The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1894-12-20
GREAT MINDS DISAGREE
Herald Reporters View The Religious Dis.
Cussion Through Different Lenses.
lNPIDELITY VERSUS CHRISTIANITY
Double Account OF the Controversy
Between the Early Rose and tbe
Late ReyneIds-"The Herald" Is
strictly Up 20 Date tn this as
Well a. All other Matters.

II may seem prejudicisl, it may appear
narrow, yet it is neither; it is simply the
unbiased opinion Of the writer that q
grievous error has been made on the part
of both the churches aud the scientists
of this city, in permitting to be carried on
the debates of Saturday and Sunday last.
The result of the contest may be summed
up ia just one sentence, followers OF either
idea TO the contrary notwithstanding
that sentence is: The christian is still
mistaken in his belief. the infdel is as
positive as before. No good has come of
been engendered, and the sole and only
topic OF conversation now is religion
to the discontinue OF its followers.
A belief in the divinity of Christ harms
no one, and may be a source OF solare to
the comparative few who profess it; vet
it is the veriest folly to attempt to force
upon children, and men and women of
mature years, in many instances. All idea
impossible of conception to their minds.
because they cannot Understandings as
simulate and apply it. Christ is divine
only to the individual who can subject
lively accept his divinity. The christian
feels he is divine, and to the christian
he must, then. be divine; but it does not
necessarily follow that all men NAV or
On hal or 10. ha Ia ..,E Ill
cannot accept his divinity, and his object
i've force is called into play to contend
with the simple faith which he cannot
conquer.
Therefore is discussion harmful to the
christian. He cannot prove single
statement to the effect that his Christ is
divine, though he knows it and his fail
ure to advance logical arguments initiate
against him in his endeavor To convince
the wary or the unconvinced skeptic
The question is absolutely not debatablc
The christian is right, the infidel is right ;
the matter can only be determined from
the point of view.
In this connection the writer must take
issue with MIR Rose in one asserveration
That gentleman denies in toto the sixth
sense, and calls it ridiculous when one
tells him that ones senses may he de.
ceived II Mr.. Rose so believes, then he
is beyond all hope OF attempting to prove
his christianity. Mr.. Rose must have
heard Of hypnotism, yet Mr.. Rose does
not believe that it is \ sixth sense. There
were men in his audience on Saturday
who could, given proper conditions, have
shown him something of the hypnotic
force. There were men in that audience
who, at the risk of being called blasphem-
Gus, would have told the reverend gen.
tleman that only upon hypnotic grounds
could they ever believe in the performance
of the miracles of Christ. II Mr.. Rose
were broad-minded enough, he could ac-
qulesce in the statement that the chris
tlnn should take the basic principle OF
hypnotism as the grand foundation OF his
own belief; because upon such grounds
even the infidel would hesitate to contra
dict him. Should Mr.. Rose devote much
exhaustive study TO this thought he may
be able to see the strength and beauty of
it. The most pronounced intidel in the
city OF North Yakima will, the reporter
thinks, confess to Mr.. Rose that solely
upon this ground can he see reason for
the christians belief in the divinity of
Christ. Why, then, does the reverend
gentleman refuse to acknowledge that
men who have these thoughts, these al
most infinite powers given strength of
belief and development) are men OF I'M
derstanding?
In the discussion of this subject Mr..
Reynolds was very lenient in his re-
marks. Believing that Christ WAS not
divine, only one other course is left open /;
that is, that he was an imposter II he
were, his practices and teachings are sub
jects OF wrathful argumentative probngs
and attempted explanation. Intidels are
frequently bitter when they have public
opportunity OF speaking freely what they
believe 10 this connection, and their re
marks are oftimes very offensive b chris
tian ears. Mr.. Reynolds was. however,
discreet and gentlemsnly, He left much
unsaid, and it is better so.
This second debate-npon the topic,
''Infidelity, so-called, has done more for
the advancement of science and the up
lifting Of humanity than christianity
was OF the fame nature as, though differ
ent from the first; i. e., the point from
which one discusses the subject has much
to do with belief. However, this ques-
ton is debatable. The writer maintains
that the question is about evenly divided.
Scientifically, perhaps infdelity may
claim superiority; for the uplifting OF hu
manity, christianity is in advance. Be-
cause the infidel has not devoted his
time and his brains toward spreading the
doctrine of christianity, but has delved
into the arts, manufactures and sciences
instead; and conversely, the christian
has given his life to the elevating OF the
moral standard of the inhabitants OF the
earth, leaving the former field to his lin
many instances) unchristian brother.
The opera house was crowded each
afternoon, to its fullest capacity, while
the debates were in progress. Indifferent
men or doubling Thomases" have been,
perhaps, influenced in a contrary direc-