Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1893-02-09
(For the Northwest !
Religious Humbugs.

isms Of religious fanatics, all OF whom
have professed to be led by the spirit
of God in all their erratic movements
and ridiculous pecularities. In the re-
ligious world there is, and ever has
been, a mighty conflict between truth
and error. The advocates of the latter
are numerous, jealous and courageous;
many Of them are affiuent, eloquent
and indefatigable. With a certain
mixture of truth In their theories they
are able to palm them off on the easy
gullible minds of their hearers, the
small amount of truth acting as
sugar coating for the pill administered
to them. Error assumes many forms
and insinuates itself into the mind in a
variety of ways. Some boldly advo-
cate the grossest theories; others creep
into the families of the unsuspecting,
and lead away the simple and the un-
stable.
The devil either assumes the form
of serpent, or goes about like roaring
lion, taking any guise by which he may
deceive the unwary, and his emissar-
les are diligently engaged in dissem-
mating errors, both mixed and un-
mixed. The more absurd the doctrines
the greater must be the effort to con-
ceal the real character of their faith.
1t is not unfrequently the case that
the most absurd theories are put forth
under some imposing title, such as the
Saints of God,' The Holiness Band,'
Later Day Saints ETC., and al infni-
tim, dd neaseum. These theories must
be swallowed entire whatever the con-
tents may be. Having man made
creed of their own, they loudly de-
claim against all human creeds, de-
claiming them to be heretical and
schismatical. They extol the scrip
lures, but most numerically twist
their teaching. They declare that they
have no creed but the Bible, but show
by their conduct that the Bible forms
small part of their creed.
Filled with the most bitter sectarian
feeling they scout all differences of
opinion. They claim to be the follow
ers of Christ; but 70 llow closely the
teachings of men. We must say they
believe just what the Bible teaches,
but they must be allowed to tell US just
what it does teach, and thus furnish us
with a creed of human execution.
Nobody disputes the fact that the BIZ
BILE should be the rule of every mans
life, and his standard by which to try
all ereeds and opinions. The Bible is
the only basis upon which the whole
fabric of morals rests; but the declara-
tion that we have no creed but the BIZ
BILE, believe the same things? If SO.
then there is no difference between
Mormonism, Holiness Bandism and
many other isms, for they all claim
the Bible alone as their creed; that
they believe the Bible and nothing but
the Bible. Are they not then as heret-
ical and schismatical as those who
have written creed2 If the aforesaid
sects require applicants for member
ship to receive their construction of
the Bible, whether written or unwrit-
ten, they are to all intents and pur-
poses, as sectarian as the most COM
plete devotee of q human creed. Does
truth when written become falsehood?
Or is falsehood any less false when it
is written?
The foregoing structures have been
called forth because of certain religious
tramps which are infesting some por-
tions of Henry county, notably at
Corners, where there has
been for two or three years past, as
we'll as at the present time, persist
ent effort to tear the church organiza-
tions to pieces, and build on the ruins
what has been termed q 'footless
without leg." Among these
latter day heresies is the fanatical
group of religious enthusiasts which
styles itself "The Holiness Band"
which, under ordinary circumstances,
we should let pursue the uneven tenor
of their way, but concerning which
has ceased to be virture.
Protracted grove meetings have been
held here for few years past led by
certain religious tramps noted for
but the most consummate ig-
norance, and its usual concomitant, the
most profound bigotry, and who have
in unsettling the faith of a
few good, honest people, and whose re-
ligion consists In the most insane rseIv-
ings against all churches, intetmingled
with a liberal supply of amens and
most of them most ridicu-
lously misplaced, and all this .is con-
sidered an evidence Of entire sanctifi-
cation.
The grossest Misrepresentation of
christian people are palmed off upon
the ignorant a1d the unwary. Per-
haps the worst fraud among all these
egotisticaf and pharisaical teachers is
a certain blind humbug who visited
the aforesaid locality some time since,
and whose natural want of sight was
only equallei by the blindness of his
mind. The most outrageously ridicu-
lous harangue and unchristian in all
its parts, was gotten off by this sight
less falsefler against the NJ. E. church,
which saayso ad IN ha tho nartinular oh