The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-03-15
JOHN WARD. PREACHER"

''Ida :" Writes an Entertaining Letter Con-
corning the Book.
To iNcoG-Dear sister. where is the story
of John Ward, Preacher" spoiled to you
as a story?
You make no specifications thought
the story very well written one. OF
course the story amounts to little in such
a book AS John Ward. Preacher" Ii is
tie underlying disagreement to some old
belief that makes such a book popular to-
day. II seems that people rush Qreedily
fter such works and come out from n
perusal of them none the wiser. w riters
oi these modern protests. unlike
NOltaire in the white Huron"
fail to show their arguments much
of the time. read the book
shortly after it came out. Then i'm
mediately sent il 10 a friend, so that |
haven't IL by me now as a reference, and
did with it, just as | do with 80 many
books OF the story kind, read it, and
forthwith az quickly az / could, went
right OF and forgot every characters
name in the book. OF course remember
the name of John Ward, but one can not
take any credit for merely remembering
the tile OF book. l can remember the
story though If | cant the names. |
THINK the characters are drawn true to
life. The old minister, or bishop
was he? The uncle and guar
dian Of John Wards wife if
! have the relationship Alright, surely
have met him. Genial. kind, confederate.
A good friend. good husband and father,
great man he is very likely to be con-
sidered in religious circles. and outside Of
d.. -. - =. 4 4
deserve the appel alton of a great man,
but, when the proper time arrived for
him TO do 20 IN either case, be has stepped
into a system of religious convictions in
much the same way that he stepped into
his first pair of pantaloons. He may all
OF his life be very particular as 20 the
fashion, the right ft, and the proper
texture of these last mentioned, but
the first mentioned, he never
changes. II his life and his
mind rebels against the doctrines Of this
system, he forces his mind to fit them. A
square peg must 90 in a round hole no
other wav 20 do it, Generally he never
LET'S his mind out far enough to question
one OF the tenets of his system. The few
doctrines II contains are bundled with the
many dogmas attached TO each doctrine.
neatly tied and labeled for him. or his
system rather long before he was born.
And why should he question it? There 9
no use. OF course tho past knew best, no
difference how little light IL had 10
seek knowledge with Dare 10 cues
ton one OF the tenets of his system and
quickly he pulls himself out of his
spiritual lethsrgy and singles out the
particular bundle. suited to your particu-
lar protest. and hurls il into your face
broadcast and retires with the thought of
duty done and yourself utterly van
pushed. And you. unless YOU know
much of his mind outside of his religious
convictions, retire with the firm convic-
ton that II he have a mind il is as deeply
buried under the lava Of ages as ever was
POmpeii. Such men are good men, often
great men as ! said. yet. they, instead of
placing any stress upon themselves as
spiritual leaders, place 1t all upon their
system, which of course we know means
church. IL seems to have never entered
their minds that they need to do any
evangelizing themselves; or that different
people must have divers spiritual needs.
John Ward Preacher is Of different
character altogether from the old minis-
ter And from what know OF his real
character in life not half so pleasant a
companion socially. He Is cold, AESTHETIC
in many WAYS. warm hearted in others.
lie lie made OF such stuff as martyrs are
made Oi. When such men hold their own
lives as of 20 little account, how could YOU
expect them to cherish an earthly love and
balance II against even one Of the tenets
OF their spiritual belief, especially when
one OF their creeds is based upon the idea
that some way or how your belief in Ger.
tain things as truth counts for your saliva
ton. Such men as John Ward in the past
have died Just a. often for a wrong prin-
cIple as a right. This character also shows
how men have Literally embodied spiritual
statements, whether Il be of fire or attri-
butes more grossly earthly. And yet the
zeal John Ward displays toward his peo-
pie. his earnest wish for their spiritual
welfare, is commendable Theresis one
thing plainly evident in the story,
bad he the making and placing
of the future, no such horrors
would he possibly place before his little
flock that by come chance or misfortune
they might stumble into No; John
Ward Is better than his doctrine, or some
phases Of il. at least. This book 10 built
upon the question as 10 whether there ia
or is not a literal place of punish IN ent
after death. consisting OF fire, birthstone,
pitcnfoTks and other Dsnte-like horrors.
John Wards wife intellectually cannot
believe in such Q place. while John Ward