about
it years ago, and if they hadn't what
possible good can it be to the heather
who never hear it? If it doesn't benefit
the ones most directly interested. what
benefit can it be to those who are dis
cussing it merely as an abstraction?
There can be but one common sense
answer to such a query, and it is entirely
unnecessary to repeat that.
The great theme of discussion and dis
sension today is the bible. Not isolated
portions which may may not have
been correctly interpreted, but the en-
tire book. 1t is a question of divine
revelation, whether the bible, as whole,
is a divine revelation or not. The Chris
tian world is being split in pieces by the
u.
churches. divisions in sects and splits in
the entire Christian organization along
this line. Meanwhile the greater. the
humanizing and elevating influences of
the Christian religion are being set aside
and lost in the wrangling which is going
on among the churches on this point
After all it is but small matter. The
divinity of the scriptures is inherent in
one form or another, and the influence
the scriptures and adherence to their
pecepts has exerted upon the world for
the past eighteen centuries is sufficient
proof of the human divinity which is
taught there. the divinity Of love, of
brotherly kindness, of heipfulness TO one
another. That has been sufficient to
move the civilization of the world along
for many centuries and there is no doubt
about the same influence being sufficient
for all time. The petty quarrels which
arise over minor points ought to be set
tied and the entire Christian world unite
to carry out its professed principles of
humanity, and goodness, and helpfulness
one to another. That is the grandest mani
festation of the Christian religion. 1t is
what the great founder of the religion
did; it is what he directed his followers
to do after him, and so far as they have
followed his precepts so far has the
human race been benefited. Wrangling
may stimulate thought. but petty wrang-
ling over infnitesimal matters never
made a Christian nor lifted a fallen man
or woman from the gutter.