The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1894-02-15
XXlll-RELlGlON.

Many Sects Flourish-The Esoterists aud
the Faith Cure believers.
The Americans are Christians-thati is
to say, they attend church on Sundays.
Like other Christians, they attend 10
business on week days.
Every good preacher draws a full con
gregation, no matter to which sect he
belongs.
Put bad preacher into the pulpit in
America. and he will soon empty the
church: replace him by gifted orator,
and soon there will be standing room"
only.
The priesthood is not a vocation, it is a
profession; no talent, no success. An
American will go and listen to the minis
ter of a sect differing from his own
rather than sit and be bored by tire
some preacher belonging to his own de-
nomination.
The churches advertise a preacher in
the newspapers as the theatres advertise
"star" in default of a good preacher,
other attractions are put forward to draw
the pnbllc.
The latest religious invention in Anler-
ca is Esoterism, which promises immor-
tally to its ollowers-immortality that's
all! The doctrine of the Esoterists teaches
that. If man were really pure, and fol-
lowed the precepts of the Gospel TO the
letter, he would become immortal. not in
Paradise, but here below.
But" you will probably say. do the
Esoterists never der
Yes, they die--once, but this simply
proves that they have failed to attain the
necessary degree of perfection.
Another sect pretends to be able to
cure all diseases by faith, which is not
shaken by the death of their patients.
''lf they had had more faith they would
have recovered"
Sabbatarian hypocrisy is as fourishing
in the eastern states of America as in
England and Scotland. ] was visiting
the sub-tropical exhibition at Jackson
vile one Sunday and at certain stall
chose few little natural curiosities. Il
cannot sell them to you today" said the
stallkeeper to me after well putting his
wares "No? Why" Because it is
Sunday can put them aside for YOU
but you must buy them tomorrow"
A truly edifying sight is that of the
noisy, dirty, disappearing crowd col
lected on Sunday evening outside Mad
ison square garden. New York. on the
eve of a six days go as you please walk
ing match. From 6 or in tie evening
there is betting, swearing match out
side the gates. But the walking only be-
gins at one minute past midnight.
Not to take the name of God in vain.
the English have invented many euphem-
lsms; some men imagining, | suppose,
that the Deity takes no cognizance of
any language but English, venture SO
far as to say Mon Dieu or Mein Colt. At
this kind of thing the Americans are as
clever as the English. They have in
vented Great Scottl
something admirable in all the main
rellglous sects of America is their ma
tionai character.
There is no minister of religion from
the archbishops down to the most m
lettered preachers of all the small isn,a
VINO would dare to tell his congregation
that liberty Is not the most precious. Z.
most sacred of their possessions. and tn,
the republic is not the most admirable,
the only possible-form of government
for America.
In England and America, where the
form OF government is questioned bv no
ohe' reilglon does not clash with proo-
resS and liberty, but lives with democ-
racy IN peace and harmony, as becomes
a faith whose grand precept is Love We
one another"
To BE CONTINUED.