The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-04-05
Cham bersburg. Ill. NJ
A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION.

DIFFERENCE OF OPINION
"Ida So Airs "PoIlock's'' Rather Paradox
zeal Opinion ii Her Usual style.
To THE CLUB-Jonu Stuart Mill save:
"Were an opinion q personal possession
of no va ua whatever only to it's owner
then the suppression of that opinion
might be no wrong. But this is not the
case. opinions belong not only to the
present but to posterity. When you
silence opinion you commit a doublefod
robbery. And you rob those more who
dissent to the opinion than those who
hold TO it. If the opinion is right they
are deprived of the opportunity of ex-
changing error for truth; il wrong they
lose al ~ st as great a benefit. and that
is the clearer perception and brighter
impression of truth produced by its con-
tact with error"
And so, taking comfort from the fore
going. l will air ''PoliOek's" rather para
dOxical opinion of myself in the folio wing
"POlOck" thinks my article on atheism,
should have been labeled agnosticism.
Pollock" wonders that the study of the
earth did not chow me that l was finite.
And tells me that seem TO know nothing
of al infinite God.
Pol my article was q kind OF a
skppy thing ! know, but | must have
skipped more than | thought did, il
failed to let yOn know that I thought
the earth only taught inty as far
as condition or form is concerned
OF course when We have reso we'd
the study of man and earth back
to the original atomic or unseen gaseous
state, OF which both are composed, then
we find infnity, but it is an infinity of
atoms not personal God having ike
ness TO ourselves at all. And | saw as |
said before, this Is oil that earth teaches
Us. IL l know anything OF this infinite
God YOU spoke of my not knowing. |
must 90 TO Revelations for a know edge of
Him or get the knowledge bv come 50 per-
natural means not knoEu III earthly, or
natural laws, forms and condition. And
here we ali stand uDon q level and you
know no more than /, nor l than you, if
we viii not accept these
last named as truths. You
gave me an hour or two OF interesting
research by your out spoken opinion
Pollock" | hardly knew what agnos-
tism did teach before. but thinking that
l might tie advocating the doctrines be-
longing to the creed OF old called agnOetae,
up. l was surprised to find they dated
back to the fourth century when under
Theop hronius the Ceppadocean they ques-
toned the Omniscieuce OF God. And
again, under deacon Of Alexandria in
the sixth century, made the aim that
Jesus was only man ana as that ignorant
of many things he won have known
had he been God. And, that like Paul he
had 40 very good idea OF the
time OF the final judgment, but thought
il, and thought it as being very close al
hand, even in that century perhaps. l
guess priest and bell must have been too
much for these last named agnostics, for
they seem to have skipped several gem
erations, or decades rather. after this
Their doctrines have better play now
than then, or il looks go az any rate,
although am not exactly versed yet in
their peculiar holdings today.
Looking over that article / am inclined
to think it is not agnostic. at least as old
aqnosticism taught. For it taught
that We know nothing of what
we are, how we got here, or how
the earth or the planetary system Of
which it forms part came into existence.
Now, think that science teaches Us how
the earth came up to what 1t is, and |
claim that we do know something of this
and now we are formed and where or what
this formation ca led the human body
passes aftsrs. its dissolying. and this is
more than agosticisn used to claim at
least. OF course we would not expect it
10 he learned in these matters al its star
ting point. Ii could not know even more
than christianity about some things
until it had been taught. II
is only in the last hundred
wears that much has been known of the
human BODY, and its composition, and
how frail that 10. IL is only 26I years Oh
the Odd OF the coming June since in tho
convent of Minerva ut Rome, Calico on
Bonded knees before priests and cardinals
abiured the heresy which taught that this
earth was round, was not the center of
the world and the sun did move around
IT, but on the contrary the earth, very
sma | speck In the universe, went around
the sun.
This abjuration saved the few remain
ing years Of his life TO him. We
who know how such truths as
the above were considered dogmas,
heresiss, and as such not in accord with
revelation and hoy scripture. cannot
much wonder that learning in such mat
tiers is yet only in the primary grader.
pollock" / make the claim again that
IL - only IN FoNelHtlOn LHut We nave any
authority for a persona infinite God. and
here | am IA much AT home rs yourself
and perhaps more so. Who knows or can
be the judge here but ourselves2
Ii is not often that Talmags says any
thing care to quote For great man as
the masses take him TO DO. consider him
at most times TO be nothing better than u
sentimental hoodoo preacher. Ii he
has ever written anything that
will live you will fnd he
has appropriated the original thought from
some OF the numerous treatises he keeps
on hands by legion. and then has covered
this thought with his own prolix imigsry
OF words. Yet in this weeks paper he
holds my assertion out and it certainly,
Invested OF many words. is truth.
In speaking OF the dream OF John Har-
dock and what il led TO he says: "If you
do not believe these things, then YOU must
discard all testimony and refuse to accept
any kind of authoritative witness"
And all the authoritative witness We
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