The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1894-04-04

| uuelS. nave 0ettFu uOleIlS VI peopic
testify to the same, that some Of the
! best citizens. best neighbors, hndest
fathers and husbands have been in
fidels There is nothing In infdelity to
make a man bad-absolutely nothing
Undoubtedly there are good many
Il free-thinkers who make a flourish of
Il their inhdelity, who ridicule all that is
dearest and most holy to great class
Of people, put themselves up and boldly
declare there is no God, no hell, no here
4 after who are infidels just to make
themselves notorious, as DR.; Bushong
said. Such people are indeed fools, and
| have no more use for them than for
narrow-minded Christians, l must say,
though, that l have not met the man
yet who denied the existence of a God.
| heard DR.. Bushong say once, speaking
about hyprocrites: There can be no
counterfeit without the genuine" Same
with infidels. What is infdelity, any
how? Let us see how Webster defines
this word. In6delity, he says, is disbe-
lief in the inspiration Of scriptures. or
the Divine origin OF Christianity; un-
belief. There are a good many who are
put down as infidels who don't go as far
as this. Nearly the whole civilized world
believes In the existence Of God, the
Creator of the universe. The point in
which we differ is, mainly; Is the bible
the revealed word of God to His chill |
dren, and is 1t the guide that will lead
us into eternal life? On this the whole
Christian system is founded, and dis
belief Of the bible as the inspired word [
Of God means disbelief in the Divine
origin Of Christianity. A good deal
will not permit it.
Now, IL a man, after hard study and
honest search for the truth, comes to
the conclusion that the bible cannot be
the inspired word of God, that there can
be no personal devil, no eternal hell, is
1T therefore fair to put that man down
as fool, a reprobate, base destroyer
OF morality and decency? History and
present date will show us that this ac-
cusation is false. No matter what a
mans belief is, human passions remain
the same. Peoples minds and charac-
ters are largely a result Of their sur
influences.
DR.. Bushong defles lnldels to show
system Of principles. Had the ancient
Greeks no system of principles? Did
the Me<icans entirely lack a system OF
principles before Cortez and the Span
iards came there and conquered them?
Prescott tells us that they had far
better system of principles then than
they have now, and better than any
they had in Europe at that tlme-that
Is, II peace, prosperity and good morals
are result of a system of principles,
and think DIR. Bushong will admit that
hey are
He also. defies infidelity to show a
hospital or a university built by them.
II the churches have built most of the
hospitals, l am sure 1t is not purely for
owe of mankind that they do So but
imply as q business enterprise. They
lave the power and wealth to do this
nd they are exempt from taxation: II
3 therefore but natural that they
hould engage in such enterprises.
m also aware that good many uni
ersities and educational institutions
re built by churches. This is also very
atural, 1t is great protection to the
hurch, the same as is the tariff to the
american industries. Why is the Cath
lie church 80 anxious to get control of
he public school system? Surely not
N love to the American nation. | give
obody credit for protecting themselves.
have heard. though, that some of the
reat colleges In the east, and also in
ingland, are becoming alarmingly lib
ral Then DR.. Bushong says: "Why
ont the intidels go and live by them
elves; why not found a state and 80
here and practice their theories?"
or one would be very glad to see them
save, he SAYS. No doubt you would,
octor; they are great annoyance to
ou preachers an insoent set of people
mo dare attack the strongholds of the
hurch' | am aware that the church
'oks upon intidels as their most dan
erous enemies. How the churches
'ould rejoice and prosper II all the in
dels packed up and left But | will tell -
gu why they don't Simply because
hey don't have to, There was a time
men 1t would have been very convent
MT for free-thinkers TO have a resort seS
here they could have gone and lived see
themselves In peace and safety. But. toJ ,CG
apply, through the efforts of some
rave and libeNl-thnking men and
omen, 1t Is now possible to live to- :,
ether quite amicably. regardless of nal
reed or disbelief, If we take a view Of six
lstory we see how, step by step the wa
lurh has been forced into more lib W.
al channels. How dogmas about he'll
nd devils more and more are disap-
caring from the pulpit And instead of -
the beautiful teachings OF Christ, the Co,
'ctrines of love and brotherhood are gor
lpieSsed on the human heart. We see 1al
Nv the many different creeds, which clai
I'VE arisen from time to time are for the
q most part but fruits OF human slgI
ought and Investigation upon the sub. ,yit vii
ct Of religion; how the eraeds form par
ks In the evolution Of Christianity. ais
ow this evolution constantly points to- ,o,' ~
'rds that sublime teaching: 'Do to