The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1894-04-04
nrp1.Y ro pR. RusHoNo.
A. Correspondent Has Something to Say
on the Subject of Inndelity.

On the Subject OF lnHueLty.
The following article will be read wit
interest by Christians and "unbelley
ers" alike
Astoria, Ore, April 2, 1894
To the Editor Of The Astorian: See
ing DR.. Bushong's announcement tina
he was going to answer my challenge o
Z two weeks ago in his Sunday evening
sermon, / went to church, anticipating
that after two weeks Of hard study an'
Z faithful research into the arsenals o
theological works. he had been able Il
gather evidence to prove his assertion
that the modern in1dels are intellectual
pigmies, and that the best heart ant
brain Of the age are possessed by tn,
believers in Christ. But must say
was highly disappointed, for the learned
gentleman utterly failed to prove this
Nothing was said about pigmies, not a
single Christian giant was held up foi
public inspection-not one. Thus the
field Of argument is as desolate as ever
from the standpoint of the challenge
The reverend gentleman, however, made
a few other serious charges against in
fidelity, which / think were not alto
gether fair, and which wish to COM
ment upon, although 1 am aware that l
will be considered a very wicked man
for taking up the cause Of free-thought,
but as am not going to run for Office,
will take my chances on this. al
ways was a sceptic but still 1t occurs
to me that this question of faith and
unbelief is such a profound and vital
question that it should not be swept off
by such shallow and fiimsy remarks as
some Of those made by DR.. Bushong.
His principal charge against infidels is
that they are not sincere. Now, 1 al
ways was Of the opinion that there
never was a sincerer lot Of people than
some OF the free-thinkers Luther, Cal
vim, Zwingley and all the other REFORM
ers. also the Huguenots, We're undoubt-
edly considered free-thinkers at that
time, but they were very sincere. /
think yoltaire was very sincere, in
spite of his alleged recantation, which,
even II true, don't prove anything to
the contrary l think 1t took a high de-
gree Of sincerity and courage in that
priest-rldden time to champion the
cause Of moral and intellectual freedom.
II Voltaire was not sincere, his teach
ings would not have bore the fruits that
they did. j think Thomas Paine was
sincere when, In the face Of death, he
wrote his Age OF Reason" in which
he expresses his ideas on religion. III
think his conceptions Of God, as ex-
pressed there, are something Of the
grandest and noblest l have ever read
On the subject. / think he was very
sincere when, through all adverslties, in
spite of the contempt of his country
men on that account, he stuck to his |
views to the last. He was sincere to |
such degree as to rob him of one of |
the first places in the heart of the
Ameican people. For who will deny that
IL Thomas Paine had not been so sim
cere as he was, and left religion alone,
he would have stood alongside of
George Washington In the hearts of his
countrymen. But such will be the fruit
of free-thought, that posterity will grant
him that place The doctor dwelled at
length on the French revolution, hold
ing that up as the fruit of infidelity.
Here, he says, infdellty appeared at its
best. deny that. Inhdelity did not APP
pear at Its best then. any more than
Christianity did during the lnauisition.
Compare the inquisltion with the reign
OF terror and | think it is about a
stand-off only that the former lasted
for centuries, the latter only few
years. Imagine people who for cen
turtles had been groanlng under the
tyranies OF priesthood and a corrupt
dynasty! Imagine this people suddenly
breaking their shaclsles making a des-
perate leap for freedoml Who can won
der that their tide of passion stopped
for no obstacles? Who can wonder that
with the memory OF centuries of on
preston fresh in their minds, they lust
gloated In the blood OF their oppressors.
This was only Characteristic of the up-
rising OF a mob, whether brought about
by the writings and teachings of bril-
liant free-thinker or by any other
genius who exercised an intense influ-
ence over his contemporaries. But by
their fruits We shall know them. What
has been the fruit of the French reyo- .
utlon? Today we see that the French
nation, In spite OF the blood-tapplncs of
vars and revolutions, has blossomed out
% be the freest, the most prosperous
'nd most cultured nation on earth. This
vas mainly brought about by the teach
ngs OF Voltaire and others; therefore. ,
consider Voltalre one of the mile 4,
tones of human progress. God, who :
uring the reign OF terror had been de- !
hroned, had to be reinstated, says Dr. -
lushong. who said In this connecticut q
How iiattered God Almighty must
ave felt at this mark Of attention" n
ow. really, Dr. Bushong. don't you n
,lnk this uprising Of the people for d
'stice and freedom was brought about n
: the divine rulings OF God Almighty h
imself, end do YOU think II is fair to h
dge whole class Of people by the Il
'uaes done by that class. when their Il
ssion was at fever-heat9 Il
You huri some very serious aecusa- n
ms against lnndels. You say they are II
SO coruptera OF mankind, rooness W